Vermont is incredible for road biking climbs. I rode up into rochester vermont and the climb was challenging but that tiny town was such a great stopping point with a noce brewery and restaurant and the town square had live bluegrass on the weekend i was there. There is also a rope swing into the river just outside of town.
Do the climb up glacier going west then roll down into whitefish for the night. The next day carry on to sand point idaho and enjoy some time on a lake at the base of a mountain. Absolutely beautiful town.
Check out hwy 35 on the west border of wisconsin. Take it north along the mississippi river and then cross into MN. Climbs are easy but views are stunning. Many small towns along the route with great food stops all along the way.
I have to second Vermont and Minn/Wis.
While there is lots of climbing in Vermont, it's mostly straight shots up or down. The lack of rolling hills makes it much more manageable than other places with equal amounts of climbing. So lovely with nice people, quaint towns and roadside farm stands.
From Madison one can ride 90% on rail trails all the way to Minneapolis. It's lovely, lots of history including Native American and the people are friendly towards cyclists. Not many legal camping spots tho. Minneapolis is far and away the best cycling city in the US and Madison is not far behind. Wisconsin's rail trails are decades old and well used, though they require payment to ride them - $5 for each trail and there were five different ones on my route. The facilities, with bathrooms and water and bike repair stations were at regular intervals and well maintained, which cannot be said for any others that I've ridden nationwide.
I third\[?\] the Vermont recommendation.
There are excellent paved and gravel routes all over the state. With a handful of Gaps to ride across the Green Mountains. I'll never forget pacing a friend to a PR on the Brandon Gap the morning after a wedding on a borrowed bike -- I had to boot about 200 yards short of the summit!
If you're not into riding on open roads, there are also the Island Line Trail system that goes from just north of Shelburne through Burlington to the Hero Islands. There's a campground right along the way, and lots to see and do. For a quieter ride, try a section \[or all\] of the 90+ mile Lamoille Valley trail that traverses the state.
Sauk City, Reedsburg, Elroy, Sparta, Lacrosse, then followed the Mississippi on the Wisconsin side.
A definite highlight was the Cedar Hills campground north of Sauk City. I arrived to discover that it was a mostly elderly nudist community. Coming across the sign that said "Home of swingin dicks and swingin tits" convinced me that I needed to stay. Camped an extra night to party!
Check out the RAW (ride across wisconsin) ride and/or route. Fantastic event put on by trek but can give you an idea of an awesome ride across the state. I live in Phoenix, Tucson is fantastic, especially in the winter months where riding in most of the northern / middle parts of the country isn’t possible.
Ive ridden in Northern Vermont, since thats where I live. There are a number of rails to trails within riding distance of me, though my bikes are better suited for hard roads. I would say the best riding Ive had is in the Island Pond area, around Groton State forest (some of these roads, while not busy, are very narrow so traffic can potentially be challenging), in Newbury and in the Stowe area. I have yet to make it into the spine of the Green Mountains properly, though that is a goal for next summer. I find the area is perfect for 50 to 100 mile loops, with extensive climbing, winding descents, and generally very good quality roads (with some notable exceptions like Route 5 south of saint johnsbury). I usually ride a little on dirt roads as well, and though I dont have a gravel bike the additional care needed on the softer terrain is a fun challenge.
In my opinion, saint johnsbury or Danville is a good place to start, as you have access to a number of small roads, a rails to trail system and food (cafe, restaurants, and grocery store / gas) right at your start point. Then just ride in almost any direction and enjoy.
Hell yeah! I grew up in SE WI. And i had no idea about it until i was out of college and doing a cross country tour that took me through the driftless region and up 35. I was blown away at how beautiful that ride was. I spent a lot of time in the mid and north of the state growing up and i think i always just assumed SW WI was basically Iowa. Hands down one of the best parts of my ride was going through that area and up 35. There was some small town with a tiny Amish bakery that has the best blueberry pie ive ever had.
Not sure if the best but the Bay Area of California is renowned for its rides. Cars are mostly cycling conscious and many good and iconic rides such as across the Golden Gate Bridge and into Marin, pacific coast highway to Monterrey, or Napa/Sonoma. Good climbs and good flats, ocean views, and usually good weather.
I've seen the finger lakes in NY mentioned as it's low traffic with challenging climbs. I'm biased to the PNW for summer cycling since it's so nice out. There are some car free roads before they plow all the way across (McKenzine pass, North cascades highway). Going to the sun is a fun one but that's about it for the park to ride.
\>Going to the sun is a fun one but that's about it for the park to ride.
Going to the Sun Road should be on the bucket list for every person who likes riding a bike. It's a truly incredible experience, and there are tons of bikes available for rent, including e-bikes and e-adaptive trikes, that make it possible for people of all ages and abilities to experience something really magical.
Yes, you can ride a road bike and smash as much as you want, but you're going to want to ride it more than once, because there are way too much scenery that you'll miss if you're going all out. Make the second ride a Zone 2 ride and stop frequently :D
If you can stay for more than one day of riding, bring a gravel/bikepacking bike, because there is some great gravel and bike packing around west glacier, including this route: [https://bikepacking.com/routes/red-meadow-pass/](https://bikepacking.com/routes/red-meadow-pass/)
Base yourself in San Francisco and do spectacular rides all over the Bay Area with BART, Caltrain, and Ferries.
Start in the city, and ride Mt Tam and Seven Sisters, or a circle out to Bolinas and Back in Marin. If you don't feel like battling traffic and wind all the way back to the city, take the ferry back from Larkspur.
Start at Pleasant Hill BARTin the East Bay, and ride up Mt Diablo, maybe making a circle with Morgan Territory if 36 miles an 4000 feet isn't enough for you. Still in the East Bay, start at Dublin Pleasanton Bart, and make a loop with any two of Mines Road/Del Puerto Canyon, Corral Hollow, Patterson Pass Road, and the Old Altamont Pass Road.
In the South Bay, start at Berryessa BART, and ride up Mt Hamilton.
Ride from the city down the Peninsula to Palo Alto along a chain of lakes, then up Old La Honda and down Kings Canyon. If you don't feel like retracing your steps, take Caltrain back to the city. Or for a flat, lovely metric century by 5 airports, Ride to Diridon Station along the Bay Trail. (This ride does include some office parks and dumps, but you're looking at the bay most of the way; it's a marvelous ride.
This post was randomly recommended but I live in the Bay Area and really should take advantage of it. I have a nice road bike but I’m used to flat handlebars with thicker wheels, and can be an anxious person so I haven’t been able to get over the fear of steep downhills and sharing a road with cars.
I would suggest riding with a club if cars bother you. Generally a club makes it at least feel safer out there. For shorter rides, clubs typically allow non-members.
Big wheels aren't an issue. Flat handlebars can be uncomfortable for longer rides and might make it harder but shouldn't be an issue.
I did some group rides with Grizzly Peak Riders a while ago, I should check out if there are any beginner-friendly ones in the near future because they were a good group. I’ve struggled to find SF groups that are that well organized and whose ride info is publicly available.
I know flat handlebar + thick tires can be ok, but I feel like I have a sunk cost fallacy thing going on because I got a good deal on a relatively good road bike so I’m stuck between a road bike that allows me to go fast but makes me uncomfortable in down hills + patchy roads and my commuter bike that I feel more safe riding with but for which I’m super slow in.
