I'm considering taking a job in the Cleveland area. I'm considering a number of factors that will affect my decision to take the job, but the most important is HOW GOOD IS THE CYCLING AROUND CLEVELAND? What can you all tell me? What you tell me may be the difference maker!

I currently live in and cycle around Chicago's western burbs.

I have just accepted a job in Cleveland. I posted a similar post to yours a while back when I was considering the options. I got back some questionable reviews of the cycling scene there. I haven't gotten there yet, so I can't tell you for myself. Leaving the 100's of miles of great paved bike trails in the Minneapolis area has made the decision to go much more difficult. I guess that there are some biking trails there, but I don't know how extensive they are. The roads are not in as good of shape as they are in Minneapolis. I will be checking out whatever feed back you get here. Good luck with your decision!

Rumor is that the Metroparks system in Cleveland is pretty awesome. I'm more of a roadie now but I may have to check them out.

I went to high school on the east side of Cleveland. While I didn't get back into cycling until college, I spent a lot of time (read 100 miles a week sometimes) doing trail running in the area. The metroparks are indeed quite sweet for any trail-based activity. Once you get out of the city itself, there's also plenty of good stuff to ride, road-wise too. Particularly, I think, out towards Chardon and Chagrin Falls and that area in general.

Yes, Chagrin Falls and points generally East of Cleveland have some great riding ... hills, secluded roads, etc. I used to ride with a great group out of Cleveland Heights called Square Wheels. I don't know if they're still around as I've been away from the are for quite a while now.

I can't speak for cycling on the West side, but anywhere East of, say, University Heights, should be good. Expensive place to live, but good for cycling.

-mark

Hi,

I live on the west side of Cleveland in a suburb called Rocky River. I just started riding regularly about a month and a half ago. As far as I know, we have two types of riding here (1) rural roads and (2) metroparks.

On the East side, once you get out around Chagrin falls, the roads turn rural and hilly, and the riding is pretty good if you go for that sort of thing. There is, generally, pretty poor riding on the near east side (say, inside the 270 outerbelt) because the roads are simply too congested and filled with traffic lights.

On the far west side (out beyond Westlake) the riding is again rural, but flatter than on the far east side. Plenty of farms, etc.

On the near west and south side (through some of the western and southern suburbs such as Rocky River, Fairview Park, Broadview Heights, Brecksville) run the Cleveland Metroparks. This is essentially a narrow swath of land (mostly following a river or stream) which has a combination bike/walk trial along its entire length (about 75 miles in a stretch, though I am under the impression the parks have a total of about 160 miles of path - just not all contiguous). The park system also has a road running down its spine (Valley Parkway) that stretched clear from the West side suburb of Rocky River to the southern suburb of Brecksville. Additional metroparks are on the far east side as well.

So far I have not exhausted the west metropark trails yet, so it's good enough for me. But you may have different abilities.

Judd

Well Plimpington, not sure if we have ridden in the past with any of the clubs. The one I'm in generally feels that the mentality in the metro parks is hostile, especically in the Rocky River area. Most of us Never ride the paths and stay on the Metro Parks roads when we use to ride them. Drivers feel there is a 'bike path' for bikes and road for cars and we should dam well get onthe path where we belong so they can try to use the Metro Park to make better time.
Personally I enjoy ridding in downtown Cleveland traffic, the more the better (but I'm 1/2 nuts) The East Side in general seems more bike friendly, actually more refined and cultured in general. Little Italy area, Cedar Hill, Downtown, Lakewood and along Lake Erie to me are the prime spots if your talking of Cleveland. Chagrin Falls area is truly beautiful, I've ridden in a club in that area too. Lorain County has some nice country roads also. I often wonder what its like in other parts of the country where there is a longer ridding season and more cycling and drivers that are better use to bikes on the road. I plan on finding out.... You really dont want to live here dude. No kidding, I dont care if "Cleveland Rocks" it's more like "The mistake on the lake"......

yea, I should have been more clear. I DO ride the roads in the metropark (Valley Parkway). I started on the path, but once you average over about 15 mph, the path is too dangerous because there are simply too many walkers, runners and skaters. I've been using the road for the past 3 weeks or so. To tell you the truth, though. I am getting sick of the road because of the all the hinking and "get on the bike path" comments - which piss me off to no end. The last week I have been riding on rural roads, where the people are much nicer. This I agree with. Going out tomorrow, as a matter of fact.

