Best area for cycling: Here's the city choices...

[AmpedCycle]

So I'm thinking about where I want to relocate to, and of course, I'm deciding to go to the city with the best cycling. Here's the line-up:
-Los Angeles (near USC), CA
-Oakland, CA
-Glendale, AZ
-Miami, FL
-Coral Gables, FL
-Naples, FL
-Tampa, FL
-Jacksonville, FL
-Houston, TX
-New Haven, CT

That's the list. I'm thinking that days of sunshine, weather, and relative affluence all play a role. So, any votes? Anyone from any of these areas?

 

[Xsmoker]

Citys have GOOD cycling???

 

[poweredbysweat]

None of the above. I went through Denver on tour, and was able to cycle from the far North end to the far Southeast corner without ever getting off the bike trail. They have an incredible trail system.

The other city that rocks for cyclists is Portland, OR.

 

[Michael Pisarri]

So I'm thinking about where I want to relocate to, and of course, I'm deciding to go to the city with the best cycling. Here's the line-up:
-Los Angeles (near USC), CA
-Oakland, CA
-Glendale, AZ
-Miami, FL
-Coral Gables, FL
-Naples, FL
-Tampa, FL
-Jacksonville, FL
-Houston, TX
-New Haven, CT

That's the list. I'm thinking that days of sunshine, weather, and relative affluence all play a role. So, any votes? Anyone from any of these areas?

well I was born in houston, tx. But do not remember much of anything from that stage in my life (too young). However, It gets very very humid and hot in the summer. if you can deal with then i guess its alright...the traffic is terrible though. both of my parents disliked living there for various reason. if i had to pick one of those I would pick New Haven (maybe i just like the northeast too much) but I agree with the other post...I'm not really sure there is good cycling in cities. I am from upstate, NY, but I go to school in boston. Cycling around the city is fun, in a sort of exciting, racing through traffic kinda way, site seeing way. But there is alot of traffic, even as you leave the cities and get into the suburbs. its hard to concentrate and I dont really enjoy going out for long rides around here as much as i did in (upstate) new york where there are empty roads and nice views. If your decision was purely based on cycling i would say move to west virginia or north carolina or someplace suburban/rural, but I know nothing about your career/school/anything plans or I can't really make a decision. Thats just my two cents.

 

[AmpedCycle]

None of the above. I went through Denver on tour, and was able to cycle from the far North end to the far Southeast corner without ever getting off the bike trail. They have an incredible trail system.

The other city that rocks for cyclists is Portland, OR.

How could portland oregon be any good? It rains so much you'd never be able to get outside, and it'd be depressing with all that rain.

 

[Xsmoker]

Michael Pisarri is absolutely correct. I live in what I think is a cycling mecca, the Western Fingerlakes region. At the end of my driveway are any number of loops and 'out and backs', hills or flats. I love it.

 

[dgregory57]

From your list, I would lean toward Oakland, but that could be because it is what I am familiar with. Some good riding in the flats around the bay, including some nice MUPs, and good climbing if you move away from the bay.

I rode year around, and rarely had a weekend where I couldn't get out and ride.

The drivers are relatively cyclist friendly, and there are several clubs around.

Climate is great, and there is plenty to do in the area, whether cycling or otherwise. Take your bike up to Yosemite in the spring... I never did, but I wish I had done so. Ride through the redwoods up the coast... Tour the wineries in Napa Valley... Climb Mt. Diablo... lots of great rides...

The only down side, is that except for certain pockets there is a lack of trees, and I love riding through wooded areas...

I would avoid Southern Cal, mostly because of the more severe lack of trees, but that's me. My second choice with my limited cycling experience would be CT... Winter riding would be painful, but more scenic than the other options, which resemble deserts or swamps from my limited experience, which I like only in limited amounts...

I grew up in the NW, I need trees!

 

[robsurge]

Has anyone cycled in Austin,TX? I'm goin in a couple of weeks and currently planning a ride up to Lake Travis and back. New Haven is great except for the slush in the winter!!!

From your list, I would lean toward Oakland, but that could be because it is what I am familiar with. Some good riding in the flats around the bay, including some nice MUPs, and good climbing if you move away from the bay.

I rode year around, and rarely had a weekend where I couldn't get out and ride.

The drivers are relatively cyclist friendly, and there are several clubs around.

Climate is great, and there is plenty to do in the area, whether cycling or otherwise. Take your bike up to Yosemite in the spring... I never did, but I wish I had done so. Ride through the redwoods up the coast... Tour the wineries in Napa Valley... Climb Mt. Diablo... lots of great rides...

The only down side, is that except for certain pockets there is a lack of trees, and I love riding through wooded areas...

I would avoid Southern Cal, mostly because of the more severe lack of trees, but that's me. My second choice with my limited cycling experience would be CT... Winter riding would be painful, but more scenic than the other options, which resemble deserts or swamps from my limited experience, which I like only in limited amounts...

I grew up in the NW, I need trees!

 

[Smilf]

Has anyone cycled in Austin,TX? I'm goin in a couple of weeks and currently planning a ride up to Lake Travis and back. New Haven is great except for the slush in the winter!!!

Austin is good because you can get into some bigger hills.

I live about 30min south of Houston and it's really not a bad place for cycling. Giving it is flat as a pancake, and will have to do bridge repeats for any kind of uphill work out. Or just drive 1 hour west or hour + north to get some rolling hills.

 

[Pendejo]

Stay out of Florida. In fact, there was an article in our Sarasota paper today that indicated that Florida has the highest "death rate" in the country for cyclists, three times the national average. (I don't know exactly how they define "death rate," but for our purposes here it hardly matters.)