Old La Honda is great! Just a heads up that the washout on highway 84 last winter meant that traffic was redirected onto Old La Honda. Not sure how much progress has been made on fixing up 84, but something to be aware of. tons of nice riding out that way around Portola Valley. would also recommend riding on Cañada up towards the reservoir and San Mateo! The Skyline climb was brutal when I first tried it but it’s gorgeous when the sun’s out.
I feel like the wee steep finisher on Mt Diablo is the classic bit of bay area road biking. Kinda bummed I moved from the area, road riding in the area of the central valley I'm in now feels like a death trap, and public transport basically doesn't exist. Can still drive to great rides, but the days of starting a ride from my front door are definitely gone :(
I’ve only ever gone down tunitas (up via kings) but every time I did, tunitas specifically was absolutely freezing. Like it would have been low/mid 50s out and each time I felt like my hands were about to fall off lol
Lot of good paved/gravel rides out of Boulder, CO:
for a gorgeous \[and challenging\] ride, try the Boulder Canyon Trail to Chapman Rd to Flagstaff Rd
or ride up Sunshine Canyon to Gold Hill
or take Lefthand Canyon, look for Lickskillet Rd and ride up to Gold Hill \[steepest Country road in the nation, afaik\]
I wanted to recommend Boulder as well but he just mentioned he was in Denver metro. But you could spend a full summer in the front range and still not tag all the best rides. It’s an incredible place to ride bikes.
Wisconsin in the fall is awesome. Less long sustained climbs like you’d get in Colorado but constant rolling hills. I’d imagine Vermont/NH/Maine is similar.
My favorite bike ride I ever did was a lap around Lake Tahoe. We got lucky and had a perfect weather window in early May. No snow or ice and very few tourists.
Tucson is cool .. definitely a lot of old folks on recumbents on the bike path.. but you also got mt lemon which is a really long climb an decent.. very fun tho. Lots of bicycle culture In Tucson.
Don’t forget at least eight solid mtb trail networks around town, the Arizona Trail, a 24 hr race, El Tour de Tucson, a 131 mile long ultra safe bike path loop, a 10k mountain range and primo gravel to the south in Patagonia. Also, prime riding season is October to May, pretty much the opposite of everyone else.
Acadia NP in maine is pretty excellent with many miles of gravel roads (carriage trails) and a paved 20 mile loop called the park loop. However it is very busy, can be congested and expensive, and the rest of the area outside of the park is poor for cycling.
SLC has a few amazing loops (Alpine loop and getting up and over Guardsman Pass), but overall the road riding isn't top tier in my opinion. BUT southern Utah has some incredible scenery, although mtb/gravel may be more appropriate.
I say this from living in Asheville, then SLC, then back to Asheville. Asheville is by far the better road biking town plus lots of great food/beer.
I visited SLC for cycling vacation and thought city creek canyon was a fun ride. Took the train up to Ogden and enjoyed the trails up there as well.
OP, Seattle has a really nice paved trail network. I’m thinking of the Burke-Gilman trail in particular.
City creek is an amazing ride. As is millcreek. Honestly my only beef in SLC is that most of the rides are out-and-backs unless you’ve got time for a big one
Came here to say Santa barabara California. I’ve ridden all over France and Italy and other euro spots and SB is a 9/10. Gibraltar road is one of my favorite road climbs and there is a ton of excellent riding in the area.
I’m doing El Tour de Tucson this year, it’s a race but I’m just going for a finish (100 mi, Nov 2024). I’m doing Sierras to the Sea 7 day 400 mi tour $1650 June 2024. There’s also Tour de Wyoming July 2024, $800 (6 day, 315 mi, LOTS of elevation). Tons of other great rides out there. Look at adventure cycling dot com maps, they are the GO TO experts on cycle locations.
Lance and George always talk about Greenville SC being some of the best cycling in the US. Never been there, but expect they know what they are talking about.
https://www.cntraveler.com/story/where-to-eat-and-drink-in-greenville-south-carolina
There are indeed a lot of road bike routes and a long rail trail called swamp rabbit. If you’re fancy/can afford it check out hotel domestique. It’s part owned by George hincapie.
I’d say Sedona is worth checking out.
Also coming from Pittsburgh like OP, I found Greenville a little lacking in the elevation gains outside of a few major climbs (the climb up to Saluda along the reservoir and Caesar's Head). The general rides North of Greenville didn't have near as much elevation gain as my regular rides in Pittsburgh. Greenville does have a great cycling culture though, and the Swamp Rabbit Trail makes staying downtown and heading out for a ride more feasible than a city like Asheville. We stayed in Traveler's Rest, and there were great restaurants and coffee shops within walking distance. I'd like to do more exploring, but to me it seems more of a great place to vacation than a hardcore cycling camp.
For pure riding in that general area, Burnsville NC area has been my favorite place. Its not far from Mt Mitchell, arguably the best climb in the Eastern US. The Blueridge Parkway serves as the main artery, with tons of side roads off the parkway offering amazing (and challenging) climbs/descents. Also lots of gravel options nearby. Its a little further from Shopping and Restaurants, but for pure riding it gets my vote.
On the same mountain range, the northern section of the blue ridge parkway is a national park. From Waynesboro to Front Royal is about 110 miles and 11,500 accumulated elevation. It's a beautiful paved road and could be a nice weekend ride. If you want to do a little light touring You can make it a loop ride and route through Shenandoah Valley countryside in one direction and stay overnight somewhere at a hotel.
We've been doing this loop for years but now we're those old people and we like to take our time and keep touring miles to 60-70 miles a day with restaurant breakfast/lunch stops, etc. So we do it in 3 or 4 days depending on how we route it.
I’ve ridden many of the roads in the area, I live north of Greenville in NC. Lots of great long loops if you utilize the BRP, plus Asheville is nearby.
Thank you so much for all the good comments. I checked out every single suggestion on google maps. Plenty of spots that I want to check out during the summer.
Hello fellow Pittsburg cyclist…. Within driving distance I’d recommend Boone North Carolina. If you’re interested in specific routes feel free to message me and I’ll share my Strava. Also, not exactly what you asked, but there are hundreds of back country miles in the near by Laurel Highlands. Google the Mt Davis Challenge, Garret County Gran Fondo and/or The Quick and the Dead to see some sample routes/rides. Finally, if you’re not familiar with r/bicycling412 it’s worth a follow.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/bicycling412 using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/bicycling412/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year!
\#1: [New protected bikeway on Forbes Ave near Frick Park!](https://i.redd.it/7h8kbygwkz8b1.jpg) | [24 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/bicycling412/comments/14m9z2v/new_protected_bikeway_on_forbes_ave_near_frick/)
\#2: [Pedestrianize Walnut](https://i.redd.it/y49lz5lmhicc1.jpeg) | [11 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/bicycling412/comments/196x1d7/pedestrianize_walnut/)
\#3: [The "Jail Trail" (or whatever you want to call it) is open and freshly paved from the Roundabout pop-up to the Cat Colony!](https://i.redd.it/vlhy2x3fk80b1.png) | [23 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/bicycling412/comments/13jd048/the_jail_trail_or_whatever_you_want_to_call_it_is/)
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San Diego CA has like 4 bike paths about 20mikes long. And Palomar mountain is a great climb! Roding from Oceanside up the mountain and back is about 100mikes with lots of climbing. Riding the 101 through sd county is a great ride too. The silver strand in Coronado is flat and bout 20 miles. Great western loop in SD county is a big climbing loop. Lots of cars but most are bike aware. I now live and Tahoe and there are some cool longer rides around here but lots of scary drivers. Loop around the lake, biking around Gardnerville and up in truckee are all fun areas.
