Do you alter your route in?

WesternWay

I come in from Barnet to Bank each day, and unless I actually need to stop somewhere always do the same route. My colleague varies his and thinks me odd.

I suspect that my route is utterly determined by me fearing Archway Hill less than Highgate or Muswell Hills.

Are you a "spice of life" or a "I know what I like" type of commuter?

and does anyone else come from North London into the city?

El Capitano

I vary mine depending upon the weather and whether I need to be in work uber-early or not. Long way is 13 miles, short way is just over 8. Similarly, I can vary my routes depending upon which bike I use - I have 3 bikes to choose for the commute, CX, TT and XC.

Headhuunter

I do the same route. I only leave specifically enough time to get in, get showered and be at my desk by about 8.30am. I'm pretty sure my current route is the quickest, most efficient way to get in and I don't generally fancy getting up even earlier to spend time fumbling around new routes. Also I enjoy blasting up the Old Kent Rd at 20-25mph, I prefer to get that workout in the morning than have to go slower along side roads and stop to check a map every 5 minutes. I leave longer rides to the weekend when I go out with the club.

Agent57

I almost never alter my route in. I sometimes alter my route home, but even then it's just a case of the normal route or "the long way" (where the latter is one of 2 or 3 routes).

Last year, my normal route was 2 miles, while "the long way" was about 20.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Almost always the same route. I like to get to know where the cracks, holes, manhole covers, drain covers and that crap are. When it's dark and wet, that ingrained knowledge is indispensable.

rolf_f

My route changes every so often - started on the canal towpath, then the direct road route in, then the direct route with a bit more climb and now a quite indirect route with yet mroe climbing. I shall be extending the commute again in the not too distant future- particularly on the run home.

Keeps things interesting and better training with it.

CiB

All the while. I have 2 core routes, each of which has a number of variations within it to get to the same destination. 20 miles across the countryside does that. Oddly they all come out to within half a mile of each other.

blu3cat

Varying your route can keep you on your toes a little. Also for me it depends on if I want to tackle Wimbledon Hill or not, and if the weather is good enough & I'm out early enough, sneak in a lap of RP on the way in.

R_T_A

Route to work is exactly that. Journey home is random

wgwarburton

Hi,
I'm an IT contractor, so my routes vary a bit when my job changes.
Fundamentally, though, the basic route to the nearest station (4.9 miles out, 4.6 miles back) is the same, it's the other end that changes. With my current job, I catch a train that doesn't stop at my nearest station some days, which mixes things up a bit as I have to go slightly further to the nearest big town.
Occasionally, if I have my bike on the train and a little bit of time & energy I get off at the stop before and take a different route home- it's hillier and has different views.

Cheers,
W.

Stuey01

In I always go the same route - the quickest, most direct one.

Out I usually go the quickest route. On a nice evening I might take in the Embankment and go a longer (only by 2-3 miles) route.

chopperHarris

same route on the way in, slightly different sometimes if i can be bothered on the way home, as said above i just want to get from A to B during the week, if i am out on the MTB at the weekend then its the opposite try to get as lost as possible!

Clever Pun

Greg66 wrote:

Almost always the same route. I like to get to know where the cracks, holes, manhole covers, drain covers and that crap are. When it's dark and wet, that ingrained knowledge is indispensable.

this but I do have a number of routes based around the 'best' way to go

rjsterry

Have been gradually refining my route over time to get the best balance of enjoyable riding and reasonably quick journey, so it has varied as major roadworks have moved around. I tend to stick to tried and tested when in a hurry/taking it easy/weather is terrible, but given a bit of time and decent weather will try a variation every now and then. I find this helps my mental mapping abilities, which are quite handy when needing to detour around some hold-up (better than stopping to look at the AtoZ when in a hurry).

asprilla

I'm a creature of habit.

I occasionally change the direction I go round the park (and sometimes though the middle when i'm feeling particularly reckless).

When visability is particularly bad I take a high street route that's slightly slower from Hampton Court, but isn't a nominally 40mph race track.

dav1

I have a short route which is 5.4 miles. I do this 9 or 8 times a week typically unless getting shopping on the way home.

