Great Lakes - Minneapolis cyclists

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Peterson
10-23-09, 12:13 PM
Anyone in the TC area?

I'm contemplating a move and wondering where are some good rides/groups.

Is it possible to ride any outside during the winter (maybe that's a crazy question)?

I will still ride when it's down to 20-30 degrees, though, I know, it gets a bit colder up there.

Thanks for any help!

dannwilliams
10-23-09, 03:32 PM
Several local bike clubs, TCBC being the largest. You can ride year round as long as you can hack the cold. I have been downtown in January and see the locals riding their single speeds then. Rides occur every day and go as hard or easy as you want to. I believe there is even a racing club or two, if that is your bag. Check out the TCBC's site, and look at the ride schedule. Hiawatha Bike club is one of the others I can think of off hand. I'm sure there are more and they all put on rides.
John Wilke
10-23-09, 03:42 PM
I had always heard legendary tales of riders motorpacing behind snowmobiles in the dead of winter and now recently photos have appeared on the web proving that tale!

Yes, folks ride all winter in Minnesota. The sane ones ski of course. :D

Scot_Gore
10-26-09, 02:24 PM
There are quite a few cycling clubs in the Twin Cities.
TCBC http://www.biketcbc.org/
Hiawatha http://www.biketcbc.org/
are the two largest Recreational clubs.
The most active racing teams are associated with shops
Flanders in Mpls http://www.flandersbros.com/
Grand Performance in St Paul http://www.gpbicycles.com/

There's at least a dozen independent bike shops in town. Many with niche's they try to serve from Hipster to Retro Grouch. The two big shops in town are Eriks and Penn. Both with 8+ stores a piece. They have their own series of rides as well.

As far as riding all winter, it's certainly possible. It's more about having the right equipment in terms of clothing and bikes that make it doable. The closer you are into the core of Minneapolis, the easier it is to be a full season rider. Once you're out to a 3rd or 4th tier suburb it gets harder and harder.

There's lots of bicycle infrastructure in Minneapolis. If you have choice as far as where you will live it might be worth asking questions about "the best place in the twin cities to live" if you are an avid cyclist. I'd prep the question with the kinds of riding you enjoy, be racing, group riding, trail riding....whatever.

Scot