Cycling routes

[freezerdinners]

Hi, I'm hoping to get back into cycling having been told running is out for now due to injury....... I'd love to do a few 20-30mile rides... but don't want to spend the whole time stopping to check my route...... can anyone recommend a good app / website for finding and following cycle routes? I want to be able to plan some routes and ideally to be able to follow them as I go without having to stop every junction to check my way! Tia

Find a local group on www.cyclinguk.org/groups-listing (for example) and then you'll have company and a leader who knows the route.

Great plan OP!

Check out the Sustrans website and maps. Lots of good ideas on there for cycle routes. The maps are less than a tenner and there will be one that covers your area.

Happy cycling

Have you considered a bike computer? Garmin or wahoo? I couldn’t live without mine - I do anything from 10-100 miles with it xx

PS There's lots of us former runners who have taken up cycling following injury. It's a great sport.

Echo PP about finding a group - they're great for building confidence and finding new routes. Plus mine is very social!

google maps will suggest cycle routes. I like planning my own, you can preload them into a Garmin or other navigation device.

Cycle.travel will plot quiet cycle routes. RideWithGPS allows you to create your own routes and download them to your phone.
The Strava app on your phone can be used for navigation too. There is a basic plan and a subscription version.
If you don't want to buy a GPS device then using a phone holder on your handlebars for navigation will work too.
I'm wary of Google maps, sometimes the cycling option brings you down dead ends or onto unsuitable roads.

I much prefer cycling to running now. Although swimming is now my preferred winter sport.

I’d also recommend buying a Garmin that sits on your handlebars telling you which way to go! You can upload routes to it and link it to Strava and all that schizzle and it makes it all much easier….and then you can also track your progress which makes you mega competitive (with yourself!)

Id also recommend cycling with others, it’s a great social sport and a ride usually includes a cafe. Different etiquette to running!

Here's another website for organised rides www.letsride.co.uk/

Komoot is pretty good - they have a free app and you can download one area tile for free when you sign up which will probably be enough if you’re just cycling locally. There’s input from other users (photos, descriptions, routes, nice cafes etc) and it’s quite community driven. You can create routes based on different disciplines (road, MTB, touring etc) so it’s possible to get off road routes if you’re into that. I use it a lot for inspiration / route planning but actually use a garmin cycle computer / sat nav thing on my rides (you plot your route on the garmin connect app and send it to your device).

Quad lock make quality phone cases and mounts for attaching your phone to your bars - expensive but good.

I plot my routes on Strava (sometimes used their suggested ones) to get the mileage then scribble the villages I am heading for on a bit of paper but generally have a good idea where I'm going. For Christmas I got a Garmin 530 and am going to put some routes on there to try somewhere new. The advantage is that I know what the roads are like and which to avoid - many of the Strava routes go on main roads or down dirt tracks which aren't friendly to 28mm tyres especially in this weather!

is there a local cycling club near you that does weekly rides? I'm trying to pluck up courage to join mine but am between speeds right now - too fast for the 'slow' group but not quite fast enough for the 'steady' group!

First up all, I likes your dedication to keep your body fit and strong. You are just change your workout from running to cycling due to your body weakness. I always use some regular route for cycling. I always doing my workout in the early morning time. This will makes my mind and body very calm and cool.

Hi everyone thanks for the input here- sorry I completely forgot I'd posted! Not been for a ride yet but heading out soon - just had a few issues with getting my bike road ready!!! Thanks for all the suggestions I'll look into my options.
(Have been swimming in the meantime - highly recommend!!)