Google is adding elevation data to its Maps program for bike routes. This has provided a better view of routes and trails to bikers or cyclists. This is beneficiary for the riders, especially for those who travel a lot to unknown roads and have no clue whether they will be climbing a steep hill or flying down a mountain ahead.

But the bad news is that the data are available only when bike routes are analyzed through desktop Internet browser. But it is at least better than visiting third-party sites that pushed up elevation data with Google Maps routes.

The search giant confirmed this feature is new yet unannounced. It promises not to take a long time in providing route scopes to the riders. The elevation profiles are available in 14 countries that Google provides biking directions such as Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Sweden and the U.S.

To use this feature, while selecting route on Google Maps, choose the biking directions and look for the new elevation profile. It will not only simply show a graphical representation of hills on how high one needs to travel but will highlight a new card that will provide the total number of feet that one will have to climb on in a specific route. The new elevation profiles will not be available if the route selected is essentially a flat route.

Google Map's new feature is striking, but it does not give any great implication to the competitors like Strava and Map My Ride that provide biking and running routes. The addition of the elevation data on the desktop version is not theta useful if considered that users do not have a computer while riding a bike or moving out casually. It is so obvious that if there is any transmission that is questionable, users will definitely move to other forms features that will make their ride easy and informational.

The functionality and the services provided by both these Web sites are free and vigorous. But neither of them offers an experience like Google Maps and the users can expect to get the most out of their activity.