Trailforks will soon charge you actual cash money!

[Peruvian]

You still get all the trails within a 38 mile range for free but otherwise pay up, suckas.

Considering most folks use TF for areas they are not familiar with, the free version becomes moot.

Likely due to scum sucking VC investors wanting some serious return on their investment.

Time to migrate to MTB Project or some other free app?

[radam]

I'm generally opposed to paying subscriptions for things, because despite people always pulling the "it's only $x/month" or the "you spent $5k on a bike, you can't afford this?" cards, shit adds up and obviously people need to pick and choose what works for them.... but Trailforks is a really well-designed app/platform and is absolutely better than MTB Project / Strava for exploring, especially when in poor cell service areas. So yeah, 1.50/month is more than free, but considering what other bike-related apps are charging monthly, I'd say it's a pretty good value.

[davjr96]

Yeah trailforks is definitely still a good value and obviously something has to pay for their server/hosting costs. I am not quite sure how I feel about them making money off of mostly user inputted data though...

[buttahflake]

Not really familiar with this app, can you use it like, ride with gps? And send a route to my Wahoo head unit for navigation. Do they have heat maps like Strava?

[summit]

I like TF. I might subscribe to TF for a month or two if I take a trip somewhere where I need on trail offline info. Otherwise, I just look at it before I head out or use Mtb Proj on the trail.

I'm not paying a year-round sub for an app I would only use 6 months of the year... which is why Strava won't see a dime (only doing yearly subs). Remember, TF is only $1.50/mo if you subscribe right away and never stop your sub.

[Peruvian]

I am not quite sure how I feel about them making money off of mostly user inputted data though...

Establishing a value to your product by having users input data and then stealing that data to charge for that product is sleazy. I'm sure it's buried deep in the user agreement somewhere that they can do so, but it still sucks.

I don't care if it's $1.50 or $150, it's still sleazy.

[davjr96]

Not really familiar with this app, can you use it like, ride with gps? And send a route to my Wahoo head unit for navigation. Do they have heat maps like Strava?

Yes I mainly onlyuse it for route planning, generally send the GPXs to my garmin or CalTopo app but they allow you to navigate with their app too. They don't have a heatmap, but if there is a marked trail in the app you can view people's ride logs if they have it synced to strava. They intentionally hide trails that do not exist. example: https://www.trailforks.com/trails/ch...9392/ridelogs/ notice all the rides marked as sensitive?

[Terrapin Ben]

You're stupid. They're not stealing the data and selling it. They are helping you visualize your own data, as well as every other users data on the platform. You are paying for the the app which visualizes the data.

[summit]

Yes I mainly onlyuse it for route planning

You don't need a subscription to use TF on your computer to plan your ride. Sub only needed for the phone app (if out of your "home" area).

I am not quite sure how I feel about them making money off of mostly user inputted data though...

The entire reason they left it "free" within your "home" area is they assume you don't need TF at "home" (enough to pay), but they need your knowledge and use of the trails that generates data about your "home" to have it to sell to people who don't know your area.

[davjr96]

You don't need a subscription to use TF on your computer to plan your ride. Sub only needed for the phone app (if out of your "home" area).

Ah you're right, I missed that. In that case I will continue doing as I am doing which is TF into Caltopo when necessary.

[Peruvian]

You're stupid. They're not stealing the data and selling it. They are helping you visualize your own data, as well as every other users data on the platform. You are paying for the the app which visualizes the data.

The entire reason they left it "free" within your "home" area is they assume you don't need TF at "home" (enough to pay), but they need your knowledge and use of the trails that generates data about your "home" to have it to sell to people who don't know your area.

I'm with Summit.

[whyturn]

This is the open snow business model. Data is already there in other places they just make it easy to use. People pay for grocery delivery cause it’s easy. I pay to drive in carpool as a single cause it’s easy. Don’t like it don’t pay. Pay to play


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[Danno]

They're useful apps for the very occasional time I leave my home trails but I'm not subscribing for a year for those few rides.

