Living Car Free - carfree in Cleveland

I'm in Cleveland for a week training and I brought my folding bike thinking I would be able to commute back and forth via bike (only 5 miles).

I can't find an acceptable route. All the routes suggested by google are heavily traveled roads with no shoulder and very narrow lanes. All the neighborhoods I look at seem disconnected from one another. I figured an 8 mile snaking through communities was better than 5 miles of white knuckle terror.

Has anyone else ever given up on a particlar trip via bike?

For reference I'm trying to get from 5101 West Creek Rd. Independence, OH 44131 to 1Infinity Corporate Centre Dr Garfield Heights, OH 44125.

Any locals car free that might give me some ideas? I can't believe how easy my smallish city is to get around compared to this.

I don't know the area, but it looks like Rockside Rd and Turney Rd are multi-lane roads. If I were there I'd just take the right lane.

I drove Rockside last night and Turney today. Traffic in both areas was pretty crazy. I was nervous in the SUV I was driving from work. Although that could be because I don't like driving much anymore. But the roads themselves were pretty horrible.

I was really hoping I'd be able to find some back roads I was mising.

I live further west in the city itself, but I think you're pretty much screwed out that way. It's a totally car environment in Independence and Garfield Heights. You might want to go down into the Valley just to ride some of the trails (i.e., Rockside Road down the hill past McDonalds, hang a right onto Canal, the towpath runs all down there, there's a great visitors center a couple miles down). But I wouldn't ride on Rockside, personally. Drivers out that way are ahoes.

kate

Google Directions gives me three choices.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=5101+West+Creek+Rd.,+Independence,+OH+44131&daddr=1+Infinity+Corporate+Centre+Dr,+Cleveland,+OH+44125-5369+(Snider-Cannata+Interest)&hl=en&geocode=FfG9dwId-Aki-ykvgOrgtuUwiDFEaXTZWJ7ktg%3BFePjdwId07Mi-yGhhOS7wgNQog&mra=ltm&dirflg=b&sll=41.403274,-81.633911&sspn=0.032061,0.081797&ie=UTF8&ll=41.404304,-81.635456&spn=0.03206,0.081797&t=h&z=14&lci=bike

But it looks like the multi-lane Rockside Road is recommended to head east. One problem with streets like this is that drivers tend to speed up when they smell a freeway close by. Is there a safe route over the freeway?

If that were possible, it looks like Brecksville Road might be serene.

If nothing else works, put the bike in the SUV and park a couple of miles from your destination and ride in...

You might want to go down into the Valley just to ride some of the trails (i.e., Rockside Road down the hill past McDonalds, hang a right onto Canal, the towpath runs all down there, there's a great visitors center a couple miles down). But I wouldn't ride on Rockside, personally. Drivers out that way are ahoes.

I hoping the weather clears up so I can at least go down to the towpath and ride some evening this week. And driving around this area, the thought of riding my bike on any of the roads I've been driving on really scare me.

Even some of the roads I consider "major" in Erie are better suited for riding than the ones I've been on around here. Narrow lanes, 45+ MPH traffic, no shoulder, and inpatient drivers.

See if the local bike maps will help you:

http://www.clevelandbikes.org/pages/maps.htm

See if the local bike maps will help you:

http://www.clevelandbikes.org/pages/maps.htm

I found that. Unfortunately only one of the links work, and it's not the one I need.

But by examining the one that works, I made this url:

http://www.noaca.org/CuyBike.pdf

Now to examine it.

That's like the bike map we have here, only a lot bigger of course. Was it helpful to you?

Sounds like you would like to stay on the roads that are green on the bike map, and maybe the yellow ones. Being able to ride on the orange roads is a good skill for transportation cyclists to have. There are times and places where you have to go on roads with more traffic and higher speeds if a bike is your only transportation. This can be done safely if you have the proper skills, knowledge and experience.

That's like the bike map we have here, only a lot bigger of course. Was it helpful to you?

That's an awesome resource, but I found little but red around the 2 areas I need to go.

If I had my primary commuter with me, I probably would have ridden those roads every day this week (even with the rain, I'd just change here like I do at home). Between the lights, mirror, and the Class II vest I wear (I brought it with me), I would feel somewhat assured of being seen. I've been riding long enough that I don't have roads I won't ride on given the proper equipment.

My folder doesn't have a handlebar mirror, and I haven't gotten a glasses mirror yet, since the folder is a pretty new purchase. I'm not going to attempt to ride that without a mirror. In addition, the lights I have on there aren't real attention getter's during the day. And since I don't have pannier's on the folder, I would have to have a backpack with me that would cover up my vest.

I know the area well. Unless you are comfy riding in fast traffic on multi-lane roads, you are pretty much screwed.

I know the area well. Unless you are comfy riding in fast traffic on multi-lane roads, you are pretty much screwed.

Don't have a mirror or panniers. Therefore can't see behind me and hi-vis vest won't be visible. I'm screwed. Going home tomorrow. Planning to at least go down to the towpath tonight so I can ride this folding bike that's been sitting in the closet all week.

Don't have a mirror or panniers. Therefore can't see behind me and hi-vis vest won't be visible. I'm screwed. Going home tomorrow. Planning to at least go down to the towpath tonight so I can ride this folding bike that's been sitting in the closet all week.

Go north on the towpath first...it's nice and paved up to Harvard. From there you can go back south if you want to enjoy crushed limestone and mud puddles. ;)

Go north on the towpath first...it's nice and paved up to Harvard. From there you can go back south if you want to enjoy crushed limestone and mud puddles. ;)

Yea.. if it's muddy I'm not riding it. No fenders on the folder (not sure how they would hold up, but they were in the original brochure). Paved sounds nice. I don't know if the knobbies are original or if that all someone could find for a 16" replacement. They work OK. It rides pretty easy.

Yea.. if it's muddy I'm not riding it. No fenders on the folder (not sure how they would hold up, but they were in the original brochure). Paved sounds nice. I don't know if the knobbies are original or if that all someone could find for a 16" replacement. They work OK. It rides pretty easy.

It won't be real muddy on the unpaved limestone portions from Rockside south...but there may be some mud puddles and soft spots.

It won't be real muddy on the unpaved limestone portions from Rockside south...but there may be some mud puddles and soft spots.

Thanks for the clarification. It will probably be a short ride.. somewhere around an hour or so. I want to be able to sleep tonight and if I'm not back in my room by 8:00ish, I won't be asleep before midnight.

I got out early and I spend about 2 hours out on the towpath last night. I wasn't riding fast since I was taking pictures of things, but it was fun and I got to use the folder :)