Kittydew

Hi there! I live in FL and bike regularly, (average 80 miles a week) mostly on bike trails in my area. (My area of FL is not very bike friendly, I rarely ride on the roads much, but we have a great "rail to trail" set up here). I just learned about a possible job opportunity that would mean a move to Nashville. This is still in the VERY early "look into" stage, but my first thought was "What's biking like in Nashville? Are there good road trails?". So I thought I'd ask. I'm a FL native, have never lived anywhere else though have traveled a lot. Would love to just hear a bit about the area. Also, is it hilly? That would take some getting used to! :-)

Anyway, thanks for any info/tips about Nashville, it will help with the decision making process, if the job possibility becomes serious!

Kitty

dhffhd

I'm a road biker, lots of places to ride here; Natchez Trace Parkway is very popular, along with numerous country road rides. Don't do any mountain biking myself, but we have two big parks, Percy Warner and Edwin Warner, that I understand have mountain biking trails. Check out Harpeth Bike Club website https://www.harpethbikeclub.com/, they have lots of organized rides. Lot of hills around here, but most of the grades aren't too bad, you'll adapt quickly.

bbeck

areas around nashville can be great to ride. there are plenty of road designated bike routes. some are good some not so. Natchez trace is beautiful and there will be plenty of hills to train on and a few mountains not too far.

Kittydew

Thanks guys! Don't know if this will pan out, but I like to be prepared, especially with something as important to me as my biking!
Kitty

RonH

Nashville is a LOT colder than the Tampa area so you'd also have to invest in cold weather riding gear and winter gear for your bike (tires, fenders, etc.).

Kittydew

Quote: Nashville is a LOT colder than the Tampa area so you'd also have to invest in cold weather riding gear and winter gear for your bike (tires, fenders, etc.).

Ouch, how cold is cold? I am pretty thin skinned, being a happy FL native and all, so what are winters like there (good thing I'm getting a trainer too!)

shelbyfv

Snow and ice are rare but temps go into the teens off and on for a couple of months. If you can ride in the high 30's, low 40's you can ride some most weeks. When I lived in Pensacola my winter riding cutoff was 50 degrees but 40 here doesn't feel that much different. Lack of humidity? Don't know. The hills will require more of an adjustment than the weather.

ridgerider

I was in Nashville for a short vacation last month. I didn't see many roadies on the city streets. I was staying downtown and was able to put together about a 35 mile out-and-back route to Percy Priest Lake using the greenway system. I'm normally not a greenway rider, but in an unfamiliar locale, it's nice to be away from traffic on a route with limited turns. There were plenty of riders of all stripes on the greenway.

dellwilson

I grew up in Franklin which is about 15mi south of Nashville. Williamson County is beautiful and I loved riding there. There are some good hills to climb; Berry's Chapel and North Berry's Chapel are two good ones. I used to ride a loop across Berry's Chapel, up Hillsboro Road, across Old Hickory to Brentwood, and back down Franklin Road. I could hit my girlfriend's and grandmother's houses on that loop. Great place to ride. Of course, that was a long time ago.

parabrand

For what it is worth, I grew up in South Florida and did undergraduate work at FSU. I moved up to Nashville and then Knoxville and have not looked back.

I will second the comment by the individual above about the Natchez Trace Parkway and the Warner Park System. There is also a small greenway system downtown that extends outward. The Parkway is the one thing I miss the most about Nashville; an "endless" road with a low speed limit and mild traffic.

I was always very pleased with the cycling in Nashville. If I recall correctly, there is a book titled "Bicycling in Middle Tennessee." There is a plenitude of information in that book.

chrisvu05

Grew up outside of Pensacola. Biking is 1000 times better in Nashville even with the few cold months in the winter. I hate riding in the cold and still ride pretty much mid February to December.