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Route fatigue

Old 07-12-20, 07:15 PM
  #1  
gthomson
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Route fatigue

Sorry if this was a previous post that I didn't notice but I'm not new to the age group but new to the sub forum What do you guys/gals do to change up the routes you ride? I live in a suburb outside of the city and live very close to Lake Ontario which provides a great lakeside route and then 20 minutes outside of the suburban sprawl is some pretty good country-side riding but there's only so many routes you can take. What do you do to change things up? Should I start finding routes further away then my general area that I can drive to? is there an app. that would help with this? I know there are amazing cycling routes in the geographical area close to me but how do I find these areas?
Looking to find some advice
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Old 07-12-20, 07:29 PM
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You need more bicycles to ride the same route enthusiastically.
REALLY!!!



Some from the 70’s for starters


Some from the ‘80s

Last edited by Wildwood; 07-12-20 at 07:37 PM.
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Old 07-12-20, 07:37 PM
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^^^
That's actually a really solid idea. Trying to beat an established time on a previously repeated course on say... a singlespeed, definitely puts a new twist on it.

But I'm not the type of rider that needs visual stimulation on every ride (not that there's anything wrong with anyone that does) as some days it really is just about turning the pedals. When I first started riding, and would see Strava files of guys just riding the same exact route, day after day, I would think, "how? how do they do that and not go mad?" Fast forward to now and I'm riding the exact same route every Tuesday morning like it's scheduled.

And in a total burying-the-lede moment, check out the Strava Heatmaps for your area. There aren't many easier ways to find new routes than that.
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Old 07-12-20, 07:54 PM
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Find a club in your area. Go to a bike shop and ask. Ask riders you see on the street. Try the regional forum here on Bike Forums.
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Old 07-12-20, 07:57 PM
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I mix it up when I feel a need to change. But that doesn't last long and I just go back to the same long trail that is a quarter mile from the house. Just too convenient, reasonably well maintained, only one major intersection where you might have to wait, and has water stops well placed. At least it did prior to covid and someone thought heat exhaustion preferable.

Strava, RideWithGPS, GarminConnect, MapMyRide and other GPS/ride data oriented cycling sites all have route finders. You can set a general location and then search for cycling routes. There should be filters for length of ride, how far from your starting point you want to search, and other such. You don't necessarily have to have a gps device to use the site. Just go to them and search for rides. I might be wrong, but I think they all let you search rides as a free member.
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Old 07-12-20, 11:42 PM
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I started night riding to beat the heat. Makes the same boring routes new again.


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Old 07-13-20, 12:21 AM
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https://www.strava.com/heatmap

Mix up the intensity. Intervals, recovery rides, tempo rides, longer rides, shorter rides.
Strap some camping gear on your bike and do an overnighter out-and-back. Or stay in a hotel at the overnight if that's more your style.
Get a second bike that's a different type. Cruiser or fixie or recumbent or velomobile or anything. Or a tandem if you can find a partner.
If the roads are lightly traveled, night riding can be amazing. With the right lighting, of course.
Take a camera along, stop every five miles or so.
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Old 07-13-20, 01:48 AM
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It is an issue. I live in a quiet and beautiful area right by the sea with countryside and hills all around. Ideal cycling area in fact. However, if you cycle from home rather than driving you will end up riding the same roads/route many many times and after a while a change of scenery would be a nice change despite the lovely area. I also always make sure whenever possible I get a tailwind home(it tends to be pretty breezy here) so that also limits routes as no-one wants a 15 mile headwind slog to get home.
First world problem for sure but I tend to agree with the OP.
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Old 07-13-20, 03:52 AM
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Some people have a high tolerance for repetition, but I’m with you. Exploring unfamiliar places is half the fun. About once a week I put the bike in the car and drive somewhere different - within an hour or so - and ride. I also do camping trips to destinations that are further away and spend a few days riding (more difficult right now). I’m riding gravel, so I use maps, Google Earth, Seeking Dirt and Gravel Map to plan routes. I agree with the suggestion about finding someone to ride with.
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Old 07-13-20, 04:26 AM
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For my long rides, I'll put the bike in the van and drive to different corners of the state, or even a bordering state (live in Connecticut, so small in area). That gives me a lot of variety - and, in New England, there are a lot of variations you can put together, especially if you are set up to do gravel, too. I'll drive up to an hour and a half to start my rides and that gives me access to beautiful routes throughout Connecticut, and into New York, Massachusetts, and even southern Vermont (I'll ride sections of the D2R2 gravel courses when my legs are up to it!). Not sure if that approach would work for you and, admittedly, 2-3 hours of round trip driving along with a 4-5 hour ride does take up the better part of a day but it works for me.

