long flat rides?

[backinthesaddle]

For training I'm trying to collect some routes of 25-45 miles that are flat, or flat with rollers. Nothing with an extended grade of more than 2 or 3%. I know lots of hilly routes, but I'm having trouble finding flat or rolling routes that aren't heavily trafficked.

I live in Alameda, and also ride occasionally on the Peninsula

Here's what I've found so far:

East Bay

Alameda up to Point Richmond along the Bay trail
Alameda to Fremont/Newark via industrial San Leandro and Hayward.
Alameda Creek trail (Fremont)

Peninsula

Foothill Expressway and Boulevard (lots of traffic but wide bike lane all the way)

Any suggestions for other routes?

[johnny99]

On the peninsula, there is a bike path along the bay shore starting near the SFO airport that heads south under the San Mateo bridge to Redwood Shores. There are some gaps in the path in Redwood City and East Palo Alto. It picks up again in Palo Alto and continues down to Mountain View, where it connects to the Stevens Creek Trail. There is a lot of pedestrian traffic on some parts of the trail.

Hwy 1 along the ocean is pretty flat in some sections, especially the part from San Gregorio down to Santa Cruz.

Central Expressway in Santa Clara County is very flat and has a wide shoulder, but the scenery is uninteresting.

[BigSean]

In San Jose there is Santa Teresa Blvd that you can ride all the way to Gilroy and back to the tune of about 60 miles. So ride out as far as ya want to go and then turn around.

[superunleaded]

In San Jose there is Santa Teresa Blvd that you can ride all the way to Gilroy and back to the tune of about 60 miles. So ride out as far as ya want to go and then turn around.

Does Sta Teresa go all the way to Gilroy? I'm really interested going south of SJ and the only road I know of that is flat and fast but sacry is the old Monterey hwy.

[John00]

You can ride all the way from Benicia to Sacramento without riding a hill. Pleasants Valley Rd. (Vacaville) is as beautiful as it is flat.

[backinthesaddle]

In San Jose there is Santa Teresa Blvd that you can ride all the way to Gilroy and back to the tune of about 60 miles. So ride out as far as ya want to go and then turn around.

That sounds interesting. Where's a good place to park and pick up Santa Teresa Blvd that's safe to leave a car and south of San Jose traffic?

[bigbossman]

San Ramon Valley/Danville Blvd. Starting in Dublin, you can ride all the way to the south end of Walnut Creek, and then go back. More or less flat all the way. From my house in San Ramon to the end is about 20 miles round trip, so from Dublin it would be about 30-35. Lots of places to eat/stop/etc., pretty scenic for a blvd, and lots of good bike lane and the motor traffic is friendly.

If you want FLAT road, The Delta is the answer. Windy, though......

[PrincessZippy]

Rio Vista to Sacramento and back is a century with about 100 feet of elevation gain. :p Nice roads for the most part, little traffic, some ferry crossings. Of course you can make up shorter routes as well.

Veronica

[ConstantRider]

Silverado Trail in Napa is very flat with wide shoulders on both sides of the road.

[tprevost]

In San Jose there is Santa Teresa Blvd that you can ride all the way to Gilroy and back to the tune of about 60 miles. So ride out as far as ya want to go and then turn around.

you can also take almaden expressway and I forget what it turns into (Sean?) and it will take the back roads all the way to gilroy as well (you can pop out in morgan hill or onto watsonville road), then you can chose to go back that way, via Hale Avenue, or the bike trail that runs on the east side of 101.

[SesameCrunch]

Hwy 1 south of Pescadero is a long relatively flat stretch all the way to Santa Cruz. That's about 30 miles. Just some rollers.

[RelevantCycling]

Flats? Hmm they are out there somewhere! Living in Berkeley Hills every ride has a lot of climbing and the only way I can get a flat ride is to put my bike in the car. I don't because it ends up seeming like a lot of work for an easy recovery ride. Pretty amazing that you really have to hunt for flats, and one of the great things about living here. I am ending up really working on climbing easy on recovery rides. Paradoxically difficult to climb easy, but it seems to be working.

Good luck on finding flat, and let us know which ends up being your favorite....

[Steve MacK]

you can also take almaden expressway and I forget what it turns into (Sean?) and it will take the back roads all the way to gilroy as well (you can pop out in morgan hill or onto watsonville road), then you can chose to go back that way, via Hale Avenue, or the bike trail that runs on the east side of 101.

That's McKean Rd. A beautiful ride, takes you past Calero and Uvas Reservoirs, and drops you at the outskirts of Morgan Hill, all on nice quiet country roads. Mostly gentle rollers.

Another flat alternative is the MUP which starts near Hellyer park, and goes 17 miles to the base of Anderson Reservoir in Morgan Hill.

[mazpr]

Petaluma is a little far, but this is a route I do...

Stony Point Rd.

Pepper Rd

Valley Ford (this is a super flat ride, just cross your fingers to avoid any West coast head-wind)

Middle

Fallon-Two Rock

With the five roads above if you do a good mix you could be riding flats all day. Middle and Fallon are somewhat better as they are protected by the hills and winds are not as bad.

Also, if you are in the Petaluma Point Reyes area give it a shot after red Hill (Cheese Factory) all the way to Nicasio Valley, it has long flat sections with very minor hills.

[scorpio516]

Drive out 580 to Tracy and Manteca. Flat. very flat. I drove down 99 to Manteca and back today. Not a hill south of Elk Grove lol.

[Rushfan]

Come on out to Yolo County, where our local hills are overpasses!

http://www.solanolinks.com/pdfs/Plans/2006%20Bikelinks%20Map.pdf

Anything east of Vacaville is going to be flat as a pancake. Quiet flat country roads between Winters, Davis, and Woodland. As recommended above, Pleasants Valley Road is a great ride, but is not "flat" by Yolo County standards.

One other suggestion is the American River Bike Trail that runs from Sacramento to Folsom.

http://www.saccycle.com/bikewaymaps/map6.htm