The Rides
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.
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[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.
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[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.
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[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.
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[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.
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[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.
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[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.
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@EricW
Just more muck to clean up. Here is a representative segment, looks diabolique: http://www.strava.com/segments/104083
@EricW hey look you have an avatar!
Might have to do Diablo challenge, need to see what kid activity schedule looks like.
@Nate I know, it’s a miracle! As for the kid situation, maximum props if you tow them up in a trailer.
Registered with team name “Velominati”. Don’t know what that means but that’s what I put down. @Rob C is right, I am gonna hurt that weekend.
Can’t think of a better way to ring in 3-0.
USA Pro Challenge pics – I just got back in town and I’ve had a chance to look through some of the pics that I took at Stage 7 in Denver. I’ve planned on traveling to watch the last stage for quite some time now and I had a blast. It was awesome to see the race and the riders up close. Whizzing past at almost 30 mph / 48 km. The New Belgium beer was flowing, the Sky / Rapha bus had free espresso and I got to meet Jonathon Vaughters after the race was over.
Denver is a great city by the way I spent a good portion of the weekend riding around town on the local b-cycles between various landmarks, parks and bars. Really an awesome experience.
The Denver b-cycle.
the pro challenge peloton
the breakaway
Team BMC near the front of the race.
The jersey winners on the podium.
Me and Jonathon Vaughters.
@San Tonio Nice.
I like how JV has gone from the Elton John-meets-Lyle Lovett dandy look to the “I just work in Tech support, man” look.
This is every Wednesday lunchtime rain or shine.
http://vimeo.com/73350634
It’s basically a race, the beauty lies in 33km without a traffic light right in the city. This was in calm conditions, the wind can howl like a banshee when it wants to.
http://www.strava.com/activities/76308392
Any UK Velominati doing the Southern Sportive this coming weekend?
@Teocalli I’m registered for the 100km option. Possibility of work scuppering my plans but I’ll know for sure by Friday.
Tomorrow morning, dark and early, I’m off for a 122 KM ride with 1.7 KM of climbing (and a few thousand other riders) on the Vancouver to Whistler Gran Fondo. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for V-kit and try to ignore the plethora of EPMS I’m going to see.
VLVV.
@xyxax
I thought he was going for the “Johnathan Vaughters played by Paul Giamatti” look myself. American Splendor indeed!
@DeKerr
Have a good one. I’m psyched about doing the Door County (WI) century on Sunday. Ridden up there a few times solo – this time I get to ride with a couple of thousand others.
@wiscot
Yes, you’re right. Paul Giamatti who’s dieted off his schlub fat. American Splenda?
@roger
Bel mezzo man. Arm warmers already? I’m coming East, do I need that kit? Actually, a chance to sport some Obey the Rules arm warmers, that’s cool.
@Gianni It’s the Rapha Cross Jersey, a long sleeve knit wool full zip top. I couldn’t find my warmers so rocked this instead. Today started around 43F. Just perfect. When are you coming up here? Please tell me you will be stopping by Boston/Lexington area…we need to have a proper sit down over some espresso and Phil Wood lube.
@piwakawaka Nice pace, pay it no mind if some strange chap follows you on strava…
@kixsand 38kph, fuck! Nice work, the more you go, the more you’ll keep up! You’ve enthused me also to get in too far over my head on a too fast group ride…
It’s a neat ride…forms organically every Saturday, Sunday and Holiday. As you ride through the city there are points where other riders from different parts of the city wait to join up. So it grows and grows as you ride the 20k or so before it gets fast.
It’s a socioeconomic hodgepodge of riders from all walks of life. Young, old, a few women, rich, poor – there was even a dude on a mountain bike with slicks for part of the ride…he was keeping up too…till he wasn’t.
@piwakawaka
That was awesome! Really enjoyed it…makes me want to buy a GoPro!
@Beers you won’t be the first! Strange chap that is!
@kixsand
@Beers Those fast rides are brilliant training, you will last longer and longer the more you do them and before you know it you are there at the finale! Keep up the good work.
@kixsand
Oh, awesome!! That brings back some memories!
That used to be my Saturday morning training ride when I lived in Toronto. I remember Roger as well. He gave me a spare wheel when I flatted at the Ajax Criterium. I won the Cat 3 race that day, way back in about 1990.
