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

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”]

lbl

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”]

paris-roubaix

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”]

seattleronde

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]

3,329 Replies to “The Rides”

  1. @wiscot

    For what it’s worth, here’s my report on the Cheesehead Roubaix. Despite anticipating around 200 riders, maybe 75-80 showed up on a pretty miserable morning. A strong east wind coming off Lake Michigan was joined by raindrops and temps in the upper 30s as the riders assembled in Newburg. Heavy rain was in the forcast. Spirits seemed fairly high with everyone wanting to set off and get warm. The attire ran from full winter to are-you-sure?

    I set off behind the main group as we would our way into the Ozaukee backroads. My hands were frozen from the get-go but otherwise my clothing was spot on as I knew it would warm up a bit. The first off-road section was Lovers Lane – basically a mud, rutted farm track with bad washouts and tons of tree and twig debris. Fortunately it was relatively dry as we struggled our way up the hill to the church. A long downhill eastwards to Boltonville reminded us how strong the wind was. A couple of miles later on my back tire started feeling squishy – puncture. I pulled over at the Boltonville Gun Club and fixed the flat. One spare tube and one co2 cannister gone and I hadn’t hit the first gravel section.

    I’m not exactly a rookie and I checked the inside of the tire for debris and found none. I ran my hand over the outer tire – seemed fine. Off I set only for the same squishyness to return about two miles later – puncture #2. Reason? Bit of twig/wood debris in the tire. Second spare tube and co2 cannister used. This was around the 13 mile mark and no gravel sections had been attacked yet. I think at this point I was the last rider on the road. Fuck. Rather than make the foolish decision to ride 80kms with no help (this is an unsupported ride) and all the gravel still to come, I rode for home feeling mighty pissed off. I can’t remember ever having two punctures on one ride and the forecasted rain held off and the sun even peeked out. Instead of a great 100 kms I barely got 40 in.

    Will I be back next year? You bet. Dave Hanrahan runs a great event that’s worthy supporting and is fun (usually) to ride.

    Sorry we didn’t meet — I was looking around for V garments (although I myself have overspent my bike clothing allowance for the year and don’t own any yet).  I too headed out after the first group, so we probably rode together at some point in those first 10 miles.

    I had my Nucleons tubulars with Vittoria Paves on the bike, but also had my TB-14s w/ Ultremo 28 clinchers and latex tubes in the car.  Made a last-minute decision to go with the clinchers given the weather, the gravel and the fact it was an unsupported ride.  I think it was a good call; felt solid on the gravel, and rolled well on the tarmac.

    The weather certainly made it a velominatus-friendly ride:)  Man, that wind… one of those days where you had to pedal downhill.  I actually was riding way above my abilities and feeling pretty darn smug, but at the hill outside the park in Fredonia both quads cramped simultaneously (probably didn’t drink enough plus was pushing hard on the rollers).  Did a beeline for the side of the road so I wouldn’t fall over.  Watched my group ride away from me as I needed a couple of minutes to get off the bike and flex my legs to get the muscles to release, then ended up riding solo for the rest of the ride, catching a few folks along the way.

    Kudos indeed to Dave Hanrahan for a great event, and the guys at Belgianwerkx too.  Their rest stop in Belgium (really, there is a Belgium WI!) was quite well done — with a great sense of humor too.  I’ll be back next year — and hope to meet other Velominati who are there.

     

  2. @teleguy57

    @wiscot

    For what it’s worth, here’s my report on the Cheesehead Roubaix. Despite anticipating around 200 riders, maybe 75-80 showed up on a pretty miserable morning. A strong east wind coming off Lake Michigan was joined by raindrops and temps in the upper 30s as the riders assembled in Newburg. Heavy rain was in the forcast. Spirits seemed fairly high with everyone wanting to set off and get warm. The attire ran from full winter to are-you-sure?

    I set off behind the main group as we would our way into the Ozaukee backroads. My hands were frozen from the get-go but otherwise my clothing was spot on as I knew it would warm up a bit. The first off-road section was Lovers Lane – basically a mud, rutted farm track with bad washouts and tons of tree and twig debris. Fortunately it was relatively dry as we struggled our way up the hill to the church. A long downhill eastwards to Boltonville reminded us how strong the wind was. A couple of miles later on my back tire started feeling squishy – puncture. I pulled over at the Boltonville Gun Club and fixed the flat. One spare tube and one co2 cannister gone and I hadn’t hit the first gravel section.

