What is your favourite or most memorable bike route? Mine is the Bealach Mor Sportive route in Scotland and several long days cycling up famous cols in the Pyrenees and Alps while on holiday.
Every cyclist has a route or two that they recall as being epic, beautiful, a challenge achieved etc.
Now, if you have the GPS data for this ride, you can turn it into an unusual and striking artwork.
Graphic designer – and keen cyclist – Paul Sonley has created Loopie, a company that will transform the GPS data generated on a ride into an artwork to hang on your wall.
Loopie takes the data stats, including route shape, location, speed, elevation and effort, and transforms it into a visual reminder of your achievements.
Paul, of Harrogate, says: “I started thinking about Loopie around three years ago. I loved all the data you got from any ride. A typical five-hour ride gives you in excess of 10,000 data points.
“The designer in me thought, great but a bit dry, so I just started mucking around with the .gpx file and trying to convert the data into something I could play with.
“The first .gpx file I successfully converted was my 2011 ride of the Etape du Dales. It never made it to a print, but defined the process for everything else.”
So each Loopie picture starts with a rider’s GPS data – and the final print is a factual but artistic interpretation of that ride.
Paul reckons the best Loopies come from routes with lot of hills. He says: “Where I live there are plenty of hills to ride and these offer some great gps data. Plenty of hills means a great Loopie print.”
You can be sure the graphic designer will be recording the GPS data of his ride during the Etape du Yorkshire in July.
Paul has also been approached by runners and walkers, who are keen to have their routes portrayed in an unique visual format.
To find out more, go to Loopie. I have to say I love this idea. And what a great concept for an unusual gift for a rider.