Most legendary awesome bike rides from Boston/Cambridge
03-23-12, 09:58 AM
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Most legendary awesome bike rides from Boston/Cambridge
Hey all,
just recently moved to Cambridge MA with my beloved road bike. I've been on a few rides so far (taking Mass Ave out to the west), but nothing spectacular.
I'm used to doing centuries in the beautiful English countryside - can anyone share or suggest some awesome rides to be had near Boston/Cambridge?
Cheers
just recently moved to Cambridge MA with my beloved road bike. I've been on a few rides so far (taking Mass Ave out to the west), but nothing spectacular.
I'm used to doing centuries in the beautiful English countryside - can anyone share or suggest some awesome rides to be had near Boston/Cambridge?
Cheers
03-23-12, 01:29 PM
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How close do you want to stay to Cambridge? I live in NH about 35-40 minutes north of Cambridge and the riding up here is excellent if you can make the trip up. I typically ride from the MA/NH border up towards Exeter, over towards the coast, then back down through Amesbury/Merrimack (MA). It's a 45~ish mile loop with rolling hills, a lot of wooded areas & shade, and less traffic.
03-23-12, 01:47 PM
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On your way out of Cambridge, stop by Ace Wheelworks in Porter Square and get some of the pocket ride maps. Some awesome rides through Harvard (the town), Carlisle, Concord, further north and further west. One of my favorite rides is to loop out through Lexington to Concord and Hanscomb followed by Carlisle and then either further out or looping back at Carlisle.
03-23-12, 02:00 PM
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There are some group rides leaving out of Hanscomb that go through the area the previous poster mentioned...check out crw.org if you are interested...
03-23-12, 02:00 PM
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I've liked the rides I've gone on with the pocket rides maps so far, but the ones I went on were all in the 20 or so mile range, so not up to your century desires, but still rather pretty and I suppose if you have to ride to your start you can get closer. They are neat little sets. I like to use a large "chip clip" to clip the card I'm using to the loop handle on top of my handlebar bag and then I'm good to go.
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03-23-12, 04:57 PM
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Join us tomorrow 3/24/2012 at Newton city hall in Newton MA at 6:30 AM for an awsome ride to mount Wachuset ski mountain in princeston MA for a 90+ mile ride from NCH to NCH averaging 16.5 or so with 5600-5700 feet of climbing. Hope to see you there. Scott
03-24-12, 05:32 AM
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On your way out of Cambridge, stop by Ace Wheelworks in Porter Square and get some of the pocket ride maps. Some awesome rides through Harvard (the town), Carlisle, Concord, further north and further west. One of my favorite rides is to loop out through Lexington to Concord and Hanscomb followed by Carlisle and then either further out or looping back at Carlisle.
03-24-12, 06:03 AM
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A great source for rides in New England (with cue sheets) can be found here: https://www.bikenewengland.com/
03-24-12, 10:26 AM
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On your way out of Cambridge, stop by Ace Wheelworks in Porter Square and get some of the pocket ride maps. Some awesome rides through Harvard (the town), Carlisle, Concord, further north and further west. One of my favorite rides is to loop out through Lexington to Concord and Hanscomb followed by Carlisle and then either further out or looping back at Carlisle.
03-25-12, 04:00 AM
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Hey all,
just recently moved to Cambridge MA with my beloved road bike. I've been on a few rides so far (taking Mass Ave out to the west), but nothing spectacular.
I'm used to doing centuries in the beautiful English countryside - can anyone share or suggest some awesome rides to be had near Boston/Cambridge?
Cheers
just recently moved to Cambridge MA with my beloved road bike. I've been on a few rides so far (taking Mass Ave out to the west), but nothing spectacular.
I'm used to doing centuries in the beautiful English countryside - can anyone share or suggest some awesome rides to be had near Boston/Cambridge?
Cheers
Welcome to Boston and environs; I love riding in and around this town…
For some generalities, my favorite map is the AAA road map of metropolitan Boston. I think of the area in sectors radiating from downtown and surrounded by a circumferential belt about 10 to 15 miles from Downtown, known as Route 128 ("America's Technology Highway"). Unfortunately, 128 is a barrier to get through, especially on hair-raising roads that serve as feeders to the entrance ramps; over- and underpasses are more pleasant. All the riding is markedly better outside of 128, but the city and inner suburbs are nice and interesting. I'm an early mornng rider so I don't see the worst and my view may be through rose-colored glasses.
.
Even though I've lived here for over 30 years, I always get lost on a new ride. Streets are laid out in a haphazard fashion; many streets, particularly the one you are riding on are not marked; they surreptiously change names; and in rotary intersections it's easy to lose your sense of direction. (I don't have a GPS.) On a happier note, the Transportation Authority (MBTA) allows bikes on subways and commuter trains with certain restrictions and that's a nice way to get out of town without city riding.
I would describe the sectors as (mostly for road riding outside of Rte 128):
North Shore: Beautiful Atlantic coastline, especially north of Lynn, to include Nahant, Marblehead and Marblehead Neck, on through Salem, Beverly and into ritzy Beverly Farms, and up to seafaring Gloucester, Rockport, Ipswich, etc.