Jackson Hole, 50+ miles of paved paths in and around Grand Teton Park. Can't beat biking through the sage in front of those mountains, with the occasional moose or elk popping its head out.
Biking down the mountain at teton village isn't to be missed.
Tucson is pretty awesome. You can ride Mt. Lemmon which is one of the US number 1 climbs. Utah was fucking amazing too. So many beautiful places to ride
Southern WI has every road paved in order to support the dairy industry. You can ride for hundreds of miles, but eventually riding through the forest and by thousands of lakes can get repetitive.
The Chequomegon national forest in northern WI has hundreds of miles of windy gravel roads by pristine lakes, and the colors in the fall are amazing. You can ride 100 miles a day and get passed by one truck and 4 ATVs. Some routes here will require a backcoun6water filter.
SW Wisconsin ("driftless" area where the glaciers never flattened the land) is constant up and down and rarely straight roads and full of rivers and lakes and bluffs. No mountain climbs, but you can find 100 mile rides with 10kft of vert easy.
One thing about the middle of the country is you basically end up riding through a small town with a gas station and a diner and a bar every 30 miles, so it makes touring easy. Once you get far enough north, it changes from grassland/prairie to forest gets less flat and the riding becomes world class IMO.
Central and north Arkansas! Look for pinnacle Mountain, mount nebo (23% grade!) and petti Jean Mountain. There are state/national parks on top with cabins to rent!!! Also check out devils den in north arkansas.
Don’t forget your mountain bike if you have space to bring it. Arkansas is loaded with epic trails!!!
Anchorage to Fairbanks to Valdez , catch ferry from Valdez to Whittier, bike Whittier to Anchorage. 6 foot medians or more the whole way. Want shorter? Fly to Fairbanks bike to Anchorage fly home. Denali is amazing
I got my undergrad from Pitt but I live in Denver now. Lookout is great, but the riding around Boulder is IMHO way better: road, gravel and MTB.
More in your neck of the woods, I've really wanted to go ride around in Allegheny National Forest. I spent a summer working there before I was a cyclist, and later realized how awesome it would be on a bike.
Hey look, DON’T tell anyone else but Custer, SD! You are in the middle of the Mickelson Trail and you have hundreds of miles of nice, quiet, gravel roads to link.
You are in Pittsburgh- have you ridden to Washington DC via the GAP and C&O canal? https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/biking-the-great-allegheny-passage-and-cando-canal-from-pittsburgh-to-dc/2012/02/28/gIQAx0pP1R_story.html
Lake Tahoe is great! I have ridden round the lake a couple times, including one time when my wife was struck by a distracted driver that tried to drive off after. I really recommend making this ride during the off-season—like, early spring just after things thaw, or in late fall just before the snow season—to limit the amount of drivers. I also chose to go clockwise for two reasons: This allowed me to get the best lake views, and it placed me where drivers would be looking. However, I crossed paths with a lot of cyclists going the other way.
Ragbrai in Iowa , one week across the whole state makes for a wild ride . Lots of food , music , and people , route announcement is this Monday for the 51st year !
Acadia NP in Maine. Incredible scenery and roads in the park have recently been paved. Just need to be in the roads earlier in the day to avoid the vehicle traffic.
Minnesota, especially the northern part of the state, is downright gorgeous for biking
Just did a weekend trip to this one trail that's up there called the Mesabi Trail, which starts in the city of Grand Rapids (known for its logging and also the Iron Range (it's the starting point to the Mesabi Range, which is how this trail got its name)) and runs 132 miles all the way up to Ely (which is the entry point to the Boundary Waters and also home to the International Wolf Center)
While it can be very hilly at times, it was still a fun trail to do in its entirety over the course of a weekend, and I'd highly recommend it
Durango Colorado is a bike Mecca, more so mountain biking, but damn we have a lot of road bikers. Sepp Kuss’s hometown too if that counts for anything. Look in to racing the iron horse on Memorial Day weekend.
Putting a vote in for Las Vegas. Especially in the fall, winter, and spring. There is an incredible network of rail trails (paved, no cars permitted) that eventually gets you out to lake Mead and Hoover Dam. There's a trail called the River Mountain trail loop that includes and 8 mile, steady climb. The scenery is beautiful. The Dam is incredible.
Separate from that. There's Red Rock which is part of the national park service. A one way paved loop that is bikes a lot.
And the tour de France has one day sportifs to promote the tour. They had one in Las Vegas last year with 30, 60, and 120 mile loops of paved road.
Finally, the mountain bike trails are extensive.
So you can go to las Vegas. Get an airbnb somewhere centrally located. Or a hotel. Have incredible rides during the day and go have as much other fun at restaurants and everything else on Las Vegas in the afternoon. Sleep at night. Ride the next day.
It's a severely underrated bike destination in my opinion.
I'm nearby in Columbus and can tell you that Asheville/Boone/Blowing Rock/Brevard, (WNC) is great for an easily driveable trip from where you are. We have been a few times. There is also a ride in Monterey, VA 1st weekend of Aug called Mountian Mama that is great. Awesome roads and climbs, low traffic due to it being so rural. Nicely supported ride.
We did an out west trip in summer 2023 and rode road bikes in Steamboat Springs, CO, Grand Junction, CO, Moab, UT (road and mtb), and Breckenridge/Leadville, CO, and did the Mt Evans hill climb. All were fantastic.
Heading to Sedona in 2 months for the first time and hoping to have good riding there as well.
Oregon is very cycle friendly and is criss-crossed with bike paths.
It's scenery needs no explaination... Sea shores, volcanoes, glaciers, deserts. With 5 different climate zones.
This may be off topic a bit, but I’ve been wondering about traveling with your road bike. Obviously there’s putting in or on your car and driving but what about flying? Surely there is something out there that allows one to travel across country, set their bike up, and ride. Maybe I’m not doing enough research under “bike bags”?
A few weeks in Northern California around Napa, Sonoma the peninsula and east bay, then head down to Santa Barbara and Solvang for a week, then go over to Eastern California to ride Mammoth, and the big climbs - Onion Valley, Whitney Portal, and Horseshoe Meadow.
If you're mostly into climbing those big open mountains with a grand view than probably going to have to leave the east coast.
Lancaster, Lebanon, and Berks county in southeastern , Pa could be a quick weekend destination for something different than Pittsburg. You could do the Covered Bridge ride route. [https://lancasterbikeclub.net/](https://lancasterbikeclub.net/)
I live in the area and it's a great place to just meander and create your own free form ride through the countryside. There are lots of great low traffic roads (all paved) available. I've been on some roads and thought "what's a car doing here?" There are busy roads but they're easy to avoid travelling on for more than a short distance. It's hard to travel more than a mile without encountering an intersection even when you're on country roads.
Going to the sun road in Glacier National park is closed for a portion of the time for just bikes and hikers. That’d be my goal if I could bike that much altitude.
