i have a potential job move to Phoenix, AZ. anyone have an idea how the cycling is out there? i know it's hot in the summer, but how are things like cycling community? traffic in/out of the city/burbs? road quality? terrain? etc.?

It all depends on where you live. Phoenix is a huge area, and some areas are much better than others.

I've visited several times. Cycling when the sun is up is apparently crazy because you won't see any riders until 6 or 7PM, and on into the night.

I think the biggest logistic hurdle is carrying enough water with you to survive the trip back.

Cycling community is great in Phoenix. It's a great place to ride. I rode there when I was at school at Arizona State University. You'll have no issues!

Cycling in Phoenix and area is alive and well. Many bike paths, lanes and clubs all around the valley. Yes it is hot here this time of year however for me the only time I really don't enjoy being on the bike is from about 9:30 am to 4:30pm and not because of the temp but the sun angle. I actually prefer riding when its hot more than when its cold. I can usually adjust as needed for the heat but when its cold not so much.

I live in Mesa, a suburb of Phoenix. I like it here, and I see lots of cyclists. It's a year-round thing. Good roads, lots of bike lanes. Drivers seem mostly friendly.

Downside: snowbirds in the winter, hot in summer.

I've been starting my rides at 5 AM at this time of year.

I don't know how you ride guys can ride during the day in Phoenix May-October. Ditto Las Vegas.

Drink water and HTFU. You don't really have the weather excuse in PHX - it's always nice out and you learn to work around the heat.

Bike lanes are plentiful and if not you can sneak through neighborhoods. Also, when driving, I feel PHX has some of the worst drivers I've ever seen. However, on the bike, most people I encounter are pretty courteous and give me the right away.

Are you a morning person?

As people mentioned Phoenix is HUGE, road conditions vary widely by area.

I grew up in Tucson. Arizona is fine for cycling. During the summer, you're going to want to be finished with your ride by 8am. The temperature will drop by 30-40 deg at night, but since the high is 110F, you're only down in the 60-70 range by the time the sun comes up. Keep in mind that 110F is the temperature in the shade, not on an asphalt road which will be 120+. Staying hydrated is the major challenge.

November to March are great. You should be able to bike daily with comfortable temperatures. There's a reason everyone from Minnesota moves down there.

I thought I'd add that the Phoenix area rarely cools down to below 85 degrees in the peak of summer, even at night. Urban heat island.

I would say closer to 10-20 deg in the city, at least at the moment...it'll stay warmer in the city because the heat is retained in the buildings and asphalt. The bigger drops are more common in the middle of the desert. For example, where I live is usually 5-10 degrees cooler than central Phoenix because there's more desert.

I'm still commuting and usually leave work around 5:30-6:00pm and I manage just fine although it is more pleasant to ride in the morning.

The biggest issue with the heat is that I feel it zapping my energy - even when staying hydrated. I tried riding last week at 3:30 in the afternoon, I was drinking a ton of water but I just didn't have the urge to continue after an hour and went back home.

The other issue in the summer is the monsoons, which bring higher humidity - still not a lot, but when its 110 outside you can feel and see the humidity. The air just feels thick.

I live in Chandler, ride in the mornings, and I usually see plenty of other cyclists out. During the week I usually ride out to Ahwatukee and do a few hill repeats then head back. On weekends either ATM + Towers, Usery, Beeline, or some combination.

Yea it is a little warm here, but you start early and finish by 9-10am. Or do a short ride in the evening. Not wise to be out during the day, in summer at least. Winter is a different story.

I grew up in Phoenix and I enjoyed cycling a lot. I could not ride in the summer for more than 10 miles or so, but everyone is different. The winter is amazing though, and there is also a lot of good mountain biking in Phoenix and up north in Flagstaff. There are bike lanes basically throughout the city which is a lot different than out here in Illinois. Also, the hills are much more challenging out there than Illinois. If you decide to move out there be sure to go up South Mountain during the silent sundays, and do Usery pass road.

As I said in my post, in order to ride in the summer you get up and out the door early. As in by 5:30am. We don't do Daylight Saving Time here, so the sun is up early, around 5:30 am right now.

For most of my rides, I'm in either dedicated bike lanes or on wide shoulders for 90% of the time. The area is really great with making roads bike-friendly.

As for hills... It really depends where you live. Right near where I live is pretty flat, and I can easily ride 50+ miles with just 200-300 feet of elevation if I want. If I want hills I really have to see them out. But when I do, well there are some good ones.

I usually avoid Silent Sunday at South Mountain. It just gets way too insane with the crazy people. Not just cyclists, but runners, skateboarders, roller bladers, etc. If you follow the rule to go out early, drivers are rarely an issue. And it is much easier to see (or hear) a car than a roller blader.

I am near Buckeye, relocated from Atlanta in May, and have hooked up with the West Valley Cycle (www.westvalleycycle.net) group ride on Saturday mornings. If you are into the group grope, there are typically 50+with A, B, and C groups. The course is all roads and fairly well laid out with respect to cross traffic.

i liked riding along the canals.... Drivers there are horrible,stay away from them they are out to kill you ! But there are lots of places to ride and as others said the bike community is great

There are some great rides in Scottsdale, Fountain Hills and North Phoenix.

Lots of excellent cycling throughout Scottsdale & Paradise Valley. Can't wait to get back!

Someone mentioned South Mountain - rode the Turkey Day ride last year. An awesome ride.

Lived there for 14 years. I rediscovered cycling there. I never had any issues w/ drivers when I commuted to work. Road cycling happens all over, but I did notice a larger concentration around the Ahwatukee area and around North Scottsdale. If you mountain bike (or considering to get into it), they have top notch trails there and in many other parts of the state. MTB night riding was super popular (and fun!) in the summer time. After having lived there for 14 years, I would say that if you're going to live somewhere in the metro PHX area, I would say that Tempe, N. Chandler are the best places, although your decision might be influenced about where your office is located since the metro area is huge. Whatever you do, choose to live close to work or bike-commuting distance (5-10 miles.)