Name some good areas or routes to ride in your location.

[RightWingNutJob]

I'm in Jacksonville, Fl. Drove down A1A from Ponte Vedra Beach to St. Augustine the other day. Made me miss my days riding down to Ft. Lauderdale beach. But anyway. it seems like it would be a descent bike route. Bike lanes on both sides of the road if I remember and you can't beat being near the ocean.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

I'm in Jacksonville, Fl. Drove down A1A from Ponta Vedra Beach to St. Augustine the other day. Made me miss my days riding down to Ft. Lauderdale beach. But anyway. it seems like it would be a descent bike route. Bike lanes on both sides of the road if I remember and you can't beat being near the ocean.

Are there 'safe' places to go near St. Augustine???

 

[RightWingNutJob]

Are there 'safe' places to go near St. Augustine???

St. Augustine is fine. North side of Jacksonville not so much

 

[RightWingNutJob]

St. Augustine is south of Jacksonville so you should be fine.

 

[amp300]

Snowbowl road in Flagstaff. Always a good barometer of how your training is progressing (if you are a fan of the hills at least) Start climbing at 7300 feet, top out at 9300 in about 6.5 miles. Fun ride down.

 

[franciep10]

Well I live in jamaica, for 4 days a week I ride a scenic route to the coast line close to the beach and ride right to my business, but every sunday I ride a ridiculous mountainous route through the blue mountain, where I go up to 6,207 feet, and in the space of 60 km I go over three different peaks, with some hitting 27% gradient, I posted it on map my ride if you want to take a look.

 

[Ninety5rpm]

Are there 'safe' places to go near St. Augustine???

Everywhere is a safe place to ride for someone who learns and practices safe traffic cycling techniques and methods. And if you think you know what that is, but can't name most of the techniques and methods, then you don't.

 

[39*23t]

out in south africa in cape town we have a route that runs along the peninsula where the indian and atlantic oceans join there's a few short climbs on it but nothing to hectic plus every one in a while you get to see a few whales out in the ocean. do a google on argus cycle tour if you want to see pics.

Here in Scotland there a bike path that runs along loch lomond that's quite scenic and free of trafic.Probably leave it for the warmer months though

 

[centurionomega]

Two good rides here in San Francisco.

I always go over the Golden Gate Bridge and ride the Marin Headlands up a road called Conzelman Road. It is very scenic with a nice climb and a steep dropoff on the ocean side, a loop past former coastal gun batteries (WW II), then another climb and descent back to the bridge.

Also, Guadalupe Canyon Pkwy is another good climb. 3.5 miles with an average grade of 6% and kicks up to 10%. Every New Year's day there is a hill climb challenge on the road to the top of San Bruno Mtn. I think the record is 22 mins or something crazy like that.

 

[cooltech]

Bike rides

Hi folks! My first post! I live in Pennsylvania just 25 miles or so north of Philadelphia. I'm about3/10 if a mile from the Delaware Canal, (a national landmark here). A very nice scenic ride or you can take river road a bit north of here and do a 16 miler to Washington Crossing and back to Morrisville Pa. All along the Delaware river. Others I'll share another time.
Glad to have found this site.
cooltech

 

[180mmCrank]

Two good rides here in San Francisco.

I always go over the Golden Gate Bridge and ride the Marin Headlands up a road called Conzelman Road. It is very scenic with a nice climb and a steep dropoff on the ocean side, a loop past former coastal gun batteries (WW II), then another climb and descent back to the bridge.
.

I've done that one - it's really cool.

I live in Vancouver BC - and get to ride on the North Shore. You can ride out along the Ocean on Marine drive - it's a rolling road that weaves along the coast in and out of the forrest and ends up in Horseshoe Bay. It's like a road bike playground on the weekend - lots of small groups crusing along. On the way back you can cut up above the highway and cycle up Cypress - it's a 10km ride 6-8% - with fantastic views out over the city and the Ocean. The ride up is a great workout up to the base of the ski hill (no traffic in the summer)and the decent is truly awesome - 80 km/h easy.

I am a lucky bar-steward

 

[runninboy]

Everywhere is a safe place to ride for someone who learns and practices safe traffic cycling techniques and methods. And if you think you know what that is, but can't name most of the techniques and methods, then you don't.

Obviously you have never ridden in Florida. seriously. No amount of traffic technique can save you from a driver there. i have been cycling 25 years I have ridden in maybe 30 states and a dozen foreign countries.
Florida is deadly.
Why? Retirees from NYC, it sounds like a cliche but there are alot of people who lived in NYC all their lives taking public transportation and then when their health & eyesight starts to fail they move to South Florida and buy a huge car to protect themselves when they crash.Some of these people have not driven for decades and they get a huge car and just go! Unfortunately there is no buffer because they frequently drive over the curb, if you think i am kidding you have not lived there, there is only one place worse in the world
Las Vegas.
People are in a daze, thinking about the money they just lost or dreaming about the money they will win. Then the workers getting off all-night shifts, the drunk people on vacation it is a death trap. I used to pack my car and drive an hour outside of vegas to ride.
Best place to ride in America? Gravel roads in the midwest, you can see the cars coming from the dust, if a car goes too fast 50mph the gravel acts like marbles and they end up in the ditch. It is quiet so you can hear anything a mile away(literally) and the scenery is great. I have ridden 80 miles without ever seeing a car.
the Best City is Copenhagen, they have a bike lane with a high curb to keep cars out. You see people cycling on dates, dressed up holding hands as they ride, it is a cycling culture that has respect.