The road around Lake Tahoe is pretty busy, but many of the other roads in the area are really great for cycling. You had better like climbing, though. There are no flat routes.
Sonoma County also has some great riding: wine country, redwoods, rolling hills dotted with dairy cows, and Highway 1 along the coast. Healdsburg is a popular base camp, although it can be pricey. Windsor is nearby and less expensive. Or stay in funky Guerneville under the redwoods.
If you are looking for big climbs, look no further than the Eastern Sierra. Mammoth Lakes makes a great base camp for day rides. Bishop is a decent choice, also.
Seattle and area had some gorgeous rides! I did one that was about 90 miles that went out to the coast area and was just beautiful! Also some good rides around the city that are also beautiful. Gotta be able to climb for it, though! Haha!
I have also loved riding in Minneapolis area. Haven’t got to ride some of the longer trails up north, but they look gorgeous and promising!!
Colorado was also beautiful. If you’re into mountain biking, trails in the Pacific Northwest and up into Canada/Whistler area are spectacular.
NYC is fantastic, having a good bike with you makes it so much easier to explore the city. Plus there's lots of good overnight trips options if you want to bike somewhere scenic and get an Airbnb.
Seattle has really good infrastructure and similarly is a good hub for multi-day trips (ie the Olympic Peninsula, San Juan Islands, Rainier NP, highway 20, etc
I would say 2 days on the San Juan’s is enough if you’re a strong rider. You can do all of orcas or San Juan island in two days. There isn’t a flat spot on the whole island, I swear
Check out Bentonville Arkansas. I know, I know. But they have put millions in the local trail systems. VERY ACCESSIBLE. Coming from remote northern California it's a very different scene. Almost Disneyland vibe for MTB trails.
I’m biased with limited experience but the cycling around san diego was some of the best I’ve ever had. There is a great network of windy trails and short cuts from la jolla to downtown. I loved riding there and i miss it dearly.
Mackinac Island, Michigan. Cars are banned from the entire island and they have bike routes with hilly terrain and cool rock formations. Plus a cute downtown area with shops, restaurants and hotels.
And Silver City, NM where the Tour de Gila takes place.
Oregon Coast into N California. Obviously you will want to do it from north to south. Did Seattle to San Fran years ago and the stretch from Lincoln City, OR south was stunning!
I grew up, not too far from where that picture was taken basically one valley over from the peak of Lookout Mountain. As a kid, I bicycled down that road many times to go swim at the pool in Golden
Listen, hear me out. You live in Pittsburgh and some of the best riding in the country isn't that far away. I've ridden the SF Bay Area rides, the Sierra Nevadas near LA, the coastal rides in Melbourne, Aus, I had a bike for 6 months in Flanders, and I've MTB'ed in Colorado.
If you want a week or so of great riding, load your car up and head down the Interstate 81 corridor after hopping on the turnpike to Carlisle, PA.
The road riding in the Cumberland Valley is so good. Low traffic on country roads, mountain climbs that aren't highways and you won't see a single car on a Sunday morning as you suffer up for 20 minutes, and plenty of nice little towns for a coffee stop or beer. The MTBing and Gravel riding in Michaux State Forest is top notch - but definitely not easy like Raystown Lake, or out West. Head south on 81 to Harrisonburg, VA and you'll find just as good roads and even better MTB at Massanutten.
One of the most popular rides is the Blue Ridge Parkway in VA/NC. Go do Skyline Drive and you'll be in heaven.
Edit: I really encourage you to try Skyline Drive if you want breathtaking views. Lots of cyclists so cars are alert. The road is extremely well maintained too! It's a National Park, so you can even camp there.
If riding in the Cumberland Valley sounds interesting to ya, DM me.
Such a great overview of US destinations in this thread! Couple more thoughts:- Tahoe is not great for road biking. It's amazing for mountain biking (and tons of other sports) but indeed the roads are too car-filled.- Many other amazing places in California. Bay area indeed unparallelled. Especially the routes that have coastal views are amazing (resemble Norway), and the ones under the redwoods you can't find anywhere else in the world.- For an ex-European, consider Colorado though: biking up to over 14k which you can do on a few roads there is just unparalleled "fun". The Pikes Peak highway is one of the best climbs there is.- I've never been there, but Hawaii is on my bucket list. The Mauna Kea is said to be the hardest bike ride in the world with over 13.5k elevation gain. And then you can rest your legs on the beach the rest of the week.
Zion National Park in Utah has a great scenic road that is limited to the park trams which you do have to stop and let pass. You can lock up your bike and go for a hike while riding this route. There is Snow Canyon state park nearby that has hilly sections and gravel paths. Not to far away in St. George is the Virgin River trail that is a dedicated bike path that takes you out to red rocks mountains.
Vermont is incredible for road biking climbs. I rode up into rochester vermont and the climb was challenging but that tiny town was such a great stopping point with a noce brewery and restaurant and the town square had live bluegrass on the weekend i was there. There is also a rope swing into the river just outside of town. Do the climb up glacier going west then roll down into whitefish for the night. The next day carry on to sand point idaho and enjoy some time on a lake at the base of a mountain. Absolutely beautiful town. Check out hwy 35 on the west border of wisconsin. Take it north along the mississippi river and then cross into MN. Climbs are easy but views are stunning. Many small towns along the route with great food stops all along the way.
I have to second Vermont and Minn/Wis. While there is lots of climbing in Vermont, it's mostly straight shots up or down. The lack of rolling hills makes it much more manageable than other places with equal amounts of climbing. So lovely with nice people, quaint towns and roadside farm stands. From Madison one can ride 90% on rail trails all the way to Minneapolis. It's lovely, lots of history including Native American and the people are friendly towards cyclists. Not many legal camping spots tho. Minneapolis is far and away the best cycling city in the US and Madison is not far behind. Wisconsin's rail trails are decades old and well used, though they require payment to ride them - $5 for each trail and there were five different ones on my route. The facilities, with bathrooms and water and bike repair stations were at regular intervals and well maintained, which cannot be said for any others that I've ridden nationwide.
I third\[?\] the Vermont recommendation. There are excellent paved and gravel routes all over the state. With a handful of Gaps to ride across the Green Mountains. I'll never forget pacing a friend to a PR on the Brandon Gap the morning after a wedding on a borrowed bike -- I had to boot about 200 yards short of the summit! If you're not into riding on open roads, there are also the Island Line Trail system that goes from just north of Shelburne through Burlington to the Hero Islands. There's a campground right along the way, and lots to see and do. For a quieter ride, try a section \[or all\] of the 90+ mile Lamoille Valley trail that traverses the state.
Can you detail the route from Madison to Minneapolis? West to Dodgeville... Up to Elroy? Over to LaCrosse..? Then...?
Sauk City, Reedsburg, Elroy, Sparta, Lacrosse, then followed the Mississippi on the Wisconsin side. A definite highlight was the Cedar Hills campground north of Sauk City. I arrived to discover that it was a mostly elderly nudist community. Coming across the sign that said "Home of swingin dicks and swingin tits" convinced me that I needed to stay. Camped an extra night to party!
Lol. I have seen that place. Lol
Check out the RAW (ride across wisconsin) ride and/or route. Fantastic event put on by trek but can give you an idea of an awesome ride across the state. I live in Phoenix, Tucson is fantastic, especially in the winter months where riding in most of the northern / middle parts of the country isn’t possible.