[bagtagley]

I like TF. I might subscribe to TF for a month or two if I take a trip somewhere where I need on trail offline info.

Anybody know for sure if that's possible? It gives a monthly cost, but says it's billed annually. You can cancel any time, but it's not clear if you get a partial refund.

[jackstraw]

This thread topic was discussed in the 'rant' thread.

Trailforks is an incredibly powerful system. They definitely spent a lot of money to build it and keep it going, but at the same time it's admins are not paid (well, maybe some of the 'super admin' guys are) and put a lot of time and effort into making the maps what they are. Seems like Pinkbike is making enough money and have enough volunteers to keep this free imo.

[ticketchecker]

Isn't facebook making money off of volunteered user data?

[summit]

Anybody know for sure if that's possible? It gives a monthly cost, but says it's billed annually. You can cancel any time, but it's not clear if you get a partial refund.

Oh dear. I just assumed it was possible.

[toast2266]

This has already been covered.

But to reiterate, I've spent far more money on things I use far less. I'll happily give them money.

If you don't like it, get lost. (in every sense of that phrase).

[RootSkier]

Costs the same as a 12 pack of beer for a YEAR.

Trying to think of other mountain bike-related things that cost less than $18 a year...chain lube is the only thing I can think of.

[bagtagley]

Just because $1.50/month isn't much money doesn't mean there's not a meaningful discussion to be had.

[mall walker]

Just because $1.50/month isn't much money doesn't mean there's not a meaningful discussion to be had.

that's the spirit

[Danno]

$1.50/mo is disingenuous if it's $18 for a year. It's $18. I ride bikes half the year, so if you really want to go monthly, it's $3/mo for the months I might use it. And I mostly ride local where I have no use for an app. So if I use it 2 times a year, was using it for those 2 rides worth $9 extra for each?

It's fine that it's worth it for people, surely I would find it worth it if I traveled with bikes more. But some of you seem to think that it's utterly ridiculous that others don't find it worth it and won't pay. That doesn't make us cheapskates or dumb; it just means that our financial calculus is different than yours, either because of usage or available resources or whatever. Surely you don't pay for every subscription based service that is offered to you, you just pay for the ones that you feel are worth it to you (like this one). Why are we wrong for facing the same decision and coming out with an answer more appropriate for us?

[Terrapin Ben]

You guys are stupid for thinking it's wrong that TRAILFORKS is charging for their app/service and for thinking they are stealing your data... whether you subscribe and pay for it or not is certainly a personal choice.

[Dantheman]

You're stupid. They're not stealing the data and selling it. They are helping you visualize your own data, as well as every other users data on the platform. You are paying for the the app which visualizes the data.

This. If you buy in now it's literally less than the cost of most brake pads. "Shit adds up, maaan!" Please. Just basic bike maintenance from one modest season of riding (a set of tires, new brake pads F/R, suspension service, a new chain) costs more than a decade of discounted TF subscriptions, even if you do all the work yourself and never drive to ride. Drink Rainier for a week instead of fancy IPAs and you covered your sub for the year.

Christ, I used to spend $15/ea for maps from Lat40 or NatGeo when I went to new places. For a physical map, that will never be updated, doesn't show you where you are on the map, and doesn't provide photos, ridelogs, and condition reports. So, yeah, $18/yr for every map everywhere plus all those features strikes me as entirely reasonable. YMMV.

Desktop TF is still free, MTB Project is still free, and Lat40 is still in business and will happily take your money instead.

Seems like Pinkbike is making enough money and have enough volunteers to keep this free imo.

TF is no longer affiliated with Pinkbike.

Isn't facebook making money off of volunteered user data?

FB, Google, and every other "free" service on the Internet.

[RootSkier]

But some of you seem to think that it's utterly ridiculous that others don't find it worth it and won't pay.

I couldn't care less whether others don't think it's worth it; I just think it's ridiculous that people are complaining about the actual cost.