zowie

Is there any way to get from Hackensack to the GWB that maybe won't give me a coronary?

The most direct route for me is DeGraw/Fort Lee Rd, because I come from further south, but I can't ride up the hill from Leonia to Ft. Lee. I though there might be some better way by using the side streets around there?

Revtor

well, that hill exists, so unless you can take 4 or 80 in, youre going to have to scale it. Either in englewood or Leonia.. Maybe in a town south of Leonia or north of Englewood the hill mellows? Id look at a topographic map of the area and try to find a road that sneaks around it ad best as possible.

have fun, once you get over that hill, youre on to the GWB which is a great ride.

~Steve

cc_rider

I was thinking Englewood, too. Maybe Palisades Avenue and route 9w or one of the parallel streets.
I've never biked that way, so I don't know the hills or road conditions.

zowie

Thanks for replying. I'd sort of hoped cc rider might know.

I've ridden Palisades Avenue, it's about the same as Ft Lee Rd. and it's a couple miles out of the way besides.

I know you can't defy physics, but there seem to be terraced side streets around the area and I think you may be able to zig-zag your way up -- longer distance but lower grade. I'm almost positive that I once saw a young family near the bottom of the hill crossing Ft. Lee Road and then saw them again at the top ahead of me.

I don't mind pushing myself sometimes, but scaling this thing at around the 2/3 point of an approx. 24 mile trip that precedes a long workday is not the time.

oboeguy

There's a much more generous way that leads into Fort Lee near the fancy bike shop. It's longer, therefore less steep. Instead of heading straight up, you traverse the hill. I've only been on it once, so I can't do a good description of it but I can tell you that most if not all of it is on what's called Jones Road, which I believe you pick-up in Englewood. Good luck.

Oh and I detest Palisade Avenue. Too many cars.

zowie

AH-HAH.
(Or at least it looks like it should work.)

https://www.roberts-1.com/sk8hv/v/w/g...05-reports.htm

Revtor

yeah Jones road!! I didnt even think about that..
Go (north I guess) on Grand Avenue into Englewood then a right onto palisades avenue a bit (uphill) then a right onto Jones road and this will take you back over RT4 and gradually up and into leonia (at the top of the hill) its a few miles longer, but makes the hill mellow. I would probably just shoot the hill in low gear, rather than adding this few extra miles, but its a way to go. Maybe not too much extra if youre coming from hackensack and work your way over to englewood gradually, rather than getting to Leonia and then cutting into englewood (grand ave) and then back up into Leonia Via Jones Rd.

have fun.. let us know!
~Steve

cc_rider

Thanks for posting an answer to your own question. Let us know how it works.

dmarcoul

did you through teaneck and cedar lane?

ive yet to do that, but i think it would work, im coming from the north though, mahwah, and dont know if id work for you.

oboeguy

I think that the OP's problem is getting up on the ridge of the Pallisades, because there's no other way to get on the GWB. I guess Jones Road is the solution on slow days, eh? I usually go up Clinton from Tenafly, though I've gone up Closter Dock Rd (way north) and Pallisade Ave (which I detest for the cars) as well, and Jones Road that one time (while on a group ride). Of course there's also River Road from Edgwater, though that is probably the steepest of all (I used to ride it every day as part of my commute).

zowie

The NYCC ride library has a circuitous route that tames the Palisade Ave. climb if you're approaching the bridge from north and west, but that's considerable extra mileage if you're coming from the South. Fine for the weekend, but I'm not looking to add to a 25 mile commute (one way).

I was looking for a way to get up the ridge when coming from south and west, which Roberts-1 seems to provide. I wonder if it will save time, e.g., if it means riding an extra 1.5 miles of moderate hills at 10 mph vs. walking up the steep one at 2.5 mph.

cruentus

I tried riding from Saddle Brook to the GWB on several occasions, the hill on Fort Lee Road is downright murderous -- as is the traffic on sections of Fort Lee Road.

A bike path that runs parallel to Route 4 from Fairlawn to the GWB would be ideal, but it ain't gonna happen.

I'm going to look into the Jones Road route suggested by Oboeguy.

zowie

Okay - I made the trip today. (HOORAY! I'll write about that in another thread.)

I didn't take the whole roundabout route that's on the Robert-1 website, because not only did it appear a lot longer, but I noticed that Broad St. goes downhill, which would eventually mean even more climbing. What I did was ride a few blocks north on Broad Street, then cut through the neighborhood, picking the least steep streets that head more or less westward. Eventually I hit Jones Road which takes you back to Fort Lee Rd, at which point I was at the crest of the hill.

It was a workout, but it was definitely ridable (by me, an overweight 50 mpw rider on a heavy commuter bike) and probably did not add on more than about 3/4 mile. Much better than going straight up Fort Lee Rd.

cruentus

Please post the route details when you can. I'd like to try it out for myself.

zowie

As best I remember, coming East on Ft Lee. Rd from the swamp:

L Broad Ave
R Hillside Ave
L Glenwood Ave
R Dogwood Ct.
L Pine Hill Rd
R + R Nordoff (?)
L Grandview Terr
R Jones Rd. > Ft. Lee Rd.

There are probably a bunch of other variations one could try.

It's a nice quiet neighborhood to ride in, btw.

According to the truck warning signs, the main hill of Ft. Lee Rd is 1800 ft at 9% grade, not counting the rolling stuff on either side of it.