JasonD67

Last couple of times I've almost got hit were cars pulling out of their driveway in residential subdivisions (despite my very bright strobe lights). Folks don't expect a bike moving at speed when they're leaving home. So no, I'd rather stay on the roads outside of a subdivision.

dougphoto

Not me, people don't pay attention when backing out of driveways

700

I like the fact that the speed difference between me and the cars and trucks is smaller on neighborhood roads. The arteries surrounding these neighborhoods all start at 45mph where the subdivision main roads are 30mph and others are 25 mph. I'm flyin' at 25mph.
And averaging 17-18mph. Also, the MUP connects several different subdivisions - gives me variety.

wipekitty

I live in a place where the flatter subdivisions are fairly far out in what used to be primarily rural areas, and the subdivisions in town or on the edge of town are as you describe.

I use them for hill training...especially during times of the year when it's too dark, or icy, to comfortably ride hills out on the rural roads.

In fact, I just rode one of the "easy" subdivision hills in the dark last night - the max grade on that one is only ~13%. There's a few very nasty ones where there are excursions to ~20%.

MSchott

Machka 

The street in front of our house ...

BillyD

For many years I rode mainly in my subdivision, because riding the roads outside my subdivision was suicidal, they were busy, too narrow, and no shoulders. I was never one of those guys who needed 30 miles to get a decent ride anyway because ball sports were my main physical activity, the cycling just kept me in tone. When I wanted to do 30 miles I'd just drive to some farmland nearby.

I may have even invented "hill repeats" back in the day as I frequently did that in the subdivision to get my HR up.

Wildwood 

DaveLeeNC

I don't particularly like them on my bike. But when I was a serious runner (2500 miles per year) I loved to do 'turn runs' through subdivisions. I would take off to somewhere and at some point I would just "always take a right turn any time it was available". And then just see where I would end up. Any time that I ended up at the same point going in the same direction as before (less often than you would expect) I would add a single left turn, and then go on and just take right turns.

You never knew for sure where you were going and that made it interesting.

dave

bobwysiwyg

When you start out on a ride, do you usually turn left or right?

Doctor Morbius

Quite true. About 2 weeks ago someone backed out right in front of me. I had to stop. I don't know how they could not have seen my hi-vis shirt unless they simply weren't looking. That kind of thing really pisses me off. What if I had been some small kid? I shouted a few choice words and flipped them off.

NoWhammies

Negative. Too many kids/balls/cars/dogs/cars/etc. running out. Plus I can't get up any good speed and it just annoys me.

Machka 

It's about a 50/50 split.

If we go down, we have to start climbing again in about half a km.

If we go up, we reach the top of the hill in about half a km and can descend down to a short flat bit along a beach.

mcours2006

I've done it. It's not my favourite kind of riding. You really have to watch out for drivers coming out of driveways, as someone already mentioned. I commute through some subdivision roads early in the morning, and the half awake drivers are so oblivious as they think no one could possibly out this early in the morning that they could back out without looking. But on the other hand, the speed limited is no more than 50 kph, the street is extra wide so drivers give you lots of passing space, and there is absolutely no congestion.

sdmc530

bbattle

Wherever one enjoys riding their bike is a great place to ride.

PhoenixBiker 

I've come to enjoy it. Fifteen years ago, before back problems forced me off the bike, I rode mostly on the highways (well, on the white lines of the highways). This year when I was finally able to get back on the bike, I took mostly short rides on the streets of the suburb where I live. It's definitely a more laid-back form of riding, with fewer aggressive motorists and fewer aggressive dogs. It's hilly enough to throw in some climbs, but flat enough that my back doesn't get too riled up. I can get in a 15-miler by doing a couple of circuits, and I'm never farther than 3 miles from home.

That said, as my fitness and endurance increase, I plan to hit the road again. West Virginia's backroads can be a lot of fun.

diphthong

Oakman

I started riding my neighborhood this summer, just to avoid the heat. I am used to rural roads in horse country, but am rather enjoying the 5am rides through our large, 55+ gated community. The smooth, wide streets are well lit and I am able to ride at a steady 15-17 mph, only slowing down slightly for stop signs. Cars and pedestrians are rare that early (didn't see one at all yesterday), so can safely, and quickly, get 10-15 miles in before sunrise. It's also a bit exciting when I wake up birds or see the occasional bear rummaging through trash cans. Luckily, bears here don't like flashing headlights..

abramj

We have good subs to ride. Some in town, some out of town. Many of the bike designated roads travel through some nice curvy, not too hilly, no traffic, great scenery, subdivisions. I like it.

drewguy

Opinions all provided . . .

But, too many stop signs as well. I don't always comply with them, but also wouldn't want to blow through them constantly on a ride.

Pretty sweet . . . pretty remarkable too that you averaged 16.6mph and your top speed was 21 mph. That's some flat riding!

Dan333SP

Was it a stylish hi-viz shirt? They may have seen you and decided you weren't stylish enough to bother avoiding.

Dan333SP

Don't know if you've been to the outer banks of NC, but I was there this past weekend. Pancake flat and the only road to ride on goes north/south with minimal stoplights, so if you go out for a steady ride your average speed and max speed are pretty much within 3-4 MPH of each other.

drewguy

Not Outer Banks, but Delaware beaches with similar terrain. Max elevation, other than one bridge, is about 20 feet. That said, get a wind blowing and any out/back ride may have a 8-10mph difference in each direction.

Dan333SP

True. Didn't have much wind on this trip so it was just steady riding the whole time. I've been there before with a strong wind out of either the north or the south, so exactly half the ride will have a headwind and half will have a tailwind. Speed plot ends up looking like this-