Initially I will simply open a mapping app/tool of the area I want to ride, and them zoom in, and also look at the satellite view. The suggestions about using Strava (or other fitness mapping apps), as suggested above will work too. But you need to have an account (on Strava)…which is free of charge…but the Heat Map function requires a premium account that does have a charge. After looking at the map and finding a place that I want to ride…if I’m not real familiar with the area/roads…I may go drive them to see how accommodating they are for bikes. And by “accommodating” I don’t mean just the street/road surface, but the surroundings too. There have been a couple times that I didn’t follow-up with a drive there and found myself rolling through neighborhoods where a guy on a traditional road bike, in spandex clothing, didn’t really fit in with the general urban ambiance of the area.
Dan