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I don't care, I'm a girl but into girls and you probably have hardly any hair
It does always shock me at work, when some of the people there don't even know where some cities are in England, let alone how you would go about driving to them (some have never left Dorset!)
Not sure if it was because we drove around a fair bit when i was a kid going to MX races, but i'm pretty sure i could get myself to most towns in this country without a map.
I seldom [b]plan[/b] routes, I just have rides that are longer or shorter than [b]planned[/b].
How's that work then?
I seldom plan [b]routes[/b], I just have [b]rides[/b] that are longer or shorter than planned.
That's how. 🙄
[i]what approaches have others found effective?[/i]
I just go out with a rough idea of where I want to go and take any roads that look nice. I know my local area well enough to do well over 100 miles without getting lost.
How can you live somewhere and not know it well enough that you need a map to get anywhere. You must know which direction to head for home.
I ride with people that have no clue whatsoever whether home [from wherever we may have stopped] is roughly N,S,E or W
I sometimes wonder how they've managed all their lives
If I see a sign for a gated or singletrack road I take it.
This can cause issues if on the way back home, but on the way out it's all good.
aren't they all, ultimately ?It's an island FFS!
i hadn't realised there would be so many conflicting views on the subject (though probably should have expected it!).
the notes ziptied to the top tube worked pretty well, though the font was a bit too small to read it easily - i'll know for next time! i reckon a stem mount rigid plastic sleeve would be ideal, though accept i'd probably look like a roadie's worst nightmare with that, my peaked helmet and mtb gloves on. 😆
I also tend to check out junctions on Google Street View before a ride. A picture paints a thousand words and all that...
i'd probably look like a roadie's worst nightmare with that, my peaked helmet and mtb gloves on
I think you probably overestimate how much they'd care, and wearing a peaked helmet on a road bike is just silly.
Drop them on the climbs, then they'll notice you 🙂
well some of them even nodded back when i was out on sunday! the peak didn't feel that silly riding into pouring rain and a headwind, i was quite glad i hadn't bothered to take it off. 🙂
Surely most people have an idea where they are at some point? But for long new rides I just scribble down a few villages on a scrap of paper and ride off in their general direction.
and wearing a peaked helmet on a road bike is just silly
No, it's not. They are useful in sun and also rain. Why else would you wear one on an MTB?
For navigation if it's going to be intricate (for instance, if I am heading towards the Forest of Dean, or using a network of lanes far from my house) then I use a Garmin Edge 305 pre-programmed with the route.
I have used signposts, random turnings and paper maps previously. You can't rely on signposts generally because sometimes they are not there, and you won't know in advance. Most of the roads near my house I know, but the further afield I go the more roads there are of course and the fewer I know.
Usually i know where i am or have a good idea anyway, but i'm riding to my sister in laws which is just over 100 miles and haven't ridden the route before so i'll write down the places i'll be passing through with the road numbers on it and stick it in my pocket. I'll have my phone as backup too.
No, it's not. They are useful in sun and also rain. Why else would you wear one on an MTB?
But MTB's don't have drops, and when you're blasting down a twisty moutain road it gets in the way.
Sometimes I just go out for a ride and play it by ear but i find that once i'm outside the immediate area I have a tendency to stick to major roads as they have the better signage, unfortunately they also have the most traffic. So normally I'll sort the route out beforehand and follow it on the garmin. This way means that I can look out the quietest looking roads in the area which are often not signposted whilst being sure that the road actually leads somewhere useful.
Even after living in the area for years I still unearth the occasional gem by pawing through the map beforehand.
They are useful in sun and also rain. Why else would you wear one on an MTB?
I don't. They're just a fashion accessory with little useful purpose.
They're just a fashion accessory with little useful purpose.
As above, they seem to help keep rain and sun out of my eyes.
Fair point re the drops, that's why I like visors that can flip up a little bit.
I just stick to routes I know. I know loads of roads to loads of places, I can usually make a route.
Live somewhere small, like the Isle of Man, then you can't get lost at all.
but you get italians cutting you up every time you try to put a bit of speed on...
😆