Babbitt

I am looking at taking a job in Sacramento and have some riding questions.

I currently live west of Minneapolis and enjoy fantastic rolling and light traffic roads right outside my door. I am also, a year round commuter, over the years my commute has been between 7 and 15 miles each way. It has never even occured to me to worry about crime while riding or commuting. Winter's can be a struggle but studded tires are surprisingly effective.

So what are recommendations for communities around Sacramento? My job would be in the city.

Is it possible to live in the hills with light traffic and be within 15 miles of Sacramento?

If not where would you live with good riding?

How bad is the heat? Riding home in 100+ heat feels worse than riding in at 5 degrees.

How is the traffic?

I don't race anymore but do enjoy centuries and Brevets are there good clubs I should look into?

Thanks for the advice.

Darth Lefty 

Any town along the river is a good start for commuting because it puts you on the Jedediah Smith American River Bike Trail, which connects to a trail that goes all the way to Davis, and connects by gravel to Placerville. The river trail goes up and down a little but if you want foothills in earnest, look at a map, they start about El Dorado Hills on US50 and Auburn on I-80. Folsom itself is very bike friendly, with several internal trail corridors, but it's a hike from downtown.

I have not found the heat to be a big problem. Just more water. 100+ happens for a few hours a day around 4-5 in high summer. The mornings are beautiful. The traffic is not worth worrying about.

If you like mountain biking there are official trails at Granite Bay and Auburn, and all over the region.

Cycling is a big activity here and there seem to be sufficient clubs and races. Cycle Folsom is a local club as are the Breakouts. I'm not clued in about road biking, but the Tour of California was a big deal in the area before they packed it in, and Eroica CA is nearby in wine country. Here in Folsom there's Rodeocross in Sept-Oct and Prairie City xc racing in spring (though not this year, obviously). There's a traveling cyclocross series in the fall. The Mother Lode Epic is coming up, and there's Sea Otter rescheduled for the fall, Downieville Downhill and XC racing every year.

Babbitt

Thanks for the information. The mountains would be a nice change. Might even have to get a mountain bike. I currently have all the gravel anyone could hope for but my longest climb is about 10 minutes.

Darth Lefty 

Oh and on the topic of being a "year round commuter," it's a lot easier here than Minneapolis. There are 300 days a year of sunny weather and the rainy ones have a good chance of happening during the holiday season. It only gets below freezing a few mornings a year. It snows once in forever and it doesn't stick.

caloso

What DL said.

But even if you don’t live along the ARBT, it’s a very bikeable city. All of downtown, midtown, and East Sac is laid out on a grid, so lots of options for commuting. The neighborhoods south of downtown (Land Park, Curtis Park, Hollywood Park, and the Pocket) are all very accessible by bike. I live in Curtis Park and it takes me about 20 minutes to ride to work.

Summers are hot, and the hottest part of the day is the ride home, but it’s a dry heat. That’s the unofficial city motto. Rarely gets below freezing in winter. Fog can be an issue in winter.

Babbitt

Thanks, I hear that "Dry Heat" comment a lot. In MN we always tell people it may be below 0 but the blue skies and snow make it feel not so bad.

It sounds like there are lots of nice places to live and commute from. I suppose the year-round commuter thing won't be the badge of honor in CA like it is in MN.

Most of the population seems to be either North East or South East of the city. Is it primarily farmland to the west? That is what it looks like from google earth.

Thanks for the information. Hard to move someplace you have never been and can't visit ahead of time.

caloso

Immediately to the west is West Sacramento, which is actually another good option. A lot of houses being built on what was farmland. Beyond that is the Yolo Bypass, which is a protected flood plain, and beyond that is Davis, which is a really nice town in my opinion but a bit more expensive. People do commute to downtown from Davis, but they are pretty hardcore. 30-40 mile roundtrip and most of it is on a bike path along I-80. In addition to the noise, during the summer it's hot and windy.

DiabloScott

You know how in Minnesota you perspire and it doesn't evaporate and then the mosquitoes just kind of drown in the rivers of sweat running down your arms and legs? Yeah, we don't have that. Welcome.

Babbitt

A lack of mosquitoes is almost enough of a reason to move.

Leinster

The nearest hills to Sacramento are to the east (Folsom etc) but there's some great riding around Vacaville/Winters area and over to Napa to the West. You'll also be within an hour or 2 drive of Mt Diablo, Mt Tam etc and all the other rides the Bay Area has to offer.