Enthusiast website GoFar-mtb.com has launched a new series of online route guides featuring downloadable Ordnance Survey route cards. This will create more traffic to the site so take banner ads with us, say the sites creators

OS map now downloadable from GoFar-mtb

The route reports are written by GoFar-mtb.com editor Mark Alker. Each card can be downloaded and printed by readers for free.

Many websites offer routes to download, but GoFar-mtb is claiming to be the first site to have successfully negotiated an agreement with the OS.

The Ordnance Survey map extracts are in response to feedback from our readers, says Alker.

The demand for quality route guides is what drives much of the printed MTB press. We are the first online source of quality, legal mountain biking route guides that match, and in some cases exceed, the quality of print mags.

Matt Wenham, GoFar-mtb webmaster and designer, developed the technique of optimising OS map extracts combined with route directions for download times of less than two minutes with no loss of print quality.

"We have heard of other websites that have tried to master this idea but we are the first to succeed," says Wenham.

"Our route guides have the additional bonus that if you lose your route guide you simply print out another," added Wenham.

The first two route cards cover routes around Bingley, West Yorkshire and Skiddaw, Cumbria, with a new route scheduled to appear every two weeks.

By the end of the year the site aims to provide its readership with the largest free source of high quality mountain bike route guides in Europe.

GoFar currently gets advertising from Polaris, 9feet.com, Lumicycle, Headstrong and Identiti Bikes.

We are actively looking for more industry support, and advertising opportunities exist for any company wishing to tap into GoFar-mtb’s highly targeted mountain bike readership, says GoFar sales director, Carvel Lonsdale.

"Advertising on a targeted website such as GoFar-mtb offers a far more versatile and powerful way for companies to reach their potential customers than can be offered by a printed magazine. We are actually much cheaper too!"

Email: develop@gofar-mtb.com or call

Tel: 01282 430994.

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