For my shorter rides from my house, I've got some variations but it can get repetitious. One of the routes includes a nice hill climb that has a fair number of walkers (there are hiking trails to the top in addition to the road) and some cyclists. At the top, there's a view point and often I'll chat with another rider or walker. So, while the ride isn't 'new', I find chance meetings with other people another fun aspect to cycling that makes it interesting.
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Old 07-13-20, 05:13 AM
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gthomson....I'm familiar with the area down by Lake Shore Rd. If you're bored there you would loose your mind in the concrete jungle that I ride in (Thornhill).
Like others have mentioned try the familiar routes on a Single Speed. It really changes the ride experience......
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Old 07-13-20, 05:21 AM
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Originally Posted by Greenhil
Some people have a high tolerance for repetition...........................
I am one with a high tolerance for repetition. Same roads, riding the same direction -- or not. Even before COVID-19 mostly beginning rides around midnight.

My 70th birthday ride last week --- https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/5216057276

Today marks 11 weeks since my crash after a 150lb wild hog ran into me. It happened at 1:25AM, riding 20.1mph, completed 33 miles of a planned overnight 100 miler. Injury to left shoulder, cracked scapula, 2 cracked ribs, punctured lung and some other minor issues.
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Old 07-13-20, 06:37 AM
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Wildwood Love that idea! and nice to see they're all vintage steele. I have a vintage Peugeot, 2 newer road bikes and an old Trek Mtn. bike for cruising to the grocery store. Would like to keep buying more but not sure if I could afford the divorce

I am on Stava and didn't know there was a feature to see route suggestions so I will definitely check that out. I think I have to agree with those that recommend getting in the car and getting out to some new routes. Will do some research, thanks.

Night rides I don't think I can get into. Too scared some drunk driver will pile into me. If I did try it, I would want to be in open area with minimal car traffic. Definitely not near wild hogs!!! that's crazy!

Speedway2 Hey almost neighbours! No, I agree that the concrete jungle is not for me. I go into Toronto and see road cyclists going along Bloor St. and I think, what is the point? every 5 seconds you would be stopping at the next intersection? never mind the dangers. At least you can go north and be into some beautiful cycling geography.
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Old 07-13-20, 06:49 AM
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I live in a more urban area. While I tend to fall into the same habits most of the time, I can find a fair amount of variation when I want it. Occasionally when I'm getting away for a few days anyway I'll throw the bike on the car, but it's been a looooong time since that last time I ported my bike simply for the purpose of riding somewhere different. It's hard enough to find time to bike without driving somewhere first, which is why I eventually gave up trail riding.
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Old 07-13-20, 08:01 AM
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I like to check Flybys in Strava after rides. Sometimes you see routes you didn't know existed. Also check Google Maps in bike mode for ideas.
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Old 07-13-20, 08:11 AM
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I spend a lot of time on ridewithgps creating my own routes from home. I have created a few dozen routes with variance to keep me from getting burned out. As mentioned, sometimes I just have to leave my normal riding grounds to explore a new area. Fortunately, I live within 90 minutes drive time of some amazing coastal canyons and mountains I have yet to visit on a bike. I will save those for cooler weather in the late fall.
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Old 07-13-20, 09:42 AM
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I have a mental catalog of a lot of routes, but there's a lot of the overlap between routes.