Populated areas here are probably more dangerous than anywhere else because of the lack of bike lanes, etc. and the number of elderly drivers and coked up young drivers. There have actually been cases down here where old drivers have actually been stopped driving with a body on their hood, and didn't even know anything was wrong!

And we don't have rural roads like elsewhere. They're straight line speedways, often with narrow shoulders, and lots of semi trucks.

The big advantage down here is you can get killed in the winter riding in nice weather.

 

[Jaguar27]

Where would you all say the best climate for riding is in the US?
I'm from the UK and live in Southern CA, I've never lived anywhere else here in the US so I have nothing to compare it to...the only other State I've ever riden a Bike is in Maui, actually that's a county, but you know what I mean...

<< This was me riding on the main roads in Maui.

 

[ebola]

Where would you all say the best climate for riding is in the US?
I'm from the UK and live in Southern CA, I've never lived anywhere else here in the US so I have nothing to compare it to...

I'm from the UK and i'm currently staying in Redmond/Seattle for work for 2months, I'm impressed with the place for cycling so far.. trails around lake-washington/ sammamish river etc. The sammamish-burke-gilman ride had the atmosphere of a cyclosportive as there were so many other serious riders concentrated on one route.
Seems ok for bike-lanes generally.

(It's so good infact I've managed to strain my patellar tendon a little by riding too hard, too far.. requiring 2 weeks rest wasting a big chunk of my trip.. )

Climate wise its' pretty much the same as the UK which I guess is good if you're not a fan of hot weather. Though I think they have more in the way of propper 'Seasons' here rather than our 'permanent autumn' (ok we had snow in january and a heatwave summer, but you know what I mean .. it's more commonly autumn all year round.. )

Personally I'd class myself as on the exothermic side and tend to find - especially with the windchill effect of cycling - that cold & rain is more of a problem than warmth.

 

[wugga]

Denver/Boulder Metro is a great area. However, if you are in the tech field stay away ..... unstable.

 

[Jaguar27]

'kin ell!! I grew up in Cov, the last place I lived over there was W.Sussex, and you?

I went to Seattle a few years ago and loved it, it was only a 3 Day Biz trip and I wasn't riding then...sooo...

I don't know whether you've been down here to SoCal, we're about 4 miles from Laguna Beach, just to give you some idea, we really don't have seasons..just summer...summer...a few rainy Days..then summer..to me anyway, coming from the UK...
Last winter I went riding with a few mates and it was sctually down to 34* F in Newport Bch, accoring to the temp gauge in the Car, my front Paws were so cold I had to keep stopping to warm them up, I couldn't brake or change gear...
It's been a HOT summer here, but I would say roughly 95% of the time it's good to ride...this is now coming up to my fave time of year for cranking...

I'm from the UK and i'm currently staying in Redmond/Seattle for work for 2months, I'm impressed with the place for cycling so far.. trails around lake-washington/ sammamish river etc. The sammamish-burke-gilman ride had the atmosphere of a cyclosportive as there were so many other serious riders concentrated on one route.
Seems ok for bike-lanes generally.

(It's so good infact I've managed to strain my patellar tendon a little by riding too hard, too far.. requiring 2 weeks rest wasting a big chunk of my trip.. )

Climate wise its' pretty much the same as the UK which I guess is good if you're not a fan of hot weather. Though I think they have more in the way of propper 'Seasons' here rather than our 'permanent autumn' (ok we had snow in january and a heatwave summer, but you know what I mean .. it's more commonly autumn all year round.. )

Personally I'd class myself as on the exothermic side and tend to find - especially with the windchill effect of cycling - that cold & rain is more of a problem than warmth.

 

[Jaguar27]

Denver/Boulder Metro is a great area. However, if you are in the tech field stay away ..... unstable.

Funny you should mention it, My Wife's Company are opening a branch in Colorado and they asked her last week if she wanted to move/work there...but she immediately declined because she grew up in Chicago and can't take cold weather...me...I'm a cold weather Monkey myself...

But I see Property prices are 1/3rd of SoCal....a 1500 sq ft Home for under $300,000 Around here that would be the down payment plus you'd have to work at least 3 Jobs to pay the mortgage...

 

[alienator]

Why Glendale, AZ? The Phoenix area sucks for cycling, at least compared to Tucson.

 

[ranger39000]

I live here in port richey, florida and it's a great place to ride. With all the new roads and wide shoulders, not the mention the new Suncoast Parkway trail and Pinellas Trail, etc. It's true though about the high cycling death rate but I think that's due in part to all the transients (hobo's) ridin round drunk on cheap mountain bikes.God takes ya when he's good and ready, just make sure ya got yer 'livin will' in order

 

[AmpedCycle]

Why Glendale, AZ? The Phoenix area sucks for cycling, at least compared to Tucson.

But there are places to ride outside of glendale/phoenix, right? I would think that there are a ton of roads leading out into the desert... or is that just a stereotype?

 

[alienator]

But there are places to ride outside of glendale/phoenix, right? I would think that there are a ton of roads leading out into the desert... or is that just a stereotype?

From the inscriptions left by Ancient Phoenecians, it seems like the areas of decent riding in the Phoenix area are more limited. In all fairness, Phoenix is a crowded, big city, so it makes sense that finding good riding places would be more challenging.

In Tucson, you can find good riding in any direction.

 

[wnowak06]

i cant speak for the others, but new haven would be a good choice. i live in a town about 30 minutes driving distance from new haven and there is beautiful, rural riding. rolling hills with some steep, although short, climbs. if you ride for about 15-20 minutes to get out of the city, there is some great riding.