Anyone Cycling on your own-what are your routines?

[night cycler]

This question is aimed at anyone that tends to cycle alone, as it is what I do. When I go out on the bike I tend to do the same route, occasionally varying slightly to get to the same destination.

If I reach my monthly mileage target before the month end, I do what I call 'top up' rides. These top ups are shorter distances but with more focus on hills, so almost like an HIT ride. I find these take more effort/energy. Harder on the cardio side for sure.

So, without the company/influence etc from fellow riders, what is your cycling routine like?

 

[cyberknight]

Depends
if im only going out for a shorter 1.5- 2 hours i will use a couple of well known routes,longer rides i will use a route planner to a cafe i know of or one on here
https://cafes.cyclingmaps.net/?fbclid=IwAR2SZRq4XIjZs273Y3yHWeJ3t-yEA2M5yGq_WD08TrT6i1PsY7pcDEp3rY8

edit i always try to have a tailwind home

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I look at the weather forecast and plan a ride on Strava with the wind in mind, make it as flat as I can whilst grabbing Veloviewer squares. Veloviewer forces you to ride new routes.

Get out as early as I can (normally before 6), for a hundred miler have a planned cafe stop around the 60 mile mark, have an emergency one planned if needed around 80-90 mile mark, be home early afternoon and drink loads of tea. If I do a 50-60 mile ride I'll have a cafe planned for around 30 miles, but may or may not stop.

 

[Oldhippy]

I do a packed lunch and pick a direction that looks historically interesting get on bike and just go stopping for interesting photos along the way.

 

[Baldy]

If it's an evening ride I tend to follow one of half a dozen routes that start and finish at the house. All around 15 - 20 miles, I will generally try to push the pace on these.

Weekend rides, I just pick somewhere nice to visit and plan a rough route that will take me there. A more relaxed pace and between 40 to 70ish miles per day.

Longer trips will depend on the route.

 

[biggs682]

I just get up and follow my nose , very rarely set off with a complete route in mind , I just make it up as I ride .

 

[DaveReading]

I choose my direction so that the wind is behind me on the return leg.

 

[night cycler]

Beginning of month now, so I am planning going out before 7pm for a 10 miler. Depending on how I feel at 8 miles I may 'incorporate' a hill A6178 Alma Rd, it turns right at a junction on to A618 Moorgate Rd which carries on climbing. Total length of these 2 is about 0.8 miles. I try not to stop, and am pleased if I complete these 2 hills without stopping. I never get up on the pedals, and I let my thighs do the work. That will be enough for me. Nothing at all compared to what some of you guys do.

 

[Andy in Germany]

When commuting my usual routine seems to be either to set off ridiculously early and think I'm late so I ride fast and end up waiting at work, or realise it's later than I thought, swear, jump on bike, race to gate, hop off bike, run back and collect bag/turn cooker off/lock door, and sprint for the first few kilometres until I see the town hall clock in the next village so I know if I'm on time or not and then usually slow down.

For other tours, I do the same as @Oldhippy: I like to find interesting places. While riding I have a tendency to talk to myself about things I'm dealing with or major issues. I've actually solved most of the world's problems while cycling but I always forget the ideas before I can tell anyone about it.

 

[Oldhippy]

When commuting my usual routine seems to be either to set off ridiculously early and think I'm late so I ride fast and end up waiting at work, or realise it's later than I thought, swear, jump on bike, race to gate, hop off bike, run back and collect bag/turn cooker off/lock door, and sprint for the first few kilometres until I see the town hall clock in the next village so I know if I'm on time or not and then usually slow down.

For other tours, I do the same as @Oldhippy: I like to find interesting places. While riding I have a tendency to talk to myself about things I'm dealing with or major issues. I've actually solved most of the world's problems while cycling but I always forget the ideas before I can tell anyone about it.

Are you sure we aren't related?😁

 

[All uphill]

It varies, and I love variety.

Out early, if the mood takes me, cycle fast and get home for 10.30.
Or out later and take all day for some slow exploring.
Head for Devon if I'm feeling strong, or to the Somerset levels for a more relaxing ride.
I take a sandwich and a flask, but often stop at a cafe.

It's a good thing that I cycle alone because I sing. The cycling occupies enough of my mind that I can stop thinking and just feel.

 

[wafter]

I go out pretty well tooled up (spare tube, chain, associated tools, lights, batteries, medication, appropriate spare clothing, phone) in a backpack and just follow my nose; which sat nav helps with. I plan the route according to the wind, usually do roughly circular routes and try to take most of the headwind early in the ride.

I've noticed that at any given time my rides go in cycles of roughly the same area, then I get bored and it changes. Currently my routes are pretty consistant due to the limited options getting in and out of this grotty village.

I keep an eye on what I've been doing on Strava (pitifully little of late) but don't hold myself to any targets and just go out when I feel like it / when I can force myself if I know I need it.

*Edited to add a bit more* - I tend to ride later in the day as I'm not a morning person and anything from early afternoon on tends to be when I feel most like going out (although do like a crisp spring / summer morning ride if I can push myself into it). I typically do anywhere between 20 and 40 miles; although everything of late has been around the 30 mark as that's all I can manage round here due to lack of fitness and about twice the elevation change per ride that I was used to in Oxford.

Age and a gravel bike mean I'm decreasingly interested in speed and more just rolling along in nice surroundings; with averages usually at 12-13m/hr.

 

[Sharky]

Used to enjoy club runs and was a runs leader for many years, but life gets in the way and I can no longer do Sundays.

So I get out one or twice a week and usually on one of my regular loops. These take from 60 to 90 mins On top of this, I ride our clubs evening 10's every Tuesday night. So all my rides are solo rides now.

 

[tyred]

If I'm riding after work it will be one of a selection of routes varying in length from about ten to thirty miles depending on mood, weather and available time.

Weekend rides before my accident were often all-day affairs made up as I went along and looking for anything interesting. I would have done anything up to around a hundred miles.

My fitness, stamina and confidence aren't quite there yet so my weekend rides aren't as long as they used to be but have taken on a similar vain and are gradually increasing in distance.

My Carradice saddle bag is my ever-present companion and I am entirely self-sufficient when cycling with tools, food, extra clothes, etc depending on how far I am going as I live alone and often cycle into remote mountainous areas or to the coast and as I am facing the North Atlantic weather can sometimes change drastically in a short space of time so on my long rides I prepare for that.

I am another one who talks to myself and sometimes sings to myself while riding.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Rides are from the house unless I have an event. Occasionally I’ll take the train somewhere and ride one way back. I ride anywhere from about an hour up to 6 hours. This time of year I tend to do a 4-6 hour ride once a week. I ride about 5 days a week, the other days I go for a walk. I don’t have pre planned routes because I have quite a large mental map of how places are linked together. I will take my gps to log the ride. But I’ll have an outline of what I think I’ll do based on how long I intend to be out for. I do tend to rotate the direction I head in, thus one day I might head east, next day north, next day west etc. My rides tend to be fairly chilled but also mostly non stop. Once a week I’ll ride to a pub to meet up with a mate who also cycles there for a pint and lunch. We change the pub each week and it usually coincides with the longer ride. I’m not really a cafe stop rider unless I’m with others. I save high intensity for the turbo. Outdoor rides are about enjoying the fresh air and places and scenery I’m passing through plus the wildlife I encounter.