Lets compare roads
08-08-17, 06:53 AM
#26
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This fine quality Wisconsin road is part of my commute: Main Street La Crosse
It's not bad and low traffic, but has typical potholes and cracks. Since my commute is rather short and involves streets on a grid system, I can avoid most of the worst roads.
It's not bad and low traffic, but has typical potholes and cracks. Since my commute is rather short and involves streets on a grid system, I can avoid most of the worst roads.
08-08-17, 07:43 AM
#27
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The upside is that we have a lot of roadway, so I don't think avoiding the bad stuff is really too hard in most areas, which is at least my experience here in Ann Arbor. I have several appealing routes just outside of town, and many through-town options to get to them, many of which have good surfaces and bike lanes.
In all, Ann Arbor is a nice place to ride, but a recent trip to Boulder, CO, really reminded me that the roads could be so much better! Man, the riding out there is pretty darn good!
08-08-17, 11:41 AM
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08-08-17, 02:19 PM
#30
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Great idea for a thread.
Located in NE Ohio.
I don't commute, and my normal pavement rides are on rail trails. But when I do ride on the roads I head out of town on the rail trail and catch one of the intersecting rural roads. This is one place I like to get off the rail trail:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.4253...2!8i6656?hl=en
Here are a few connecting roads:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.4327...2!8i6656?hl=en
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.4089...2!8i6656?hl=en
Miles and miles of roads like this out here. I may see a car an hour if I'm lucky. Amish buggies sometimes too.
Steve Z
Located in NE Ohio.
I don't commute, and my normal pavement rides are on rail trails. But when I do ride on the roads I head out of town on the rail trail and catch one of the intersecting rural roads. This is one place I like to get off the rail trail:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.4253...2!8i6656?hl=en
Here are a few connecting roads:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.4327...2!8i6656?hl=en
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.4089...2!8i6656?hl=en
Miles and miles of roads like this out here. I may see a car an hour if I'm lucky. Amish buggies sometimes too.
Steve Z
08-08-17, 03:09 PM
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Google streetview pics don't do it justice but here are a few roads I'm on regularly.
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.7880...7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.7888...7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.8050...!7i3328!8i1664
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.7880...7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.7888...7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.8050...!7i3328!8i1664
08-08-17, 04:37 PM
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I'll play. But I have it pretty easy to some of yours.
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.4510...7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.4560...7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.4583...7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.5092...7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.5388...7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.4510...7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.4560...7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.4583...7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.5092...7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.5388...7i13312!8i6656
08-08-17, 07:02 PM
#33
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I agree. I have to choose from crappy, rough, chip sealed roads with potholes or gravel roads with large, loose gravel. I'd choose the roads in those pictures above any day.
BTW, they just chip sealed the street in front of my house. No, I'm not happy. Takes forever for that chat to get pressed down into the roadway, and even then there are still piles of it in spots which are pretty hairy to ride over.
BTW, they just chip sealed the street in front of my house. No, I'm not happy. Takes forever for that chat to get pressed down into the roadway, and even then there are still piles of it in spots which are pretty hairy to ride over.
08-08-17, 07:13 PM
#34
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I thought all cyclists knew that you should ride perpendicularly over train tracks (or maybe bunny hop them), but I was wrong:
More info here: Factors influencing single-bicycle crashes at skewed railroad grade crossings - ScienceDirect
More info here: Factors influencing single-bicycle crashes at skewed railroad grade crossings - ScienceDirect
Last edited by Metacortex; 08-08-17 at 07:17 PM.
08-09-17, 05:24 PM
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08-11-17, 02:02 PM
#38
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https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6907...7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7320...m4!1sXovvENX1L
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8429...1srlZbhacyAMyR
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9058...4!1stcdJv5Dzml
A few views of the local area, up to about 40 miles from home. Some roads are quite bad but most are in decent shape. The first view is a principal street through Bristol. Nice shoulders with only an occasional parked car blocking the way and both the shoulder and roadway smooth. There are many quiet country roads with little traffic and in Rhode Island, you are never far from the sea. As a boat builder and now riding a bike, I love living here. Motorist are accommodating toward cyclists.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7320...m4!1sXovvENX1L
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8429...1srlZbhacyAMyR
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9058...4!1stcdJv5Dzml
A few views of the local area, up to about 40 miles from home. Some roads are quite bad but most are in decent shape. The first view is a principal street through Bristol. Nice shoulders with only an occasional parked car blocking the way and both the shoulder and roadway smooth. There are many quiet country roads with little traffic and in Rhode Island, you are never far from the sea. As a boat builder and now riding a bike, I love living here. Motorist are accommodating toward cyclists.
08-11-17, 02:32 PM
#39
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https://www.google.com/maps/@41.2303...7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.2357...7i13312!8i6656
I see people on this road all the time. It's often moderately busy 45 mph most go 55, with cars and many blind turns. Connecticut folk assume people will stop for them. I am not so trusting.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.2357...7i13312!8i6656
I see people on this road all the time. It's often moderately busy 45 mph most go 55, with cars and many blind turns. Connecticut folk assume people will stop for them. I am not so trusting.
