Linear Bike Rides

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Almost all of my bike rides are loops. The reason for this is that I am a single person, so I usually need to end where I start, either to get home, or to get to the car. This means that if I do a 30km loop it has to return to where it started eventually.

Over the last two bike rides that I did they were linear. From Haute Morges to Nyon a few days ago, and vice versa today. The beauty of linear rides is that you make the effort unti you’re tired, and then you stop. With circular loops you cycle until you’re tired, and then you need to struggle to find the energy to make it home. With linear walks you don’t need to.

With today’s linear bike ride I passed by a seaplane event. If I had had more time I would have stopped and watched them take off and land. It’s rare to see seaplanes, despite the Léman being such a great lake for them. It’s a large, often, especially in summer, calm body of water. Ideal for float planes.

Float plane on the Léman

Aside from enjoying the pleasure of linear cycling I also cycled with two bags. I had a frame bag for the bike spares, and I had the Columbus saddle bag as well. I needed to have spare shoes and a change of clothes because I thought I might end up in a restaurant. I didn’t, but it’s good.

I bring this up because riding with a saddle bag, rather than a backpack frees up the back from a certain amount of weight, as well as humidity. I cycled the entire bike ride without that bag ever bothering me, and that’s great. It’s nice to be able to carry more than fits into your back pockets, without worrying about weight distribution, sweat and more. It’s also nice because it didn’t wobble, or affect my balance. I focused on cycling, and my back was unencumbered.

Now that I know that it feels comfortable I could consider cycling further, and trying to do something that is more adventurous, than cycling in loops.