Chapel Hill rides?

[Mash Master]

I'm going to be visiting Chapel Hill next week on a business trip and I was thinking of dragging my bike with me on the plane. I have Saturday the 30th free and I was hoping to hook up on a group ride to see the sites :-) Can anyone point me in the right direction of the local bike clubs in the area? If I don't bring my bike, are there places local that I can rent a road bike from?

Thanks

[cranky old road]

You might want to check the links from this page:

http://thebicyclechain.com/page.cfm?PageID=57

I haven't lived in CH in 25 years but the riding out to the Northwest was fantastic back then. Also I was young:p

[roccobike]

That's a bicycle freindly town. If you can't find a group before you arrive, you should have no trouble finding a few riders to tag along with.

[Mash Master]

It looks like I can rent a bike from http://thebicyclechain.com/ for $35 a day. It may be easier to rent a bike rather than pack up and fly my own cross country.

Now, I need to find a ride.... :-) I'm looking forward to seeing the local scenery.

[cranky old road]

It might be helpful for you to understand when looking for rides that Chapel Hill and Carrboro are contiguous. Rides leaving the Clean Machine in Carrboro are also "Chapel Hill rides."

[jimmuter]

It looks like I can rent a bike from http://thebicyclechain.com/ for $35 a day. It may be easier to rent a bike rather than pack up and fly my own cross country.

Now, I need to find a ride.... :-) I'm looking forward to seeing the local scenery.

You will want to call them first to make sure they have a bike suitable for you.

The actual town part of Chapel Hill is fairly small. If you hook up with a longer ride, you'll probably go out into more rural areas of Orange County too. I recommend a stop at Mapleview Farms for some ice cream if you get the chance.

[Mash Master]

Thanks for the info. I called them and reserved a bike. They sounded like they actually new what they are doing :-) No I must remember to bring my shoes & pedals....

I reserved it from the Chapel hill store, If there are rides from the Carrboro store I'll just ride there. I'm looking forward to seeing the rural areas, I ride in the rural areas up here in Seattle, it will be interesting to compare the two. What is the terrain like? Out here we have lots of hills and decent road conditions.

[jimmuter]

I wouldn't know how to compare it. I can say it is definitely hilly compared to down east, but is not as hilly as points west. You'll see your share of hills, but depending upon what you're accustomed to, it may not feel like hills to you. I've been to Seattle, but never ridden there. The road conditions are OK, especially compared to where I am in Durham. You can expect a humid 95 degree ride too, so be ready for that.

[skiffrun]

Now, I need to find a ride.... :-) I'm looking forward to seeing the local scenery.Look on the TarWheels site, under "Rides" or "Club Rides". Likely to be more than one option to pick from.

I doubt that "The Clean Machine" or "The Bicycle Chain" will have "store rides". Ditto for "Performance". Could be wrong. But your better bet is with the "TarWheels". Or serendipity.

http://www.tarwheels.org/

[skiffrun]

... . What is the terrain like? ... .Up & down, up & down, up & down.

Unless your ride takes you 30 miles west or north or NW of CH, all the "hills" will essentially be climbing back up to the plateau from the bottom of a stream valley. The climbs will be short by western standards & so will the downs.

[Itsjustb]

^ As my friend Nancy said to me at the start of BikeFest last year, "They don't call it 'Hillsborough' for nothing...." ;)

[blackcannon]

I just went out on a country ride in Carrboro and it was certainly nice but yes, hilly...It won't be that hot this weekend so should be good riding weather if you get out early enough...

[Mash Master]

bummer, I get here and they say it is going to rain on friday and saturday... Looks like I brought the rain from Seattle with me.