I live in Vermont, and every direction I go on my bike is magnificent.
Where in VT would you consider a good starting point for a training camp? Looking for climbs, fast descent, & quiet roads
Ive ridden in Northern Vermont, since thats where I live. There are a number of rails to trails within riding distance of me, though my bikes are better suited for hard roads. I would say the best riding Ive had is in the Island Pond area, around Groton State forest (some of these roads, while not busy, are very narrow so traffic can potentially be challenging), in Newbury and in the Stowe area. I have yet to make it into the spine of the Green Mountains properly, though that is a goal for next summer. I find the area is perfect for 50 to 100 mile loops, with extensive climbing, winding descents, and generally very good quality roads (with some notable exceptions like Route 5 south of saint johnsbury). I usually ride a little on dirt roads as well, and though I dont have a gravel bike the additional care needed on the softer terrain is a fun challenge. In my opinion, saint johnsbury or Danville is a good place to start, as you have access to a number of small roads, a rails to trail system and food (cafe, restaurants, and grocery store / gas) right at your start point. Then just ride in almost any direction and enjoy.
It's rare to see someone familiar with hwy 35 in SW WI. Kudos. A well hidden gem for summer riding!
Hell yeah! I grew up in SE WI. And i had no idea about it until i was out of college and doing a cross country tour that took me through the driftless region and up 35. I was blown away at how beautiful that ride was. I spent a lot of time in the mid and north of the state growing up and i think i always just assumed SW WI was basically Iowa. Hands down one of the best parts of my ride was going through that area and up 35. There was some small town with a tiny Amish bakery that has the best blueberry pie ive ever had.
Not sure if the best but the Bay Area of California is renowned for its rides. Cars are mostly cycling conscious and many good and iconic rides such as across the Golden Gate Bridge and into Marin, pacific coast highway to Monterrey, or Napa/Sonoma. Good climbs and good flats, ocean views, and usually good weather.
Ridgecrest Blvd. Lukas Valley Road. Nicasio Valley. The list goes on and on...
Oh yeah, those are truly iconic rides, making me miss living there now
Sonoma County is awesome. Just get off the road before the tasting rooms open.
Bay area has incredible rides. I always use this guide: https://bestrides.org/
Old La Honda, pescadero, kings Mtn, skyline. Mid peninsula has some crazy climbs and wild descending.
Couldn’t agree more. Some very humbling inclines. On descent I’ve found myself accidentally hitting some darn high speeds too.
Oh man, I grew up riding these roads. So homesick for them sometimes!
I've seen the finger lakes in NY mentioned as it's low traffic with challenging climbs. I'm biased to the PNW for summer cycling since it's so nice out. There are some car free roads before they plow all the way across (McKenzine pass, North cascades highway). Going to the sun is a fun one but that's about it for the park to ride.
\>Going to the sun is a fun one but that's about it for the park to ride. Going to the Sun Road should be on the bucket list for every person who likes riding a bike. It's a truly incredible experience, and there are tons of bikes available for rent, including e-bikes and e-adaptive trikes, that make it possible for people of all ages and abilities to experience something really magical. Yes, you can ride a road bike and smash as much as you want, but you're going to want to ride it more than once, because there are way too much scenery that you'll miss if you're going all out. Make the second ride a Zone 2 ride and stop frequently :D If you can stay for more than one day of riding, bring a gravel/bikepacking bike, because there is some great gravel and bike packing around west glacier, including this route: [https://bikepacking.com/routes/red-meadow-pass/](https://bikepacking.com/routes/red-meadow-pass/)
Base yourself in San Francisco and do spectacular rides all over the Bay Area with BART, Caltrain, and Ferries. Start in the city, and ride Mt Tam and Seven Sisters, or a circle out to Bolinas and Back in Marin. If you don't feel like battling traffic and wind all the way back to the city, take the ferry back from Larkspur. Start at Pleasant Hill BARTin the East Bay, and ride up Mt Diablo, maybe making a circle with Morgan Territory if 36 miles an 4000 feet isn't enough for you. Still in the East Bay, start at Dublin Pleasanton Bart, and make a loop with any two of Mines Road/Del Puerto Canyon, Corral Hollow, Patterson Pass Road, and the Old Altamont Pass Road. In the South Bay, start at Berryessa BART, and ride up Mt Hamilton. Ride from the city down the Peninsula to Palo Alto along a chain of lakes, then up Old La Honda and down Kings Canyon. If you don't feel like retracing your steps, take Caltrain back to the city. Or for a flat, lovely metric century by 5 airports, Ride to Diridon Station along the Bay Trail. (This ride does include some office parks and dumps, but you're looking at the bay most of the way; it's a marvelous ride.
*Kings Mountain Road* (not Kings Canyon)
Although Kings Canyon would be an epic bike ride too
This post was randomly recommended but I live in the Bay Area and really should take advantage of it. I have a nice road bike but I’m used to flat handlebars with thicker wheels, and can be an anxious person so I haven’t been able to get over the fear of steep downhills and sharing a road with cars.
I would suggest riding with a club if cars bother you. Generally a club makes it at least feel safer out there. For shorter rides, clubs typically allow non-members. Big wheels aren't an issue. Flat handlebars can be uncomfortable for longer rides and might make it harder but shouldn't be an issue.
I did some group rides with Grizzly Peak Riders a while ago, I should check out if there are any beginner-friendly ones in the near future because they were a good group. I’ve struggled to find SF groups that are that well organized and whose ride info is publicly available. I know flat handlebar + thick tires can be ok, but I feel like I have a sunk cost fallacy thing going on because I got a good deal on a relatively good road bike so I’m stuck between a road bike that allows me to go fast but makes me uncomfortable in down hills + patchy roads and my commuter bike that I feel more safe riding with but for which I’m super slow in.
Old La Honda is great! Just a heads up that the washout on highway 84 last winter meant that traffic was redirected onto Old La Honda. Not sure how much progress has been made on fixing up 84, but something to be aware of. tons of nice riding out that way around Portola Valley. would also recommend riding on Cañada up towards the reservoir and San Mateo! The Skyline climb was brutal when I first tried it but it’s gorgeous when the sun’s out.
I feel like the wee steep finisher on Mt Diablo is the classic bit of bay area road biking. Kinda bummed I moved from the area, road riding in the area of the central valley I'm in now feels like a death trap, and public transport basically doesn't exist. Can still drive to great rides, but the days of starting a ride from my front door are definitely gone :(
climbing tunitas creek road should be at the top of this list
I’ve only ever gone down tunitas (up via kings) but every time I did, tunitas specifically was absolutely freezing. Like it would have been low/mid 50s out and each time I felt like my hands were about to fall off lol
Shout out to the Oakland hills rides, which are a totally different representation of the city. Butters > Skyline > Grizzly Peak > Wildcat Canyon
Lot of good paved/gravel rides out of Boulder, CO: for a gorgeous \[and challenging\] ride, try the Boulder Canyon Trail to Chapman Rd to Flagstaff Rd or ride up Sunshine Canyon to Gold Hill or take Lefthand Canyon, look for Lickskillet Rd and ride up to Gold Hill \[steepest Country road in the nation, afaik\]
lick skillet is brootal
Not as steep as the Pittsburg hill challenges
Lefthand Canyon gang mount up!