To mix it up a bit i do a 15 mile route sometimes, or 15-25 miles on the MTB occasionally as well.

cjcp

Clever Pun wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

Almost always the same route. I like to get to know where the cracks, holes, manhole covers, drain covers and that crap are. When it's dark and wet, that ingrained knowledge is indispensable.

this but I do have a number of routes based around the 'best' way to go

+1. My route can vary before Priory Lane/Roehampton Gate and after the Tower Hill/Minories junction, but not in between.

Aidy

I pretty much take the same route in and out each day, but it's a different route out to in

There's a few variations here and there, based mainly upon refinements I've made over time. Can be useful to know them in case traffic looks particularly hairy or roads are closed.

And I commute from a bit outside North London into the city.

rf6

Depends on the weather. A nice sunny day means a detour via the beach for a bimble and a look at the lovelies. Anything unpleasant, and it's a quick in and out.

always_tyred

I have a basic winter template and a basic summer template, with variations depending on ice or rain (there is a bit of off road and a few minor tracks which never get gritted, or which turn into mudbaths in heavy rain).

I also have a couple of bail out routes when I'm knackered - a mostly on road one, and a mostly towpath one. I have to be exceptionally knackered to use the towpath because with all of the peds I think I'd be hard pressed to top 10mph average.

I tend to throw in a bit more variation in the evenings.

daviesee

If I wake early and the sun is shining I will take a long route to work (15 miles and feel much better for it, usually only 3 miles).
Otherwise, no; straight to work.
On the other hand I try to vary the route home as much as possible.
Minimum 12 miles usually 20, and if the weather is nice, sometimes 50! :P

shouldbeinbed

always the quickest and most direct route in - longer in bed that way

Depends where I'm going at the end of the day or if it is nice/I've got nothing better to do and fancy a wee wander on me bike.

iPete

To work? Thats less time spent in bed, on the way home perhaps!

Porgy

I don;t work at just one location so route in needs to vary quite a bit - sometimes I have to cross the Thames at Woolwich, other times I head out to west London via Peckham and camberwell.

But even if I'm heading to my main office I tend to vary - there's the extended route via Erith, or the normal route through Plumstead and Woolwich, or the route that takes me over shooters Hill - and there's all sorts of permutations within which I like to explore on occasion.

goco

WesternWay wrote:

I come in from Barnet to Bank each day, and unless I actually need to stop somewhere always do the same route. My colleague varies his and thinks me odd.

I suspect that my route is utterly determined by me fearing Archway Hill less than Highgate or Muswell Hills.

Are you a "spice of life" or a "I know what I like" type of commuter?

and does anyone else come from North London into the city?

Always the same for me - basically the faster the better, as that means more time in bed.

I do Highgate (but on the southern side of the hill) to C Wharf - can understand why you'd rather do archway rd!!

andy83

I vary mine, but mainly one core root. I work 12 hour days so usually do shorter rides home

The last few weeks or so I have started doing at least 20 mile route, I have a small 7 mile route I add onto the 20 sometime. Most is 30 miles but thats when I have to be in for 9

I also have option of 4 miles if im feeling really tired but only ever do this on the night

woodford2barbican

I vary mine - often for safety. Today I have decided not to cycle the Romford Road between Stratford and Bow since the phasing of some lights have changed and a stretch of road leading up to the A12 flyover was more dangerous than it used to be.

roger_merriman

I like having a carefree route, hence I don't take the most direct route. I do normally take the same route.

the commute bike is heavy and slow, so I chose parks quieter roads for every day travel.

plus the Sixth cross rd has awful bike lanes, to Whitton it's not wide enough and the pinch points mean cars will overtake when there is little room.

Away from Whitton your in the door zone as mostly there is a long line of cars parked.

so since I don't have to use it I don't at least not every day.

beverick

I rarely do the same route twice. The general reasons I vary it depend on which bike I'm on, the weather, time of year, how much time I have and wether I can ve ar$ed.

The acquisition of an MTB has allowed me to add a few off-road trail routes this spring as well. So I can now arrive home covered in mud as well as being late.

Bob

Canny Jock

I've just started to as the weather has improved, and Greenwich Park is open later in the evenings. It's a more pleasant ride and includes a few hills to help my fitness.

richk

I vary mine, though I have three basic routes (with variations). Depends on how I feel, if I'm in a hurry or not, where I'm starting from (take my son to school two days a week) & what the weather is like.