How to Plan a Cycling Route
Learn how to plan a bike route that matches your fitness, avoids hazards, and makes the ride enjoyable from start to finish.
Planning a cycling route is mostly a matter of knowing four things before you leave: how far you can comfortably ride, what roads or paths are available, where you can stop if something goes wrong, and what you'll do if the weather turns. Get those four questions answered and you'll rarely have a bad ride. Below is a step-by-step approach that works for total beginners, weekend adventurers, and anyone building up to a first longer trip.
Start With Your Fitness, Not the Map
Most new riders make the same mistake: they open a map, spot an appealing destination, and plan a route to get there. The problem is that a 30-mile loop looks the same on screen whether it's flat rail-trail or relentless hills.
Before touching any app or map, be honest about your current ability.
- Distance: What's the longest ride you've completed comfortably in the last two weeks? Use roughly 80% of that number as your planning limit for a new, unknown route.
- Elevation: Apps show elevation gain in feet or meters. A beginner should aim for no more than 50–75 feet of climbing per mile until hills feel manageable. So a 20-mile route with 1,500 feet of gain is challenging; the same distance with 400 feet is gentle.
- Time: Cyclists at a relaxed pace cover 8–12 mph. A 20-mile route could take 90 minutes or 3 hours depending on terrain, stops, and wind. Build in more time than you think you need.
If you're newer to commuting by bike, the guide on starting a bike commute without the stress has a good framework for estimating realistic times and distances.
Use a Cycling Route Planner App
General navigation apps (like the one on your phone for driving) will sometimes route you onto highways or fast arterials that are legal but unpleasant. A dedicated cycling route planner app filters for bike paths, quieter roads, and lower-traffic options.
Apps Worth Knowing
Komoot lets you set a difficulty level and surface preference (paved, gravel, mixed), then generates a route to your chosen destination. It also shows an elevation profile and estimated time before you commit. Free for one region; paid unlock for more.
Ride with GPS is popular with riders who want to create their own routes by tracing roads on a map. The web version is free and gives a clear elevation graph. Good for pre-planning before downloading to a phone or GPS unit.
Strava Route Builder works well if you already use Strava for logging rides. It draws on the platform's heatmap, which shows roads and paths that lots of cyclists use, which is a reasonable proxy for "this road is probably okay."
Google Maps in cycling mode is surprisingly decent for flat, urban areas. It won't show elevation well, but it will find bike lanes and paths. Useful for a quick check or for a city you're unfamiliar with.
No single app is perfect. Cross-checking two of them for an unfamiliar route takes five minutes and often reveals a better option than either would have suggested alone.
Plan a Safe Cycling Route: What to Look For
Distance and elevation are only part of the picture. A safe cycling route also accounts for traffic, road surface, and what's available along the way.
Traffic Volume
Lower traffic almost always means a more enjoyable and safer ride. Look for:
- Dedicated bike paths or separated lanes: These keep you away from motor vehicles entirely. Rail trails are especially good for beginners since the grades are gentle (rail lines were engineered to avoid steep climbs).
- Residential streets: Less traffic, lower speeds, fewer trucks. Even if they're slower to navigate, they're usually much calmer.
- Avoid arterials and collectors during peak hours: If your only option is a busier road, riding it at 7 a.m. on a Saturday is very different from 5 p.m. on a weekday.
Road Surface
Potholes, gravel patches, and cracked pavement are minor annoyances in a car and genuine hazards on a bike, especially at speed or in the wet. On an unfamiliar route, look for user reviews in route planner apps, or ask on local cycling forums whether a particular road is in good shape.
Stops and Bailout Points
Plan where you could stop for water, food, or a rest. For rides over 90 minutes, try to have at least one refill point (a cafe, a petrol station, a park with a fountain). Also look at the route for places you could stop early if you're tired, your bike has a mechanical issue, or you simply need to call it a day. This is especially useful on loop routes where the midpoint is far from home.