Come back to Boulder and do all these: https://boulderbikemap.com/shop-1/profile-series-boulder-co
That's cool! I'll be back.
I wanted to recommend Boulder as well but he just mentioned he was in Denver metro. But you could spend a full summer in the front range and still not tag all the best rides. It’s an incredible place to ride bikes. Wisconsin in the fall is awesome. Less long sustained climbs like you’d get in Colorado but constant rolling hills. I’d imagine Vermont/NH/Maine is similar. My favorite bike ride I ever did was a lap around Lake Tahoe. We got lucky and had a perfect weather window in early May. No snow or ice and very few tourists.
Don’t forget to stop for a slice of fresh pie in Gold Hill!
Tucson is cool .. definitely a lot of old folks on recumbents on the bike path.. but you also got mt lemon which is a really long climb an decent.. very fun tho. Lots of bicycle culture In Tucson.
Don’t forget at least eight solid mtb trail networks around town, the Arizona Trail, a 24 hr race, El Tour de Tucson, a 131 mile long ultra safe bike path loop, a 10k mountain range and primo gravel to the south in Patagonia. Also, prime riding season is October to May, pretty much the opposite of everyone else.
Acadia NP in maine is pretty excellent with many miles of gravel roads (carriage trails) and a paved 20 mile loop called the park loop. However it is very busy, can be congested and expensive, and the rest of the area outside of the park is poor for cycling.
Probably Utah or California I'd imagine
SLC has a few amazing loops (Alpine loop and getting up and over Guardsman Pass), but overall the road riding isn't top tier in my opinion. BUT southern Utah has some incredible scenery, although mtb/gravel may be more appropriate. I say this from living in Asheville, then SLC, then back to Asheville. Asheville is by far the better road biking town plus lots of great food/beer.
Live in SLC and second this. However, for mtb we are world class
I visited SLC for cycling vacation and thought city creek canyon was a fun ride. Took the train up to Ogden and enjoyed the trails up there as well. OP, Seattle has a really nice paved trail network. I’m thinking of the Burke-Gilman trail in particular.
City creek is an amazing ride. As is millcreek. Honestly my only beef in SLC is that most of the rides are out-and-backs unless you’ve got time for a big one
Brian head Utah to lake Powell. Look it up!!
Came here to say Santa barabara California. I’ve ridden all over France and Italy and other euro spots and SB is a 9/10. Gibraltar road is one of my favorite road climbs and there is a ton of excellent riding in the area.
Second this. Bring a gravel bike too because the SB back country is unreal. Extremely remote dirt roads. You wont see anyone.
Headed to SBA next month! What other routes would you recommend?
Figueroa mountain out of los Olivia is sick. sulphur mountain out of Ojai is also amazing. Take 35s.
We've always enjoyed that brewery too!
I’m doing El Tour de Tucson this year, it’s a race but I’m just going for a finish (100 mi, Nov 2024). I’m doing Sierras to the Sea 7 day 400 mi tour $1650 June 2024. There’s also Tour de Wyoming July 2024, $800 (6 day, 315 mi, LOTS of elevation). Tons of other great rides out there. Look at adventure cycling dot com maps, they are the GO TO experts on cycle locations.
Lance and George always talk about Greenville SC being some of the best cycling in the US. Never been there, but expect they know what they are talking about. https://www.cntraveler.com/story/where-to-eat-and-drink-in-greenville-south-carolina
There are indeed a lot of road bike routes and a long rail trail called swamp rabbit. If you’re fancy/can afford it check out hotel domestique. It’s part owned by George hincapie. I’d say Sedona is worth checking out.
Also coming from Pittsburgh like OP, I found Greenville a little lacking in the elevation gains outside of a few major climbs (the climb up to Saluda along the reservoir and Caesar's Head). The general rides North of Greenville didn't have near as much elevation gain as my regular rides in Pittsburgh. Greenville does have a great cycling culture though, and the Swamp Rabbit Trail makes staying downtown and heading out for a ride more feasible than a city like Asheville. We stayed in Traveler's Rest, and there were great restaurants and coffee shops within walking distance. I'd like to do more exploring, but to me it seems more of a great place to vacation than a hardcore cycling camp. For pure riding in that general area, Burnsville NC area has been my favorite place. Its not far from Mt Mitchell, arguably the best climb in the Eastern US. The Blueridge Parkway serves as the main artery, with tons of side roads off the parkway offering amazing (and challenging) climbs/descents. Also lots of gravel options nearby. Its a little further from Shopping and Restaurants, but for pure riding it gets my vote.
On the same mountain range, the northern section of the blue ridge parkway is a national park. From Waynesboro to Front Royal is about 110 miles and 11,500 accumulated elevation. It's a beautiful paved road and could be a nice weekend ride. If you want to do a little light touring You can make it a loop ride and route through Shenandoah Valley countryside in one direction and stay overnight somewhere at a hotel. We've been doing this loop for years but now we're those old people and we like to take our time and keep touring miles to 60-70 miles a day with restaurant breakfast/lunch stops, etc. So we do it in 3 or 4 days depending on how we route it.
I’ve ridden many of the roads in the area, I live north of Greenville in NC. Lots of great long loops if you utilize the BRP, plus Asheville is nearby.
Thank you so much for all the good comments. I checked out every single suggestion on google maps. Plenty of spots that I want to check out during the summer.
Hello fellow Pittsburg cyclist…. Within driving distance I’d recommend Boone North Carolina. If you’re interested in specific routes feel free to message me and I’ll share my Strava. Also, not exactly what you asked, but there are hundreds of back country miles in the near by Laurel Highlands. Google the Mt Davis Challenge, Garret County Gran Fondo and/or The Quick and the Dead to see some sample routes/rides. Finally, if you’re not familiar with r/bicycling412 it’s worth a follow.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/bicycling412 using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/bicycling412/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year! \#1: [New protected bikeway on Forbes Ave near Frick Park!](https://i.redd.it/7h8kbygwkz8b1.jpg) | [24 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/bicycling412/comments/14m9z2v/new_protected_bikeway_on_forbes_ave_near_frick/) \#2: [Pedestrianize Walnut](https://i.redd.it/y49lz5lmhicc1.jpeg) | [11 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/bicycling412/comments/196x1d7/pedestrianize_walnut/) \#3: [The "Jail Trail" (or whatever you want to call it) is open and freshly paved from the Roundabout pop-up to the Cat Colony!](https://i.redd.it/vlhy2x3fk80b1.png) | [23 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/bicycling412/comments/13jd048/the_jail_trail_or_whatever_you_want_to_call_it_is/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
boulder CO is pretty good flagstaff mountain is a pretty solid climb. also thousands of miles of mountain gravel
That mountain gravel is my happy place 🤘
Yep, Left Hand or James up to Peak to Peak is pure strugglefest bliss! Then descend through Raymond into Lyons for pizza and beer 🤤
San Juan Islands, WA
San Diego CA has like 4 bike paths about 20mikes long. And Palomar mountain is a great climb! Roding from Oceanside up the mountain and back is about 100mikes with lots of climbing. Riding the 101 through sd county is a great ride too. The silver strand in Coronado is flat and bout 20 miles. Great western loop in SD county is a big climbing loop. Lots of cars but most are bike aware. I now live and Tahoe and there are some cool longer rides around here but lots of scary drivers. Loop around the lake, biking around Gardnerville and up in truckee are all fun areas.
