In this post, I thought I’d write about routes around Linköping, which are suitable for unicycling. I try consciously to avoid traffic (both vehicular and human!), so I can enjoy my rides in peace, and I pick routes with a strong bias towards asphalt, as I lack experience of off-road riding. In the future perhaps, as I gain more experience, I’ll expand upon this post with non-asphalt options. Another point of consideration for me while designing routes is that I don’t generally design one-way routes, so this means that the distance will have to include both the onward and return legs. Since my current average speed is quite low, the time-cues for rides would perhaps be only relevant to myself so I’ll mention both time and distance for the routes.

Sub 1-hour ride/5-7 km

• A ride that starts on Södra Oskarsgatan near the Post Office (behind Linköpings rececentrum) and goes along Tornbyvägen. It’s a combination of flat and some gentle downhill till we get to Engströms bil, at which point there’s a nice but brief climb. The route has a few traffic lights which need dismounting, and a handy skill to acquire is to grab the traffic light pole or idle/hop when stopped for the light to turn. While the lights are a slight irritant, this route is very lightly trafficked, and that’s a strong plus point.

• An alternate route for a hour’s worth of riding is to ride along the river Stångån upto Tannerfors canal locks and to ride back, but this route is very popular amongst runners, bicyclists, and even walkers with dogs, so it can be a bit challenging/irritating at times.

90 minute ride/11-13 km

• It was last year when I started riding along Ekängenvägen and there are a bunch of options with it. One of the simplest 90 minute rides is an out-and-back ride along Ekängenvägen, with the U-turn being executed at the Stensättervägen bus stop netting 12 km. An alternative which is roughly the same distance is to take a right turn off towards Östra Härg and riding into Gränsliden, and then back home. A small variation of this latter route also involves a little bit of riding on a gravel track, but that would be conditional to good weather, at least till I get more comfortable riding off-tarmac. Here’s the link to the route with the gravel patch

• Another interesting option for a 90 minute ride is to ride along Bergsvägen and ride around Skäggetorp, climbing up Glyttingevägen and riding through Ryd-forest. The Glyttingevägen climb is a nice way to pratice steady climbs. Done in the reverse, I can use this to practice brake usage, as it’ a steady descent with great visibility all around.

2-hour ride/16-22 km

An out-and-back ride to Ekängen is a nice way to get in a 16 km ride on an excellent bike path, with very few intersections/stops. This is a great ride to help fix posture issues and also to practice longer stints in the saddle.

Another nice ride that nets 18 km is a ride to Kaga kryka, via Rydskogen and Tift södergård, and returning along Bergsvägen.

Ekängenvägen-Hästhagsvägen-Tägneby-Skälv-retur 20k:

A ride along Ekängen with a turnoff onto Hästhagsvägen leads to a dirt road that connects back onto Ekängenvägen, albeit on the other side. The road is a 70 road but very lightly trafficked, and seems popular among bicyclists. Ride past Tägneby, all the way to Skälv before turning right to Linköping, instead of going straight onto the road to Beatelund. An additional possible variation is to continue towards Beatelund, but then take the turn towards Linköping at Rystads kyrka. The circular loop nets 13.3 km. If the loop is ridden only once, the ride nets 20 km, but every additional loop will net a further 13.3 km, so this route can be used to net 20.65, 33.95, 47.25 etc. Riding upto Rystads kyrka would make the loop a bit bigger.

With this alternate route, one can ride distances of 21.3 km, 35.3 km, 49.3 km etc.

I’ve never ridden the loop more than once, but I guess it’s doable, as the views are quite okay. However, the fact that the street lights are almost completely absent, and that Ekängenvägen is a 70 road, without a bike path, after Hästhagsvägen mean that the segments after Hästhagsvägen are only to be attempted when there’s still sunlight, or if there’s really strong lighting that can light up the road sufficiently well to see, and not just enough to be seen. A reflex vest would also be essential, if riding post sunset.

Another option for a daytime ride is to skip the turn at Hästhagsvägen, and instead continue all the way along Ekängenvägen and return either via Rystad’s church, or alternatively take the turn towards Linköping, after passing Skälv. The Rystad’s church route nets just under 24 km.

Another ride in the 22 km range which is also around Ekängenvägen is the ride that takes us by SAAB Arena and parallel to Box Hotel, and all the way past Talboda Centrum along Linghemsvägen, before swinging left towards Östra Härg. This can also be done as a 25 km ride, if we choose to go all the way around Ekängenvägen, instead of taking the bypass through Hästhagsvägen.

The above-mentioned route requires one to run across a heavily trafficked 70 road, and has roads with high camber, due to uneven wear. An alternative route which might be a bit better is to take a left off Linghemsvägen at Talboda Centrum, and to ride along Gränsliden, all the way to Själv and Tägneby, and then turning off Ekängenvägen towards Hästhagsvägen/Hästhagen, before rejoining Ekängenvägen on the other side. This ride nets 20 km.

3-hr ride /24-27 km

In the 24-27 km range, there are a number of options, with a few along Ekängenvägen; the first option is to ride past Ekängen and looping back by Rystadskyrka, crossing E4 via the underpass, passing by the Saab Draken plane.

The other option is almost the same, except for turning off onto Hästhagsvägen, and is about one kilometer shorter. The former option means riding more on the 70 road, while the latter option means riding on a much calmer dirt road on Hästhagsvägen.

Another route that nets around 26 km is a ride along Bergsvägen, crossing Kagakyrka and heading westward till Ledberg before turning south towards Malmslätt, before returning downtown via Rydskogen.

4-hour ride/28-34 km

One of the routes I’d sketched out for bike and uni rides a long time ago was the ride to Kagakyrka and back. The route is along Bergsvägen, all the way up to Vreta Kloster, before swinging left at Vreta Kloster. The route doesn’t offer too much protection against sidewinds, and is to be avoided (or chosen, if one wants some additional punishment!) on days which are particularly windy. After crossing a quaint little bridge and a view, one gets to a large stable (Stall Kungskvarn) and a picturisque moat. Upon reaching and crossing Kaga church, the ride goes past the strawberry farm at Tift. The ride is just over 30 km long and is almost totally tarmac.