[Nigal]

What is the cycling like where you live?

I'm really lucky to live where I live because we have a really strong cycling community in the Dayton Ohio area. Most people don't think of Ohio as a cycling meca or anything but we have a lot. We have more Rails to Trails than any other state. Dayton is especially good because we have at least a few hundred miles of bike trails in the area. I can go two blocks from my house and hop on my town's trail and I can ride over 100 miles to Cincinnati, all on bike paths.

Five Rivers Metro Parks of Montgomery County where Dayton is found is creating a cycling hub near down town where three or four paths meet. Cyclists will be able able to use lockers, showers and secure bike storage there. They want to encourage bike commuting into the downtown area which is great IMHO.

We also have within an hour's drive of Dayton seven mountain bike trails which make up at least 75 miles of trails.

So what's it like where live?

 

[Industry_Hack]

The fact that Specialized brought their dealers out here earlier this year to see the new models should tell you something. Besides the ski resorts in the summer, we also have Moab. Plenty of flat roads around lakes, and mountains/canyons too here in Utah. The only downside is the weather.

 

[CTD50]

Nigal -- you do Duck's Birthday Ride? In honor of the local Dayton club co-founder?

Duck is as close to a hero that I have -- the last time he rode unassisted, he was 97!

 

[KShep]

I live in a town of ~40K including 15K college students. Cyclists are tolerated at best. Very few dedicated lanes and less than 10 miles of MUPs.

 

[Nigal]

Nigal -- you do Duck's Birthday Ride? In honor of the local Dayton club co-founder?

Duck is as close to a hero that I have -- the last time he rode unassisted, he was 97!

I don't get much chance to do any group rides due to work. 97 and still riding...we should all be so lucky.

 

[IanHighfield]

I don't get much chance to do any group rides due to work. 97 and still riding...we should all be so lucky.

Nigal, you are 97 years old and WORK shortens your cycle riding? Do I read that correctly?

If so, you are amazing. If not, I'm an idiot and can't read.

As a young teenager I raced with a British road team in a race at Gambier* College in Ohio. I remember the campus was very lovely with stone buildings and big trees all around. I can't remember what part of Ohio the school is located in but I still have a purple T-shirt (I can't find) claiming Paul Newman, Paul Lynn and Jonathan Winters as former students.

* I'm not altogether sure I have that name correct. (small liberal arts school)

 

[KShep]

If so, you are amazing.

Quite. However....

Nigal was referencing the 97 year old rider "Duck"...from the quote she attached to her post.

 

[Nigal]

Nigal, you are 97 years old and WORK shortens your cycle riding? Do I read that correctly?

If so, you are amazing. If not, I'm an idiot and can't read.

As a young teenager I raced with a British road team in a race at Gambier* College in Ohio. I remember the campus was very lovely with stone buildings and big trees all around. I can't remember what part of Ohio the school is located in but I still have a purple T-shirt (I can't find) claiming Paul Newman, Paul Lynn and Jonathan Winters as former students.

* I'm not altogether sure I have that name correct. (small liberal arts school)

Yeah I'm only 40. If you thought it was lovely it'd be in southern Ohio.

 

[TxCyclist]

Austin has a wonderful biking community and parts of the town are very bike friendly. Great place to live once you get over how bad traffic is.

 

[chh55]

I'm in southern Sweden and here we have rolling countryside, mixture of farmland and woods. Meandering country roads with not too much traffic, old villages and the coastline. Lund is a university town so there are lots of students who stay for 4-5 years, not a very stable population base for building clubs. Our club has 150 +/- members and we do 3 rides per week with 2 or 3 speed groups per ride. Some members are into racing and there are more or less weekly events in the area which includes northern Denmark.
I'm originally from Minneapolis and I try to get back there for a few weeks every summer. I ride with the TCBC (twin cities bike club) when I'm there. They have a lot of members but I find the level of riding is generally not on a par with european club riding. Lots of fun and comradery though.

