eidkr1

so I got my new bike, I am a beginner , I want to ride everyday , I have some trails near by but with my work hours, I will be able to do over the weekends only since its from sunrise to sunset

i can bike around 8-9 pm , i live in san Antonio, TX , lots of trucks and lots of drunk people, where i live is relatively calm area but no designated bike lanes, i looked on google maps for bike friendly roads.

the question is should i try to hit the roads around my house? i constructed a 7 mile tour . if i can do it everyday this will be great

what do you think from previous experiences? i got safety gear, flash lights for the bike and all set up

linnefaulk

I would try some roads around your house. You may a few roads that feel comfortable and maybe you have to do some smaller loops. Even short, repetitive loops can feel good.

Bandera

Look this over: Maps and Trails

Ask these folk, dreadfully nice: San Antonio Wheelmen | San Antonio's premiere cycling organization

-Bandera

Judi

I'm in San Antonio. I ride the neighborhoods around my house. On the main roads, I use the sidewalks...I know a lot of people frown on that and I also know it's illegal, but I'd rather be ticketed than flattened. I've been riding on the sidewalks for 3 years and never had a cop tell me anything (probably just jinxed myself). I ride with my kids a lot and I definitely want them on the sidewalks if we're not inside the neighborhood. I wouldn't ride in the dark anywhere around here.

The Leon Creek greenway trails are nice to ride. So is Mission Reach. You will probably have lots of people passing you on the Leon Creek trails at first. There aren't as many really fast riders on the Mission Reach trail, at least when I've been. Take extra water, on either trail. You'll be thirstier than you expect.

Siclovia is Sunday the 28th...if you are off, you should definitely go. Siclovia Home Page - YMCA of Greater San Antonio

eidkr1

Thank you Judi , I appreciate the tip and I will certainly go to downtown Sunday

Bandera: thank you so much , I will sign up for the wheelmen that is a neat group

exile

If you are not used to riding with traffic there is a learning curve, but it is something you should start doing. Part of riding with traffic is for you to learn the nuances of your particular area (ie when to take the lane, what roads are maintained, what areas to avoid, etc.).

The other part of riding with traffic is for other vehicles to become used to your presence on the road. Being able to ride with traffic will help you get more riding time in. Some of the important things you will need to remember about riding on the road is:
1. Be predictable
2. Be visible
3. Be courteous

But riding on the road will also teach you when to ignore all of that .

So my suggestion is get more riding time in by riding the neighborhoods in your area.

Judi

If you see a big gal on a hot pink Townie with a pale pink basket, that will be me

bikemig 

Riding with a club as Bandera suggested in post no. 3 is the way to go when starting out. There is a lot of knowledge packed into the members of a bike club as to which roads are safe to ride on and which are not. Plus you'll make some friends which will keep you motivated.

Hitting the roads around your house if this is a quiet residential area can make for a good workout. Is there someone in your neighborhood that rides? The best source of information is not a bunch of strangers on the net but locals who know the roads.

Sullalto

Where do you live? The Mission Reach(S. Of downtown...park at La Tuna) is great(I commute on it every day), Leon Creek Greenway is a bit hillier, but much more shaded and with fewer drinking fountains. It's also curvier and tends to attract faster cyclists. Which confuses me, Mission Creek has better visibility, is straighter and generally less crowded.

Judi

I think the main reason the speedy guys are on Leon Creek is that cycling can be kind of an expensive sport and there are more people with disposable income on the NW side.

Chitown_Mike

Maybe it is just me.....maybe I have seen one too many movies, but when I ride in traffic, whether on mark bike lanes or not, I always picture this scene in my head if I were to get into a confrontation with a driver:

(Fast forward to 2:20 or click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBgeEa3t-uA#t=141 )
#t=141

I know I wouldn't win, but it gives me a little boost of confidence especially in areas I am unfamiliar with. Or around jerk drivers.....

Sullalto

ah, that's a good point. I see a lot more SS/fixies on the Mission trail, which also makes demographic sense.

Minnesota Expat

The trails are okay, but they can be crowded with families,children and dogs running wild. Try some of the county roads north of 1604 on weekends. You'll find nice wide shoulders, gently rolling hills, and other cyclists.

Sullalto

Have any suggestions? I've headed out north from UTSA a couple times, but nothing more specific than that.

edit: Do the greenway trails at night, they're EMPTY. It's amazing.

hammond9705

If I'm riding alone during the week on the road, I prefer to ride in the early morning rather then the evening. Not much traffic, and I hope that the drunks are home in bed.

I also ride with a group in the evening once a week. I feel better riding in a group in the evening compared to riding alone

Judi

Pretty sure you can get a ticket from the park police for being in the park after dark, and that includes the trails.

turkey9186

I rode with VeloValero last year, for several months while I was TDY at Lackland. They have rides most weekends and a big showing for the MS150 in Oct.
They will let anyone ride with them. Here is the link to their page.
Velo Valero

Sullalto

I've been commuting home after dark 5x a week since January and I've never seen the park police along the river. From military to blue star. Usually I tack on extra miles south of military, too. Not the handful of times on Leon creek, either. So I'll take my chances.

You're probably technically right though.

I have seen people being hassled around Woodlawn Lake though.

dr_lha

Have you checked out Strava's Global Heatmaps:

https://labs.strava.com/heatmap/#6/-1...6000/blue/bike

These at least give you an idea of where people are cycling. Of course, many of these riders will be more comfortable on roads than you are, but I have found in the past they have been great for planning rides in places I am unfamiliar with. In one case I remember riding down a road in Virginia where the traffic was terrible and everyone kept passing me within inches, and when I looked on the Strava heat map, I noticed that nobody ever rode down that road despite being a fairly major non-freeway road.

Jack Lorington

I'll be BACK