Northern Suburbs: Lynnfield, Reading, Wilmington, Woburn, down through Winchester, etc: Pleasant suburban to rural inland roads.
Western: Lincoln, Lexington, Concord, Wayland, etc: Very ritzy, buccolic and historic; very popular for riding. This area IMO has the steepest hills.
Metrowest: Framingham, Natick; pleasant suburbs though pretty commercial along Rte 9
Southwest: Needham, Wellesley, Dover, Medfield, Walpole, Westwood, etc: probably more popular than the western burbs; wealthy exurban to rural, moderately hilly country roads, horse farms, mansions.
South; Norwood, Canton, Randolph, etc: middle class suburbia; rideable but usually on the way to somewhere else (no offense)
South Shore beyond Quincy and Weymouth and into Hingham, Scituate, Marshfield, etc: Atlantic coastal, nice riding, though I find it hardest to get to because of confusing suburbs and pretty heavy and industrial sections, especially Weymouth [see EDIT, below] .
I am a solo rider but I think the Charles River Wheelman is the big cycling club around here. Some bike shops have organized rides, e.g. Landry's and Back Bay Bikes I know for sure. Wheelworks, International Bicyles and Harris Cylery are also well-known, but all are close to or in Boston. The Mass Bike Coalition, massbike.org is probaly also a good resource.
Feel free to PM me with other questions,and I look forward to comments from other area riders.
EDIT: This summer (2011) I have found a pleasant alternate route to the South Shore via Rte 53 and Broad St in Weymouth, and this sector is now a desirable area to ride…
For some generalities, my favorite map is the AAA road map of metropolitan Boston. I think of the area in sectors radiating from downtown and surrounded by a circumferential belt about 10 to 15 miles from Downtown, known as Route 128 ("America's Technology Highway"). Unfortunately, 128 is a barrier to get through, especially on hair-raising roads that serve as feeders to the entrance ramps; over- and underpasses are more pleasant. All the riding is markedly better outside of 128, but the city and inner suburbs are nice and interesting. I'm an early mornng rider so I don't see the worst and my view may be through rose-colored glasses.
.Even though I've lived here for over 30 years, I always get lost on a new ride. Streets are laid out in a haphazard fashion; many streets, particularly the one you are riding on are not marked; they surreptiously change names; and in rotary intersections it's easy to lose your sense of direction. (I don't have a GPS.) On a happier note, the Transportation Authority (MBTA) allows bikes on subways and commuter trains with certain restrictions and that's a nice way to get out of town without city riding.
I would describe the sectors as (mostly for road riding outside of Rte 128):
North Shore: Beautiful Atlantic coastline, especially north of Lynn, to include Nahant, Marblehead and Marblehead Neck, on through Salem, Beverly and into ritzy Beverly Farms, and up to seafaring Gloucester, Rockport, Ipswich, etc.
Northern Suburbs: Lynnfield, Reading, Wilmington, Woburn, down through Winchester, etc: Pleasant suburban to rural inland roads.
Western: Lincoln, Lexington, Concord, Wayland, etc: Very ritzy, buccolic and historic; very popular for riding. This area IMO has the steepest hills.
Metrowest: Framingham, Natick; pleasant suburbs though pretty commercial along Rte 9
Southwest: Needham, Wellesley, Dover, Medfield, Walpole, Westwood, etc: probably more popular than the western burbs; wealthy exurban to rural, moderately hilly country roads, horse farms, mansions.
South; Norwood, Canton, Randolph, etc: middle class suburbia; rideable but usually on the way to somewhere else (no offense)
South Shore beyond Quincy and Weymouth and into Hingham, Scituate, Marshfield, etc: Atlantic coastal, nice riding, though I find it hardest to get to because of confusing suburbs and pretty heavy and industrial sections, especially Weymouth [see EDIT, below] .
I am a solo rider but I think the Charles River Wheelman is the big cycling club around here. Some bike shops have organized rides, e.g. Landry's and Back Bay Bikes I know for sure. Wheelworks, International Bicyles and Harris Cylery are also well-known, but all are close to or in Boston. The Mass Bike Coalition, massbike.org is probaly also a good resource.
Feel free to PM me with other questions,and I look forward to comments from other area riders.
EDIT: This summer (2011) I have found a pleasant alternate route to the South Shore via Rte 53 and Broad St in Weymouth, and this sector is now a desirable area to ride…
Finally FYA, on Patriot’s Day, April 16 is an early morning round trip ride on the Boston Marathon Route:
https://mysite.verizon.net/vze19fa1o/events.html#27th
03-25-12, 07:07 AM
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Here are a couple to get you started:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/810965 - Starts in historic Lexington Center (of shot heard round the world fame), you can get to the start on the Minuteman Bikeway from Cambridge.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/111317 - Starts in historic Concord Center (of North Bridge battlegreen fame), one major climb but well worth the scenery and sense of history.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/810965 - Starts in historic Lexington Center (of shot heard round the world fame), you can get to the start on the Minuteman Bikeway from Cambridge.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/111317 - Starts in historic Concord Center (of North Bridge battlegreen fame), one major climb but well worth the scenery and sense of history.