This is not good, all the best wishes to him………..
http://www.imbikemag.com/mountain-bike-news/2013/09/martyn-asthon-suffers-significant-spinal-injury/
@Teocalli Not good at all. He’s an amazing rider that must be credited with inspiring a generation of riders. I hope he recovers well.
About 2 weeks ago was the inaugural Dirty40. I’ll start off by saying this was some of the most fun I have ever had on a bike. The weather was hot and sticky, but the forecasted rain never came thankfully.
This race was organized by some Vermont locals with nothing but a passion for bikes and racing (see; 10$ entry) It was entirely run by volunteers and the community, and other than one woman in a minivan, the community loved every minute of it, lining the roads, sitting on the lawns cheering.
A very interesting part of the race was that it was 20 miles paved, and 40 miles of gravel back roads (not trails). This left people to choose if they wanted to attack on the pavement sections and take full road bikes on 25s, or suffer the rolling penalty with a cross bike on gravel treads. Many a flat were had on the roadies.
The route was very well thought out, with twists and turns, high speed flats, LONG descents, and a climb at the end that brought me to my knees. Beautiful new england farmland was the only backdrop. Beautiful enough in fact that The Man With The Hammer must have stopped to enjoy the view, as he arrived quite late.
All together, 13 of us from our local club/team made the trek (With the lovely lady in the middle finishing 7th in the womans classifications.
I’m hooked.
@Weldertron
YES! Now this is something that I can get behind! I REALLY have to make this next year. Were theere any people there just riding it or was it a full on race? Sounds just awesome!
Staring at the resuscitation provides an extra incentive — 89 kilometers each Saturday.
Met a lovely couple from Big Maggy’s located in St Helier, Jersey this afternoon. If I ever make it to the UK, this is on my “to do” list. Sounds like an interesting island full of some amazing riding. what’s not to love?!
@Buck Rogers I’ll leave it at, when the man with the hammer came knocking, I figured i’d stop and grab a beer with him for the road.
So, it isn’t exactly a trophy but…
It was our club (my London club, Dulwich Paragon) ‘world championships’ today. I won the 4th Cat race.
Managed to stay with the 3rd Cats most of the race and only got shelled when the really big boys came past after about an hour (it was 1 hour plus 5 laps). That was mainly because the group got so big it was hard to stay tight on the corners and burned up too much energy chasing back on. It was pelting with rain the whole way so it was hard to push it on the bends, but even so I grounded pedals a couple of times.
Apart from winning, it was an utterly miserable day. About 10-12 degrees C the whole day and steady rain. We rode to the circuit from the club base which took nearly three hours, we had so many flats and had to wait in the rain and cold each time. Then had to go back and because I had won I had to go to the awards, but I hadn’t planned for that so I had no money for food and drinks. 10 hours cold and wet and then dirty, sore and hungry on top.
There was another cake as part of the prize but I ate it immediately. Also got a non-edible Giordana gilet.
@ChrisO Chapeau, well done!
I don’t know where else to put this, but today was the Grande Prix Cycliste de Montreal. An awesome and very fun event to watch, as it is a 17 laps circuit of 12.1 km. Better yet, for all the climbing lovers, it goes up an over Mount Royal, for a total race 3893m total ascension.
The riders shoot by about every 20-25 minutes, and if you’re in the center of the loop, you cna walk to any point within 15 minutes. With many riders like Tour winner Chris Froome, the turnout was about 10,000 people crowding the downtown streets.
An early break had over 4 minutes on the pack, but they were reeled in. The race was tight right up until the last 5km, when Sagan took off, leading with an 18 second lead into the last corner.
All in all, it was an awesome day from 11 to 4, sitting in lawn chairs on the mountain, having many a beer with fellow club members.
Also, maybe it’s widely used, but if not, possible lexicon entry;
Sticky Bottle: the act of pulling a team member up the hill with the team car by asking him several times if he is sure he would like the bottle of water being handed to him, while both the driver and rider hold on as long as possible.
I have about 14 pictures of Froom looking at his stem
@Weldertron
yep, that was fun to watch though the feed gave out during Sagan’s move. Pointed at his guns and then did a wheelie after the line, for those keeping score. Ryder and his ladies’ sunnies finished third.
