WNCGoater

I don't have a particular "favorite" but have a long list of favorites. Just depends on the day and my mood where I go. Always loops.

mr_bill

I wouldn't say this is a "favorite," but it's somewhat typical.

Dentist->Apple Store dropoff->Flour->Apple Store pickup->H Mart->Starbucks->Beer&Wine->WFM loop:



-mr. bill

FBinNY 

I wonder if some of the preferences for loops vs. out an back rides may be geographic.

Here in the Northeast, we have a network of roads that dates back to the horse and buggy era. So there's a fine network of good secondary roads to choose from. For example, here in the northern suburbs of NYC, I can do dozens of 100 mile loops never using the same roads twice, except for the first and last few miles near home.

OTOH - I've been places, especially in the mountains, where roads are fewer and the options are far more limited. In some places I've ridden, the shortest possible loop may be well over 100 miles. By example look at DiabloScott's regular climb. I don't believe there's another road from the summit, but even if there were, it might end in the next valley with a long rode around the mountain the the next pass back.

FBinNY 

An interesting point demonstrating a difference between utility cycling, which is about connecting dots by the shortest or most efficient route, vs. recreational cycling which may be less about destination and more about the route itself.

CliffordK

Most of my riding is errands and commuting. I typically let Strava roll for the day.

But, I find myself often thinking about how to make my return trip take different roads than the out trip, which also means trying to remember where the heck I rode on the first leg of the trip.

It can make it even more complex to try to eliminate overlapping segments, or cross-overs.

Actually, I think of many of my rides as "spermatozoa rides". Usually with a few mile tail heading off to the house, and then a loop around town.

I can partly eliminate the "tail", but don't really like the alternative roads.

My trips to Portland (about 150 miles) do re-use quite a few of the roads, but I'm not beyond exploring a bit with that too.

I posted this a while ago. Both shared roads, unshared roads, and unique segments, and a few shortcuts. That did cover a few days.

Jim from Boston

Quote:

Originally Posted by bogydave

I try to get my routes to be loops, seem smore like a ride than a workout.
Up to 25 miles here I do out & back routes...

I enjoy the loops more, though the shortest one is 32 miles .

My favorite route is a 45 mile loop thru the windmills.

Your favorite route ?
Loop, or out/back

Quote:

Originally Posted by canklecat

Often I have only an hour to hour and a half to ride, so I ride variations of the same 20-30 mile route

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maelochs

…I am in the same situation ... i get time for ten-20 miles at a time

Lack of time due to work and family activities is also my bugaboo. Other than my weekday one-way commute (usually take a train home), often my long Saturday ride is a lengthened route to work (at my convenience, for a few hours), then ride home.

Otherwise, when work is not a destination, I prefer to save time by a loop rather than drive to a destination. Last summer I met a weekend cycling companion, and we decided we would agree on a meeting spot, and then do a loop to return to our cars (which I do not think is a “loop/out-and back” in the sense of this thread).

As @canklecat described, when I might have about two hours to ride from home, I do have several routes, but a favorite, with the least amount of traffic, I call the training loop. I recently described it to a visiting cyclist in Boston: When loops or out-and–back become too familiar,

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston

I'm very motivated by novelty, and stymied by boredom on a bike, but I do have the motivation of commuting to work. I have found that when I drive my frequent, decades-old routes I often notice things I had not seen before. I think it’s because I can look around at more than just the road surface when driving.

So when the commute [route] is getting too familiar, I just raise my head higher and look over a wider field of view….

IMO a loop and out-and-back in a sense are similar because riding the same route in the revese direction makes it “novel.”

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrIsotope

I have probably a dozen out-and-back routes I do regularly, and double that number of loop routes-- so segments I've covered 200+ times.

But my favorite? "The Out." Leave from home or nearby, ride a significant distance in one direction, hop on a train and get a ride home. It brings about a completely different mindset, knowing I won't have to conserve X amount of energy to make the return trip.

I have very nice options as you describe using the Commuter Rail, that I rarely use. My preference is to take the train out, and then ride back, so there are no problems or wasted time making the return connection.