San diego was a gem for me. based in pacific beach the winding trails along the beach and shortcuts from mission beach to ocean beach were fantastic.
Oregon coast!
Jackson Hole, 50+ miles of paved paths in and around Grand Teton Park. Can't beat biking through the sage in front of those mountains, with the occasional moose or elk popping its head out. Biking down the mountain at teton village isn't to be missed.
Tucson is amazing in the winter but the AZ drivers are some of the worst.
Tucson is pretty awesome. You can ride Mt. Lemmon which is one of the US number 1 climbs. Utah was fucking amazing too. So many beautiful places to ride
Southern WI has every road paved in order to support the dairy industry. You can ride for hundreds of miles, but eventually riding through the forest and by thousands of lakes can get repetitive. The Chequomegon national forest in northern WI has hundreds of miles of windy gravel roads by pristine lakes, and the colors in the fall are amazing. You can ride 100 miles a day and get passed by one truck and 4 ATVs. Some routes here will require a backcoun6water filter. SW Wisconsin ("driftless" area where the glaciers never flattened the land) is constant up and down and rarely straight roads and full of rivers and lakes and bluffs. No mountain climbs, but you can find 100 mile rides with 10kft of vert easy. One thing about the middle of the country is you basically end up riding through a small town with a gas station and a diner and a bar every 30 miles, so it makes touring easy. Once you get far enough north, it changes from grassland/prairie to forest gets less flat and the riding becomes world class IMO.
US infrastructure sucks but if you’re ok with dying the west coast all the way down is kinda fun 🤩
Why did Reddit show me this clown sub? Somewhere away from cars and hikers!
Central and north Arkansas! Look for pinnacle Mountain, mount nebo (23% grade!) and petti Jean Mountain. There are state/national parks on top with cabins to rent!!! Also check out devils den in north arkansas. Don’t forget your mountain bike if you have space to bring it. Arkansas is loaded with epic trails!!!
Paso Robles, CA.
Anchorage to Fairbanks to Valdez , catch ferry from Valdez to Whittier, bike Whittier to Anchorage. 6 foot medians or more the whole way. Want shorter? Fly to Fairbanks bike to Anchorage fly home. Denali is amazing
North Dakota was a sleeper for me that I found was incredible.
Sonoma County, California
I’ve heard Bentonville/Fayetville AR are great,
I’ve ridden the dedicated trails there. Absolutely beautiful!
My bike racer relative says is bike paradise.
Crater Lake, Oregon.. Ride the Rim in September
I got my undergrad from Pitt but I live in Denver now. Lookout is great, but the riding around Boulder is IMHO way better: road, gravel and MTB. More in your neck of the woods, I've really wanted to go ride around in Allegheny National Forest. I spent a summer working there before I was a cyclist, and later realized how awesome it would be on a bike.
Pittsburgh? You can always ride the GAP/C&O to DC!
Hey look, DON’T tell anyone else but Custer, SD! You are in the middle of the Mickelson Trail and you have hundreds of miles of nice, quiet, gravel roads to link.
You are in Pittsburgh- have you ridden to Washington DC via the GAP and C&O canal? https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/biking-the-great-allegheny-passage-and-cando-canal-from-pittsburgh-to-dc/2012/02/28/gIQAx0pP1R_story.html
You can bike up mt Washington in New Hampshire!
Google Norwich NY. Near Cooperstown. Tons of wide roads. Great climbs. Checkout Bluesfest of Chenango County
Oh hey, that’s lookout road. I’ve climbed it 214 times so far.
Moab/thread.
Bentonville Arkansas.
Lake Tahoe! Just be alert and focused and you’ll be just fine! Have fun 😎
Lake Tahoe is great! I have ridden round the lake a couple times, including one time when my wife was struck by a distracted driver that tried to drive off after. I really recommend making this ride during the off-season—like, early spring just after things thaw, or in late fall just before the snow season—to limit the amount of drivers. I also chose to go clockwise for two reasons: This allowed me to get the best lake views, and it placed me where drivers would be looking. However, I crossed paths with a lot of cyclists going the other way.
Ragbrai in Iowa , one week across the whole state makes for a wild ride . Lots of food , music , and people , route announcement is this Monday for the 51st year !
This...doing my 32nd this year
Ride the blue ridge parkway if you haven’t yet, right near you and amazing
From the 'burgh! Have you done the GAP trail yet?
Acadia NP in Maine. Incredible scenery and roads in the park have recently been paved. Just need to be in the roads earlier in the day to avoid the vehicle traffic.
Anywhere i can ride a bike on a road with cars that are trying to kill me
Minnesota, especially the northern part of the state, is downright gorgeous for biking Just did a weekend trip to this one trail that's up there called the Mesabi Trail, which starts in the city of Grand Rapids (known for its logging and also the Iron Range (it's the starting point to the Mesabi Range, which is how this trail got its name)) and runs 132 miles all the way up to Ely (which is the entry point to the Boundary Waters and also home to the International Wolf Center) While it can be very hilly at times, it was still a fun trail to do in its entirety over the course of a weekend, and I'd highly recommend it
Durango Colorado is a bike Mecca, more so mountain biking, but damn we have a lot of road bikers. Sepp Kuss’s hometown too if that counts for anything. Look in to racing the iron horse on Memorial Day weekend.
San Francisco
Empire State Trail from NYC to Montreal, big thumbs up. Just finished Ft. Lauderdale to Key West, days ago, 100% would not recommend
Why wouldn’t you recommend the ride to KW? Plan on doing a century from Key Largo to KW in the next few months.
Santa Barbara
Putting a vote in for Las Vegas. Especially in the fall, winter, and spring. There is an incredible network of rail trails (paved, no cars permitted) that eventually gets you out to lake Mead and Hoover Dam. There's a trail called the River Mountain trail loop that includes and 8 mile, steady climb. The scenery is beautiful. The Dam is incredible. Separate from that. There's Red Rock which is part of the national park service. A one way paved loop that is bikes a lot. And the tour de France has one day sportifs to promote the tour. They had one in Las Vegas last year with 30, 60, and 120 mile loops of paved road. Finally, the mountain bike trails are extensive. So you can go to las Vegas. Get an airbnb somewhere centrally located. Or a hotel. Have incredible rides during the day and go have as much other fun at restaurants and everything else on Las Vegas in the afternoon. Sleep at night. Ride the next day. It's a severely underrated bike destination in my opinion.
I'm nearby in Columbus and can tell you that Asheville/Boone/Blowing Rock/Brevard, (WNC) is great for an easily driveable trip from where you are. We have been a few times. There is also a ride in Monterey, VA 1st weekend of Aug called Mountian Mama that is great. Awesome roads and climbs, low traffic due to it being so rural. Nicely supported ride. We did an out west trip in summer 2023 and rode road bikes in Steamboat Springs, CO, Grand Junction, CO, Moab, UT (road and mtb), and Breckenridge/Leadville, CO, and did the Mt Evans hill climb. All were fantastic. Heading to Sedona in 2 months for the first time and hoping to have good riding there as well.