    I’m not exactly a rookie and I checked the inside of the tire for debris and found none. I ran my hand over the outer tire – seemed fine. Off I set only for the same squishyness to return about two miles later – puncture #2. Reason? Bit of twig/wood debris in the tire. Second spare tube and co2 cannister used. This was around the 13 mile mark and no gravel sections had been attacked yet. I think at this point I was the last rider on the road. Fuck. Rather than make the foolish decision to ride 80kms with no help (this is an unsupported ride) and all the gravel still to come, I rode for home feeling mighty pissed off. I can’t remember ever having two punctures on one ride and the forecasted rain held off and the sun even peeked out. Instead of a great 100 kms I barely got 40 in.

    Will I be back next year? You bet. Dave Hanrahan runs a great event that’s worthy supporting and is fun (usually) to ride.

    Sorry we didn’t meet “” I was looking around for V garments (although I myself have overspent my bike clothing allowance for the year and don’t own any yet). I too headed out after the first group, so we probably rode together at some point in those first 10 miles.

    I had my Nucleons tubulars with Vittoria Paves on the bike, but also had my TB-14s w/ Ultremo 28 clinchers and latex tubes in the car. Made a last-minute decision to go with the clinchers given the weather, the gravel and the fact it was an unsupported ride. I think it was a good call; felt solid on the gravel, and rolled well on the tarmac.

    The weather certainly made it a velominatus-friendly ride:) Man, that wind… one of those days where you had to pedal downhill. I actually was riding way above my abilities and feeling pretty darn smug, but at the hill outside the park in Fredonia both quads cramped simultaneously (probably didn’t drink enough plus was pushing hard on the rollers). Did a beeline for the side of the road so I wouldn’t fall over. Watched my group ride away from me as I needed a couple of minutes to get off the bike and flex my legs to get the muscles to release, then ended up riding solo for the rest of the ride, catching a few folks along the way.

    Kudos indeed to Dave Hanrahan for a great event, and the guys at Belgianwerkx too. Their rest stop in Belgium (really, there is a Belgium WI!) was quite well done “” with a great sense of humor too. I’ll be back next year “” and hope to meet other Velominati who are there.

    Regretted backing out but due to over-scheduling myself and the need to HTFU, finishing would  have been unlikely on a good weather day. Impossible yesterday.  Cheapeau to those who showed up. Hope to be able to ride with you later his year.

  3. @teleguy57 I’m sorry too. Punctures aside, I wasn’t feeling too sprightly and could have done with a steady riding bud. I’ve tried to hang with the fast group before but then age and my 99.9% solo rides show up and tell me to get real.

    Thanks for the photos. One thing (amongst many) that makes this a great ride are the wee touches of humor like the Dopage sign. Was the Dirk Hoffman sign up this year?

  4. @wiscot

    @teleguy57 I’m sorry too. Punctures aside, I wasn’t feeling too sprightly and could have done with a steady riding bud. I’ve tried to hang with the fast group before but then age and my 99.9% solo rides show up and tell me to get real.

    Thanks for the photos. One thing (amongst many) that makes this a great ride are the wee touches of humor like the Dopage sign. Was the Dirk Hoffman sign up this year?

    I hear you on the age and solo rides as I turn 60 next week and most of my rides are on my own.  No Dirk Hoffman sign this time, but folks with whom I was riding were talking about it from last year.

  10. @Nate

    @Dan_R Seems like a few of us found some mud this weekend. @EricW and I went out for some dirt, and ended up having to field-wash our steeds at a campground to regain braking capabilities. Great fun.

    Oh yes, we found some mud this weekend as well! Post Paris to Ancaster “Dirty Ladies”?

  12. I love Cameron Wurf’s blog; he’s at the Tour of Turkey at the moment (yes, you have to get past his English — he’s Tasmanian, not a native speaker).

    At one point around 70km from the finish Cav asked me if we were going to help chase? I said what do you mean we are contributing to the chase!! We have our strongest engine up the road and you guys are having to go full gas to try and catch him!! We had a laugh and he called me a smart arse

  13. had a nice ride up a little mountain not far from Zürich on Saturday.
    Well for me it’s a Mountain, for the Swiss it probably doesn’t even count as a mountain, more like a bumb in the road for them..

    It’s 1420 meters, so from Zürisee about a 1000 meters climb. Last few kilometers is at 14% which for me is damn hard. View from up there is nice though!

    I’m preparing for doing Passo dello Stelvio later in the summer so trying to ride up all the mountains I can find. Stelvio is a lot higher and longer though, so still not sure I’m prepared for it.


    maybe take the skis next time?


    view over Zürisee from Schindellegi

    cheers.
    (the obvious Rule violations are there so you all have something to get upset about!)