08-11-17, 05:45 PM
#40
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https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6907...7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7320...m4!1sXovvENX1L
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8429...1srlZbhacyAMyR
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9058...4!1stcdJv5Dzml
A few views of the local area, up to about 40 miles from home. Some roads are quite bad but most are in decent shape. The first view is a principal street through Bristol. Nice shoulders with only an occasional parked car blocking the way and both the shoulder and roadway smooth. There are many quiet country roads with little traffic and in Rhode Island, you are never far from the sea. As a boat builder and now riding a bike, I love living here. Motorist are accommodating toward cyclists.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7320...m4!1sXovvENX1L
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8429...1srlZbhacyAMyR
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9058...4!1stcdJv5Dzml
A few views of the local area, up to about 40 miles from home. Some roads are quite bad but most are in decent shape. The first view is a principal street through Bristol. Nice shoulders with only an occasional parked car blocking the way and both the shoulder and roadway smooth. There are many quiet country roads with little traffic and in Rhode Island, you are never far from the sea. As a boat builder and now riding a bike, I love living here. Motorist are accommodating toward cyclists.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.2303...7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.2357...7i13312!8i6656
I see people on this road all the time. It's often moderately busy 45 mph most go 55, with cars and many blind turns. Connecticut folk assume people will stop for them. I am not so trusting.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.2357...7i13312!8i6656
I see people on this road all the time. It's often moderately busy 45 mph most go 55, with cars and many blind turns. Connecticut folk assume people will stop for them. I am not so trusting.
08-11-17, 06:04 PM
#41
Senior Member
Ha, I thought my roads were bad. After looking at all these pictures, I see my roads appear "normal". They look like what everyone else is apparently riding.
08-11-17, 06:16 PM
#42
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08-11-17, 07:15 PM
#43
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First one looks like it's rough like mine but the second one would make me nervous too. Highway, no shoulder and curving
Signs on the first says it's not recommended for pedestrian and cyclist. Shoulder doesn't look that narrow to me, but the second, wow. Nice road but not only no shoulder, I would be afraid of falling rocks! Third one looks peaceful but not when buzzed by cars and trucks.
I wouldn't want to ride on your roads if you don't find those I posted bad
Yep, first part is worst than mine but then, wow, smooth ride from there...
When I'm not on the road, these are some of the bike paths that I take.
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4414...8!9m2!1b1!2i38
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4554...8!9m2!1b1!2i38
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4406...8!9m2!1b1!2i38
Signs on the first says it's not recommended for pedestrian and cyclist. Shoulder doesn't look that narrow to me, but the second, wow. Nice road but not only no shoulder, I would be afraid of falling rocks! Third one looks peaceful but not when buzzed by cars and trucks.
I wouldn't want to ride on your roads if you don't find those I posted bad
Yep, first part is worst than mine but then, wow, smooth ride from there...
When I'm not on the road, these are some of the bike paths that I take.
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4414...8!9m2!1b1!2i38
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4554...8!9m2!1b1!2i38
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4406...8!9m2!1b1!2i38
08-11-17, 07:40 PM
#44
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Thread Starter
Also, on Saturday morning, a section of the Gatineau park road is open for bikes only and on Sunday morning, it's part of the Ottawa River pathway that is open to bikes only. Two nice places to ride.
Oh, don't forget to visit the MosaiCulture on Laurier Street in Gatineau (not the one in Ottawa)!
08-11-17, 08:04 PM
#45
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Cool, don't forget to look at the Cycling in the Capital | National Capital Commission web site. Lots of info on the bike paths you can take while in Ottawa/Gatineau.
Also, on Saturday morning, a section of the Gatineau park road is open for bikes only and on Sunday morning, it's part of the Ottawa River pathway that is open to bikes only. Two nice places to ride.
Oh, don't forget to visit the MosaiCulture on Laurier Street in Gatineau (not the one in Ottawa)!
Also, on Saturday morning, a section of the Gatineau park road is open for bikes only and on Sunday morning, it's part of the Ottawa River pathway that is open to bikes only. Two nice places to ride.
Oh, don't forget to visit the MosaiCulture on Laurier Street in Gatineau (not the one in Ottawa)!
We'll be staying in Gatineau on Friday Sept 8. Yes we have the MosaiCulture on our list of things to do, although I wasn't sure if it would still be open Sept 8-9?
We'll be riding over to Ottawa and then to Hawksbury Saturday
08-11-17, 09:12 PM
#46
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Don't miss the Gatineau park, specially if you have mountain bike. The trails are very nice.
08-12-17, 12:18 PM
#47
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I've no idea why only one link opened correctly. Maybe something about quantum uncertainty but I'm not sure.
