JoeyBike

UPDATE: Definitely moving to GVL. House is being built, money spent.

Thinking about relocating to Greenville SC. Spent 2 weeks there and does NOT look like a place to depend on a bicycle to get around. Anyone care to change my mind?

I am not interested in recreational cycling on trails or weekend warrior rides. Strictly utilitarian bike transport.

UPDATE Sept 2023. I discovered a very useful tool for exploring a new location virtually. This is a Strava Global Heatmap of Greenville, SC (brightest spot near center). The brighter the line the more Strava passes on that road by cyclists. This will show you every goat trail that cyclists use - much more than Google Maps, although Google is a great companion to this.

Bald Paul

Biking is the fastest way to commute in Greenville. This is how we can make it safer – bike walk greenville

JoeyBike

So "A work in progress" but without the progress. I drove and walked around Greenville for two weeks. The steep hills, narrow streets, 2-lane highways, or 8-lane arterials, loooong traffic lights (90-120 seconds), heavy traffic, and very few bike lanes did not make me hopeful. Also, many neighborhoods are cul-de-sacs so wiggling around back streets would be impossible or add a hundred years to any commute. I know the Walgreens where they began the race and that route. E.North does have a "bike lane" - basically a sharrow stuck to the gutter as an afterthought, and from Walgreens it's mostly downhill to Park St. In fact, most of the cyclist's route was downhill. Also, I stayed on E. North for a week and noticed most casual cyclists using the sidewalks as that "bike lane" would be terrifying to more leisure desiring cyclists.

One last thought: Living even a 10-15 minute drive outside of town (in a car) compounds the problem. Steady flows of traffic on narrow 2-lane highways or 6-8 lane arterials with hundreds of driveways to stores and eateries. I saw ZERO cyclists on those types of roads. Some used sidewalks and I can't disagree. Also saw ZERO cyclists cued up at traffic lights along with auto traffic. I'm never taking a lane doing 6mph up a long, steep hill in a 45mph zone with no room for vehicles to pass. Traffic was already frustrating without some dude on a bike making it worse.

The link is much appreciated! It kinda confirmed what I observed. Even on Strava I can't find any cyclists who commute Greenville. That is a bad sign also.

rutan74

Probably not a best commute city. I live about 90minutes from Greenville so I am not sure. But, I do know that once you get outside of Greenville, it is some of the best bike riding in the country. Several ex-pros call the area home with Hincappe having his hotel there along with his grand fondo. The riding outside of Greenville to the North is amazing since it is the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. To the NE, you have Mt Mitchell and in the spring is the hardest ride in the SE from neighboring Spartansburg.

So, the downtown area might not be as friendly for commuting as you would like, but there is a huge bike community in that entire area due to its country roads and varied terrain. Yes, it does get hilly. Been there, ridden there quite a few times.

john

vespasianus

As someone who lives in SC and often goes to Greenville, I would not recommend biking as a means of transport in this state. Bad drivers, bad roads and little respect for alternative thought or means of transportation make this state a death trap for cyclists and pedestrians.

JoeyBike

Thanks for the honesty. This was my take but I didn't actually ride. Observing from behind the wheel was enlightening however. I love the place otherwise. Thanks.

Glenn6870 

I live in Simpsonville, which is next town over from Greenville. And no, i don’t think Greenville is a commute by bike city. It’s a great area for recreational cycling, but as you requested commuting info, I’d say no. Almost no bike lanes and where there are some, they don’t last long and don’t connect anything to anywhere. The exception would be if you were to live some where close to the Swamp Rabbit Trail. You could live as far north as Travelers Rest or south as far as the north side of Mauldin and if you’d had access to the SRT, you could commute into downtown. Just depends on where you are going from and to. But overall, no i would not say it’s a very bike commute friendly area.

JoeyBike

Hey, thanks so much! I missed this post somehow. Sorry for the delay.

We're moving Jan 2024. Our development is down Fork Shoals road but north of the Tollway. If they just add shoulders or even sidewalks to ONE MILE of that road I would be GOLDEN! There is a big grammar school, and a church, along with crazy amounts of new home developments between me and some easy cycling and access to Conestee from the south. From there I can get anywhere, especially if I use a few sidewalks no one walks on. I would think that road would at least get a sidewalk near the school. My Surly Lowside can handle riding on grassy shoulders, dry ditches, just about anything not under water, and I'm kinda nuts, so it might work out.

Much appreciated Glenn!

Bald Paul

Two threads, one here, one in A&S, and you're concerned about maybe a 3 MILE section of roadway?

JoeyBike

One extremely busy section of roadway. My plan is to take a right onto Ashmore Bridge Road (or a new side road may assist me from going all the way to the super busy Ashmore Bridge Road) and get me to Tar Road north to Standing Springs, then 3rd to Conestee. Standing Springs is getting to be a popular road for motorists tired of the traffic on Ashmore Bridge and Fork Shoals Road. Yes, even motorists want to avoid those roads when possible due to impossible traffic volume, especially at rush hour. Current rapid development has outpaced the road infrastructure.

Yeah, I'm not subjecting myself to Fork Shoals Road for 3 miles. One mile may be too many until that road gets improved. I have nothing to prove. I'll throw a bike on the car rack and go somewhere better for cycling. I've researched that road on Strava and other bicycle apps and NOBODY rides that stretch of road, not even the pros who live there.

Maybe you could try it and fill me in. I've only driven that route and studied traffic patterns on Google Maps and Google Earth. Let me know how you do.