  15. Next week, May 21 is the annual Ride of Silence.  I’ll be going out for my local ride.  You can find out if there is one near you on their website http://www.rideofsilence.org/main.php

    After having lost brother Velominati  itburns/Shuttle/Jon Lennard last year we should all get out and ride in his memory and to show our communities we are there.

  16. Happen I should have looked at the route before entering an event called The Little Lumpy on Sunday

  17. Tonights ride, someone stole the black stuff ! Gravel it is then, the Fuji SST in unfamiliar territory.  Do or do not, there is no try !

  18. Rode with the A group on yesterday’s club run for the first time. I was expecting to get dropped at some point but the extra riding I’ve managed over the last few weeks has been paying off.

    I thought I was going to go pop on the way back, I’d been over what I’d generally considerer to be my sustainable HR for a while and the guns were beginning to burn but unfortunately the guy behind me hit a hole a the side of the road and came off bringing down another lad. No one was badly hurt although one of them wasn’t in a fit state to carry on. It’s the first time someone has come off behind me like that – momentary terror turning to relief as you realise you’ve escaped the carnage turning to a sinking feeling as you hear man and bike sliding down the road.

    Annoyingly I punctured near the end so didn’t roll back into town with the guys I was riding with. None of the other lads waited despite me telling them to carry on. He lived in roughly the same direction so after getting to the finish we rode back together.

    130km including getting to and from the ride. 340km in total last week, my biggest ever week. I could get used to gardening leave.

  19. A very sad and reflective ride this evening thinking of a friend and riding buddy who’s thread was cut short way too early at the weekend.  So sad as he was near 20 years younger than me and leaves a wife and 4 year old son.  He will be missed in so many ways.  Ride amongst the stars Andy where the hills will never tire you.

  23. @Teocalli

    A very sad and reflective ride this evening thinking of a friend and riding buddy who’s thread was cut short way too early at the weekend. So sad as he was near 20 years younger than me and leaves a wife and 4 year old son. He will be missed in so many ways. Ride amongst the stars Andy where the hills will never tire you.

    Fucking terrible news. I am getting very, very tired of hearing this sort of thing.

  24. @Bespoke   No it was not cycling related.  The effect was Pulmonary Fibrosis but even the specialist unit in Brompton could not identify  what induced it.  In retrospect he was not fully well last summer but things started to be clearly wrong around Christmas when he appeared to get the same flue like virus a number of our group got but he just went downhill from there.  Unfortunately it was a month or two before they diagnosed anything so severe and by then it was too late for them to find anything to stop the progression.

  25. @Teocalli

    @Bespoke No it was not cycling related. The effect was Pulmonary Fibrosis but even the specialist unit in Brompton could not identify what induced it. In retrospect he was not fully well last summer but things started to be clearly wrong around Christmas when he appeared to get the same flue like virus a number of our group got but he just went downhill from there. Unfortunately it was a month or two before they diagnosed anything so severe and by then it was too late for them to find anything to stop the progression.

    It’s such a tenuous thread between health and illness; life and death. Such a fast decline for someone who was (I assume) otherwise healthy and fit. And, ultimately, medical science is an imperfect one as we are such complex beings. Again, very sorry to hear.

  27. My error for the above double post, sorry about that folks.

    Carry on about your normal business.

  30. @unversio

    Sagan in his other element (video)

    Sure looks like he’s using his road shoes and pedals on that thing too! Fuck me, that’s some bike handling skill.

  31. @unversio

    Sagan in his other element (video)

    Fantastic! Or to quote Mr Sagan, “fucking awesome.” Those are some crazy bike handling skills both guys have. And they looked like they were having a blast too.

  32. Prepping the bike for this weekend’s two day, three stage race. The eldest velominipper is practising her bar taping skills in the background. First few attempts suggest she could be quite good at it.

    VLVV

  34. Well, it’s official. I suck at bike racing.

    The bunch stretched out exiting of a tight turn/junction coming off the first hill and being one of the last into the corner I had a lot to do to stop the elastic from snapping. 57kph didn’t count as enough and all of a sudden I was alone.

    A couple of others looked to be struggling to hold on so I worked hard to keep the bunch in sight so I could hook up with anyone else coming off the back, form a group and work at not embarrassing ourselves. Unfortunately the next person I saw had decided to jack it in and cruise in to the end of the lap.

    To crown it all I punctured shortly after going past him. At that point the offer of a lift back to the start from on of the marshals was too good to turn down.

