Choosing cycle routes

[Pjays666]

I don't tend to plan routes I just set off and do a loop to end up where I started. I have been cycling for a year now and I keep getting back hoping I had gone further. I tend to average 20 - 25 miles but now need to increase the distance. I use cyclemeter to record my routes. How do you guys decide where to go?

 

[derrick]

Join a club, they normally have a few good routes.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Ping @ColinJ he's in hebby and will sort you out.

 

[Phil485]

join a club is good advice. I'm still lost for most of our club rides, but good fun.

I also use the "ride with Gps" site. This lets you plan routes so you can see where you have to go to get hte extra miles. You can also download to your garmin device if you have one.

It always supriises me how much of the map you have to cover to get bigger miles.

 

[ceejayh]

I plot routes with RidewithGPS and as I haven't got a Garmin, I've just downloaded an app to my Android phone called Track Navigator which links to RidewithGPS and allows me to follow the route like a sat nav.

 

[Kies]

I plan routes towards folks/places i know

So home to "daves" and on towards "ian's work" then off towards dads etc etc
Dot the dot of houses/places.

 

[ColinJ]

I have a digital OS map of the whole mainland and use that to plan my rides. If you don't want to buy something like that, there are plenty of websites you can use, some already suggested above.

At the very least, buy OS Landranger map 103! There are some really great roads shown on that map. I avoid built-up areas where possible, and look for the smallest roads (try to avoid the green and red A-roads, probably the brown B-roads, and search out the yellow roads).

A very obvious ride from Burnley is up to the Kettle Drum at Mereclough, then turn left along the Long Causeway to Blackshaw Head, bear left down to the dip at Jack Bridge, then back up the other side through Colden and on to Slack. From there either bear right to the cafe in Heptonstall (careful on the cobbles!) or carry on left down Draper Lane through Lee Wood to Hebden Bridge.

3 ways back:

1. The easy way is to take the A646 back along the valley through Todmorden, right at the mini-roundabout there and back via Cliviger Gorge to Burnley. Depending which part you live in, either stay on the A646 at the junction with the A671 up to the lights at Manchester Road, or turn right down the A671.
2. Come back the way you went out, along the Long Causeway.
3. Most Scenic (and tiring) way is to turn right along Widdop Road at Slack Top. Continue past Widdop Reservoir, descend with care, then over the cattle grid straight ahead, steepish climb up to the road above, turn left and ride to the crossroads at Haggate, straight ahead and down into Burnley.

I'll come up with some other suggestions when I have time.

 

[sreten]

Hi,

Take your standard loop. Using a road map just include more smaller places using minor roads,
Zig-zag or loop in and out. For a really long route incorporate a major diversion to your usual route.

rgds, sreten.

 

[Cush]

Follow a road on "Memory Map", decide how far to go and take a hard copy. Or buy an OS map of the area you are in, start off from home cycle an hour or whatever and find a different way home. A GPS is useful but not essential as is a cycle computer I use a five year old Garmin E trex and a cateye velo8.

 

[Misusawa]

I know the loal area around me very well, so i tend to aim for certain destinations en-route. If i don't think i've gone far enough, i just go somewhere else before home

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

If you quick register wit mapmyride.com, as well as create and upload routes, it'll give you other peoples routes created in your area.

 

[Kestevan]

I'll come up with some other suggestions when I have time.

I'd seriously recommend getting the Landranger map and counting the number of chevrons on any route suggested by @ColinJ...... preferrably before you set off.

Not that he likes hill or anything... oh no.

 

[morrisman]

For all you OS maps lovers may I recommend http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk with a free enrolment yo can get access to the whole UK OS 1:25000 maps to plan routes etc. I use it more for walking than for biking but it has its uses when going off road.

 

[ColinJ]

For all you OS maps lovers may I recommend http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk with a free enrolment yo can get access to the whole UK OS 1:25000 maps to plan routes etc. I use it more for walking than for biking but it has its uses when going off road.

Yes - 1:25,000 maps for the detail needed for walking and off road cycling. 1:50,000 maps for the greater coverage needed for longer road rides, where details of paths, walls etc. are unneccesary clutter.

 

[mip]

I use http://ridewithgps.com and a Garmin Edge 200. This has worked really well for me. Google street view is a useful tool, in the UK if there's no street view then I don't add it to my route as it's likely to be unsuitable for a road bike. I've used this method to plan some routes before going on holiday also. Has worked well so far.