Carrying What You Need
The longer the route, the more you'll need to bring: tools, a spare tube, food, layers, a lock if you're stopping. A good setup for carrying gear makes a real difference. The article on how to carry stuff on your bike covers bags, racks, and panniers in plain terms.
A Simple Pre-Ride Checklist
Run through this before leaving, not when you're already late:
| Check | What to Look For |
|---|---|
| Tyres | Inflate to the pressure printed on the sidewall; no visible cuts or embedded debris |
| Brakes | Squeeze both levers; the bike should stop firmly before the lever reaches the bar |
| Quick releases / bolts | Wheels seated properly; saddle and bars tight |
| Lights | Front and rear lights charged and working, especially for morning or evening rides |
| Phone / GPS | Route loaded; battery over 50% or bring a small power bank |
| Helmet | Fits level on your head, straps adjusted snugly under your chin |
If your brakes feel soft or the bike pulls to one side when stopping, get it checked by a mechanic before the ride. Brakes are not something to ride through.
Riding the Route: Tips for Staying on Track
Even with a good route loaded on your phone, it's easy to miss a turn and end up on a busy road you didn't plan for.
Mount your phone where you can see it. A bar-top phone mount is much safer than reaching into your pocket at intersections. Many riders also use a basic GPS cycling computer for navigation, which is easier to read in sunlight and won't drain your phone battery.
Know which direction you're heading. Before you set off, glance at the first few turns so you have a rough mental picture. If the app says "turn right at the church," that's easier to act on than a tiny blue arrow.
Pick landmarks, not just street names. "Turn left at the roundabout with the small park on the left" sticks in your memory better than "turn left onto Elm Street."
If you're riding after dark or into low-light conditions, plan your return before you go. The guide on how to stay safe cycling at night has specifics on lights, reflective gear, and road positioning.
Adjusting the Route Mid-Ride
Things change. You got a late start, the headwind is stronger than expected, or you hit a stretch of rough road and decided it's not worth it. Having a plan for adjustments prevents a minor setback from becoming a stressful situation.
A few principles:
- Shorten early rather than late. If you're tired at mile 10 of a 25-mile ride and you have two reasonable exit points, take the one at mile 12, not mile 18. Arriving home an hour earlier than planned is not a failure.
- Don't push through mechanical issues. A slow puncture that you can feel getting softer, or brakes that start squealing unexpectedly, are reasons to stop. Fix the issue or call for a lift.
- Check the weather before, not during. A shower that starts 45 minutes into your ride was visible on the radar that morning. If rain is coming, either leave earlier, cut the route short, or bring a jacket.
FAQ
How do I find bike paths near me?
A cycling route planner app is the easiest starting point. Komoot and Ride with GPS both have searchable path databases. You can also search for your local council or city's transport website, as many publish official cycling maps as PDFs. Cycling UK and similar national organisations maintain regional trail databases too.
What distance is good for a beginner?
Somewhere between 5 and 15 miles is comfortable for most beginners on flat terrain. If you're returning to cycling after years off, start at 5 miles and see how your legs and seat feel the next day before increasing. Building by about 10% per week is a sustainable pace.
Should I ride on roads or stick to paths?
Paths are generally more relaxing for beginners, but road cycling opens up far more routes and is fine once you're comfortable signalling, holding a line, and making eye contact with drivers at junctions. Many cyclists do both and use paths to connect between quiet roads.
How do I deal with hills I didn't expect?
Shift into your lowest gear early, before you need it. Keep a steady cadence and slow down rather than grinding a big gear. If the hill is steeper than expected and you feel your legs giving out, there is no shame in stopping and walking. It's far better than losing control or overdoing it on a long ride.
What if I get lost mid-ride?
Stop somewhere safe, off the road, and open your maps app. Most phones' GPS works even without mobile data if you've pre-downloaded offline maps. If the battery is low, switch to low-power mode and navigate to the nearest town or landmark where you can regroup. It helps to have a contact who knows your rough route and expected return time.