Best cycling travel destinations you've been to
11-29-18, 02:16 PM
#51
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You probably already said this and I missed it, but what time of year are you going? I think it's summer, right? If you know when exactly I can probably help with which roads will be passable and which won't. It's usually around the first week of July that you can drive to Slate Peak, or ride on anything but a fat bike.
My favorite is Hawaii. I've done two trips to the Big Island and Maui and rented a bike there both times. Both were breath-taking cycling destinations with more options for beautiful riding that one could possibly take advantage of.
Once you decide on a destination, you might want to look at Veloguide, which is sort of like AirBNB for cycling. It takes the hassle out of figuring out where to rent a bike, where to ride, etc.
Once you decide on a destination, you might want to look at Veloguide, which is sort of like AirBNB for cycling. It takes the hassle out of figuring out where to rent a bike, where to ride, etc.
11-29-18, 02:36 PM
#52
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I tried to head up one of the volcanoes, but it's a damned long climb with zero services/water/anything for many miles. My wife made it clear she was not interested in delivering water, food, a jacket, or a mountain bike to me along the way, so I wisely decided to go up until I felt it was time to turn around, based on water needs. It was still a beautiful ride: https://www.strava.com/activities/580666639 the descent down old saddle road was incredible as the road was steaming and there was ZERO traffic to be seen. In retrospect, I'd have come up that way too, since the 200 is essentially a freeway and kind of sucked to ride on.
Another random ride while there: https://www.strava.com/activities/575033444/
It's a beautiful place to ride.
11-29-18, 09:03 PM
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I hate to say this, but you may want to consider other options and not commit to anything ahead of time. There are fires all over the West every summer. Some near the Methow Valley, some far away. But for the past few years, a noxious cloud of smoke blankets the whole region, starting in early August and lasting maybe 6 weeks. The air quality tends to be horrible and you can't see more than a couple miles. 
11-30-18, 11:00 AM
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I hate to say this, but you may want to consider other options and not commit to anything ahead of time. There are fires all over the West every summer. Some near the Methow Valley, some far away. But for the past few years, a noxious cloud of smoke blankets the whole region, starting in early August and lasting maybe 6 weeks. The air quality tends to be horrible and you can't see more than a couple miles.
11-30-18, 11:12 AM
#56
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We went along the Danube from Passau, Germany, to Vienna in 2007 and then from Vienna to Budapest in 2014. Very little climbing, so it might not be your cup of tea, but either section is great for families with kids. Very civilized, good accommodations and food and you can get tour companies to arrange to take your stuff from hotel-to-hotel every day. If you're going in August, I'd definitely use a tour company so you know you'll have a room waiting for you, as it gets very busy at that time of year.
The insane part of me wants to do the Budapest-to-the-Black Sea segment, but that's definitely not in the cards for the rest of the Mouse family.
The insane part of me wants to do the Budapest-to-the-Black Sea segment, but that's definitely not in the cards for the rest of the Mouse family.
11-30-18, 11:40 AM
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Maroon Bells, Aspen Colorado. Cars are restricted on a closed road. Climb forever - e ticket ride downhill. 50 + mph easy. If you never thought you would like disc brakes on a road bike, you will after this ride. Scenery is incredible.
11-30-18, 01:54 PM
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Great suggestions. Thanks everyone. So many destinations and so little time/money...
@Seattle Forrest your suggestion for Winthrop might win the day as it's relatively close to home and from the sounds of it great cycling. Any decision will have to be approved by the travel committee (i.e. the wife). The suggestion for places to say is most appreciated. No rush as we won't be doing any kind of cycling trips until the summer. I'm just trying get some ideas so we have something to look forward to over the winter months.
@tinrobot I like the idea of riding down in Colorado too. I love to climb (the wife, not so much) but the scenery is incredible. Might have to look in to some locations/ideas there too. Of course Portland is equally appealing, especially with all of those craft breweries!
All those suggestions to head over to Europe are definitely appealing! Neither of us have ever been over to Europe and I think doing a bike tour (where they drag our gear from place to place, as opposed to using panniers) would be a great way to see the country. I have some friends who have done cycle trips over to Europe, so maybe I need to pick their brains over a beer or three to see what they can recommend too. Of course I do have some concerns with not being able to DO everything Europe has to offer, since a lot of time will be spend riding from a to b, but I suppose no one can do it all.
@Seattle Forrest your suggestion for Winthrop might win the day as it's relatively close to home and from the sounds of it great cycling. Any decision will have to be approved by the travel committee (i.e. the wife). The suggestion for places to say is most appreciated. No rush as we won't be doing any kind of cycling trips until the summer. I'm just trying get some ideas so we have something to look forward to over the winter months.
