IdleUp

I was trying to find some clubs around my area (North San Jose) so I can try some of the club rides before joining but most of the start locations seems a little too far to ride from my doorstep.

Also, do most clubs normally don't publish route sheets for their rides? I was thinking of running some routes myself before actually joining the rides.

Tony

SteveE

The Alto Velo ride routes are posted on the website (www.altovelo.org) each week, if you're interested in checking them out. The B-Ride route changes on a weekly basis but generally includes at least one major climb (e.g., Hwy 9, Page Mill, OLH, or Kings to the east and Alpine, 84/WOLH, Tunitas Creek to the west) and distances from 45-60 miles. One week ago Saturday the B-ride went up Old La Honda, Skylonda, 84, Stage, Hwy 1, Tunitas Creek, Skyline to Skylonda, and down 84E (~60 miles). This last Saturday, it was up Kings, Skyline south, 84W, WOLH, Skyline north, and 84E (~45 miles).

- SteveE

Tim Aiken

+1 alto velo is great!

SteveE are you usually on the rides? I'm the kid in yellow near the front...

nthach

I usually do - there's nothing here in Hercules/Pinole unless I drive out to Berkeley or Walnut Creek.

B. Carfree

It has always been a source of shame to me that so many of my fellow cyclists drive their cars to go for a bike ride. I am simply amazed at all the bikes that do most of their miles as passengers.

Ygduf

I see your name and I applaud the idea, but it's ignorant to judge people you don't know. I commute 3-5 days each week, but generally at least 1 of my weekend rides starts far enough away that I drive. Would I prefer that Diablo or Hamilton come to me? Sure, but I ask and they don't budge. A 60 mile ham ride is easy to fit in, a 110 mile round trip for the same ride isn't always in the works.

x136 

I used to drive for nearly every ride. Lived near Sacramento, rode in the Bay area. Now I live in the Bay area, and almost never drive to rides.

That said, IdleUp, just expect to tack on some flat, possibly trafficky riding to the beginning and end of rides. I spend quite a bit of time on Stevens Creek and Foothill, but it pays off.

nthach

I live a bike-hostile area in my eyes.

spingineer

I only ride to the start if it is < 10 miles away. Further than that, I'd have to drive to the start. SF is 50 miles away, so a Mt. Tam loop easily becomes a double century. That really isn't practical.

Tim Aiken

I ride to the start of rides as a warm up, but yeah 10+ is about the limit

UmneyDurak

I load my bike in to my H2 hammer for anything longer then one block away.

JoelS

I typically just ride to the start. If I can't make it, then I do something else. The only time I drive is if I'm going to a completely different area to ride with friends. Like Vacaville, Davis, Bay Area, etc.

bigbossman 

Except maybe the Crockett/Martinez/Pig Farm loop.

gpelpel

I almost always took the car to a ride start. The rack was permanently on the trunk so it was easy. Since my 17 yo Son started to take the car to school, the rack has been off. It's so annoying to put it back on and off all the time that it has stayed in storage. Aside for joining the start of a big ride (centuries, doubles, or BF rides) I have started all my rides from home for the last year or so. It's more of a challenge climbing back home, especially after a long one, but also a good training.

joker8baller

Depends if the ride is local or not. Especially late afternoon rides, I prefer driving out so I don't end up biking back at home at like 9PM, with all of my books and classes. I'll also drive because more often than not, the ride is 20 miles out at 5:00, right at the time that I get off of work.

Or today, I drove to school. I'm on campus from 6AM-10PM, need to be in a suit from 7PM-10PM, and I have a full load of boxes, a change of clothes, books, laptop that simply isn't fun to bike home @ 10PM @ night with.

colinmcnamara

Diablo Cyclists start up at Heather Farms which is 13 miles away from home. I get a good warm up and cool down that way. Anything longer and I'd probably drive though.

nthach

I do know that's part of the Grizzly Peak Cyclists stomping grounds - I see them ride along the Dam Road/Alhambra Valley/Pinole Valley/San Pablo Ave route into Hercules and beyond...

cccorlew

I bike commute every day, and do lots and lots of local loops from my house. But riding out of Antioch is a pain that includes a brief stretch on the freeway., so when I do Diablo or such I drive. I feel guilty about it, but at least I carpool with my wife and we try to get other things done so it's not a single purpose trip.

We did drive to Montana this summer for a bike tour. Public Transportation just doesn't work when you have as much crap as we do.
But what sucks is that I was constantly aware that I was driving more on that trip than I do all year.

But our bikes have a lot more road miles than passenger miles. I think between MyLilPony and myself we had over 15,000 bicycle miles (fun, touring, utility, and commuting)

SClaraPokeman

Now ask the same question to mtn. bikers.

sauerwald

I live in North San Jose, and I don't own a car, so whenever I do a recreational ride, I do ride to the start - I did an ACTC ride yesterday (ACTC.ORG) which started in Willow Glen - easy ride. There are a lot of the ACTC rides which start around Almaden Lake, and if you want, you can take the light rail down there from North San Jose. I generally ride to those too, but depending on the ride, sometimes I wimp out and take the train back home from Almaden.

ricebowl

I either just head out the door maybe a BART ride. But that's cause I'm cheap not out of some committment to the "cause". When I was into mountain bikes good trails were at least a half hour drive.

:rofl:

cccorlew

This may look like just another post, but gpelpel lives up a hill that my car can barely make. If he's riding home from a ride he is an uber-stud and shames us all.

Ygduf

I would pit Eric's hill home vs. anyone!

IdleUp

Was thinking of joining ACTC but the start locations were almost always more than 10 miles from North San Jose. Riding the bus/light rail to the start location is probably a good option for me especially if it's free transit.

HIPCHIP

As long as you're riding, who cares how you get there? You think Lance rides to every ride? Naw! I'm sure every rider drives to some locations. If your max is 40 miles, and you are going on a 40 mile ride, and you have to leave at 6 AM to get to the 8 AM ride, then driving makes a heck of a lot more sense!