Where to ride in RI

[mrt10x]

So after a couple of years off the road bike I have decided that I need to get back on it or get rid of it I havent been riding because I live in Newport and the roads here on Aquidneck Island are just terrible. Lousy condition, no shoulders and crowded. So where is the good riding in this tiny little state? I ride a motorcycle a lot and I seem to see a lot of riders up in the Tiverton area? Any other suggestions? I hate the idea of having to pack up the road bike and take it somewhere to ride, but I dont seem to have much of a choice.

[SteamingAlong]

Everything I'm familiar with is on the other side of the bay from you.

In theory, you could ride the East Bay MUP into Providence, pick up the Blackstone MUP on Blackstone Blvd (on the east side), and ride over road to the off road portion of the Blackstone MUP. If you haven't riden the Blackstone, the off street portion is one nice trail. The current on street portions wander through some of the less nice parts of urban Rhody.

I'm not a big fan of the east bay MUP, it is amatuer hour all the time. Just way too many people who are acting like obstacles, and way too many road crossings. I also had a club rider, riding in a group, run me off of my side of the bikepath. She was too busy talking extremely loudly to no one looked like they cared and didn't care less that she was flying down the bikepath on the wrong side of the path.


There are alot of good roads to ride on in the Cumberland/Smithfield area. I just found a pretty sweet looking route posted on-line, but it skirts the RI/Mass border.

Have you checked the local Wheelmen website for cue sheets?

I'll have to look through the saved links on my laptop at home this weekend...I might have some decent routes stashed that I could forward as well.

[berner]

In Newport, http://tenspeedspokes.com/ on Elm St. has club rides on the island. Their Solstice ride draws several hundred cyclists with rides of several distances offered. They also have a TT series. I used to live in Middletown but it is difficult to get in long rides there.

Riding in Bristol from my door is about the same as Middletown, maybe a bit better, unless you take your bike across the Sakonnet to Tiverton. Lots of nice, quiet country roads in that area to Little Compton, Westport and Dartmouth. You can easily put together longer rides of 50 to 100 miles or more an the many small roads as far as Plymouth, Mass.

The Narragansett Bay Wheelmen with members from R. I. and southeastern Mass. is the most active bike club in our immediate area. The club helped R. I. produce the map "Guide to Cycling in Rhode Island", showing the best roads for riding in the state. The club, http://www.nbwclub.org/, also has rides each Sunday throughout the year. You can find these rides on the club website and download maps for each ride. I would also recommend you buy the very popular cycling oriented map "Rubel's Eastern Massachusetts - Road and Cycling Map". Not all bike shops will have it. I just bought a second one at The Bike Works next to the Swansea Mall. To ride with the club, just show up at the meetup with a helmet.

[DCrunbikechick]

Hey there. I'm in DC now and missing little Rhody. Newport propper - I have same thoughts as you. Tiverton has some great countryside but you'd have to haul your bike over the big bridge or ride over - did that once and it was scary, big bridge seams as I recall, not sure if there is a sidewalk . I left RI in 2000 so my knowledge is dated. But NBW (Narragansett Bay Wheelmen) always had good rides and may have info on line - cue sheets and such, that you can tap for solo rides. I used to do a loop from the East Side of Providence, near BB Boulivard. I went over the red bridge to East Providence, left on Broadway, past the country club and into Seekonk (crossing Newport Rd), then into Attleboro (not sure which one - where Texas Instruments is) and right on 118???, the road La Solette schrine is on, then you eventually get over toward Rt 44, cut back to 44 and back into E. Prov, back over the red bridge to East side. To avoid 44, you could do an out and back. The loop was about 25ish, maybe 30. Also, you can add more miles on by going further out 118?? taking a left onto some rural rd with good shoulder that will take you out toward Taunton?? You can get to an industrial park and make a small loop there and go back to the main loop - this would give you 50 all toll. And you can link into part of the NBW Plymouth (MA) Century route out that way too. Also, my friend does a lot of biking in South County around where the sod farms are. Good luck! Be happy you don't have the crazy DC traffic. I have to haul out of the city - it's literally a matter of life and death here. But beautiful countryside with no traffic. Can't believe it actually. I've got a 25 mile loop that looks great so far. Trying to get back to my RI days.

[SteamingAlong]

fwiw, Rubel's is either out of print or out of business, not sure which, I just know that their MA bike maps are no longer published.

RIDOT has a pretty good bike map on it's website, unless it's changed in the last couple of years.

[berner]

Hiya DCchick, The bridge over the Sakonett River from the island to Tiverton is on it's last legs. A new bridge is currently going up that will allow bikes. I hope you get up here again to ride. If so, PM or I'll see you at a Wheelmen ride. I've done several rides in the South County area. Lots of country roads there.

StreamingAlong, I did not know that Rubel maps was kaput. I just picked up a new map at a bike shop but I also just taped up my tattered old one for another season or two. A lot of work has gone into producing them.

[mrt10x]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone... good POC's.. I rode the mountain bike out around Brenton Point the other day and the roads werent as bad as I thought.. will still probably stick to the mtn bike for rides here on the island just to be able to get a good workout in with the limited miles we have. I will definately get the road bike up to Tiverton here soon.

[Crash_N_Carry]

Go to maps.google.com

On the right hand side of the screen under TRAFFIC, click the dropdown list and select BICYCLING. Zoom into the state you want to explore. You'll see quite a few dedicated bicycling paths in RI (look for solid green lines). Dotted green lines are non-dedicated bike routes, usually on city streets.

[Pete_G]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone... good POC's.. I rode the mountain bike out around Brenton Point the other day and the roads werent as bad as I thought.. will still probably stick to the mtn bike for rides here on the island just to be able to get a good workout in with the limited miles we have. I will definately get the road bike up to Tiverton here soon.

Late to the party here, but come out for Ten Speed Spokes Tuesday night interval session or the Thursday night hill circuit next year when they start up again - unless you are outrageously fast on a bike you will definitely get a serious workout. I don't know anyone who isn't redlined at times on those rides... If you want something a little slower their Sunday morning tempo ride is a good one too.

Off Island, as mentioned, Sunday's with Narragansett Bay Wheelmen are another great option. Lots of riders and what ever pace you are looking for, you can find it.

[mprelaw]

I'll second the idea of heading over to Tiverton or Westport. Lots of great riding in SE Mass. I live on the Cape, and I often travel to ride in SE Mass during the summer craziness.

BTW all of the 100+ NBW ride maps are public accessible and downloadable.