Judd

I live in Columbus, so I can't speak much for Cleveland, but I'd said most of the state of Ohio is becoming very friendly to bikers. We have quite a few top notch events, TOSRV, Adelphia Tour of Ohio, Wendy's Cycling Classic, etc. and the bike trails are really catching on. In the near future, there will be a trail connecting Cleveland to Cincinnati, and as of now you can go from just outside of Columbus to Cincinnati with out ever having to touch foot on road (sometimes good, sometimes not.) And, as said before there are plenty of country roads to lose your day on. I can't speak soley for Cleveland, but I'd say Ohio in general is a great state for biking.

https://www.dot.state.oh.us/bike/
https://www.ohiotoerietrail.org/default.asp

ClevelandGuy and plimpington are right. The metropark trails are a joke, in bad condition and heavily traveled. I've lived in cleveland 13 years and have only cycled the past couple, but the east side does have a better cycling atmosphere. However, the roads are generally bad everywhere and the people uneducated about sharing the road. (I commute 35-40 miles a day) I myself hope to move to colorado (also with work) for some healthier living (I currently live downtown) and stronger bike culture.
If you dig the rustbelt and look forward to living in one of the "fattest" cities in the US, you might like cleveland.

Check out www.clevelandbikes.org and www.ohiocitycycles.org for more info. There are forums are folks will be happy to give you some opinions.

hey, who knows anything about the towpath from Cleveland to Akron. Is that whole thing contiguos?

Judd

I live in the Akron/Cleveland area. I'm actually in a suburb of Akron, Cuyahoga Falls, and live on the Cuyahoga River Valley. IMHO, the riding here is awesome. Say what you will of the metroparks (I haven't ridden them since high school, back in 1985), but here in the valley, the roads are bike friendly, and the scenery is nice. If you apt to complain about some rough asphalt, the towpaths won't impress you much. But we have a ton of towpaths which can be ridden along the old Erie Canal. Some are paved (and in good condition) most are made of a fine crushed rock. I've had my road bike on this surface, and I've not had any problems, though I prefer pavement of some sort.

I know there are better parts of the country to ride. That goes without saying. But I wouldn't be too quick to dismiss what we have here. I love the local biking/outdoor scene, and honestly, it's part of what keeps me here.

For what it's worth.

Then again, if you're as smart as I hope you are, I don't think it matters what the biking scene is, if the job is right...


Good luck with your decision.

LOL, I like hearing from someone who isn't trying to sell me on Cleveland. Of course, I'm used to a place with a good economy like Chicago but I ride in the burbs and don't like urban riding anyway. I'm used to a shorter riding season and relish the colder months with the challenge that they bring.

Good input from everyone -- THANKS!!

Hey thanks! Now I WANT to move to the Cleveland area! That sounds great. It's not too difficult to find nice places to ride in the Chicago area, but the area you describe sounds wonderful.

If the job is right, that's going be the motivator. It's tough to live in the Chicago area because it's so stinking expensive, especially for a family with a single income (and relatively meager, to boot).

I live in the southwestern ‘burbs of Cleveland, so the Metroparks Parkway (that road running the spine of the Metroparks) is my main cyclng route. Primarily, I ride in the areas of Berea, Strongsville & Rocky River on the west side. If you want hills, head east to Brecksville which has a nice loop of them on Parkway roads. The road is in good shape (compared to most city streets around here), scenery is nice, and depending which area you select, traffic is less than regular city streets. There are a few morons out there who make the ‘get on the bike path’ comment, but for the most part, drivers are reasonably courteous. You still have to be alert though, as with all riding. (Unfortunately, the asphalt paved bike path pretty much follows the road, though it’s separated by grassy and sometimes wooded areas. I’d say that any speed faster than 12 mph is a bad idea because it’s technically a multi-use path.)

The East side of Cleveland (ie: Chagrin Falls general area) is quite nice, though I don’t get out there much. To the south, Medina has some nice country roads for riding, too.

The towpath is mainly crushed limestone in the areas closest to Cleveland, but parts of that path in Akron are paved, from what I understand. The crushed limestone is tolerable with a road bike, but I prefer my MTB there. One of the local (and in my opinion, *best*) bike shops around here, Century Cycles, offers a 15-30 mile nighttime towpath ride once a month starting from Peninsula. (Some of the stores lead road rides on weekends, too.)

What area of Cleveland are you considering?

The company I am looking at is in Strongsville. I'll probably look to live as far away from the city as possible. My wife has a niece who lives in Berea. We visited her last Thanksgiving and I wasn't all that impressed with the area of Berea she lives in. Road is my preference but I like the occasional ride on the path. I have a mountain bike and a hybrid, in addition to my road bike.

I ride valley parkway everyday, all weather, and have never had a serious problem with drivers. I must be lucky (although I did see a cyclist get creamed at the top of the hill on Detroit Ave yesterday).

As a point of comparison, I've lived in Norfolk, Boston, Jacksonville, Chicago, Charleston S.C., and Cleveland. Each cycle scene is different (especially in the south) and they all have their pluses and minus.

