I would humbly add that the mapping feature on Google gets better everyday, and a savvy cyclist can use that in the planning of trips that aren’t everyday trips.  I just did this last night for a bike/train/bus commute to my monthly Woodworking club meeting.  I planned through Google Maps how to best route myself through some busy North Austin streets during traffic hour, copied the map click-for-click in to my Garmin Connect account, then loaded the course from there on to my Garmin Edge 500.  Cool!  I was able to simply turn when it told me to and behold…I had arrived. 

Here’s the clincher: when I said earlier that Google was getting better, I meant it.  Clicking on the “cyclist” logo rather than the “car” or the “bus”, resulted in it paying attention to the fact that I was riding a bike, and therefore found me a route that had about 90%+ cycle-friendly streets…most with a full-on bike lane.  Love me some Google Maps…and Loving the Bike!