Moving to Austin

[Mash Master]

It looks like I will be moving to Austin with the next couple of months. I'm currently living in the Seattle area and been biking for about a year now. I have a couple of questions:

1) What is the biking like in Austin compared to Seattle? There are a fair number of folks in Seattle that bike. We have lots of short but steep hills (500ft climbs at 10-20%)
2) What is the climate toward bike commuting? I'll be in the northern area new 185 and living in Steiner Ranch area. Is commuting possible or is it a death sentence?
3) Are there links to biking clubs that do group rides?

Thanks for any help,
Dave

[TexasRig]

Welcome to Texas! I live about a hour north of Austin so I am not sure about the commuting aspect of the town. I do know that there are a bunch of riders in the area.

Here is a good site for local information.
http://www.bikemojo.com/speak/forumdisplay.php?f=13

Here is a link to the biggest local mountain bike club you can probably get some road information here also:
http://www.austinridgeriders.com/

[Ironic Mullet]

I think you'll find the terrain around Steiner Ranch pretty similar. Depending on which direction you go from Austin, it can get slightly steeper or much flatter.

I'm not sure where exactly you're commuting to. Did you mean to say "near 183"? It is possible to get from 620 to parts of 183, but I only ride portions of that route recreationally on weekends, and I imagine it would be pretty rough as a daily commute.

Here's a few more links:

BicycleAustin.info (http://bicycleaustin.info/) - militant commuters
Austin Cycling Association (http://www.austincycling.org) - has weekend group rides and is involved in advocacy
Southwest Cycle Sport (http://www.southwestcyclesport.com/) and Music City Cycles (http://www.musiccitycycles.com/) - two bike shops that should be relatively close to you

[dstrong]

From Steiner on 620 up to 183 is moderate to gradual uphill most of the way. The shoulder is wide but I can't comment on how crazy it might get during the morning commute. I prefer riding on the high speed roads with wide shoulders as opposed to city streets with no bike lanes. You can find some bike routes with nice lanes but they often end abruptly.

Let us know once you get here and we can arrange a ride. There's a nice "Tour de Austin" route that will help orient you with the city.

[Mash Master]

Thanks for the information, I'll keep everyone posted when the move happens. I would love to go on group rides to meet folks and learn about the area.

[El Texican]

There's a nice "Tour de Austin" route that will help orient you with the city.

I am new to Austin. What is the Tour de Austin route?

Thanks.

[drb2003]

I am new to Austin. What is the Tour de Austin route?

Thanks.

http://www.austincycling.org/rides.html

You have to pay to join to download the map, but you could always join the ride for free!

[Ironic Mullet]

Joining the ACA to get the PDF maps is well worth it, but they will always have printed copies at any ride start. The rides (and the hardcopy maps) are free.

[Paniolo]

Short and steep hills are exactly what you will get in Austin and the Hill Country west of town. Go to the east and it flattens out quick.

I commuted there for several years on Cap of Texas hwy and my ride speed varied from 8 to 45 on every ride. Traffic was generally aware and easy to deal with. I'm sure it varies widely depending on what route you would have. ... Oh and the ride home can be hot :D

[danielmramos]

Bicycling is a standard fixture in Austin. You will see cyclist everywhere. You can not drive a car without keeping the cyclist in mind; however, I would like to make one observation. The closer you get to the UT campus the more cyclist you encounter. I do not know if this makes people more aware of riders or more complacent about ignoring them. There are many smart riders that use the streets as they should; however, you will notice that there are many that for whatever reason take to the pedestrian sidewalks. I get the feeling that there are many people that do not trust the automobile operators, so they think the sidewalks are safer. Wow, is that a mistake; however, it is a common phenomena. There are many good organizations in Austin that promote cycling. I know quite a few people that do 10+ mile commutes to work downtown. One thing I like about Austin is that you can easily plan a bicycling route that is fast and completely avoids busy streets. I, for example, can do a 12-13 mile commute from northwest Austin to north central Austin without getting anywhere near a busy street. One thing that you will have to consider when riding from central to west/northwest Austin is the incline. Depending on what route you take some of the hills can be pretty steep if you are not used to it. You will notice that every year more painted designated bike routes are being added. I know the bicycling community is actively working to improve the safety of those routes. I am sure you will have a great time cycling around Austin. Make sure you keep one thing in mind. Although the summer here has been extremely mild this year it usually gets and stays really hot for a large part of the year. You will have to acclimate yourself to our weather or you will risk serious heat stroke. One of the great things is that you will find that you can bike around most of the year without any problems due to the relatively warm weather. Have fun and good luck.

[Mash Master]

Thanks, Yeah I'm going to have to get used to the heat for sure. I went for a 60 mile ride today and it was under 70 the entire time.

[koine2002]

Welcome to the greatest county on earth! I've ridden in Austin, but never lived there. Anyway, it seems to be pretty bike friendly and people seem to be used to us. I imagine with the wronghorns, err, longhorns, there (sorry, I'm an Aggie), people are reaaaaaaaly used to cyclists.

[danielmramos]

http://www.austinbikeroutes.com/

I forgot to mention that the URL I listed above is a great source for online bike routes in austin that have been mapped out using google maps. Have a look. Any routes that you may want to take may already have been mapped and reviewed.

[Mash Master]

I just inked the deal!! I'm moving to Austin. I just need to sell my house in Seattle now......

[Ironic Mullet]

Congrats. Tech field?

[Mash Master]

Yep, computer gaming field.