Plan a loop
Plan a cycling loop
Radrunde works out a loop at the distance you want: choose a start, set 5 to 100 kilometres, get up to three ready-made loops along the numbered nodes in NRW and navigate node by node. Free, no account, on iPhone, Android and Apple Watch.
Guide
How do I plan a loop with Radrunde?
- 1
Choose a start
Tap the map or use your location. Radrunde plans from the nearest node.
- 2
Set the distance you want
Between 5 and 100 kilometres. The app looks for loops as close to that length as possible.
- 3
Pick a loop
Up to three suggestions, each routed differently. You see every loop on the map and choose.
- 4
Ride node by node
Navigation always shows the next node — on your phone and on the Apple Watch.
Orientation
Which distance suits you?
The 102 themed routes from the editors range from 15 to 61 kilometres, half of them between 30 and 36. Radrunde assumes a relaxed 15 km/h — the riding time in the table is pure riding time; breaks and food & drink stops come on top.
| Distance | Riding time | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| 20 km | 1:20 h | after-work loop |
| 30 km | 2:00 h | morning with a food & drink stop |
| 45 km | 3:00 h | half a day |
| 60 km | 4:00 h | day trip |
Background
Why plan along nodes?
The node network in NRW connects 3,051 numbered nodes over 23,800 kilometres of signposted cycle paths. At every node there is a panel with its number and the signposts to the neighbouring nodes — on the way you follow numbers, not a map. The Dutch node network joins up to the west: Radrunde plans there too, and at the border crossings loops run across both networks.
Comparison
Which apps are there for the node network in NRW?
There are several apps for the node network in NRW. Radrunde works out loops at the distance you want and guides you node by node — free and without an account, in NRW and in the Netherlands. NodeMapp also offers a calculated loop at the distance you want with “Surprise Me”. Fietsknoop and the Radroutenplaner NRW plan node routes that you put together yourself; komoot plans on the open road network and filters tour suggestions by distance.
| Provider | Planning | Coverage | Platforms | Price | Account |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radrunde our app | Loop at the distance you want, node by node | NRW and the Netherlands | iPhone, Android, Apple Watch | free | no |
| Fietsknoop | Put a route together node by node | NL, BE, German border region | iOS, Android, web | free · Plus €7.99/year | to save |
| komoot | Routing on the road network, tour suggestions by distance | worldwide | iOS, Android, web | free · maps from €3.99 one-off · Premium subscription | yes |
| NodeMapp | “Surprise Me”: loop at the distance you want | including NRW | iOS, Android, web | free · Premium subscription | to save |
| Radroutenplaner NRW | Node network as an option, route by hand | NRW | web, iOS, Android | free | no information |
-
Radrunde our app
- Planning
- Loop at the distance you want, node by node
- Coverage
- NRW and the Netherlands
- Platforms
- iPhone, Android, Apple Watch
- Price
- free
- Account
- no
-
Fietsknoop
- Planning
- Put a route together node by node
- Coverage
- NL, BE, German border region
- Platforms
- iOS, Android, web
- Price
- free · Plus €7.99/year
- Account
- to save
-
komoot
- Planning
- Routing on the road network, tour suggestions by distance
- Coverage
- worldwide
- Platforms
- iOS, Android, web
- Price
- free · maps from €3.99 one-off · Premium subscription
- Account
- yes
-
NodeMapp
- Planning
- “Surprise Me”: loop at the distance you want
- Coverage
- including NRW
- Platforms
- iOS, Android, web
- Price
- free · Premium subscription
- Account
- to save
-
Radroutenplaner NRW
- Planning
- Node network as an option, route by hand
- Coverage
- NRW
- Platforms
- web, iOS, Android
- Price
- free
- Account
- no information
Our own app first, then alphabetical. As of 9 September 2026 — information from the providers’ websites and store listings; it is checked again before every publication of this page.
Questions
Frequently asked questions about planning
What does it cost to plan a loop?
Nothing. Radrunde is free, with no account and no ads; the NRW network stays free for good.
Which distance can I set?
Between 5 and 100 kilometres. The app looks for loops as close to that length as possible.
Why do I get up to three loops?
Radrunde looks for three differently routed loops near the distance you want, so you can choose by scenery or direction. Where the network offers few alternatives, there may be fewer.
Can I also plan a one-way route from A to B?
Yes, on the iPhone since version 3.2: enter a destination — place, address or node number — and Radrunde guides you there along the node network. Also free.
Does planning work offline?
The NRW network data and the topology are on your device after the first launch; you add the Dutch network in the app, in Settings. Radrunde preferably calculates loops on the server; if the connection drops, your phone calculates the loop itself. The map view needs an internet connection.
Can I save or share a loop?
Yes. You will find saved loops again in the app. If you share a loop, the recipient gets a link that shows the loop on radrunde.app and opens it in the app.
Regions
Where do you want to start?
Eight regions, one network. Each region page shows nodes, kilometres and the editors’ themed routes — in German.
- Münsterland 672 nodes · 4,470 km 22 themed routes
- Niederrhein 492 nodes · 3,230 km 12 themed routes
- Aachen & Eifel 433 nodes · 2,680 km 10 themed routes
- Köln/Bonn 338 nodes · 3,260 km 9 themed routes
- Ostwestfalen-Lippe 265 nodes · 2,500 km 6 themed routes
- Sauerland 354 nodes · 3,860 km 6 themed routes
- Ruhrgebiet 200 nodes · 2,340 km 7 themed routes
- Düsseldorf & Rheinland 297 nodes · 1,460 km 11 themed routes