Howto design a route in Google Maps on the pc and navigate on the android device I would like to do the following:


Create a route in Google Maps on the PC and save it under my account


Set Start and Target and let google maps create a route for my bicycle. Change the route and insert via-points to optimize the route. (Avoid ways with a lot of cars)

Save the route under my account


Open the route on my Android Device (Google Maps App?) and navigate with the route. The route should have the via-points.


I only managed to create the map on the PC and opened it in a special app called 'Google Maps Engine' on my Android device, which only shows the route. I can't navigate.

Is this possible?
I don't know that you can do this with the apps you are talking about.

However there is hope. Going back to first principles, you have a pc on which you want to create your route, and you have an android device which you want to stick on your bike and use for navigation. Correct?

If you accept that you need to abandon Google Maps altogether, there are whole companies such as RideWithGps who offer this kind of thing. You create your map through their site (as it happens one of the options is to use Google mapping, but there are other options too - including bike path mapping which may be useful for avoiding cars). You save your routes on their site, under an account that you create.

I use this part of their service a lot and I know it works well.

As regards tracking, they offer an Android app designed for exactly that. I have not tried it.

I have a pay subscription with these guys and it didn't cost a lot. But I know they also offer a free account so you might be able to do what I've said for free. I know the Android app is available through the Google App Store but have no idea whether it costs. 

Probably worth saying that there are a bunch of known issues with using phones for this kind of thing. Two that immediately spring to mind are battery life (GPS and screen are always on) and a way of securing the phone to the bike without the risk of it flying off.

In the interest of fairness, other companies which offer this kind of thing include MapMyRide and Strava but I only really know of these in passing - in particular I'm not sure how they handle the tracking side. Also Garmin Connect, which I know quite well (and you don't need a Garmin computer to use), and which also has a complementary Android app. Any of these might be better than RWGps in doing what you're looking for.