Out-and-back or circuit?

[Grandad]

i'd rather not have a say, thirty mile tail wind followed by thirty of headwind, doesn't sound like fun to me.

Today's ride was an oval shaped circuit of 47 miles. 22 hilly miles out into a moderate wind, average speed 8.9mph. Almost completely flat return brought the overall average up to 10.4.

Used the motor for a total of 2 miles - couldn't have done this route without it

[Mick F]

Busy today, so no cycling.
Busy tomorrow, so ditto.

Trouble with me, is that I need an empty brain and a clear conscience and nothing on my To Do list.
I can then ride happily, rather than worrying that I should be doing something else.

Thursday will see Mrs Mick F taking the train to Plymouth to call in TUI ............ long story, but the shop is now open again and she needs to sort something out.

Meanwhile, I'll be out riding over the hills into the South Hams and working my way toward Plymouth from the east. Should do about 40miles or so. I can meet her in town, and I'll join her so we can both take the train home. I much prefer a destination to ride to, than a circuit or an out-and-back, so this idea is great.

Second best option, is to go somewhere first (car/train) then have a good ride, then come back (car/train).

[Postboxer]

Perhaps what happens halfway makes a difference. Riding a loop you are always going somewhere, even if you eventually end up at home. Riding there and back it probably makes a difference what you do at the midpoint, a stop somewhere seems much more preferable than just turning around in the road and heading back, although I assume most people would turn around at some kind of target or destination, or perhaps tack on a small loop at the end just to get turned around? Somehow to me, riding somewhere just to turn around and head home seems less appealing then riding in a loop and ending up at home.

The problem I have is being in Eccles, there aren't many/any nice ways to get out into the countryside easily, it seems surprisingly unconnected due to too many obstructions, motorways, dual carriageways, railways, the Manchester Ship Canal and corridors of urban areas all seem to pen me in.

[Cyril Haearn]

Some routes are more complicated, made of a combination of loops and dead-ends

Pleased to see I am the only contrary one who voted for out-and-back. So far
..
Whatabout walking routes compared to cycling routes? I tend to walk circuits rather than out-and-back

[Oldjohnw]

Some routes are more complicated, made of a combination of loops and dead-ends

Pleased to see I am the only contrary one who voted for out-and-back. So far
..
Whatabout walking routes compared to cycling routes? I tend to walk circuits rather than out-and-back

As with cycling, I prefer circuits. Even when cycling to the shops I go differ ways there and back if.

[mjr]

Whatabout walking routes compared to cycling routes? I tend to walk circuits rather than out-and-back

I mostly walk out and back because any loops here on the edge of the fens usually take longer for me and my bust foot to walk than I've got.

[sjs]

I often use the railway to get back from one-way rides in the Peterborough or Cambridge/Ely/Kings Lynn directions. Returned from Cambridge a few weeks ago on a Sunday afternoon (the day before masks became compulsory on public transport IIRC) and as far as I could see I was the only passenger.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,

Some routes are more complicated, made of a combination of loops and dead-ends

Pleased to see I am the only contrary one who voted for out-and-back. So far
..
Whatabout walking routes compared to cycling routes? I tend to walk circuits rather than out-and-back

Your heading says "Out-and-back or circuit?"

Your poll says "Out-and-back or circular for long day rides?"

99% of my rides are out and back because I seldom do more than 4 hrs.
Convenient as mostly off road, a circuit would involve more road work.

If I do more than 1/2 a day then its 99% circular.

Walking, if its coast then try to do a circular to cover more different ground, just the 238' / mile climbing, which is typical of devon coast
Moorland would be no different, but if you want to reach a remote spot, then you may as said come back same way.

" you want to go all the way?.........yes.................its a long way!....................later its 20 miles and some one is feeling tired....you wanted to go to the end!"

[The utility cyclist]

Mostly circuit but sometimes out and back, it can be significantly different on the way back on exactly the same roads even without wind change. There can be a totally different view of the countryside/features, things you might not have seen before, of course if you do the same route every single weekend then it's the changing of the seasons that can be the only real noticeable change.

As others have said, sometimes you're diverted on the ride, it could be a whole host of reasons and this changes the dynamic of the ride, sometimes for good, sometimes not.

ATEOTD ride your bike, doesn't matter where or what route, nor how far or how fast, just try to take something other than exercise and you can't go too far wrong.

[Navara]

Whatabout walking routes compared to cycling routes? I tend to walk circuits rather than out-and-back

Why?
Why walk circuits but ride out-and-back?
I walk circuits for the same reason I ride circuits.So many options.
Out-and-back,whether walking or riding,gives only one option.

Take yesterday for instance.We set out to do 30+ miles.Heading out NW it became apparent it would be extremely blustery up where we were meant to go.We turned off 5 miles in and did an E/SE loop to keep sheltered from the wind.Still quite scenic but went through a few more villages than we would have.
Out-and-back would not have given that option.
In fact I could have turned off either left or right and looped around to avoid the higher/windier ground....so many options....

[Mick F]

Getting bored with it all.
Done every out and back imaginable, and done all the circuits .............. endlessly.
Done all the bridges over the River Tamar. 23 of them.

We were out at Tamar Lakes this afternoon, and last time I was there in summer of 2007 doing all the River Tamar Crossings, the place was very different to as it is now.
I never bought a Garmin to log my rides until late January 2008, so everything before that, was "constructed" on my computer latterly from memory and from diary information.

Tamar Lakes now.
https://www.southwestlakes.co.uk/locati ... amar-lake/

When I was there in 2007, the place was just a lake formed by a dam next to a field. The dam was just a dam with a basic path across, but now it has a paved path across it with railings too. You're even encouraged to walk/cycle across and walk/cycle right round the three miles of the Upper Lake on a new gravel path right round.
Cafe, ice cream, parking, a new access road, overflow carpark ............. the lot.

Also ............ and this is the most important bit .................... I am reliably informed .................... there's another bridge!

So .................. I've decided to do ALL the bridges again, but only after I've finished the last fourteen of the two-hundred and twenty-six of the Cornish Parish Churches.

............... and log the route by Garmin and gpx tracks.

[Postboxer]

Usually, I ride whilst the kids are at school, so doing a circuit usually leaves the option of a shortcut if there's a problem at school and I need to get home asap, even though it may still take me some time, whilst going out and back there's only this option on the first half.

[MattH]

For long rides typically circuits although some shorter rides I do from time to time I prefer out and back so I can get more climbing in on both sides of the hills.

[francovendee]

Circuits when ever possible. Out and back if I can't stick to tracks and quiet roads.
No matter how nice it is where you live, in time you'll get a little bored with it.
Just remember the adage about grass being greener somewhere else.
I have a large number of circuits from home but my favourite cycling is when I'm away and just explore an area. Sometimes this means out and back if I end up having to return on busy roads.

[peetee]

Most of my rides are circuits and most of them involve a bit of back-tracking somewhere. Usually the last couple of miles but one of my favourites is dumbbell-shaped.