Route plan or free ride

[rivers]

It depends. If I'm sticking close to home, I'll make it up as I go along and go on a bit of magical mystery tour. If it's a ride further afield (usually 60+ miles), I will plan a route.

 

[PaulSB]

30 miles or so as is currently the case it's just a case of setting off and joining up local lanes that I know like the back of my hand.

When we are riding normally someone will pick a cafe and create a route to get there and back. I usually use RWGPS to do this as it helps to mix things up without getting lost.

30-50 miles is easy to remember. Once we hit the usual 70-80 a bit of planning is needed.

 

[Soltydog]

For me rides of 20-30 miles are all on local roads that I know, so no need to plan, although sometimes it might be beneficial to actually plan a ride before I set off, especially when I'm limited for time Quite often I'll head out with a rough idea of a route in my head & then change it as I'm cycling along, thinking this road will add a mile, that road will add 2 miles, but quite often I underestimate the added distance & the time taken. I was nearly late for work last week doing such, what I thought would add 2 miles actually added 4 miles, so I was then pushed for time I can go out onto the wolds for 100+ miles without a planned route, but if there's somewhere specific I want to go, a certain climb or velo viewer square then I will plot a route to ensure I get there, but then often change it at some point 🤔

 

[Sunny Portrush]

I take river water samples for a living and have done so for the past 25 years. I know exactly where every road goes over quite a large are of the Lothians.

It`s a bit of a double edged sword as I always know where I`m going so wont see any new roads but it also means I`ll never get lost cos I know where the next turn will take me!

 

[Ashimoto]

I do it on a regular basis. Started out the other day to do a loop I usuallly do and ended up miles away from where I intended to go. Its great. I love it.

 

[Gunk]

Staying local so it’s all lanes and tracks I know. No need to plan. I can just have an outline for a loop in my head and will usually have a rough idea of how it’ll take. I am however combining the lanes in ways I haven’t done before just to keep it a bit more local than usual.

This ^^^

 

[tallliman]

Normally when hunting for veloviewer squares, I plan the route and take a fair bit of time doing so.

Now we're in this state of lock down, I'm finding a joy in just going out with a rough direction in mind (wind check) and riding for the time I've got available. Its quite liberating relative to my previously very fixed routes.

 

[Tail End Charlie]

First things first, I always decide where my cafe stop is going to be, then I think up a vague route about getting there.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I always set off with a route in mind, but that's not to say that when I get to the end of the road I'll turn the other way, or as I'm riding along I suddenly think I haven't been up that Bridleway for a bit, or more likely I'm out & thinking this is hard work, I may cut it short a bit by going down here.

 

[HLaB]

I mostly just make it up as I go. I may look at a mapping site before as a guide. If I am wanting to do a specific distance or specific place I might download the route to the garmin.

 

[Archie_tect]

Depends entirely on which way the wind's blowing- I like to head out into the wind so I have an easier home leg when I'm getting tired.

Doesn't always work!