Phoenix, AZ

willk24

I recently moved to Phoenix, AZ and I'm looking for some good roads to ride. I live in north Phoenix, 101 & 51 area and there seems to be a lot of traffic. Anyone have any ideas?

Sidewinder

You can hook up with the local GABA (Greater Arizona Bicycling Association) group for road rides. They have a website with the rides posted.

I tend to ride the paved path along the canal. From Peoria to central Phx & back I can do a 25 mile ride without riding on a major road. Canal crosses under 51 at Glendale Ave.

PHXM3

I recently got into cycling and live near 64th st and greenway. i ride on 52nd st. toward camelback mountain then on mt. view and double tree. also, i go through the airpart then north on hayden to bell and head out toward mcdowell mt ranch. traffic is not bad on weekends and this morning from 6 - 7 it was not a problem at all.

randallb

I dont know that you will be able to ride traffic free for the whole ride but you can get to some less congested areas. I live in tempe so i cant give you exact directions but if you take Shea east it will go through fountain hills and then connect with the 87. This road has some traffic but the shoulder is huge so it isnt an issue. From here you can go north for as long as you want or go out to Saguaro lake which is a good ride. Hope that helps a little.

Renae

I live in the same area, however, I am pretty much a newbie, so don't go on too long of rides. Depending on what your looking for you can pretty much find in this area. 40th Street south of Union Hills is pretty calm with traffic, but, it was torn up at Greenway last weekend and again at Sweetwater. There is a path that starts at the 51 & Bell (you get on the south side of Bell and the East side of the 51)--that goes to about Sweetwater. I will take that and hang a right on Sweetwater and then a left on Cave Creek road and then I will head south--helps avoid some of the traffic on Cave Creek.
On the weekends, I frequently see groups of riders heading North on Cave Creek. I don't know how far north they go, but Cave Creek is supposed to have bike lanes all the way north to the Carefree Highway.
If you go to www.mag.maricopa.gov and then click on 'maps' on the left side, you will find a bike map with all the bike lanes and multi-use paths in the valley (or at least a lot of them). A good one is the Arizona canal which runs quite a ways...you can get on at 10th Street & Northern, or Central and Dunlap and many other points. It is a multi-use path. Also the Indian Bend Wash is a multi-use path in Scottsdale, but it is pretty busy so you have to watch out for people more than along the Arizona Canal.
Check out local bike shops to see if they have a copy of the map to give you an idea of other places to ride.
Good Luck!