If you are working in Strongsville you can live far enough away from the city as to believe you are a country boy, with lots of country roads to ride.

Berea (an "Inner ring" suburb) has gone down hill in recent years much as Lakewood, Cleveland Heights, and a host of other such burbs. One burb over (Strongsville, Westlake- great road races, Rocky River) things get better. Just south of Strongsville is Medina County (a very hot community), which is mostly farm country.

Aside from road conditions (we have to use a lot of salt with lake effect snow) you will find your western suburbs of Chicago to be the same as Cleveland's suburbs.

Oh, we DO NOT have a "rush hour". You can get anywhere in the county in less than 25 minutes, any time of day (remembering Chicago traffic). Cost of living is real low, too.

Hope this helps,

ehenz

Great info! How does Westlake, Medina County, Rocky River, Strongsville compare to Chicago's west burbs (if you are familiar with them)? It already sounds like I will enjoy the riding compared to where I live now.

By the way, I fly in for my second interview July 15 & 16.

I can add a few things. Cleveland's Metroparks are amazing. The trail itself has deteriorated significantly especially the past couple years due to flooding. Like others mentioned ride the road. I have never had a problem riding the road in the metropark, and don't give a squat if cars think I should be on the trail. The trails often remain opened when the roads with fords that cross the rivers are closed. Trails on the east side of Cleveland in the metroparks are much better maintained, and far less traveled than the west side, primarily due to the fact that they are hilly and not a good choice for the casual rec-rider, plus they are a bit newer. I lived in Lakewood and could do a hundred mile out and back with a "T" trip strictly on the bike trail in the metropark. I now live between Akron & Cleveland on a bike trail that connects to the metroparks east through Bedford, the metroparks west through the valley and the towpath trail, and an awesome loop that goes south from here, through Kent near Kent state, back up through Hudson. It's 30 miles and takes you through neighborhoods and wilderness alike. Part of it is on surface streets with great access to scenic road rides and there are some fun hills along the river. Only a small portion, about 5-7 miles is gravel, old rail road ballast that can be tricky on a road bike.

The canal towpath currently runs from Harvard Avenue, almost downtown Cleveland, all the way to nearly downtown Akron. I would estimate close to 40 miles, mostly crushed limestone with lots of side trips if you like to get off the trail and run some mud. There is a train where for $15 you can buy a bike pass that will let you ride unlimited with your bike for 3 months peak season. I take the kids down to one end by train and ride back on the trail or by myself a lot on the roads. When you get towards Akron in the valley there is a nice 20 mile loop that circles the towpath trail if you would rather be on the road. All in the valley so the hills are minimal, but there are plenty of side streets up out of the valley if you like to climb. I would estimate between the towpath, metroparks and Akron's hike and bike easily over 200 miles of trails, and they all interconnect if you know the routes through the hills and woods. South of Arkon the towpath picks up again for 20 miles down to Massillon with a short jog on surface roads to another trail (Sippo Valley) about 10 miles heading west, or a continuation south towards New Phila, haven't been on that section but found the connection yesterday and can't wait. The towpath and valley here are all part of a newer National Park with all the perks that go along with it. Some of the trails are maintained by county park districts but the majority is federal. There are real bathrooms in the middle of nowhere that are great for thawing out on a cold winter night. I am learning more of the side trips over the hills by Hale Farm for example that are used only by the few cars that know where the roads go, even though they are very near downtown Akron.

Medina is good, but Strongsville is better. Closer access to the Metroparks will connect you to most of the above. Strongsville like Berea is the fringe area where you hit the Country. Berea houses the Cuyahoga County Fair, and Medina houses the Medina County Fair. Medina and its bordering counties except Cuyahoga is getting into Amish country with very rural and farm type roads. A little on the flat side compared to the valley where I live. Having lived in Brunswick between Strongsville and Medina I like it much better here Southeast of Cleveland. Living right outside the National Park limits development, unlike that area where farms are being gobbled up by housing tracts and commuters with poorly designed roads and traffic jams like a big city. Many of the roads around here include wide shoulders and bike specific lanes for access to the trails or riding in general. 20 minutes to either downtown but still in the country suits me just fine!

Been to Chicago but wasn't a biker back than. I can tell you the city and the burbs are really amazingly similar with the exception Chicago has a much better downtown. Cleveland has a tendency to close down evenings and weekends unless there is a ball game or event. They have been attempting a lake front bike trail for all the years I have lived around here, and have a lame attempt at one through some questionable areas. Maybe some day!

Good luck on the interview.

Well, first let me say that I hope it all works out for you and that whatever decision you make will, I'm sure, be the best one. But, in the event that you deplete the 'burb roadie scene in Chicagoland by one rider, you have to come ride with the Naperville Spokes folks one Sunday before you leave!

Anyway, best of luck for round 2!