Cycling the Florida Keys
01-18-20, 06:55 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Cycling the Florida Keys
Gonna try to check this off the ol' bucket list in March, and ride from Key Largo to Key West and back. All those that's done the ride, feel free to share your experiences and give any insight and advice...
Likes For one4smoke:
01-18-20, 10:35 PM
#3
Senior Member
This might be interesting.
https://www.endscycling.com/keywest5day
https://www.endscycling.com/keywest5day
01-19-20, 01:27 PM
#4
Banned.
Bridge looks pretty dicey (especially if you have a flat or mechanical)
but the ride is very very intriguing
but the ride is very very intriguing
01-19-20, 03:31 PM
#5
Senior Member
I’ve ridden the ride four times only on a motorcycle because there are many bridges that are not bicycle friendly. To dangerous for me as most have no shoulder at all.
01-19-20, 06:26 PM
#6
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In 2016 I did Florida City to Key West, then back. We had a huge tailwind outbound. There are some places where traffic is very close, some segments with separate side paths, and a fair amount of decent shoulder. The seven Mile bridge was fine when we flew over it outbound, but miseable on the return. Slow, debris covered shoulder, close traffic. Recommendations? Do it, stop for the sights, eat at the small restaurants.
01-19-20, 08:08 PM
#7
Banned.
In 2016 I did Florida City to Key West, then back. We had a huge tailwind outbound. There are some places where traffic is very close, some segments with separate side paths, and a fair amount of decent shoulder. The seven Mile bridge was fine when we flew over it outbound, but miseable on the return. Slow, debris covered shoulder, close traffic. Recommendations? Do it, stop for the sights, eat at the small restaurants.
Bridge scares me and I enjoy hearing how others have gone over it with success.
01-19-20, 11:08 PM
#8
Firm but gentle
Bad Idea
You couldn’t pay me to ride this.
01-23-20, 07:26 PM
#9
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I did it in February 2018 with four other guys. I planned it out well in advance as a century ride from Key Largo to Key West on a Saturday. There were two places that were less than ideal: the Seven Mile Bridge and Marathon Key. The Seven Mile Bridge is just that-- seven miles of the road, your bike lane shoulder and then the water below. It was a bit butt clenching, but it was done in a little under a half hour. Yes. Trucks and cars will go by you fairly fast. The speed limit bounces back and forth between 45 and 55 mph. The other area that was less than ideal was Marathon Key. There was a lot of road construction in Marathon Key, and the traffic is pretty dense with little to no bike lane. We cycled the sidewalks in Marathon, which slowed us down considerably for that section. There were sidewalk lips to the roads, but there was a lot of road construction too. I'm sure that's finished, but you probably will need to ride the sidewalks in Marathon.
There are some MUPs you can use to avoid riding on the road. I suggest looking up these alternative paths. Two of our guys started riding faster and went over a bridge that the rest of us avoided by riding the MUP. We had to deal with some fishermen, but it was no big deal for the mile or two it was.
Overall, it was a real fun day, and we are considering repeating it in February or March this year. I probably would not do it any later than April The heat will be too brutal. We had a sixth guy driving the van that picked us up and drove us to dinner back in Key Largo. I drove the rest of the 3 hours home that night. We left our LBS in Port St. Lucie at 4 AM and got back at about 1 AM Sunday morning. We were bushed, but it was fun.
There are some MUPs you can use to avoid riding on the road. I suggest looking up these alternative paths. Two of our guys started riding faster and went over a bridge that the rest of us avoided by riding the MUP. We had to deal with some fishermen, but it was no big deal for the mile or two it was.
Overall, it was a real fun day, and we are considering repeating it in February or March this year. I probably would not do it any later than April The heat will be too brutal. We had a sixth guy driving the van that picked us up and drove us to dinner back in Key Largo. I drove the rest of the 3 hours home that night. We left our LBS in Port St. Lucie at 4 AM and got back at about 1 AM Sunday morning. We were bushed, but it was fun.
01-24-20, 08:16 PM
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I did it in February 2018 with four other guys. I planned it out well in advance as a century ride from Key Largo to Key West on a Saturday. There were two places that were less than ideal: the Seven Mile Bridge and Marathon Key. The Seven Mile Bridge is just that-- seven miles of the road, your bike lane shoulder and then the water below. It was a bit butt clenching, but it was done in a little under a half hour. Yes. Trucks and cars will go by you fairly fast. The speed limit bounces back and forth between 45 and 55 mph. The other area that was less than ideal was Marathon Key. There was a lot of road construction in Marathon Key, and the traffic is pretty dense with little to no bike lane. We cycled the sidewalks in Marathon, which slowed us down considerably for that section. There were sidewalk lips to the roads, but there was a lot of road construction too. I'm sure that's finished, but you probably will need to ride the sidewalks in Marathon.
There are some MUPs you can use to avoid riding on the road. I suggest looking up these alternative paths. Two of our guys started riding faster and went over a bridge that the rest of us avoided by riding the MUP. We had to deal with some fishermen, but it was no big deal for the mile or two it was.
Overall, it was a real fun day, and we are considering repeating it in February or March this year. I probably would not do it any later than April The heat will be too brutal. We had a sixth guy driving the van that picked us up and drove us to dinner back in Key Largo. I drove the rest of the 3 hours home that night. We left our LBS in Port St. Lucie at 4 AM and got back at about 1 AM Sunday morning. We were bushed, but it was fun.
There are some MUPs you can use to avoid riding on the road. I suggest looking up these alternative paths. Two of our guys started riding faster and went over a bridge that the rest of us avoided by riding the MUP. We had to deal with some fishermen, but it was no big deal for the mile or two it was.
Overall, it was a real fun day, and we are considering repeating it in February or March this year. I probably would not do it any later than April The heat will be too brutal. We had a sixth guy driving the van that picked us up and drove us to dinner back in Key Largo. I drove the rest of the 3 hours home that night. We left our LBS in Port St. Lucie at 4 AM and got back at about 1 AM Sunday morning. We were bushed, but it was fun.
01-24-20, 08:17 PM
#11
Senior Member
Thread Starter
01-24-20, 11:45 PM
#12
Firm but gentle
01-27-20, 05:27 PM
#13
Senior Member
Flatted on the 7 mile bridge..A little scary but it was a great ride. The debris accumulates on the bridges because it comes off vehicles and does not go off the side of the road and into the ocean or grass.. So it collects on the shoulders of bridges. It was a great ride for me and my wife. We went with the Everglades Bicycle Club.
Mike Adams
Mike Adams
01-27-20, 06:30 PM
#14
Banned.
Flatted on the 7 mile bridge..A little scary but it was a great ride. The debris accumulates on the bridges because it comes off vehicles and does not go off the side of the road and into the ocean or grass.. So it collects on the shoulders of bridges. It was a great ride for me and my wife. We went with the Everglades Bicycle Club.
Mike Adams
Mike Adams
