AusTexMurf

This.......
Always looking to mix it up however I can.
Also, sometimes I am with my older kids, riding their own bikes. Sometimes pulling my younger two in trailer, tag along, weehoo igo. Safer, more protected routes w/ buffered lanes neighborhood/low speed streets, MUP, bikeways, etc., particularly when with my kids on their own bikes behind.
When on my own, oftentimes prefer to play in traffic, particularly in central areas/downtown where I can jam through congestion.
Always ride my pedicab in the midst of traffic downtown, university, central areas....

Also, route I choose depends on the bike I am riding.
My cyclocross and mtn commuter bikes allow different choices. Single track, rough double track, creek systems, and such.
Faster, smoother routes on the road bike.

Bike Gremlin

Exactly. Has worked for me. As years go by, less and less horns and angry motorists - they all got used to "that crazy guy on the bicycle". Even the nervous lorry drivers know I will move out of their way on the first shoulder, bus stop etc, so they no longer honk their honrs and try to run me off the road, but patiently wait for they know I will move at first convenient spot.

HydroG33r 

Secret Service detail won't allow it?

HydroG33r 

When I was starting out as a commuter, I was varying routes to try and avoid killer hills and stuff. I also would make small on the fly detours to go around traffic or whatever as the commute was taking me a lot longer then (~1h20min compared to ~52-57min now). In the middle of the summer I was taking a route that had loads of traffic but was steady downhill and a straight line that cut off ~2km of my 22km commute. Now though I don't mind the extra little hills and the longer detour on the designated bike route.

In general now, I take the same route to/from work every day. It's the most direct bike route, and is actually pretty scenic with very few hairy traffic areas. It also has the nice bonus of the elevation peak in the middle going both ways. Lets me climb while I'm trying to warm up, and cruise downhill on the back end. I like the same route because I'm always racing against my own commute time, and against others on Strava segments. Also lets me compare my average/peak heart rates on the same ride from day to day.

That said though, on occasion I feel like doing a little extra hill climbing or taking a more scenic greenway route home. This usually adds anywhere from 2-10km, depending on the day. I haven't explored all my alternative options yet; primarily because I like my main route so much

Artkansas 

Over time, I tend to find an optimized route. Riding the same route, I know the potholes, the broken glass, when to pedal hard, when to relax and which lights can be beaten. A good route doesn't become tiring, because it is different every day. I don't have to think about navigation, so I can focus on basic road safety.

That said, I don't feel bound to a route and if I want to deviate, I do. Sometimes routes vary due to the seasons. In my last commute, in summer I could ride home through a beautiful city park. In winter, it was dark so I took a hillier, shorter route that was better lit.

urbanescapee

The only time my route changes is if I do any errands outside of my usual A to B. Unfortunately, I ride a very busy urban street with a large hill and no bike lane for the first 3 miles of my commute, then the last two miles has a bike lane (5 miles total, one-way). I also have to navigate a very large roundabout that has car accidents on what seems like a daily basis. The speed limit is 40 mph the whole way and my only other alternatives have me snaking through a very hilly and cul-de-sac-y residential area, more than doubling my commute time. I get buzzed all the time, I hate it. It's gotten me to the point where I almost don't even like cycling anymore but I have to put it in perspective. It's only because I'm riding on a busy street with a bunch or drivers that have no respect for cyclists...as if I don't have somewhere I need to be too.

CommuteCommando

One added note. Where I live and commute (two different areas separated by a fifty mile train trip) have an abundance of safe bike routes. I like bike lanes, and most Bike Paths. My occasional 30 mile after work commute includes over 10 miles of bike path. On one five mile section I almost never take the parallel surface street. These bike paths have underpasses at major streets that by pass some horribly long traffic signals. The paths shave a minimum of five, and usually ten minutes off my time. I do occasionally run stop signs and stoplights, but running any of these at rush hour is insane.

Two bike paths I avoid are in San Juan Capistrano. One runs through a park where the soccer moms like to set up their folding chairs and picnic baskets on the path. The other is through another park that is often crowded with tourists.

The San Diego Creek path in Irvine had a couple of spots where there a frequent conflicts with people doing stupid things. One section is near a high school where the cross country team is out in mass, paced by coaches on bikes who call out “watch for bike ahead” to no effect. I still get run off the road.

Another section runs behind the offices of Blizzard Entertainment, who publish World of Warcraft. They like their “creative people” to “commune with nature” on the bike path. About a dozen of these weaving along the path, texting or with cell phones glued to their ear are a frequent annoyance. Still, for all of that, they are still preferable to the street because I can get to speed, and hold it longer than I can on the street.

tsl

Just a little hint: I've learned here not to take my opinion and project it to generalize "most people". There is far more variability between us--even restricted to only commuters--than meets the eye.

tsl

I dunno. Should I buy one to find out?

tsl

I changed job locations because I lived too close to work for an enjoyable ride. I'm much happier with my commute and the variety of routes I can use, now that I work across town.

As for safest and fastest, in my case, pick one.

I can zoom to work in 4.3 miles, if I want to deal with nothing but four and six lane city streets with no bike lanes, no sharrows, no shoulder, but with granite curbs and bonus bus stops instead. I use this route only as a last resort in winter. It's the first and best plowed.

