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Is there a best practices guide for adding bike infrastructure data to OSM? Not simply how to add a bike path, but a list of best practices for actually fleshing out sometimes disjointed bike infrastructure information for a city.

Some big issues:

  • How to split road segments to mark on-road cycling infrastructure and when it's appropriate and when it's not. How to deal with streets with a separated cyclepaths that becomes a bike lane and then sharrows.
  • How to mark separated Sidepaths, shared use bike / pedestrian paths, paths through parks, different surface types (such as unpaved rail trails)
  • How to denote official US federal / state / county / local bike routes.
  • When is it appropriate to add mountain bike trails and how to mark them and differentiate them from commuter trails.

    I'm looking for any official or unofficial guides to point people to that will help map editors fill in this information. If this is more suited to multiple questions, I'm more than willing to have this closed and reopen separate questions.

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    Thanks for your interest in helping us in improving our map :)

    First about your issues:

    1. Splitting can be easily done in JOSM using "p" key when you select the node at which you want to split. If a separated cycleway merges again to the road, just connect them and (maybe) mark the waysegment beyond with a cyclelane tag.

    2. You can use a highway=path way and set the access=* tag as needed. Also JOSM offers you for the most cases appropriate tag templates.

    3. http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Bicycle_route

    4. See MTB

    So in short, there is no guide on tagging for that dedicated scenario.
    But there are several maps that render OSM data for the perspective of cyclists:

    So we need to be a bit more accurate on who is the person who likes to benefit from your contribution:

    MTB:
    Usually uses off-road tracks in the wild and mountains or dedicated parks
    http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Mtb

    BMX:
    Similar to MTB but usually more city parks and not long routes
    http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:leisure=track

    Racing cycles:
    Usually on dedicated tracks (see BMX) or on the road network. There they care about a very smooth surface and need good paving
    http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:smoothness
    http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Surface

    Trekking:
    Riding very long routes (maybe multiple days) and use cycling networks
    http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Bicycle_route

    General:
    The most of the types above share the same additional requirements because of the nature of bicycling.

    The bike can break:
    http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:shop=bicycle
    http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:vending=bicycle_tube

    Emergency:
    http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:amenity=hospital
    http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:amenity=doctors
    http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:emergency

    Weather:
    http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:amenity=shelter

    The driver needs a pause/supply:
    http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:amenity=bench
    http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:amenity=shelter
    http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:tourism=picnic_site http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:amenity=bicycle_parking
    everything else in tourism from fast_food to hotel http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:tourism -parken

    As OSM data schema is always work in progress, this list is far from beeing complete, but IMHO it covers the most important aspects.

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