Do you plan a route to put on your Garmin before a ride?

louman999

So for just about all of my rides I've done for the past 2 years I plan a ride as gpx and put it on my Garmin. However recently I feel like going wherever I like. I understand I'll end up getting lost at some point but I can always just go back the way I came. I'm just wondering if this is what you guys do especially on really long rides like 70 miles plus.

sniper68

Quick look at a map,sort a loop,memorise and go.

louman999

ibbo68 wrote:

Quick look at a map,sort a loop,memorise and go.

What about more complicated routes ???

sniper68

Louman999 wrote:

ibbo68 wrote:

Quick look at a map,sort a loop,memorise and go.

What about more complicated routes ???

Same.
I used to be a motorbike courier so I can just do it.I just memorise places in the order I’ll get to them.Never got lost yet here or abroad!
I don’t use Satnav in the car either.

milemuncher1

I plan a route, plot it, check it, download it, and pre ride it. Then I like to use the original version as a guide, and go and have a bit of an explore ( go ‘off piste’ ) safe in the knowledge, that if it all goes tits up, I’ve got the way home on the device, as a fall back. Most of the routes I use in my capacity as a B.C. ride leader have evolved over time, using this method. They seem to be fairly popular, I usually get a good crowd, and lots of ‘repeat customers’ so to speak, so I guess the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

MiddleRinger

Around 99% of the time I'll just ride. I may check out Google maps the day before and see what roads are about or use the Strava segment explore feature to see if there are any interesting climbs (or cool segments) about. Hardly ever follow a complete route on my Garmin. If I ever do get lost, I can always whip out the phone to find out where I am!

Surely getting lost in areas unknown is half the beauty of cycling!

ben@31

If I'm on a cycling holiday, somewhere new - yes
If I'm doing a long route - yes
If I'm at home and doing a short route - no, often I make the route up depending how I feel.

It's surprising how much I learned a lot about the small country roads I never knew existed and the geographical layout of my area, just from cycling.

Beatmaker

My memory is rubbish, so I tend to plot a route unless I am out for a local 2-3 hour ride. My Garmin is essential if I am out of the country with the bike, or have a hire bike.

cougie

Usually not cos I've been riding the same area for years. If it is to a new place then yeah I'd plot it (and usually find that some of the roads Garmin thinks exist - don't !)

bondurant

I use a route if I want to try some new roads that are further afield or find a new cafe stop that's in a place that I don't know how to get to.

I spent a few years just cycling around, having only a vague idea of where I was. So now I have pretty much all the local roads in my head. Highly recommended, unless you're the sort of person that would get freaked out by this: Once, I came across a rider who had simply dropped off his group ride as they had decided to deviate from the pre-agreed route, which was on his Garmin. This did not sit well with him, so he carried on on his own.

chippyk

No, to be fair I know a lot of the roads within a certain radius of home now so I can usually plan a route in my head and use new roads to link them up. I’ve a real blind spot in my knowledge of roads the other side of a town about 15 miles away but even then I’d memorise it and check my phone if I was unsure. Worst than happens is you get lost, have a longer ride or have to get the train home.

If I’m in a totally new area, say on holiday in the Lake District, where a wrong turn might mean two ascents of Hardknott or getting caught in the middle of nowhere in the pitch black, then I’ll put the route in and also shove an OS map in my jersey. If I say agree to meet the family Bristol then I’ll plot the route and add it to the Garmin so I don’t end up with an option of a 50 mile detour or using a dual carriageway that to all intents and purposes is a motorway.

Frank Wilson

I don't have a Garmin, in fact when I started cycling nobody had a Garmin and we all got home safely.

milemuncher1

Frank Wilson wrote:

I don't have a Garmin, in fact when I started cycling nobody had a Garmin and we all got home safely.

Yeahbut, someone developed it, there’s no point in making it more difficult than it needs to be.

sloppyschleckonds

Milemuncher1 wrote:

there’s no point in making it more difficult than it needs to be.

yeah, like who the hell would plan a route, plot it, check it, download it, and pre ride it.

luv2ride

I never plot a route on a Garmin, unless a sportive (but I don't do that many). My memory is also incredibly poor, but I do now know the majority of local roads so can typically find my way home after striking out. Best thing is I always manage to link together bits of routes that still surprise me, or bits I'd forgotten - bit like a goldfish!

off topic...am I also the only forumite who finds that mentally replaying the day's ride helps them nod off to sleep? I'm not joking, works a treat for me and gets me sleeping like a log in short order (every time!)

milemuncher1

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

Milemuncher1 wrote:

there’s no point in making it more difficult than it needs to be.

yeah, like who the hell would plan a route, plot it, check it, download it, and pre ride it.

Someone who really doesn’t want to get a group of cyclists on a led ride, lost, whilst working in their capacity as a B.C. ride leader, probably.

Matthewfalle

Never - I do as the Yorkshire dude above does.

If I do get lost it's part of the fun. You either get home an hour late or it's an excuse to stop, grab a coffee, chat with a local as to how to get home. You know, social interaction.

dannbodge

I plan a route on strava and then try to memorise it.
If I think I've gone wrong or want to check, I just grab out my phone and have a look on google maps etc.

I've got "lost" a couple of times, but always worked out how to get back. The only thing it's done is add 5/10 miles on a ride

drlodge

Generally I'll follow a route on my Garmin, most rides are of a distance where I'm going outside my local area and there will be some roads/junctions that I'm not familiar with.

Flâneur

Leading rides for the Club at the weekend, yes
Weeknight rides, no
Winter rides, usually not unless I have some new roads I want to direct myself too
On my own/close mates, not usually unless it is a stolen loop. Can normally find a sign which will point you in the right direction

svetty

[quote="Matthewfalle"...You know, social interaction.[/quote]

Just so long as it's not social interaction with any connection to a club eh Matthew

Matthewfalle

Svetty wrote:

[quote="Matthewfalle"...You know, social interaction.

Just so long as it's not social interaction with any connection to a club eh Matthew [/quote]

Exactly my man