The Perfect Route

Perfection…

The mythical perfect route is just the right length. It’s long enough to challenge without becoming exhausting and is filled with enough inclines, descents and changes of pace to keep you interested. The scenery elevates the whole experience to the realm of something magical.

How to achieve it

Of course, perfection depends upon who’s riding and their level of ability. A 100km hilly route may be an experienced rider’s perfect outing, while a newbie would find it hellish. It’s important to have a clear idea what you and your group want from a ride.

Old-school OS maps display contour lines to show how steeply roads ascend and descend, while plotting a route on MapMyRide or RideWithGPS will give you elevation stats and a gpx file you can upload to your Garmin.

Apps like Strava are also good ways of researching which routes are popular in new areas.

The level of traffic expected is another important factor. Many riders prefer to take cycle paths where possible, and as Jack Thurston says elsewhere in this issue “faint yellow lines are your friends” when looking for roads with light traffic. Books such as Jack’s Lost Lanes series offer plenty of route inspiration, and a subscription to Cycling Plus will offer a year’s worth of Big Ride route ideas!