Machka 

In other parts of the world, we might have done that, but around here, the parallel course is often up and over a mountain. So unless we're on a hill climbing ride, we end up sticking to somewhat flatter ground.

CliffordK

Hmmm, sometimes over a mountain is good.

One of the other issues, of course, is distance. Sometimes adding a loop adds enough distance that it makes the difference between a long one day ride, and a short two day ride.

FBinNY 

See post #28 where I posit the effect of local landscape on the loop vs. out and back decision.

bogydave

When I ride from my driveway, I ride more often
when I have to load up to go ride , I ride a lot less.
I’ve learned a lot about my areas .

Only a few Loops here .
riding them alternate directions depending on time & weather helps
change them up.

Oakman

I'm a looper, and like to mix it up with 20-30 milers. A neighbor also rides these loops, but our schedules don't jive. I have two other neighbors that are strictly out & backers. One, the same twenty mile route, over and over. The other (a bent) likes company, however I can't keep up with him for long. So we all ride solo.

Jim from Boston

I have posted previously:

locolobo13 

My preference is to ride a loop. Sometimes the out and back is more practical.

BobbyG

I prefer a loop, and sometimes I plan one, but sometimes I just explore.

bogydave

+1 on “practical”
Mostly , my out & backs are time & need a workout driven,

Not sure why but most of us like loops . Maybe a race track thing .

A little road improvement/maintenance
would create more good loops here in SoCal. But not expecting that anytime soon.

They have 55 mph speed limits on
Narrow roads that are worse than cobble ... where missing all the obstacles , like vehicle parts, cracks & pot holes in potholes .. even furniture parts is impossible

IronM

My 'standard' is our Wednesday night shop ride, as I 100% support my LBS and know a lot of the guys. it's about 36 miles with 2600 climbing. Many of the regional racers show up for this, including several development teams - it can be a lot of fun. And hard. Aside from that, I'm always looking for new roads and routes. I spend a lot of time picking apart rides on Strava, and finding new routes on Ride with GPS. I recently found a decent little 'lunch ride' near my office that I can mix flats with hills for a decent 1-1.5 hr ride. I'm sure I'll play with that for a while to make a really good training course. Lately I've been into gravel, so that has widened the choices twofold - but it does take a bit of travel.

IronM

Personally, I've found that good loop makes me feel like I've accomplished something, not just ridden something. Loops take commitment, as I can't cut 'em short!

John E

In the US, where we drive on the right, I try to do clockwise loops, which minimize the number of left turns required. I have heard that UPS does something similar to reduce traffic delays. I make an exception if a particular road is much more bike-friendly in one direction than the other, for whatever reason, such as high-speed merges and diverges.

I do a lot of out-and-backs, as well, since I live a km from the edge of the continent, with almost instant access to iconic Pacific Coast Highway 101. Home-to-campus (UCSD) and back is about a 50km loop, with one pretty good climb (Torrey Pines, for those familiar with the area) on the way in. Home-to-Oceanside Harbor is another favorite, a bit shorter and more level.

Retro Grouch 

With an out and back the trick is to know when you're halfway tired and it's time to turn around. With a loop, unless it's a single long loop, the trick is knowing whether or not to start another lap. I've made some bad decisions, both too long and too short, on both kinds of routes.

Over all, I much prefer a loop route.

Maelochs

if you start a lap too many on a loop ... unfortunately is it a federal crime to backtrack.

DrIsotope

The outiest and backiest route ever.

fietsbob

AMS, Shiphol Airport, has been a good place to start and return to , on my bike tours..

I liked the bike paths from there , to ride away from and return to that terminal..

fixedweasel

I live on the far NW Side of Chicago near the North Branch Trail. From the start of this, you can do a short loop from 32-36 miles, a longer loop 54-58 miles, all on paved asphalt, or continue on gravel for >100 miles up to Wisconsin and back. I am very fortunate to have this just two blocks from my house.

bogydave

Wow
Now that’s
A “out/back”

Ogsarg

I like roads with very little traffic and where I live some of them are dead ends so a certain amount of backtracking required. Also the ride to Pinnacles National Park is nice, which is an out and back of 60 miles from home.

I do prefer a loop though and have a few different ones I do regularly in the 40 mile range.