    Strava tells me the average speed in the bunch for the whole race was just over 40km. On a course with fair bit of standing water and mud from the earlier rain that would have been ambitious even on a good day.

    The upside to the day? Not coming last in the prologue TT. The worst bit, a two hour gap between the TT and the road stage in torrential rain. The team soigneur never turned up for my massage.

    There’s always next year…

  35. @Chris Everyone sucks at bike racing when they start – nothing to beat yourself up about.

    IIRC in my first Tour of Sharjah article I said the the three most important things in a race were Position, Position and Position and I haven’t changed my mind since then. It’s not easy to hold it, fight for it and to know where to be at all times.

    Corners are a classic where you know it will stretch out so you have to get further up.

    Or if you are unavoidably at the back you can sometimes leave a little gap and take a fast line in so you come out the other side faster than the back of the bunch and use your momentum to catch them. In the bunch it is difficult for anyone to take the real racing line cutting the apex because some idiot will always try to come up the inside when you move across.

    It’s all good experience. Why wait for next year – it’s June and there’ll be at least three months of racing to choose from. Do some events at a lower level to build up your experience. For most people racing is about making so many mistakes you eventually succeed by a process of elimination.

  36. @ChrisO The corner was the classic case of having drifted back through the bunch on the hill preceding it – steep enough for me not go full gas up it but not slow enough to significantly slow the CAT 2s and 3s.

    I’m not really beating myself up and it hasn’t put me off at all. The next year comment was aimed purely at that particular race, it’s the only relatively local multi stage event. Now that I know the nature of the beast I can be even more awesome the next time I do it.

  37. Photos from checking out some of L’eroica Britannia route at the weekend

    [dmalbum: path=”/velominati.com/wp-content/uploads/readers/Teocalli/2014.06.08.13.38.48/2//”/]

  38. @Teocalli Very nice. How was it, will there be a guest article?

    I think the Rapha Manchester to London charity ride takes in a bit of Monsal Trail. It’s bound to be raining then though.

  39. Anyone out there riding either Flat Out in the Fens this Sunday, or the 2 day Harrogate event next weekend?  Will be needing all the echelonic help I can get in Norfolk! (Norfolk known for two things – its limited gene pool, and crosswinds).

  40. Not a report, but an invitation.

    I know that Frank does not come to the Eastside on the weekends, but to all other PNW Velomanati:

    A group of rule compliant cyclists will roll from the Marymore Velodrome this Saturday June 21 at 09:00 for a casually deliberate 130 Km / 1,700M Redmond, Carnation, Falls City, North Bend loop to be immediately followed by beers (probably at Black Raven) and later a BYO BBQ/bonfire at my place in Kirkland to celebrate the longest evening of the year. WX looks flawless!

    ChrissyO and Peakin’, know that there’s always a spot for you to crash at my place.

  41. Pretty much packed and ready to set off for what should be a great vintage weekend.

  42. @chew

    Anyone out there riding either Flat Out in the Fens this Sunday, or the 2 day Harrogate event next weekend? Will be needing all the echelonic help I can get in Norfolk! (Norfolk known for two things – its limited gene pool, and crosswinds).

    Hope you don’t get last year’s gale.  That was horrible!

  49. @Teocalli

    @chew

    Anyone out there riding either Flat Out in the Fens this Sunday, or the 2 day Harrogate event next weekend? Will be needing all the echelonic help I can get in Norfolk! (Norfolk known for two things – its limited gene pool, and crosswinds).

    Hope you don’t get last year’s gale. That was horrible!

    I haven’t been on my bike for three weeks but I’m struggling to find a decent excuse not to go. Aiming for an early start so I can finish before it gets dark. I’ll be in V Kit so maybe I’ll see you out there.

    At least it’s flat because I’m way too fat to climb!

  50. @Chris

    @Teocalli

    @chew

    Anyone out there riding either Flat Out in the Fens this Sunday, or the 2 day Harrogate event next weekend? Will be needing all the echelonic help I can get in Norfolk! (Norfolk known for two things – its limited gene pool, and crosswinds).

    Hope you don’t get last year’s gale. That was horrible!

    I haven’t been on my bike for three weeks but I’m struggling to find a decent excuse not to go. Aiming for an early start so I can finish before it gets dark. I’ll be in V Kit so maybe I’ll see you out there.

    At least it’s flat because I’m way Too Fat To Climb!

    Chris, I’m up at Bakewell doing L’eroica so you’ll have done a few miles (and be lost) if I see you up here but hope you and @chew hook up.

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