 

[chh55]

Austin has a wonderful biking community and parts of the town are very bike friendly. Great place to live once you get over how bad traffic is.

My sister lived in New York City for a while and then decided to move to Austin. I asked her if she didn't think it was going to be too hot down there and she said after New York summers how bad can it be?
She just about croaked the first summer in Austin!

 

[rawhite1969]

I am in Indianapolis. A couple of very good rail trails, and more coming but the economy will slow that down. A few bike lanes, but not near enough. City did just pass ordinances that are bike friendly including safe passing distance (cars passing bikes), sidewalk right-of-way, parking in bike lanes.

Riding on sidewalks here is legal, and are often part of the trails. Sidewalks in many areas of the city are non-existent however, with no space on the road to safely ride. Not a great commuter city, however those who live near the handful of trails that lead into downtown can do so safely.

I drive to a trail to ride. Wish I could just ride to the trail to ride!

 

[wild]

Well when thay have them Philly to the Shore bike rides thay allways go thrugh the swamp here, so it must be a good road to bike on.

 

[Nigal]

It's snowing here this morning. We have a few inches. Time to break out the MTB and hit the bike path. My first ride in the snow. EEEEEEK!

 

[BlazingPedals]

I haven't ridden in over a month, so I'm getting twitchy. I refuse to go out in cold rain mixed with snow; that's just not fun. It's been snowing all day today. Not much accumulation, but it's REAL SNOW. Maybe tomorrow will be good for taking the hybrid out and around.

 

[HipsterDufus]

I live near the Mohawk-Hudson Bike Trail in upstate N.Y. It's nice to be able to ride and not worry about any cars. The trail is 35 miles long and is paved and has an assortment of terrain.

Schenectady County - Living - Nature Preserves and Trails - Bike-Hike Trail

 

[gatorguy]

I'm in St. Paul and I think riding here is pretty good. There are lots of bike trails here, you can ride from Minneapolis to Duluth (175 miles) all on paths converted from railroad beds. South of the city is rolling farmland with some fairly challenging hills or one can ride along the river bottoms for miles. I think the drivers are fairly bike friendly as well.

The only problem is unless one is really into cold weather riding, the season is short. I see some people commuting in subzero weather and have to admire their Moxie, not this cowboy. 30's for me.

 

[funetical]

My sister lived in New York City for a while and then decided to move to Austin. I asked her if she didn't think it was going to be too hot down there and she said after New York summers how bad can it be?
She just about croaked the first summer in Austin!

I've been in Texas my entire life and I'm used to it as in I don't go out in the middle of the day and I wear shorts from the new year until December 1st. Sandal's are an excellent investment down here as well.

 

[TxCyclist]

This Summer in Austin it was so brutal. Hottest Summer every because of our major drought. No moisture in the ground to cool the air. In the Summer you dread going outside for any amount of time.

 

[snowbird]

I'm from Ohio too and have ridden all of the Rails-to-trails network, some parts several times. My favorite is to ride to the United States Air Force Museum. You have to ride a couple of miles on the berm to get there but it isn't bad. The museum is world class. It has everything from a Wright brother's bicycle to a space capsule.

Also rode the Olentangy River trail thru Columbus. It goes right thru the OSU campus.
Last summer they had an event where you could ride with Lance Armstrong.

In winter I go to Ft. Myers FL where they have I'd guess 100 miles of bike trails, bike friendly sidewalks & bike lanes. The toll bridges are free to bicycles. The best one is to Sanibel Island. It's maybe 3 miles long. The berm is a full 8' wide. I've seen dolphins from my bicycle.

I ride a lightweight mtn. bike with 1.5" street tires. Tried a road bike but the sidewalks are too rough. I just bought a kayak. Lee County (Ft. Myers) has 193 miles of canoe/kayak "trails" thru the mangroves. So now I ride my bike every other day, and kayak on the odd days.