Rides in Princeton, NJ - suggestions?

[neilfein]

Three BFers are planning to do some riding around Princeton this weekend. I know that we couldpretty much just ride anywhere and it'd be a fun ride, it's an incredible bike-friendly town. Anyone know if there are any particularly cool places to ride or MUPs there? Thanks!

[baj32161]

Hey Neil....How ya been? There are many good rides around Princeton. You could start out by the campus of Princeton Univ. and head out to Cherry Valley Rd and ride out in the country. It can be crowded on weekends but not nearly as crowded as your area gets. Also from there you can head out towards Hopewell Twp and/or Flemington and the Hunterdon County area. You can also check the Princeton Freewheelers website and check out their rides. I haven't been on my bike since the Lancaster Ride due to my foot issues and just had surgery last weekend or else I would love to join you. I am moving back to the Trenton area this weekend so it would have been easy for me to join you....oh well.

I hope you are well my friend and wish you a safe and fun ride...who are ya riding with?

Cheers,

Brian.

[neilfein]

Hey Neil....How ya been? There are many good rides around Princeton. You could start out by the campus of Princeton Univ. and head out to Cherry Valley Rd and ride out in the country. It can be crowded on weekends but not nearly as crowded as your area gets. Also from there you can head out towards Hopewell Twp and/or Flemington and the Hunterdon County area. You can also check the Princeton Freewheelers website and check out their rides. I haven't been on my bike since the Lancaster Ride due to my foot issues and just had surgery last weekend or else I would love to join you. I am moving back to the Trenton area this weekend so it would have been easy for me to join you....oh well.

I hope you are well my friend and wish you a safe and fun ride...who are ya riding with?

Cheers,

Brian.

JT and Neil B. Why don't you meet us for coffee anyway? Email me if you're into it.

[baj32161]

JT and Neil B. Why don't you meet us for coffee anyway? Email me if you're into it.


It depends on where you will be. I am on crutches for the time being. I have an appt today with the surgeon and may be able to get off of them by the weekend...not sure though. I will see what happens today and let you know.

Cheers,

Brian

[jemoryl]

I just posted this link in another NJ thread, so as long as it was handy:

http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/commuter/bike/tours.shtm

The "Last Covered Bridge Ride" is quite a good one and comes within a mile or so of Princeton. You could use that as a starting point (although I would go to njbikemap.com to get more detailed maps).

[crtreedude]

If you want to ride a trail, there is a canal trail that passes by Princeton. It starts up beyond Bound Brook, goes to Trenton, and then up to French town - surely that will be long enough. Very enjoyable to ride.

[neilfein]

If you want to ride a trail, there is a canal trail that passes by Princeton. It starts up beyond Bound Brook, goes to Trenton, and then up to French town - surely that will be long enough. Very enjoyable to ride.

That's the Delaware and Raritan trail. It's in terrible shape down by Lawrenceville; is it in any better shape up by Princeton? (I live a few miles from the New Brunswick trailhead, but I've never taken it any further south then Bound Brook.)

[The Historian]

JT and Neil B. Why don't you meet us for coffee anyway? Email me if you're into it.

JT isn't a poster here. He may have seen fire and he may have seen rain, but he hasn't seen Bike Forums.

[mrejda]

The D&R is more sandy near princeton than it is in lawrenceville, so I'd say no fun on skinny's. I usually make a loop out of Cold Soil, Elm Ridge, Old Mill, Carter, etc. Nothing spectactular but easy to get to from Lawrenceville.
What sort of distance are you thinking? Any interest in letting a converted MTBer tag along on a miyata 610 with northroad bars?

[The Historian]

The D&R is more sandy near princeton than it is in lawrenceville, so I'd say no fun on skinny's. I usually make a loop out of Cold Soil, Elm Ridge, Old Mill, Carter, etc. Nothing spectactular but easy to get to from Lawrenceville.
What sort of distance are you thinking? Any interest in letting a converted MTBer tag along on a miyata 610 with northroad bars?

Neil F. is the brain for this ride - scary thought! - so it's his call, but I'd like to meet you.

Neil B.

[neilfein]

The D&R is more sandy near princeton than it is in lawrenceville, so I'd say no fun on skinny's. I usually make a loop out of Cold Soil, Elm Ridge, Old Mill, Carter, etc. Nothing spectactular but easy to get to from Lawrenceville.
What sort of distance are you thinking? Any interest in letting a converted MTBer tag along on a miyata 610 with northroad bars?

Neil F. is the brain for this ride - scary thought! - so it's his call, but I'd like to meet you.

Neil B.

Sure! PM me your contact info and I'll keep you in the loop.

We'er thinking around 30 miles or so. It'll depend on the weather, of course.

[mrejda]

PM sent, thanks guys!

[zowie]

Suggest riding the Princeton edition of the Tour de Cure. It'll expose you to a lot of nice roads and towns to base future rides on.

[neilfein]

This is my first stab at a route. Princeton to Washignton Crossing State Park:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Princeton-to-Washington-s-Crossing98482

(I rode a little bit of this on tour last year, but had to cut out most of it because I was running short on time for the day.)

[gz_]

Yea that's a safe route, I've done it before. Rosedale Park is nice when it is warm. However, if you're bikes are not skinny 25mm tire race bikes, you can just take the canal path all the way down to Trenton and then up to Washington Crossing State Park. May be flooded though, have fun.

[Terex]

Hey Neil - if you havn't looked at motionbased.com, there are numerous rides there. Search on Princeton, Hopewell, Lambertville, etc., and you will find many rides. Most have feet of elevation gained indicated to allow you to find routes with more or less climbing. Sounds like you're having fun!

[neilfein]

Neil B wants to send this route to a Philadelphia bike club, so I cleaned it up for him. If anyone else wants to ride this, here's the final "cleaned-up" route (http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Princeton-to-Washington-Crossing-loop), and the PDF cuesheet is attached to this post.

[staehpj1]

If you want to ride a trail, there is a canal trail that passes by Princeton. It starts up beyond Bound Brook, goes to Trenton, and then up to French town - surely that will be long enough. Very enjoyable to ride.
What is the surface like? 700X28 tires OK?