I have been doing solo rides to get in shape but I'm not sure what are good routes that are challenging but also good for riding solo. I like Beechwood but its not challenging enough. I considered climbing Mount Troy Road but I don't know where it goes to or if the road has a lot of blind curves. I want a nice wide berm and a good workout.
@mrmarv: What kind of distance do you want?
For a simple in-town loop, you could go down the Ohio River Trail to the end, then up McClure->Woods Run->right into Riverview Park. Climb to the top (or do the loop all the way around the park a few times), then exit right and out to a right on Perrysville Ave to eventually hit Federal St and come back into town. That'd be roughly 10 miles out and back from downtown.
Are you in the HP/Morningside area? If so, you can do a pretty decent loop around the reservoir. Short version:
* Start at the main entrance to the park at Highland/Bunker Hill.
* Take the first right down towards the farmhouse.
* Take the hairpin left down to Stanton (inside the park)
* Follow this road (includes a nice short climb behind the zoo). This intersects with the Zoo Hill. Make a left there, then a left on Bunker Hill.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
There is also this, this, and this.
I live in Stanton Heights. If I've only got an hour and want to get in a hard workout, I'll usually go across the river and do repeats up Kirkwood, or go do intervals at the oval. Repeats up Circuit Dr in Schenley Park are an old standby too, but I did those more when I lived closer to Oakland.
For rides that are just rides, there are endless possibilities. Fox Chapel is a good place to start if you want some hills. This one's a classic: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Fox-Chapel-Loop-Team-Caffeine
You can easily trim the length by taking Dorseyville, Old Mill, or Squaw Run E.
I just got back from doing the route reddan just posted, along with riding out the length of the Southside and back up through Panther Hollow, into Oakland, up through the golf course to Sq Hill and back down into Shadyside and Bloomfield.
Lots of hills. 25 miles? I don't know, don't count them much.
Also, think about spending a few bucks on Oscar Swan's book.
I live in Stanton Heights and I amy willing to do anything from 10 miles to 50 miles, lots of hills are o.k. I've done the Team Caffeine Ride in a group before but not alone. I guess I just want a good safe workout so I'll try any route that I can do solo.
My summer route was Blvd through Schenley -> Beacon -> Shady -> Penn Ave -> Highland Ave -> One Wild Place -> Butler -> Penn in the strip ->Blvd downtown -> Jail Trail -> Greenfield Ave -> Greenfield Rd -> Blvd through Schenley. I think its around 25 miles with a decent amount of climbing and if you go after about 8pm there is hardly any traffic.
+1 Swan's book. Enough ideas there to keep you interested for a couple of years, plus a fairly entertaining read in its own right.
Also, the Pedal Pittsburgh routes are a nice easy way to put together some city riding.
I do a 7 mile loop sometimes.
From Bates and the Blvd of the Allies.
Down Bates, Left on 2nd, Left on Greenfield, Left at Loretta, Left on Murray.
Right on Beacon, Left on Mulhutton. Now you've gone to the top.
Left on Darlington, R on shady, Left on Wilkins.
Left on Beeler, Left on Forbes, R on Margaret Morrison, Left on Tech St, on Schenley drive, Lft on Panther Hollow, Righ on the Blvd and back.
Less than 7 miles, but it gets you breathing a a bit.
There are a few blocks on Murray where you are going uphill in traffic that are a little awkward, but other than that, it's mellow.
There is nothing easy about the Team Decaf Fox Chapel route. The whole time I was ridding the voice in my head kept saying if you want to drop that "bent" keep pushing.
Here's my favorite short in-town loop, and it's very easily accessible from Stanton Heights.
1. Get down to Butler St./Allegheny River Blvd.
2. ARB to Nadine.
3. Right onto Nadine Rd; it's almost a 1mi climb.
4. Bear right onto Lincoln at the top Nadine.
5. At the top of the hill, quick right onto Vine and follow it uphill (becomes Aber Road.)
6. Keep going up. Aber turns into Mt. Carmel at a stop sign. Keep going up.
7. Bear left at the stop sign to the top of Mt. Carmel.
8. Descend the cobbles (fun part) and then left onto Lincoln Ave.
9. Fun fast downhill on Lincoln back into town.
10. E Lib Blvd or thereabouts back into town.
This route is easily done in reverse with a longer climb (Lincoln) to start. It should take a little less than an hour. Cheers.
Did you say Allegheny River Blvd.? I don't know if I'm man enough for that. Down hill cobbles? I am not up to speed yet for ALB, I know people ride it all the time but I don't know about me. Down hill cobbles sounds intense.
I did this Caffeine route yesterday.
Plenty of hills and descents. However, it goes along ARB. I wouldn't consider myself quite up to speed either, but the speed limit is 35, so I will never be "up to speed" riding solo. Just don't ride it during busy hours.
And if you're worried about cars passing close to you, well. I think of it this way: They never hit me, and if they do, I probably won't remember it anyway.
I did the Team Caffeine, Don't go to Bairdford (the board for some reason wont let me include the link) route yesterday.
Plenty of hills and descents. However, it goes along ARB. I wouldn't consider myself quite up to speed either, but the speed limit is 35, so I will never be "up to speed" riding solo. Just don't ride it during busy hours.
And if you're worried about cars passing close to you, well. I think of it this way: They never hit me, and if they do, I probably won't remember it anyway.
I was on ARB in early September. It's really nothing worse than I'm used to riding anywhere in the suburbs. However I flatted at the site of a car fire a few weeks earlier, between WashBlvd and Nadine, picking up an inch-long piece of metal in my tire.
