RideByWeather vs Should I Ride
Should I Ride is the most stripped-back tool in this category, and that's the point of it: type a city or a pair of coordinates, get an answer about whether now is a good time to ride. RideByWeather answers the same thing and then handles the ride around it.
What Should I Ride does well
There's real merit in a tool that does one thing and asks nothing of you. Should I Ride is free, needs no account, takes a city name or coordinates, and evaluates weather and comfort to tell you whether to go. It's donation-supported to cover server and API costs, and it's upfront that it's informational — the safety call on the road is still yours.
- Platforms
- Web
- Price
- Free, donation-supported
- Site
- shouldiride.com
Side by side
Ten questions a rider actually asks. Where Should I Ride's own material doesn't say, we've written “not listed” rather than guessing.
| Question | RideByWeather | Should I Ride |
|---|---|---|
| Is today worth going out, hour by hour? | Yes A 0–10 Ride Score for every hour, 48 hours out, re-weighted for your sport and bike type. | Partly Evaluates weather and comfort for your location; the scoring method isn't published. |
| What will the weather do along my route? | Yes Route planner with the forecast on each leg; the 24-hour "best hour to leave this route" view is Pro. | No Location only — city name or coordinates. |
| Which legs are into the wind? | Yes Headwind or tailwind called out per leg, with a reverse-the-loop suggestion when the wind turns. | No Not listed. |
| What should I put on? | Yes Photo-led what-to-wear from the live feels-like, and free without an account at /wear. | Not listed Not listed. |
| Does it do running and walking too? | Yes Cycling, running and walking each scored on their own weighting — dew point matters more than wind for a run. | No Cycling. |
| Is it on my watch or head unit? | Yes Garmin Connect IQ app for watch and Edge, plus Android and iPhone apps. | No Web. |
| Does it record the ride afterwards? | Yes Live ride screen, history, streaks, journal, and a training plan that moves your long day onto the better weather. | No Not listed. |
| Does it warn me about what's on the road? | Yes Lightning map, air quality, pollen, reported hazards and road facts spoken to you as you ride. | No States plainly that it's informational and the safety decision is the rider's. |
| Does it know my city? | Yes 127 city ride guides with local prevailing wind and signature loops. | No Location lookup rather than written city guides. |
| Is there a real free tier? | Yes Free forever and completely ad-free — scores, forecast, routes, recording and gear all included. | Yes Free with no account; donations cover server and API costs. |
Compiled 2026-09-08 from shouldiride.com. Products change — if we've got something wrong or out of date, tell us and we'll correct it.
So which one?
Choose Should I Ride if…
Pick Should I Ride if you want the shortest possible path from a question to an answer, with no account, no app and no features you'll never open.
Choose RideByWeather if…
Pick RideByWeather if you want the reasoning as well as the answer — the hour-by-hour timeline rather than a verdict for right now — plus route planning with the wind on each leg, what to wear, running and walking, a watch app, ride recording, and safety alerts.
No ads on any tier. The free plan is permanent, not a trial.
Frequently asked
What does Should I Ride do?
It takes a city or coordinates and evaluates weather and comfort conditions to tell you whether now is a good time to cycle. It's free, needs no account, and is supported by donations that cover its server and API costs.
Why would I use RideByWeather instead?
If a yes-or-no for right now is all you need, you wouldn't. RideByWeather is for riders who want the hour-by-hour picture so they can pick a window rather than accept a verdict, plus route planning with wind on each leg, gear advice, running and walking, a Garmin app, ride recording and safety alerts.
Is RideByWeather free too?
The free tier is permanent and ad-free and covers scoring for all three sports, the 7-day forecast and hourly timeline, route planning, recording and what to wear. It does need an account. Pro at $2.99 a month adds training plans, the pushed best-window alert, spot ranking and the 14-day outlook.
Other comparisons
Free to install; $2.99/month or $19.99/year after a 30-day, 1,000-forecast trial
Always free, no account required
Free and ad-free; optional membership at $1, $3 or $5 a month