Personally, I haven't had much luck with specific routing finding apps like Stava and RideWithGPS, although I've used both a little. There are a lot of "standard" routes in the area, and a lot of the app routes are just minor variations of the those routes. I do use regular mapping apps like Google Maps and Apple Maps to explore potential routes - including using Google Street View to see what specific sections actually look like.

In addition to sometimes driving to a new area to ride some new routes, every once in a while for something different I'll do an (intentional) one-way ride. Either, I'll pick somewhere farther away from home than usual to ride to and get a lift home (maybe have my wife meet me for lunch at the destination), or drive somewhere with the bike and ride home. If you can arrange transportation for the other way, it's a good way to break the monotony. Another change of pace is to drive with the bike to some point on a regular route and ride the route in a completely different order - start at the mid-point, ride the normal last half of the ride first, then ride the normal first half of the ride back to the car.
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Old 07-13-20, 10:36 AM
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Originally Posted by CAT7RDR
I spend a lot of time on ridewithgps creating my own routes from home. I have created a few dozen routes with variance to keep me from getting burned out. As mentioned, sometimes I just have to leave my normal riding grounds to explore a new area. Fortunately, I live within 90 minutes drive time of some amazing coastal canyons and mountains I have yet to visit on a bike. I will save those for cooler weather in the late fall.
Exactly. Look at the Strava heatmap, as recommended in post 7. Then join RidewithGPS as a Premium member so you get all the whistles and bells. After you create a route on RWGPS, it will create cue sheets for you if you don't have a Garmin or similar device. If you have a GPS cycling computer, you can download your RWGPS routes onto it, and then follow its cues as they appear.
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Old 07-13-20, 10:45 AM
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Most of my rides tend to be a loop and not an "out and back". An easy way to change things up is to ride the route in clockwise sometimes and counter clockwise on others. It is amazing how different some of them look and feel when doing this.
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Old 07-13-20, 11:08 AM
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Originally Posted by OldTryGuy
I am one with a high tolerance for repetition. Same roads, riding the same direction -- or not. Even before COVID-19 mostly beginning rides around.
I’ve admired your nocturnal habits and tolerance for repetition ever since you posted this ride:

https://www.relive.cc/view/vPOpE49LNR6
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Old 07-13-20, 11:24 AM
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Originally Posted by Greenhil
I’ve admired your nocturnal habits and tolerance for repetition ever since you posted this ride:

https://www.relive.cc/view/vPOpE49LNR6
THANKS !!! That one was long and rewarding. I enjoy doing routes that most other riders feel are MIND NUMBING.
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Old 07-13-20, 03:00 PM
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Originally Posted by cb400bill
Most of my rides tend to be a loop and not an "out and back". An easy way to change things up is to ride the route in clockwise sometimes and counter clockwise on others. It is amazing how different some of them look and feel when doing this.
Very true. You might expect traffic patterns to vary, but going "backwards" often leads to views that are like whole a new route.
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Old 07-13-20, 03:03 PM
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What is worse with this stupid virus, the city parks dept have not opened the restrooms on the trails network. Some of us old guy need to go more often, so our routes are limited.
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Old 07-14-20, 05:30 AM
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Alas, where are our padded cycling Depends? At the trailhead of my nearest MUP, they have one of those portajohns with the door always open to the sunlight, but all indoor facilities along the trails are closed.

For me, the only two cures for route fatigue are a new season, or a new route. Routes in Spring or Fall can be totally different experiences, especially if you take a trip to gawk at the lawns of those with greener thumbs than one's own. When trees are in bloom and when trees turn are the two most wonderful times of the year (yes, I'm playing that Christmas song in my head right now)

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Old 07-14-20, 06:01 AM
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Originally Posted by David Bierbaum
Alas, where are our padded cycling Depends? ..................................
remember ---


I've biked with "me AND mr. foley"
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