Driving to the start of a bike ride?

[Dolorous Edd]

Sometimes I get a bit bored of the local roads, and wonder whether every so often (perhaps once a fortnight) I shouldn't drive say 30-60 minutes to a starting point that allows me to do a decent loop somewhere new from there, say 40 miles minimum to make it worthwhile.

Do others do this? I accept it's not the most Greta-friendly idea, but as I only do about 2,000 car miles a year I'm not sure that will keep me awake at night. And yes, train is an option, but would take much longer to get from my door to the starting point.

 

[Rusty Nails]

I do it quite often if I want to ride in the beautiful Brecon Beacons or the Gower Peninsula. I live in Cardiff which is 23 miles from the Beacons or 40 miles to Swansea.

There is no way I could ride to Swansea and back plus a trip around the Gower, and while I have ridden to Merthyr and back it would make my pleasant but hilly 45/50 miles around the Beacons into an even harder century with an uninspiring start and end.

It would be all about pushing the pedals and not enjoying the ride.

I used to do it a lot more before I gave up my mountain bikes for road bikes.

 

[carpiste]

I like to go round Lake Vyrnwy a couple of times whilst MrsC is sat eating cake, drinking tea in the cafe and in the hop and rspb centre...
No way I could cycle there from Manchester and do the 20 odd miles at the lake!

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Re the train, I tend to ride out and then get the train back.

 

[Dag Hammar]

A timely post.
During late August and through September I have taken my bike in the back of the car and parked up and then ridden through some lovely countryside and on other occasions I have followed the coastline in three different locations.
I often felt uninspired to set off from home on the same old roads and consequently did not go out as much as I should have done. By taking my bike in the car it enabled me to cycle around places that would be too far to reach.
With regard to taking the train, I haven’t done that yet but it is something that’s on my “to do list“ when the weather is better. In terms of cost, with petrol prices climbing as they are an off-peak train ticket is not significantly dearer than taking the car.
I say go for it.

 

[Grant Fondo]

Aye, regularly. Anglesey and Snowdonia too far to home loop with my old legs
Wouldn't get to see all this lovely stuff without the motor, and i am too covid scary pants to train it

 

[AuroraSaab]

Yes, go for it. Lots of people do this, especially mountain bikers. It's often no fun riding on busy urban roads and if you're bored of local routes and want to get out into the countryside, good for you. Many of us aren't up to a huge ride to get to nice scenery and then ride back.

 

[Jenkins]

I do this a few times a year - when you live by the Suffolk coast between two rivers, there's only limited routes that can be taken and most of them involve going round or through Ipswich on the way out and home, therefore it's good to get a change of scenery. The other option I have is to ride out and take the train home or train out & ride home - one of the advantages of living less than 1/2 mile from the station.

 

[All uphill]

I have been surprised how starting just 10 to 20 miles from home opens up lots of unfamiliar territory. In previous years I used the train a lot but am not comfortable on them now with covid.

 

[biggs682]

Absolutely not

 

[Tail End Charlie]

Why not, if it gets you out riding and enjoying it, I'm all for it.

 

[Rusty Nails]

Absolutely not

Why not?

It is all down to personal choice and I can understand it if the reason is to avoid burning fuel in any way, or you can't drive, but if it allows people to get to scenery that would otherwise be out of their range where is the problem?

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I do it a few times a year with the family, put all the bikes on the car and drive to a good place for a family ride, usually a reservoir or similar. Usually no more than about a 15 mile drive, it just puts us in a better place for the youngest rider without having to negotiate busy roads.
If I'm on my own and want more variety I tend to either ride out to somewhere random and then get the train back, or the other way around I.e. train to somewhere then ride home. Cambridge is a favourite, Huntingdon is also a regular, I couldn't do there and back but a one way on either route is a lovely ride.

 

[gavroche]

A timely post.
During late August and through September I have taken my bike in the back of the car and parked up and then ridden through some lovely countryside and on other occasions I have followed the coastline in three different locations.
I often felt uninspired to set off from home on the same old roads and consequently did not go out as much as I should have done. By taking my bike in the car it enabled me to cycle around places that would be too far to reach.
With regard to taking the train, I haven’t done that yet but it is something that’s on my “to do list“ when the weather is better. In terms of cost, with petrol prices climbing as they are an off-peak train ticket is not significantly dearer than taking the car.
I say go for it.

When you go on the train, do you take clothes to change into or stay in your cycling gear ?

 

[John Shingler]

Yes, loads travel to sportive events every weekend.