Just completed my first Granfondo the Inaugural Granfondo Niagara where riders from around the globe completed a 125k route (1200m elevation) through the beautiful Niagara region on a closed course. The event was followed by an open air concert by Barney Bentall with participants, family and friends in the park. The atmosphere was amazing! The highlight was completing the event with my son who is new to riding but conquered all the climbs. Fantastic!!
@piwakawaka
@kixsand
Thanks for the motivation gentlemen. Would like to report getting summarily shelled for the past fortnight. And loving it.
@Weldertron
For fuck sake! I’m starting to not care if he won the Tour. I want tear that fucking power meter off his bike and see if he can still race. I know he could tear my legs off but could he hold his own with the peleton without that fucking screen. He’s like a kid in a restaurant who won’t look up from his gameboy.
I realize that just about every pro rides with a power meter, but they’re not looking at it all the goddamn time!!!
fuck.
@DeKerr +1 badge to you. I’d like to see him ride with a V-Meter and no radio. Chap can lay it down, but the science takes all the fun out of it if you ask me.
Fucking funny photo to though.
@Weldertron
im training for the Heck of the North; basically 30km on tarmac, 30 on snow machine trails, and 100 on gravel. They finish it off with. 4km 9% climb a few k from the finish with a max grade of 18%. Fuck.
@frank like thee lot of sarlaac, climbing on dirt or gravel brings new meaning to the word “suffering.”
@DeKerr Spot on. Elevating racing to the level of an Excel spreadsheet.
@Weldertron & @G’rilla I have a feeling you fellas would have had a randy ‘ol time at our ride this past weekend. text by velocb – Honey 100
@frank
visiting MN. good shit. I can only assume you and @Marko have a bit of a competition going. good luck and please, many bike pics.
@Weldertron
Jesus! This is sounding better and better. I REALLY need to do this next summer.
@Nate
Not entirely his fault though is it ?
Where are the times that power and power-to-weight matter most ? Time trials and mountain stages.
What decides grand tours ? Time trials and mountain stages.
It’s why Sky have done poorly in the classics, where tactics are more critical.
But give Brailsford and Friggins credit, they worked out the formula and simply applied it.
@EricW
Must of missed this whilst on holiday. The bikes are indeed worth more than the trailer and it saves a huge amount in terms of diesel compared to having the bikes sat on the roof.
I got the trailer after two of the kids’ bike broke free from cheap racks and almost totalled a car behind us. Not much fun at all.
As far as Rule #11 goes, the best way to achieve compliance is to ensure that it’s all about the bike for the rest of the family. Right to left – my BMX (good for cruising around a campsite in flip flops and beach shorts – activities you’d never dream of on your #1), my daughters road bike, the middle son’s mountain bike, the youngest son’s BMC, Mrs Chris’ hybrid thing. Two bikes remained in the garage, my mountain bike and a sort of mountain bike thing that my daughter swear she’s grown out of.
I need to learn to weld so I can build a bigger trailer. More bikes and another kit box.
@xyxax
DAMN! Sagan winning on that course, the way he did–powering away on a climb from the field and catching Ryder, definitely makes him a contendor for the WCRR. It is going to be an AWESOME race in two weeks!!!
@Buck Rogers
Aye, Colonel (or should that be Eye Colonel?). It should be a ripper. I wonder who in the Vuelta that claimed to have an eye on the Worlds (Nibs, Rodz) now have their eyes on winter.
@ChrisO
I have no issue with the science of riding, that’s why we look for the tell-tale signs such as the loose fit of a jersey around the arms – for those who are “en forme”, who have perfected their performance and will not be peaking in two months – at the start of a Grand Tour. What I have issue with is the complete failure to respect the principle of “casually deliberate” that Froomie has been demonstrating. That and the whole spider humping a lightbulb thing.
I know you ride with a power meter. I know it helps you perform at your peak. But if you have to look at a readout every couple of strokes you are not riding, you are not racing, you’re just going through the motions. Certainly he is suffering and pushing his body to the limit while going through those motions but what is missing is the “e” in those motions. I don’t want to watch a highly trained human machine go through the motions – I want to watch a human go through the emotions as he or she strives valiantly to crest one more hill or lead out for just a few more meters. I want to watch a person push just a bit harder than their body, their DS, or their power meter says they should because in the deepest part of their psyche there is a voice that says they can.
Besides, if you never look up from your stem you will miss the world as you roll past.