 

[craig1985]

Obviously you have never ridden in Florida. seriously. No amount of traffic technique can save you from a driver there. i have been cycling 25 years I have ridden in maybe 30 states and a dozen foreign countries.
Florida is deadly.
Why? Retirees from NYC, it sounds like a cliche but there are alot of people who lived in NYC all their lives taking public transportation and then when their health & eyesight starts to fail they move to South Florida and buy a huge car to protect themselves when they crash.Some of these people have not driven for decades and they get a huge car and just go! Unfortunately there is no buffer because they frequently drive over the curb, if you think i am kidding you have not lived there, there is only one place worse in the world
Las Vegas.
People are in a daze, thinking about the money they just lost or dreaming about the money they will win. Then the workers getting off all-night shifts, the drunk people on vacation it is a death trap. I used to pack my car and drive an hour outside of vegas to ride.
Best place to ride in America? Gravel roads in the midwest, you can see the cars coming from the dust, if a car goes too fast 50mph the gravel acts like marbles and they end up in the ditch. It is quiet so you can hear anything a mile away(literally) and the scenery is great. I have ridden 80 miles without ever seeing a car.
the Best City is Copenhagen, they have a bike lane with a high curb to keep cars out. You see people cycling on dates, dressed up holding hands as they ride, it is a cycling culture that has respect.

That is awesome. Although I hate for the girl to get a flat tyre, I would imagine the guy would have to change it, although his hands will get rather dirty.

 

[campagchris]

Some cracking rides there.

I'm in Northumberland U.K. On one of my routes I pass 5 historic castles in an 80 mile ride, two of them have been in loads of films like El Cid and the Harry Potter ones.The roads are fairly quiet too until summer and the school holidays.Its mainly a coastal route but I do throw in a few hills on the way back.It's just a shame that summer here is now our rainy season

 

[Lovegoat]

Norway - Jotunheimen rundt

I think one of the most beautifull places to ride must be the course for the norwegian race Jotunheimen rundt. The course is 430 km, and passes over three major mountains. Little traffic, only 430 km of natur and mountains.

check out the route here:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/7930774

Too bad Google earth doesnt have high-resolution images from this route. Some pictures from the scenic ride can be viewed here (from this years race):

http://www.jotunheimenrundt.com/files/File/JR2009 Del 2 Sognefjellet(1).pdf

http://www.jotunheimenrundt.com/files/File/JR2009 Del 1 Valdresflya(1).pdf

 

[elapid]

In Ottawa, Canada: Gatineau Hills, Quebec. Lots of cyclists so the cars are mindful and mostly respectful, beautiful scenery and occasional wildlife, and about the only good roads in Quebec.

In Melbourne, Australia: check out the following website for plenty of good rides. http://www.cyclingprofiles.com.au/index.html
I did several of these rides when I returned home for a holiday and particularly enjoyed those based around the Mt. Dandenongs and the Whittlesea Challenge.

 

[The Falcon]

Great thread

In Sydney there are two rides i really like, they are my main local training rides.

One is in the Royal National Park about 45minutes south of the city (2nd oldest in the world behind Yellowstone). There are number of variations but normally we use a 80klm route with about 1500m of climbing, awesome coastal views and temperate rainforest.....early on a weekend morning there are very few cars.

Another one is a Sunday morning special, leave home at 6am ride through the blue chip harbour side suburbs of Double Bay, Rose Bay, Vaucluse, Watsons Bay etc and then home along the coast past Bondi Beach and 4 other great beaches then out to Botany Bay and home....its about 60klms and home by 8 or so before Sydney wakes up (this is a Sunday ride only for me) I never get tired of seeing the Harbour bridge, Opera House, Harbour, Bondi and the mansions of the Rich on this ride...........there is also a fair amount of climbing, including a real little ******* of 47m in 300 (15%)....its great to ride these roads free of traffic which would be a real hassle any other day of the week.

 

[colwildcat]

I live near Boulder, CO. Lots of great riding through the foothills. Great riding in the Golden area, and this time of year the roads up in the mountains, Vail, Breck, etc are killers on the legs, but the scenery is gorgeous. Always amusing to be in Boulder and see a pro or two riding by during the off season. It's humbling how you can be killing yourself and they just saunter by.

Drivers here are hit and miss. Had a guy throw a coke at me out the car, yelling at me to "get on the sidewalk." There's morons everywhere.

 

[maanderx]

Well I live in jamaica, for 4 days a week I ride a scenic route to the coast line close to the beach and ride right to my business, but every sunday I ride a ridiculous mountainous route through the blue mountain, where I go up to 6,207 feet, and in the space of 60 km I go over three different peaks, with some hitting 27% gradient, I posted it on map my ride if you want to take a look.

When I went to visit relatives in Hope Bay, Port Antonio areas, I must admit I
didn't notice any decent roads that made me think the area was one that would
support a cycling culture. I could be wrong though.