[Fig_Newton]

Hello,
I going to be starting a new job in downtown Hamilton and I live on Hamilton mountain. I'd like to use my bike to commute to work. Going down in the morning should be an easy commute - it might even be faster than driving. But coming back up at night ... well, there's no question I'll work up a sweat (either carrying my bike up the stairs or riding up an access or rail trail)!

Is there anybody here doing the same thing? Which route do you take? Any good alternatives along the Bruce Trail? Any other advice?
Chris

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[pinerider]

Welcome Fig! It all depends on what part of the mountain you're on and what time of day you'll be riding. The rail trails are the easiest, but only make sense if you're extreme east mtn or extreme west mtn. I've found the Upper Sherman to Charlton access the best for roading up and down, but they have the one way stuff in the morning and evening rush hours and the top part going to Upper Sherman is a little narrow.
I live in the East end and ride to Burlington most days, but I bike commuted for a summer about 30 years ago, Upper James and Limeridge to Centennial Pkwy, found the stairs were brutal, the Clairmont Access not quite as brutal.
You can always take advantage of the new bike racks on the busses for the trip up the hill!

[skiracing]

What's road biking generally like in the Hamilton area? Any cool areas worth checking out? I'm not too familiar and bike only in my area which is just north of TO.

Thanks

[Fig_Newton]

It all depends on what part of the mountain you're on and what time of day you'll be riding
True. I'm in the Bruce Park area and will be commuting to downtown Hamilton, so the rail trails aren't really convenient. But I recall there is an old horse-and-buggy trail at the end of Upper James Street that ends at John St. below the escarpment. I'll have a look at how well groomed it is. I'll commute on an old early 90's mountain bike, so that might be an option.

Another option I was thinking about for going down the escarpment was the West 5th Street hill that ends at James Street. Its pretty narrow and I think its the access that cars would travel the slowest down (the Jolly Cut and Clairmont Access are basically highway speeds!!).

For coming up, I think I'll try the horse-and-buggy path or carry my bike up the stairs. I don't like the idea of crawling up one of the accesses when cars are flying by me.

... I was actually hoping someone would reveal some secret path along the Bruce Trail. But I suppose if there was one I would have found it already!!

What's road biking generally like in the Hamilton area? Any cool areas worth checking out? I'm not too familiar and bike only in my area which is just north of TO.


I've never really been a road bike rider insofar as travelling for the day around Hamilton to explore. I've always had a destination in mind.

But, you could ride the same courses as the elite cyclists rode during the UCI World Road Cycling Championships that were held here in Hamilton in 2003 (...boy, that was a great time for anyone interested in cycling). It would be quite a workout - I remember them having to climb the escarpment accesses over and over again during the long courses and then having to squeeze the peleton into the hair-pin turn at West 5th and fly back down the hill again. Or you take a relaxed ride along the waterfront trail that stretches from Cootes Paradise over to the HMCS Haida.

[pinerider]

Hamilton is great for road riding! If you like rural hilly terrain, there are the sideroads of Flamborough and the Dundas Valley. If you really really like hills, you can stay in town and go up and down the mountain accesses all day (Sunday mornings are best, most of the accesses are narrow and busy with traffic). Stoney Creek and Dundas also have a variety of mountain accesses that are always entertaining.
Stoney Creek above the escarpment has some interesting terrain and nice roads, below the escarpment is fairly flat, with the Lakefront Trail and former Highway 8 leading to Niagara's Vineyards.

As Fig mentions, you can do most of the 2003 WCC course, except you'd be going the wrong way on Main St. Last time I rode up the Claremont access, you could still see remnants of some of the WCC road painting by fans

Fig, there's talk of Hamilton making a trail out of the old carriage road, don't know when that might be, though.

[skiracing]

Sounds cool, I will probably check out the area sometime next spring/summer.

I regret not checking out the Championships; I knew at the time they were coming but I wasn't that much into road cycling yet.

[pinerider]

Hamilton's selection of cycling and trail maps is at http://map.hamilton.ca/maphamilton/gallery/gallery.caspx (http://map.hamilton.ca/maphamilton/gallery/gallery.aspx) Choose "Parks and Trails"
The cycling map is scheduled for an update early in 2008

[Malistryx]

What's road biking generally like in the Hamilton area? Any cool areas worth checking out? I'm not too familiar and bike only in my area which is just north of TO.

Thanks

In Hamilton itself there's not too much that isn't either poorly maintained or heavily used (at least that I've seen), but like pinerider said if you head out towards Flamborough there's some fantastic road riding. Pretty much anywhere North and East of Waterdown is great, especially if you want hills. If you're up for a longer ride it's definitely worth it to head out towards Halton, you can check out some of the hills they used for the Ontario Cup road provincials.

[normalnorm]

I commute down the mountain(barton and sanford). I usually take the Jolley Cut when i'm working shifts(using the sidewalk). In the summer I try and use the rail trail as much as possible. Another option for you could be to go down the Bruce Trail(the old gravel road)at the end of West 5th. If you go under the bridge and take the trail down(to your left), you will end up not far from the Hospital. Its abit rough, so you probably want to use your mt bike.