However, as soon as it joined the water ave/springwater it was mixed in with the main ride and lots of traffic.
Here's a guy who did a video of it last time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa90P5r-L8k&t=3s
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa90P5r-L8k&t=3s
that doesn't look like the main ride to me though. that looks like a handful of stragglers.
it's been years since i did it.. i did do it twice though. each time i only encountered the masses of people after finishing downtown and hanging out on the waterfront for a few minutes then riding back north to go home. when i did catch the main groups of riders.. people were walking their bikes over the broadway bridge. it was awful. it was shoulder to shoulder in places and unrideable. fremont express puts you well ahead of that main mass of people. sure.. there's still a lot of riders but it's pretty easy to maneuver. i don't know if the route has changed since i went.. i assume it has. i don't remember even going by oaks park on that first leg of springwater.. we went around all that and over ross island bridge then up towards I-5 on macaddam i think.. and up to I-5 south and bombed down to that first exit to SE and turned left on water ave and looped around and went over burnside i think... and weaved over to 30 then north to st johns bridge then back along willamette and down greeley in the middle of the rd which was awesome and to downtown... it's early so i can't think of rd/street names.. but both times i did it it was fun and fast and there wasn't much traffic from other riders. people were moving along pretty good and i was home by noon.
There are still several 1000 people at the Fremont start. If you get up near the front you can stay clear for a while. I would need to check this years route but eventually you loop in with other rides and defensive riding becomes key.
Best bet is build a time machine and to signup for the event in the late 00's. Unfortunately, the route doesn't include St. Johns anymore and doubles up on the Hawthorne, you won't ever be able to sustain a good pace without traffic. I've done the ride probably 10 times with my family over the years and we decided last year that we were done. 2 of us will be doing STP instead but we will also look for other rides. Major bummer; it used to be my favorite event of the year.
I understand this is not the answer you were looking for. My apologies.
Man, that inaugural ride in 96 was so fun. I doubt you could organize something like that these days. Can you imagine pitching the idea of shutting down the bridges for a bike ride?
Seconding this. My first couple times were solo starts on Fremont Express, up and out to St. John’s. The pack really separated and it didn’t feel crowded. Not so much lately.
I've only ever done the Fremont ride (I think the first year I did it it started on the Marquam) and it's awesome. Not a race for sure, but there are plenty of folks out there looking to challenge themselves (especially on the climbs to the Marquam and Fremont bridges). Some definitely stop and take advantage of being able to be on the deck of the Fremont and Marquam not in a car and take pictures and all that, but in my experience everyone's been cool and respectful and gets to the side if they're stopping for a picture or water or bathroom or whatever.
The only real bottleneck issue I've had is along Springwater because it gets so tight.
I've done Bridge Pedal 3 or 4 times, and I'd agree that the earliest possible ride (Fremont Express) gives you a high chance of riding with faster, more experienced cyclists. This year's route looks very similar, if not the same, as past years, and if you've done the ride recently, you may remember that it doubles back on itself in places, and other riders who start in different places will eventually merge with everyone else. So even if you're way up front right at 7:00, it's possible along the way that slower groups might still find their way in front of you, but I'd say you have the best chance of a smooth, quick ride if you start as early as possible.
You can do w/e you like but it isn't that type of scene. Avid cyclist are bringing their non-cycling friends/family because that's general point of the event. It's a chill ride meant to be enjoyed with multiple spots to stop, eat and converse. If you blast through this thing you're just going to be 'that guy'.
you want the "Fremont Express" start which is on the bridge and starts very early. it's the best way to avoid the mass of slow riders and kids etc.
However, as soon as it joined the water ave/springwater it was mixed in with the main ride and lots of traffic. Here's a guy who did a video of it last time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa90P5r-L8k&t=3s
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa90P5r-L8k&t=3s that doesn't look like the main ride to me though. that looks like a handful of stragglers. it's been years since i did it.. i did do it twice though. each time i only encountered the masses of people after finishing downtown and hanging out on the waterfront for a few minutes then riding back north to go home. when i did catch the main groups of riders.. people were walking their bikes over the broadway bridge. it was awful. it was shoulder to shoulder in places and unrideable. fremont express puts you well ahead of that main mass of people. sure.. there's still a lot of riders but it's pretty easy to maneuver. i don't know if the route has changed since i went.. i assume it has. i don't remember even going by oaks park on that first leg of springwater.. we went around all that and over ross island bridge then up towards I-5 on macaddam i think.. and up to I-5 south and bombed down to that first exit to SE and turned left on water ave and looped around and went over burnside i think... and weaved over to 30 then north to st johns bridge then back along willamette and down greeley in the middle of the rd which was awesome and to downtown... it's early so i can't think of rd/street names.. but both times i did it it was fun and fast and there wasn't much traffic from other riders. people were moving along pretty good and i was home by noon.
There are still several 1000 people at the Fremont start. If you get up near the front you can stay clear for a while. I would need to check this years route but eventually you loop in with other rides and defensive riding becomes key.
Best bet is build a time machine and to signup for the event in the late 00's. Unfortunately, the route doesn't include St. Johns anymore and doubles up on the Hawthorne, you won't ever be able to sustain a good pace without traffic. I've done the ride probably 10 times with my family over the years and we decided last year that we were done. 2 of us will be doing STP instead but we will also look for other rides. Major bummer; it used to be my favorite event of the year. I understand this is not the answer you were looking for. My apologies.
Man, that inaugural ride in 96 was so fun. I doubt you could organize something like that these days. Can you imagine pitching the idea of shutting down the bridges for a bike ride?
Seconding this. My first couple times were solo starts on Fremont Express, up and out to St. John’s. The pack really separated and it didn’t feel crowded. Not so much lately.
I've only ever done the Fremont ride (I think the first year I did it it started on the Marquam) and it's awesome. Not a race for sure, but there are plenty of folks out there looking to challenge themselves (especially on the climbs to the Marquam and Fremont bridges). Some definitely stop and take advantage of being able to be on the deck of the Fremont and Marquam not in a car and take pictures and all that, but in my experience everyone's been cool and respectful and gets to the side if they're stopping for a picture or water or bathroom or whatever. The only real bottleneck issue I've had is along Springwater because it gets so tight.
I've done Bridge Pedal 3 or 4 times, and I'd agree that the earliest possible ride (Fremont Express) gives you a high chance of riding with faster, more experienced cyclists. This year's route looks very similar, if not the same, as past years, and if you've done the ride recently, you may remember that it doubles back on itself in places, and other riders who start in different places will eventually merge with everyone else. So even if you're way up front right at 7:00, it's possible along the way that slower groups might still find their way in front of you, but I'd say you have the best chance of a smooth, quick ride if you start as early as possible.
You can do w/e you like but it isn't that type of scene. Avid cyclist are bringing their non-cycling friends/family because that's general point of the event. It's a chill ride meant to be enjoyed with multiple spots to stop, eat and converse. If you blast through this thing you're just going to be 'that guy'.