B10Cycle

I know there are a few folks on here from Richmond and I'm heading down there in the fall for school. How's riding down there? Any good routes and rides going on? I'm going to the University of Richmond, which is in the suburbs to the west. I think it's called Westhampton or something, but it's just really nice suburbs and stuff. From the map it doesn't look like it's too far out to the country to the west, but I might be wrong on that since I don't know the area; I'm not really sure what I'm looking at in terms of getting down into the city itself.

I'm back and forth between Greene County in VA (Blue Ridge foothills, near C'ville) and College Park, MD now. Anything y'all know would be great.

oharescrubs

if you like beer/sparks/whatevers cool to drink in these circles and track bikes... you will like richmond... theres a huge alt cycle community full of tall bikes, minis, chops, polo and lots of party-esc events involving them... i dont like it, but lots of my friends there will never leave.

zelah

richmond was fun and friendly until i got glared at riding down clay, i hear the cutthroats are otherwise friendly folk

poopslush

I like Richmond for the most part. Some people here think they are so cool becuase they ride bikes, but besides the eliteism, it's a good place for cyclists. I live really close to U of R. Theres some good routes near the campus and in Westham.

Send me a PM if you want to ride sometime.

-Hunter

B10Cycle

Thanks for the responses. That's what I had heard. Sounds cool.

Poop (Hunter)- Thanks, I'll shoot you a PM when I get closer to heading down in August.

Smiziley

Richmond is a nice city, wikipedia it for general info.
As for the bike scene, most of the ALT stuff seems to be around VCU/the Fan and downtown.
UR is in an upscale part of town, with more hills and such going west, and makes for a scenic ride being close to the James and River Road. Most people trying for distance head out to WestCreek, which is over the county line of Henrico and just a mile or two into Goochland immediately off of Route 6. I'd be wary about riding Route 6 just in that area due to the Rednecks who once every few years run over a bicyclist.
For the most part I've done solo stuff, and you can run lots of routes around town, traffic isn't much of an issue if you're careful.
Local bike shops include Rowlett's on Broad and Staples Mill, mostly a single-speed/fixed gear store
Recycle's at Cary and Robinson, mostly a community bike shop with very reasonable prices and the guys know their stuff like nobody's business.
And then the bigger store Agee's which specializes in mostly Family bikes, and the general opinion seems to be fairly mixed.

evanyc

i spent 4 days in richmond last week and have spent a bunch of time there in general and i ****ing love that town.

richmond kids have a ridiculous idea of what is "close" and "far". a 2 mile ride somewhere is seen as being far because most stuff is very centralized.

the kids who are seen as being "elitist" are really awesome and welcoming kids but definitely have a tight knit group of friends so they can seem somewhat exclusive. they are really chill though and just wanna have a good time, so if you're into that they'll be cool. don't believe all the "cutthroat" hype about them being mean or whatever. just go ride with em.

my friends run Recycles and The Bike Lot. Recycles is the shop where they'll sell you a bike and fix stuff up for ya, and the Bike Lot is a new warehouse they bought on the South Side and are fixing up as a co-op sorta deal. it's a rad space that's just getting going so definitely support and use it. both can be found on myspace.

other rad stuff in richmond is Best Friends Day and Bizarre Market. best friends day is in Mid-August and will be ridiculous. a buncha kegs, bands, and a waterpark! bizarre market happens frequently and is a local craft fair sorta deal. they are looking for a permanant shop space though.

if you're into punk/hardcore shows happen all the time at nanci raygun and 9 n. boulevard. just keep an ear open and you'll bear about stuff. also, be friends with hitplay (local production company) on myspace to find out about stuff.

in addition to it being really easy town to get around via bike, there are also a buncha trails in and near richmond. i rode some of the trails on Belle Isle and it was a good time. there are a bunch more around the river. in addition, Pocohontas State Park is a nice ride from the city (15 miles maybe) and has tons of trails and singletrack out there as well. be careful though, if you show up with 100 punks, 3 bands, and 4 kegs the cops will show up, waste your time, and possibly arrest your friends.

poopslush

I live on Borden road, Its one street over from westham, near the top at Patterson.

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Now that I have more time to write-


Richmond has a really good music scene too, espcially punk and hardcore if youre into that kind of thing. Most of that goes down at Nanci Raygun near VCU or at Alley Katz which is in Shockoe Slip near the river. Like Smiziley said, Rowletts has a lot of fixed gear and track stuff in stock, and can order anything. Theres Agees too, but they are more geared to rec riders and dont know their **** too well. Theres sprint club, which is a local track/fixed gear racing club. If you get here in augist, you should be able to do the last go fast turn left race in September. Getting downtown from U of R is a bit of a hike, but its pretty much all flat and straight.

littlefoot

I grew went to college at VCU in the 90's....Richmond is a pretty bike friendly town Agees is like the local chain store...Two Wheel Travel was a store I uses alot on Cary St. I don't know if they're still around...Rowlets(sp?) I believe sells some IRO things.

Drink a Legend Brown Ale for me.

B10Cycle

Thanks a lot fellas. That was the impression I'd been getting about the town. I've spent a little time in Richmond, but not a ton over the years. I've heard of the Sprint club, I'll check them out when I get down there. Sounds like a cool place; I'll see yall around.