The Ride. It is the cathedral of our sport, where we worship at the altar of the Man with the Hammer. It is the end to our means. Indeed, The Bike may be the central tool to our sport, but to turn the pedals is to experience the sensation of freedom, of flight. It is all for The Ride.
The world is overflowing with small, twisty roads that capture our collective imagination as cyclists. We spend our lifetimes searching out the best routes and rides; we pore over maps, we share with our fellow disciples, we talk to non-cycling locals all in pursuit of the Perfect Ride.
The Rides is devoted entirely to the best routes and rides around the world. Some are races or cyclosportives, others feature in the Classics and stages of The Great Races, while others still are little-known gems, discovered through careful meditation on The V. Be warned: these rides are not your average Sunday Afternoon spin; these rides are the best and most difficult rides in the word – they represent the rites of passage into La Vie Velominatus. It is to be taken for granted that these rides require loads of Rule #5, many of them Rule #10, and all of them are best enjoyed in Rule #9 conditions. They have been shared by you, the community. The Rides also features articles devoted to the greatest rides and providess a forum for sharing other rides for discussion.
If you’d like to submit a ride or an article about your own favorite ride, please feel free to send it to us and we’ll do our best to work with you to include it.
[rideitem status=”public” title=”Haleakala” distance=”56km” category=”Grimpeur” url=”http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/50412514″ location=”Paia, Maui, Hawaii, USA”]
Haleakala is simultaneously the longest paved continuous climb in the world as well as the shortest ascent from sea level to 10,000 feet in the world. Though not terribly steep, this is a long, grinding climb that will reduce a strong rider to a whimpering lump.
To put the effort in perspective, this climb is 60km long a an average of 6% with two pitches as steep as 17%. That translates to somewhere between 3 or more hours of nonstop climbing, usually in Maui’s direct heat and often into a whipping headwind that spins around into a headwind no matter which direction the switchbacks take you.
[/rideitem]
[rideitem statuc=public title=”Liege-Bastogne-Liege” distance=”265″ category=”Rouleur” url=”http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/58053308/” location=”Liege, Belgium”]
Liege-Bastogne-Liege is not only La Doyenne, the oldest of the Classics, but also represents perhaps the most demanding course in cycling. The 280 km, 3000m vertical route starts with an easy ride out from Liege to Bastogne which lulls riders into a false sense of security; the hills are frequent, but none of them terribly demanding. Into Bastogne, and the story changes on the way back to Liege with 9 categorized climbs in the second half, including the fearsome Côte de la Redoute and the Côte de Saint-Nicolas.
[/rideitem]
[rideitem status=public title=”Paris-Roubaix” category=”Hardman” distance=”265″ url=”http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/58052610/” location=”Compiégne, France” guideurl=”http://www.cyclingpave.cc/” guide=”Pavé Cycling Classics”]
L’enfur du Nord. The Hell of The North. The Queen of the Classics. This isn’t a ride over the stones from your local brick-paved roads. You think climbs are what make a ride tough? We’ve got news for you: this is the hardest ride on the planet and it boasts a maximum elevation of 55 meters. These are vicious, brutal stones; the kind that will stretch each kilometer to their full length, the kind of stones that you will feel long after the rattling of the bars has stopped. These stones will change you. Forever.
[/rideitem]
[rideitem status=public title=”Mortirolo/Gavia Loop” category=”Grimpeur” distance=”115km” url=”http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/59027020/” location=”Bormio, Italy” contributor=”Joe”]
The Mortirolo is perhaps the most feared pass in Western Europe, and the Gavia the most storied. Given their proximity to each other, its a wonder why this isn’t the most talked-about ride in Italy. Maybe it is; its impossible to say without being Italian. The loop nature of this ride makes it feasible as a solo escapade, but any ride with the kind of stats this one bears – 3200 meters ascended in 115 kilometers including the viscously steep Mortirolo – is best enjoyed with a riding partner or support car.
[/rideitem]
[rideitem status=public title=”200 on 100″ category=”Grimpeur” distance=”330km” url=”http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/58052808/” location=”Vernon, VT” contributor=”cdelinks” contributorurl=”http://cyclowhat.com”]
“Dumptruck of Awesome” has become the catch-phrase associated with this brutally hard, yet strikingly beautiful 330 kilometer (200 mile) ride down Vermont Route 100. This ride was made popular during the summer of 2011 when Ted King, Tim Johnson, and a local amateur cyclist, Ryan Kelly, documented this ride on film. The ride starts on the Canadian border and finishes on the Massachusetts border. With over 2500 meters of climbing on this 330 kilometer ride, you will need to pack a few lunches to get through this one. Do this ride in the Fall, and the foliage might be beautiful enough to distract you from the horrible pain you will most certainly suffer.
[/rideitem]
[rideitem status=”public” title=”De Ronde Van West Portlandia” distance=”76km” category=”Grimpeur” url=”http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/15276210″ location=”Portland, Oregon, USA”]
A ride that officially “never happens” each spring, this 76 km route charts a course through Portland’s West Hills, paying homage to the European Spring Classics. Approximately 1,800 meters of paved and unpaved climbs are spread throughout the course, with several sections reaching grades of over 20%. More information can be found at Ronde PDX.
[/rideitem]
[rideitem status=public title=”Seattle Master Urban Ride” category=”Rouleur” distance=”130km” url=http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/57732282 location=”Seattle, Washington, USA”]
This is perhaps the most challenging urban route in Seattle, hitting three of the big hills that define Seattle’s topography. The route starts and ends on Phinney Ridge, but hits the climbs of Interlaken and Alder Street/Lake Dell Drive on its way to Mercer Island, before coming back to hit Queen Anne and Magnolia, weaving its way up each of these hills as many times as possible via the steepest route available before the finale to the north via Golden Gardens, Blue Ridge Drive, and Carkeek Park. Panoramic views of the Cascades, Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, The Olympic Penninsula and Puget Sound makes this a standout Urban ride.
