It would be neat if it there were an option which added distance and elevation gain, but minimized the grade.

For example, a route from SOMA to Nob Hill can be made flatter by approaching from either the east or west. Technically the "flattest" as measured by elevation gain between the two is straight up Taylor from Market, but it's much nicer to bike to the top of Nob Hill by going out of the way (e.g. Polk → California, Embarcadero → Broadway, etc.)

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cowthulhu 23 minutes ago | parent [-]

I suspect that this would result in absurdly long routes. Imagine trying to go up a mountain while minimizing grade... you'd end up zig-zagging back and forth endlessly.

	▲	Serishmus 11 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		Isn’t that exactly how you build a trail up a mountainside? They are usually a series of switchbacks. Most people on most bikes can only take so much grade before climbing becomes impossible. A maximum grade setting would be very helpful for that exact reason.