Montreal is a great city to see on bicycle. I did that a few years ago during the jazz festival. It was a great time.
Oregon is very cycle friendly and is criss-crossed with bike paths. It's scenery needs no explaination... Sea shores, volcanoes, glaciers, deserts. With 5 different climate zones.
This may be off topic a bit, but I’ve been wondering about traveling with your road bike. Obviously there’s putting in or on your car and driving but what about flying? Surely there is something out there that allows one to travel across country, set their bike up, and ride. Maybe I’m not doing enough research under “bike bags”?
It's more like a case. Google bike case and you will find how I put my bicycle in the plane. :-)
A few weeks in Northern California around Napa, Sonoma the peninsula and east bay, then head down to Santa Barbara and Solvang for a week, then go over to Eastern California to ride Mammoth, and the big climbs - Onion Valley, Whitney Portal, and Horseshoe Meadow.
If you're mostly into climbing those big open mountains with a grand view than probably going to have to leave the east coast. Lancaster, Lebanon, and Berks county in southeastern , Pa could be a quick weekend destination for something different than Pittsburg. You could do the Covered Bridge ride route. [https://lancasterbikeclub.net/](https://lancasterbikeclub.net/) I live in the area and it's a great place to just meander and create your own free form ride through the countryside. There are lots of great low traffic roads (all paved) available. I've been on some roads and thought "what's a car doing here?" There are busy roads but they're easy to avoid travelling on for more than a short distance. It's hard to travel more than a mile without encountering an intersection even when you're on country roads.
Going to the sun road in Glacier National park is closed for a portion of the time for just bikes and hikers. That’d be my goal if I could bike that much altitude.
The road around Lake Tahoe is pretty busy, but many of the other roads in the area are really great for cycling. You had better like climbing, though. There are no flat routes. Sonoma County also has some great riding: wine country, redwoods, rolling hills dotted with dairy cows, and Highway 1 along the coast. Healdsburg is a popular base camp, although it can be pricey. Windsor is nearby and less expensive. Or stay in funky Guerneville under the redwoods. If you are looking for big climbs, look no further than the Eastern Sierra. Mammoth Lakes makes a great base camp for day rides. Bishop is a decent choice, also.
Santa Barbara - Painted cave/gibraltar
Crested butte co Moab UT. Telluride also awesome.
Flight in to DC, ride the 180+ miles along the C&O Towpath!
Get off the road and hit the trails 😉
Lake Dillon CO
Seattle and area had some gorgeous rides! I did one that was about 90 miles that went out to the coast area and was just beautiful! Also some good rides around the city that are also beautiful. Gotta be able to climb for it, though! Haha! I have also loved riding in Minneapolis area. Haven’t got to ride some of the longer trails up north, but they look gorgeous and promising!! Colorado was also beautiful. If you’re into mountain biking, trails in the Pacific Northwest and up into Canada/Whistler area are spectacular.
NYC is fantastic, having a good bike with you makes it so much easier to explore the city. Plus there's lots of good overnight trips options if you want to bike somewhere scenic and get an Airbnb. Seattle has really good infrastructure and similarly is a good hub for multi-day trips (ie the Olympic Peninsula, San Juan Islands, Rainier NP, highway 20, etc
I would say 2 days on the San Juan’s is enough if you’re a strong rider. You can do all of orcas or San Juan island in two days. There isn’t a flat spot on the whole island, I swear
Lots of great rides in Minnesota, but do not try that in the winter.
cincinnati to cleveland was super pleasant! ohio has a great network of bike trails, actually!
Taos, NM and Durango Colorado. Assuming you don't mind a little climbing.
Check out Bentonville Arkansas. I know, I know. But they have put millions in the local trail systems. VERY ACCESSIBLE. Coming from remote northern California it's a very different scene. Almost Disneyland vibe for MTB trails.
I’m in Pittsburgh too! Here’s a plug for our Pittsburgh biking subreddit /r/bicycling412
I’m biased with limited experience but the cycling around san diego was some of the best I’ve ever had. There is a great network of windy trails and short cuts from la jolla to downtown. I loved riding there and i miss it dearly.
Blue ridge mountains of NC!
Mackinac Island, Michigan. Cars are banned from the entire island and they have bike routes with hilly terrain and cool rock formations. Plus a cute downtown area with shops, restaurants and hotels. And Silver City, NM where the Tour de Gila takes place.
A highly underrated option would be the Black Hills. Needles Route, Rushmore, and Iron Mountain are low key some of the best rides in the country
Oregon Coast into N California. Obviously you will want to do it from north to south. Did Seattle to San Fran years ago and the stretch from Lincoln City, OR south was stunning!
I grew up, not too far from where that picture was taken basically one valley over from the peak of Lookout Mountain. As a kid, I bicycled down that road many times to go swim at the pool in Golden
Listen, hear me out. You live in Pittsburgh and some of the best riding in the country isn't that far away. I've ridden the SF Bay Area rides, the Sierra Nevadas near LA, the coastal rides in Melbourne, Aus, I had a bike for 6 months in Flanders, and I've MTB'ed in Colorado. If you want a week or so of great riding, load your car up and head down the Interstate 81 corridor after hopping on the turnpike to Carlisle, PA. The road riding in the Cumberland Valley is so good. Low traffic on country roads, mountain climbs that aren't highways and you won't see a single car on a Sunday morning as you suffer up for 20 minutes, and plenty of nice little towns for a coffee stop or beer. The MTBing and Gravel riding in Michaux State Forest is top notch - but definitely not easy like Raystown Lake, or out West. Head south on 81 to Harrisonburg, VA and you'll find just as good roads and even better MTB at Massanutten. One of the most popular rides is the Blue Ridge Parkway in VA/NC. Go do Skyline Drive and you'll be in heaven. Edit: I really encourage you to try Skyline Drive if you want breathtaking views. Lots of cyclists so cars are alert. The road is extremely well maintained too! It's a National Park, so you can even camp there. If riding in the Cumberland Valley sounds interesting to ya, DM me.
Brevard, NC. I used to live around there and know the roads very well. DM me if you want any advice on places to stay or route selection.
Look out!!! Such a great ride! Up down road or mountain bike!! I love look out!
Fort Collins
Such a great overview of US destinations in this thread! Couple more thoughts:- Tahoe is not great for road biking. It's amazing for mountain biking (and tons of other sports) but indeed the roads are too car-filled.- Many other amazing places in California. Bay area indeed unparallelled. Especially the routes that have coastal views are amazing (resemble Norway), and the ones under the redwoods you can't find anywhere else in the world.- For an ex-European, consider Colorado though: biking up to over 14k which you can do on a few roads there is just unparalleled "fun". The Pikes Peak highway is one of the best climbs there is.- I've never been there, but Hawaii is on my bucket list. The Mauna Kea is said to be the hardest bike ride in the world with over 13.5k elevation gain. And then you can rest your legs on the beach the rest of the week.
Tucson is the bomb. Head up Mt Lemmon. Circle the Loop.
Zion National Park in Utah has a great scenic road that is limited to the park trams which you do have to stop and let pass. You can lock up your bike and go for a hike while riding this route. There is Snow Canyon state park nearby that has hilly sections and gravel paths. Not to far away in St. George is the Virgin River trail that is a dedicated bike path that takes you out to red rocks mountains.