@tinrobot I like the idea of riding down in Colorado too. I love to climb (the wife, not so much) but the scenery is incredible. Might have to look in to some locations/ideas there too. Of course Portland is equally appealing, especially with all of those craft breweries!
All those suggestions to head over to Europe are definitely appealing! Neither of us have ever been over to Europe and I think doing a bike tour (where they drag our gear from place to place, as opposed to using panniers) would be a great way to see the country. I have some friends who have done cycle trips over to Europe, so maybe I need to pick their brains over a beer or three to see what they can recommend too. Of course I do have some concerns with not being able to DO everything Europe has to offer, since a lot of time will be spend riding from a to b, but I suppose no one can do it all.
I looked into rentals and there are bike shops on Gran Canaria as well as Tenerife that rent really nice road bikes for very reasonable prices. The islands have great weather most of the year, it's a Spanish territory so I'm sure the food is excellent, and you can finish your ride at a beautiful beach where you spend the rest of the day enjoying the sun and some beer. Flights weren't that bad from the US east coast either.
For the trip we did take, riding in Palm Springs was actually pretty nice. I found a shop that delivered a rental road bike to our AirBnB, there's a very interesting climb up the tramway access road, and it's a beautiful, stark landscape. Just really hot if you wait to ride much past dawn.
11-30-18, 02:25 PM
#59
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Just had to look it up on Strava. One segment is a Cat 1 climb https://www.strava.com/segments/630438
Last edited by Tycho Brahe; 11-30-18 at 02:34 PM.
12-01-18, 08:02 AM
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Last edited by tigat; 12-01-18 at 08:15 AM.
12-01-18, 07:55 PM
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Wow. Gorgeous photo @tigat. Very inspirational. Where abouts you were staying when you did this ride? Did you have a base camp/hotel that you worked out of? And are there a lot of different rides in the area or is it all climb climb climb? While I don't mind climbing, I think constant/daily climbing might weigh on my wife not be such a fan.
12-02-18, 01:01 AM
#62
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I credit-card toured South Korea from one end to the other along its renowned Four Rivers national bike path, and also did a similar thing along Taiwan"s scenic east coast. I had a great time, glimpsed into the culture and country, and faced no hassles or hustles. At the end of the tour i put the bike in the bullet train back to the capital.. Both places are highly recommended.
Those are two realistic options for me.
12-02-18, 08:01 AM
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Wow. Gorgeous photo @tigat. Very inspirational. Where abouts you were staying when you did this ride? Did you have a base camp/hotel that you worked out of? And are there a lot of different rides in the area or is it all climb climb climb? While I don't mind climbing, I think constant/daily climbing might weigh on my wife not be such a fan.
maybe a ride out of Dotsero on the Colorado River Road (turns to very manageable gravel), and a day in Grand Junction with a trip up the Colorado Monunment
12-04-18, 06:59 PM
#65
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We were also in Oslo and Bergen, with the stop in Balestrand in my pictures.* I didn't think either city would be great for cycling like Copenhagen was on that same trip.* I also thought Amsterdam was a little crazy for cycling.* Yes, they cycle everywhere, but it was a little chaotic.* My wife much preferred Copenhagen, as did I.* But Balestrand was spectacular.* I turned around before the road turned inland from the fjord, and that looks like another spectacular ride on Google.**
What's with all the stars appearing in my text? I must have quoted something not from an English keyboard.
12-13-18, 03:33 AM
#66
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I speak no Korean or Mandarin, and faced few difficulties, really. There's a little more English in Taiwan than in Korea, but both places are remarkably easy to navigate. In Korea, if you are pressed for time, it is the southern half of the main Four Rivers Seoul-to-Busan haul which is more scenic and quiet.
Last edited by Abu Mahendra; 12-13-18 at 03:57 AM.
12-14-18, 06:00 AM
#68
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In July we did a week long cycling tour of Finland's Aland Islands with Freewheeling Adventures. I did a Cycleblaze journal on the trip here.
Not a trip if you are looking for climbing, but really scenic, great food, great biking surfaces. It was a fully supported ride but you could do it unsupported pretty easily without camping/cooking- you are always within 20 - 30 miles of somewhere to stay.
Not a trip if you are looking for climbing, but really scenic, great food, great biking surfaces. It was a fully supported ride but you could do it unsupported pretty easily without camping/cooking- you are always within 20 - 30 miles of somewhere to stay.
12-14-18, 09:08 AM
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Millions of people around the world don’t need roads for cycling.
For example: the guy in my second photo.
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