Rushfan

We're coming up on vacation and bringing the bikes to the Okanagon area-no specific destination yet. Any suggested road rides for me-easy going, 1-2 hours? Also, any suggested low key rides that my wife & young son can join me on, like a decent bike path?

Thanks

workingbike

You could see what the wineries have going for the period you'll be there.
They do tend to be at the top top of some *damn* steep hills though.

VanCityJ

Depends on the part of the Okanagan, it's pretty big!

WannaGetGood

Stop into some local bike shops. Vernon, Kelowna, they have some pretty good riding.

Rushfan

That's a good idea. Can you recommend any shops?

And hotels? We don't have any set plans yet, just a map and a timeline...

Bikepacker67

If you're coming up from California, you'll be passing thru Osoyoos/Oliver/Penticton area long before you get to overcrowded Kelowna!

How fit are you? If you like a challenge then Anarchist mountain is an awesome ride.
If you want to dog it, then the KVR from Penticton to Naramata (there's a road you can take instead of the trail, with wide shoulders) is a fantastic ride with a maximum 2% grades.

Also there is a great trail ride along the west side of Skaha lake that is perfect for a family adventure.

If you'd like, you are welcome to private message me, and I would be glad to set up some route maps for you.

WannaGetGood

Some shops, Olympia cycle and ski is on that I have had awsome service from. Also Skyride.

Are you sure, because I come from Abbotsford, and hit Kelowna before Osoyoos/Oliver/Penticton.

Bikepacker67

I'm assuming he's coming from the south... so he'll cross the US border at Oroville, WA, and continue up Rt 97 into the Okanagan valley.

Ohh and here's some Penticton LBS's

Freedom Bike (Ask for Ray or Dax)
The Bike Barn (Ask for Will)

VanCityJ

I'll second Bikepacker's pick of The Bike Barn - awesome shop, great guys!

Rushfan

Thanks for the tips. I found the Bike Barn online, and it does look like we're going to stay in Penticton. And yes, we're taking 97 up.

Newspaperguy

I live near Penticton and I know this area quite well.

If you're cycling in Penticton, Skaha Lake Road and the south part of Main Street up to around Duncan Avenue can be a little hairy. There isn't all that much room for cyclists. If you can avoid those streets, the rest of the city is great for bicycling.

Highway 97 to Summerland is four lanes and it's a pleasant route for cyclists. There are a lot of Ironman participants who use that road for some of their training so the motorists are used to the bicyclists. There are also a number of small parks along the way if you want a picnic or rest stop. There's a large hill to the main part of Summerland. It's about 1.5 kilometres long and around a seven per cent grade. At the top, Robert's Fruit Stand has fresh fruit and ice cream. There are also plenty of small cafes and coffee shops in Summerland.

If you want a rail trail to cycle, there's the Kettle Valley Railway trail from Penticton to Summerland. There's a bit of loose gravel for the first 100 metres or so and then it's a good hard-packed trail. The grade is never more than 2.2 per cent. There are some cool view spots along the way. When you cross the Trout Creek Trestle, you'll be on roads through Summerland as there's an active tourist railway on the tracks there. You can hook up with the trail farther on in Summerland and follow it out to Faulder and beyond. Some people will cycle it to Princeton and beyond. That's a scenic ride but if you're riding with a young child, it's probably way too much. Princeton is more than 115 kilometres from Penticton using this route. A lot of work has been done on the railway bed but in some areas, loose gravel has been used. This is not a lot of fun for cycling.

You could also ride from Penticton to Naramata and beyond. Naramata has quite a number of small wineries and it's a quiet, scenic small town. It's around 10 to 15 kilometres from Penticton.

Going south from Penticton, Kaleden and Okanagan Falls are both nearby. If you choose to ride to Keremeos on Highway 3A, you should know that there are some nasty climbs along that stretch of road.

Rushfan

Thanks for all of the replies. Ended up scratching my frame nicely on the drive up (it's carbon, so I freaked, but looks like it's not terminal), couldn't find a room in Penticton but ended up in Kelowna, then had an engine light come on on the car, so my riding got screwed up. The family & I cruised the waterfront though...beautiful area.