[/rideitem]
View Comments
@Buck Rogers
I might be coming to the same conclusion. A year ago, I had a narrowly avoided an SUV that barged into the street - I swerved just in time to graze his bumper with my boot. I carried on, not even thinking about it, but apparently he was so pissed he actually caught up with me several blocks down the road, knocked me off, beat me up and drove off. No witness had his number.
Ever since, I respond to every incident with aggression - and it's been pretty unjustified so far. It often takes me a while to realize the person isn't going to hurt me any further - and even then, I'd rather keep going. When a driver knocked me down with a left hook in the summer, my first response was to grab my bike and take cover between parked cars. When I realized he was more in a shock than I was, I thought I'd take advantage of that, clipped in and was about escape home - and it took me a few seconds to realize he's offering help, and that I was dripping blood all over and needed medical attention.
Raced for the first time on Saturday,what a hoot. 1.1km laps on a service road round an outdoor music venue, 45 minutes + 5 laps. Cat 4s only so I was a bit nervous about the potential for a massive pile up but apart from someone running into my backside it was pretty cool.
The course dropped away from the start line flattened out for a couple of hundred metres before climbing back to the start. The hill wasn't a problem if you had someone's wheel or were buried in the bunch but energy sapping if you tried it alone at pace.
The excitement of the occasion had my heart rate soaring, 180bpm at the top of the hill on lap two but then settled down. Had my back wheel skip out a couple of time on the corner at the start of the climb and spent the next couple of laps concentrating more on my line than staying out of the wind which stuffed me up a bit - Friday's ride with my sensei was also lingering in my legs. Fell off the back of the group on about lap 12, eased off and got back on a few laps later when they cam back through. Worked hard at staying in the bunch but got dropped again a couple of laps from the end.
Although I got dropped a couple of times I reckon it was down to inexperience as much as fitness. A month of concentrating on hill reps an other intervals should do the trick.
Laps four and 19 of 29 were the fastest but there were about another 12 that were within four of five seconds of those. Fairly relentless.
I'm definitely hooked, not sure if I can get to next weeks race (my wife is flying back from a week in South America that morning) but there's an evening series starting up soon so I'll try to do a fair few of them although they'll be a bit trickier because the Cat 3 and 4s race together with the Elites, 1, 2 and 3s on the track at the same time.
Riding at a shade under 60kph in the middle of a bunch is fucking unbelievable!
@Chris
Much better than my organized ride metric century today. Some observations from the saddle:
- What makes a bike sound like a variable rhythmic shaking of a spray paint can with a ball in it? Bearing failure? Demonic anti-V possession? The crazy thing was the rider didn't notice. Rule #65 dictated an attempt at dropping the entire group coddling this malcontent since he wasn't falling on his own sword. Adroit readers have guessed where my "attempt" lead - failure. The V Gods were in a good mood, though, because shortly after that group rejoined the Krylon man pulled over to the road with some sort of issue.
- The chance of wearing a Michelob Ultra (flavored water posing as beer) jersey is exponential to the rider's weight.
- I passed a woman with a pair of the most impressive guns I have ever seen. I assume she was a body builder that was out for some cardio because:
a) I was able to pass her
b) those were the most cut legs I've seen in person since I dated a body builder - picture ripped hamstrings that most civilians would be happy to call quads. Yes, Scaler, a female body builder.
@tessar
My Lord! What an awful story (the first one). There are some really crazy people out there, but like you are finding, most are pretty darn decent and do the right thing when given the chance. But good on you for still riding after an awful encounter like you had that first time!
@Chris
Congratulations! Welcome to a deeper understanding of the V. Keep it up. And sorry about the obsessive compulsive disorder that's about to color your whole existence.
Gaaah, why did I get up this morning...
Had a puncture on Saturday and when replacing the tube thought the tyre felt a bit thin and it was time to replace it.
So new tyre duly fitted (Michelin Pro 3 Light) out I go at 0530 as usual.
Howling headwind, but that's normal, just finished warming up and hisssssssss... bugger.
Change tube. Lots of mini-pumping and now have to cut ride a bit short.
Do another 20km, heading home, went over a small stone and hisssssssssss... same tyre.
No more tubes, no phone, 6km from home in cleats...
Fortunately managed to hitch a lift to somewhere I could get a taxi home.
Walked in, turned the kitchen light on and a bulb blew...
Just don't come near me today if you know what's good for you. I expect this site to crash any moment now.
And as for the Pro 3 Light I am assuming the Service Course designation means it should only be used on a dedicated bike track which has been kept covered at all times, swept, vacuumed and scrubbed before being finished with a chamois.
@itburns
@Buck Rogers
LOL, well you are ok, so that is good to hear. I'd echo the advice on getting the frame checked out, insurance, etc, etc, but you got that already.
Near automobile experiences get my adrenaline up these days - a bit like the whole exploding asphalt thingy. I try not to be that guy on a bike and use the boost for good rather than evil.
@ChrisO
What black cat crossed your path before walking under the ladder to break a few mirrors?
So.
I have Friday and the next week off work. Planned a little week long beast fest on the bike, and this is what I am given for my efforts....
[dmalbum: path="/velominati.com/wp-content/uploads/readers/Dan_R/2012.03.23.00.24.34/"/]
Fucking Hell. We just got dumped on on Tueday night. We have been riding outside for over three friggin' weeks...
Was out along Marine Drive today (12C , sunny and no wind after 5cm of snow on the ground yesterday), and could have swore I "nodded" a V-kit going east bound. Who was that dude?? @eightzero?