Support

Help with the Ride Madison app and ridemadison.com

Contact us

Email hello@ridemadison.com. A real person in Madison reads every message.

If something isn't working, it helps to include:

What you were doing and what happened
Your phone model and iOS or Android version
The app version, shown at the bottom of the More tab
A screenshot, if you can

Getting started

Do I need an account? No. The map, routes, trail info, Nearby and turn-by-turn directions all work without one. Sign in with Apple, Google or email only if you want to save rides and stats across phones.

Location. Allow location to see where you are, sort nearby places and start routes from your spot. You can change this any time in your phone's Settings. Without it, the map and search still work, and routes start from a place you pick.

Language and appearance. Choose English or Español, and light or dark, in the More tab.

Spotty signal? Paths and places are saved on your phone and refresh weekly, so the map keeps working on the trail. Planning a new route and live BCycle data need a connection.

Routes and directions

Routes favor trails, paths and bike lanes over busy roads. Start one from the search bar, a trail card, an event or a suggested ride, then tap Start ride for spoken turn-by-turn directions. If you go off route, the app reroutes you.

Not hearing directions? Turn up your phone's volume and make sure it isn't on silent. Keep the app open on screen while you ride.

Trail passes and e-bikes

Every trail card shows Can I ride here?, with whether a pass is needed and the e-bike rules.

Trail passes. Wisconsin state trails such as the Military Ridge, Badger and Glacial Drumlin require a state trail pass to bike if you're 16 or older. On the Capital City State Trail, the pass applies only to the 9 miles between Verona Rd and Nob Hill Rd. City paths like the Southwest Commuter Path are free. Passes are sold by the Wisconsin DNR.

E-bikes. Wisconsin has three e-bike classes. On most DNR state trails, Class 1 and Class 3 e-bikes are generally allowed at up to 15 mph, and Class 2 (throttle) e-bikes are not allowed under motor power. City and county paths can set their own rules, so always follow posted signs.

Madison BCycle

Tap a BCycle station on the map to see how many bikes and open docks it has right now (zoom in to see stations). To ride, unlock a bike in the BCycle app and return it to any station with an open dock. For BCycle accounts, billing or a bike problem, contact Madison BCycle; Ride Madison isn't part of BCycle.

Events

The Events tab lists things happening around Madison. Pick one to see the details and get a bike route there. You can also submit an event. We review each one before it's published, and you can withdraw yours any time in Events → Your events.

Your account

Edit your name, phone or email choices: More → Edit profile.
Sign out: More → Sign out. Your saved rides stay in your account.
Delete your account: More → Delete account. This permanently deletes your profile, saved rides and ride stats, and can't be undone.
Usage stats: switch off Share anonymous usage stats in More at any time.

Something wrong on the map?

Trails, bike lanes and places come from OpenStreetMap, the free map anyone can edit. If a path is missing, closed or wrong, email us the trail name and what you saw, and we'll look into it. You can also fix it on OpenStreetMap yourself; changes reach the app within a few weeks.

For local businesses

Want your shop or event in front of Madison riders? See Advertise with Ride Madison.