JOHN J

hello everyone.

hope everyone will have a very nice weekend!! it should be a nice one at least here in the North east.

Im mapping out my route to work , there are many ways of course but I have 2 scenarios that would be the most practical. ill have to work up to riding it. when I do start riding im planning 2-3 days week.

Ill do a test run some time next week but here is what I have.

1) 13 .2 miles: 3.2 miles on road from my house to paved bike trail , take paved bike trail for 4.5 miles then hop off and ride roads for another 5.5 miles (moderate traffic /have to cross major road) tad hilly (small hills 3 or 4) at end of ride.

2) 16 .3 miles : same 3.2 miles from my house to get on trail , paved bike trail for a solid 12 miles (one big azz hill) then off the bike trail and a 1.1 mile easy down hill to the front door of my office.

what do you folks think?? Im sure I could try both when up to it.

I would probably have the bike path to myself in the AM , but ,comming home during nice weather it gets very busy in sections near parking/parks.

it would be nice not dealing with morning traffic and perhaps safer though 3 miles longer?? the traffic in the afternoon is easier to deal with on all the roads.

can one make up better time on a paved bike trail??

have a great weekend !! your wizdom is needed and very welcome!!!


"John"

jagged

If it were me, I would do #2, no question. The major rule in route selection is to choose a route that, day after day, will be the safest. No matter how bad-ass a vehicular cyclist you may be, paved bike trails that are segregated from traffic are almost always safer. The two exceptions to that rule are that paved trails are sometimes not maintained as well as roads (look out for ice in winter, fallen branches, cracked pavement), and they can sometimes lull you into complacency (look out for those few intersections with streets).

I faced a similar choice when I started commuting. I ended up deciding that an extra 1 mile, all on a paved path, more than made up for not having to deal with stop lights, trucks, and exhaust.

JOHN J

thanks for the reply.

our bike trail is pretty well maintained and again paved the whole way also at least from where I would start and finish no roads to cross just an underpass Made for the bike path.

I am fretting over the extra 3 miles but maybe it wont be that bad cuz its only 2 extra miles of peddling.

the last 1.1 mile to the office is a nice easy down hill.

"John"

TrekDen

Personally, I would do both. I like to mix up rides if I'm able to do it.

cryogenic

I'd go in to work one way and come back the other, actually. Mix it up, it's nice having more than one way to go to work. I have several ways and I'll often take a different way just for fun.

Helmet Head

If I had not yet acquired the skills to really enjoy riding in traffic, I would opt for #2. In the mean time, i would study books like Effective Cycling by John Forester and Cyclecraft by John Franklin, perhaps take a LAB Road 1 course, and learn how to enjoy riding in traffic.

But since I have learned to really enjoy riding in traffic, I would tend towards #1.

Simplebiker

I have a similar choice. I can choose to stay on the bike trail for approximately 2, 4 or 7 miles of my commute. If I stayed on the bike trail for 6 miles it would make the overall trip a mile longer than the 8.5 mile length of the other two routes. I usually choose the 4 mile bike trail route. With that option the bike trail only intersects one active ramp/exitway from the Airport onto an adjacent parkway between the 2 mile exit and the 4 mile exit. So with that rare need to stop, it is faster than taking the 2 mile bike trail route because I would encounter more lights after entering the street at the 2 mile exit. If I took the 6 mile bike trail route, I'd encounter just as many lights/stop signs as I would on the 4 mile bike trail route. That plus the extra length would make the ride longer (not necessarily a bad thing, but...).

During the winter when the trail was icy, I would take the 2 mile bike trail route and I predict that I will take the 2 mile bike trail route more often in the afternoon during the summer due to a large number of fair weather trail users. But like everyone else, I like to mix it up just for fun sometimes. If I feel like taking it slow and looking at other trail users during a warm summer afternoon, I might take the 7 mile bike trail route.

Bloodstallion

I love mixing it up with traffic. I'd go with route 1. Plus I'm pretty impatient. I wouldn't be able to resist the faster commute time that 3.1 less miles would buy me.

noisebeam

Ride the one you are most comfortable with from an ease of safety perspective. Soon you will get more comfortable and/or want to go faster or want a change of scenery. You may find a 3rd and 4th way at some point. But start with what you are most comfortable with independent of the 3mi distance difference.

Al

theden

Don't worry about the extra distance for #2. You'll have a lot less stop and go from lights, so it may end up being no tougher than the shorter route. Alot less stress too.

DogBoy

I'm surprised none of the VC guys have claimed this as a falshood. More accidents on the multi-use path, cars don't expect you at cross streets, speed is limited. etc. etc.

Anyway, I'd do #2 also. I am not intimidated by the traffic, but its just so much more peaceful on a trail away from the rumble of all the cars. I may do #1 on the way home though so I can go faster than 8 mph and to avoid a bit more of the carnage that is a multi-use path on a nice sunny day. Come fall/winter I'd stick with #2 both ways.

elbows

Learn both routes and switch between them as your mood and the circumstances dictate.

#2 sounds better in the mornings. The longer distance will probably be offset by not having to stop at lights. But if the trail is crowded in the afternoon, you might want to use route #1 on the way home -- dodging pedestrians is no fun, nor is it particularly safe.