Main Roads or Lanes Which To Use

[junkie_ball]

So when I ride with my cycling partner I tend to plan routes that are mainly quiet country lanes due to how shall I put this his lack of road sense. When I go out alone I have also traditionally stick to lanes more out of habit than necessity.

Recently i have been taking to main roads more often to avoid the pot holed lanes. My average speed around lanes tends to be around 15 mph but on main roads its more like 17-18mph due to to better road conditions. I was just wondering which types of roads you fine folk on here prefer to cycle and if you find advantages on certain types of roads than others.

 

[helston90]

It also depends on the time of day/ week- some roads are no go on my commute but will happily do on the weekend/ evening.
Generally prefer back roads as I can take the choice to sit back and enjoy the scenery, not just trying to avoid getting squashed or going fast.

 

[welsh dragon]

I dont commute, so I always take country lanes. The advantage is, I don't have to worry about cars, buses, lorries or anything else. Much nicer.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Nice quiet country lanes for me, they are in quite good nick around Leicester.

 

[MontyVeda]

same here re: lanes... plus, the main roads are often too flat and therefore too boring... you just don't turn a corner at the top of a nice climb and be rewarded with a wonderful view very often on the main roads either... then again, i do tend to cycle for the scenery rather than the ride

 

[adamhearn]

Much prefer quiet lanes.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I try to avoid main roads unless it's a quiet time of day, or if the only alternative is a big hill

 

[I like Skol]

Anything and everything for me but ironically I usually feel safer on the congested urban roads in rush hour than a nice country road with muppets playing at being racing drivers whizzing past. I think it is the speed differential that does it?

 

[summerdays]

I'm not so keen on fast dual carriageways, but other than that I'm fine with either. Depends on mood and concentration levels. Most of my normal commute is cycle path which gives the mind time to wander. However the traffic main road can be exhilarating at times. A combination of the two or views (but they often come with hills!)

 

[ScotiaLass]

I don't commute but tend to stick to back roads and the good network of cycle paths we have here.
And towpaths.

 

[Glow worm]

I avoid roads altogether if I can. Bridleways, farm tracks, paths and off road cycle paths all the way here wherever possible.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I prefer main roads. I don't prefer main road traffic passing me at 60+mph with mere centimetres to spare though. So I tend to almost always commute on the B roads and lanes, and yes, it is slower going as a result.

Every once in a while, by accident or circumstance, or incredibly stupid design of route I'll find myself, off-peak, on an NSL DC. Not a lotta fun to be had but you can go very much faster when the devil is on your tail.

 

[djb1971]

I much prefer the quiet lanes. It's less stressful, I don't have any idiots trying to kill me. Sometimes I can go out all day and not see a handful of cars. Night rides are great, you can see headlight coming for miles. There's lot of things to have a nosey at over the hedges, wildlife, people's houses etc. it's nice to breathe in the country goodness. It's a shame that this time of year the fresh air isn't as fresh and it's got lumps in it

 

[martint235]

Depends what I'm doing. If I want to go out for a quiet potter around then lanes. If I'm actually trying to get somewhere, A roads all the time. They tend to be well surfaced, straight and wide and the shortest way from A to B.

 

[Dave 123]

I try and stick to quiet where possible.
On some rides I might have to do a mile or so on something busy to get to where I want to be next, but generally I avoid A roads.