Only two tenths longer, a round trip on the safest route has 47 stoplights or stop signs and a roundabout. I spend more time stopped than going. To make it less frustrating, I use it for "stoplight sprints" racing the cars.

The "hills, parks, cemetery and trails route" is twice the distance, but only ten minutes more "ride" time than the 47 stops one. When measured in "clock" time, it's the same. It's considerably more pleasant, and much more challenging. It's my second-favorite route.

My "long loop" starts by heading five miles in the "wrong" direction. At 16.5 miles, it's nearly four times longer than the fastest route. But it's my preferred route. Whenever conditions permit, it's the long loop. Coming home, I trim a little off each end to make it only 13 miles.

In the winter, both these latter two routes are largely impaassible. I have two alternate winter loops I use instead. One around nine miles, the other seven. They both use arterial streets, but fortunately, I work odd hours and miss most of the traffic.

WonderMonkey

I think changing the route up depends on the individual. Can you get lost in the ride or do you need the variety? I have three basic routes I take, shortest, medium and I ride all three depending on how much time I have. Because my time varies I end up not riding the same route too many times in a row so the problem takes care of itself.

As far as safety goes, it depends on HOW much safer the long route is and HOW much longer the long route is.

Buzzatronic

I like to mix things up since I find I tend to zone out if I'm bored of a route. I'll also look for route changes that add some specific training to my commute (climbing, distance, etc.)

kr4k4

Rarely do i try and commute as fast as possible
i enjoy the ride ...
sometimes wind direction, weather affects my route
but usually i play it by ear
watch traffic etc as i go
almost always take a little different route home

Shahmatt

+1

I do the same route everyday. I learn new things about it everyday. I believe it contributes to safety.

FenderTL5

^ Agree.

I ride the same route most days. However, I have sampled a few alternates in order to have options if needed. For example, the rules posted at the local MUP/Greenway indicates that it is 'closed' after dark. I've been going through there before sunrise every day without incident. However, if it's ever really closed, I know how to go around.

jrickards

I ride the same route, for the most part, every day. It is longer than the shortest route to work but I take the longer routes for fitness. The route I used to ride now has 2 blocked sections because of construction so my new route is my "regular" route. It looks like winter will set in before construction is done so I'll not return to the old routes until the spring.

PatrickGSR94

I pretty much have only 2 choices between work and home, all rural roads connecting two towns. The 14.5 mile route has more climbing, and one spot that is relative nerve-racking with a sizable hill and only 2-lane with no shoulders... and truck traffic at 45+ MPH. When school is in, the traffic is also nuts near the office at 7:30 AM.

So when school is in session I take the other route which is 15.5 miles, but less climbing. Generally more relaxed of a ride as there are less areas of 2-lane high-traffic roads. I've been taking this route ever since school started back in August.

I really have no other choices unless I wanted to go many miles out of my way. But I'm already at 31 miles round trip so I really don't want to go any longer.

DJ Shaun

Same here. The morning ride to work varies very little. But the afternoon ride home can vary quite a bit, especially when the weather is nice.

cafzali

The only real negative to riding the same route daily/regularly -- in addition to boredom potentially -- is that you will see diminishing returns from a fitness perspective because your body will not be pushed much physically, which will result in lower calorie burn and muscle gains. If you're in cycling for fitness, among other things, then that might be something to think about. If you view it as purely recreational, then it's not really much of a factor.

sam21fire

To clarify, I never start my rides at the same time each day (usually 5-20 minute difference) and/or never ride the exact same route two days in a row.

None of the routes I take are any safer or more dangerous than any others. My direct route takes about 45 minutes but I can add on as much as I want to that by taking different routes. Sometimes I just wander around exploring new roads and new areas. I've added up to 50 minutes on my ride home.

sam21fire

LOL not that I'm aware of!
At the risk of sounding paranoid, you never know when some wackadoodle takes offense at a perceived heinous crime you've committed without being aware of it, and maybe this wackadoodle decides to see if you'll ride by at the same time tomorrow so he/she can "teach you a lesson". A 5-10 minute variance in your routine can make a difference.

HydroG33r 

Gotcha.
I'd be more worried if I were a good looking girl (I am neither).

dramiscram

I always ride the same route, it's 27.4 kms (17miles) long with 1 or 2 dangerous zone. The second shortest route is about 38 kms (24miles) so I stick with my commute because I want to spend sometimes at home with the familly.

mstraus

I think the safest route is generally the better choice then the fastest route.

I have changed my route a number of times to try to learn the best route, but generally speaking I like consistency of the route and a routine for some aspects, such as charting my progress (new records on my climb, etc). There are a few areas where I alternate between different routes depending on traffic, tights, my mood, and how many tourists I expect to run into (I commute though some very heavily tourist areas with lots of tourists walking and on rental bikes in the afternoon) but most of these routes don't stray far form each other.

The once exception is there is a "scenic" route on the way home I take occasionally. One detour on the second half of my ride that adds some time and an extra climb, but has great views and actually has less car traffic. This give me some variety when the longer ride sounds better then getting home sooner.

IAMAMRA

If your that worried why not buy a car? Do you think that 5-10 min variance is really going to stop them? What if they simply followed you home and waited for you to leave?

Maybe I'm spoiled living in a rural Midwest town though...lol