Bike Forums - Crummy Bike Paths

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Well, since we're doing pictures, this is the wilderness MUP where I do my daily rides. Fifteen miles of excellent pavement. The scenery could be a bit better, but almost any back road you ride on in this part of Florida looks about the same so it's no big deal.

http://cdn.twospoke.com/forum/attach...2721139737.jpg

http://cdn.twospoke.com/forum/attach...1705254659.jpg

http://cdn.twospoke.com/forum/attach...3869684815.jpg

http://cdn.twospoke.com/forum/attach...1728418429.jpg

http://cdn.twospoke.com/forum/attach...1324455522.jpg

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wogster (Post 14515902)

For those who do not know, a POB is a Person On Bicycle, when there isn't a bike lane, they ride the wrong way or on the sidewalk.... I don't know how many times I have informed one that you ride WITH traffic, walk against. When they mention a fear of being rear ended, I have two things I show them, my rear blinkie flashing, and my Taka-a-look helmet mounted mirror.

You might be overlooking the best reason for not riding counter-traffic. Most bike/motor vehicle accidents happen at some kind of intersection. If you ride counter-traffic, you approach every single such intersection from an unexpected direction. Frankly, I'm not big on walking counter-traffic for the same reason.

Quote:

Originally Posted by John_V (Post 14517402)

Any Pythons stretched across the path sunning/warming themselves??

some are good but they recently (in the past 5 yrs) build a "sidewalk" ort bikepath along route 117 from about Sudbury through Lincoln that is just a waste of tax[ayer money no one can ride a bike on it cuz it is so uneven and bumpy. it probably doesn't meet OSHA standards for a sidewalk either!

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Bierbaum (Post 14487478)

Pictures? Are they like this or worse?

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=261827

That's the berm highway just outside of Hartford. I ride that occasionally.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjjoondo (Post 14488226)

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=261845I feel your pain, here in Colorado Springs, the paths/trails use to be mainted by "City General Funds" but since our city is HURTING badly money wise, there's been NO funds for upkeep and the main East/West trail (Rock Island Trail) that we use is just falling apart and getting dangerous!! Add to that that the city STREET, that use to be considered a "bike route", before the path has 2 inch, wide 2 inch deep cracks every 10 feet, some even worse so there's really NO safe and mainted route out of our area. :( The Rock Island is considered a Tier 1 trail but with no funding source, specificly for maint. it's dying a slow, sad death. BUMMER! Many of our trails don't connect and they too are discenagrating back into dirt, ok if you ride a fat tire comfort bike or a MTB, SUCKS if you ride a thin tire machine! (Note: this area has had the "asphalt chunks" removed and has been filled with sand so it's tiny bit better than the photo, still I put my road bike on my shoulder and "carry" it over the area we now call the "BEACH"! )

Wow that's really horrible! I am in the Springs area but well out in the east (my boss calls me a "flatlander"). Most of the MUP's out here are maintained by the HOA's and seem to be pretty well maintained, also this end of the Rock Island Trail is gravel and in good condition all the way out to Peyton. Do you ride the Santa Fe trail at all? I've been told that's good up towards the USAF Academy but probably not for road bikes I'm guessing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldsCOOL (Post 14517794)

Any Pythons stretched across the path sunning/warming themselves??

No pythons running loose in this area. They are found further south in the Everglades. However, you do run across other snakes sunning themselves across the roads. Lots of Pigmy Rattlesnakes and black snakes with occasional Diamondbacks and moccasins seen along the side of the path and in the creeks (especially when they flood).

Quote:

Originally Posted by andykay (Post 14519502)

Andy, not all the Rock Island Trail is bad, mainly just from Academy Blvd. West to Union Street, From Academy Blvd. East to almost Powers Blvd. it's all Cement and very nice. Sadly some of the trails were built before there were sources of funding to "REPAIR or REPLACE" them. The Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments searches for funding sources for the newer trails but the Rock Island, even though it's considered a Tier 1 trail, has no funding except for the City General Fund which is basicly broke at the moment. :( Portions of the Pikes Peak Greenway thru the city are "concrete" a lot is hard packed (crushed limestone) dirt, from Woodmen Ave. north it's all dirt and some is loose sand as is the Santa Fe Trail, too so a "fat tire" bike is a better idea. I can ride it but I prefer to ride a thin tired hybrid so I have to pick and choose when I can use the trail. PS: I'm thinking of putting 700cX32 Sefas Vida, more heavly treaded tires on my Jamis Coda Sport so I can use the "DIRT" trail more, I don't want a MTB so I'll have to make one of my utility road hybrid into a "sudo-cyclo-cross" machine! ;)