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.

[/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

  • I'm in the middle of two weeks of epic MTB riding only 3 1/2 hours from Seattle. It's great high-altitude preparation for cyclocross season!

    Don't cross train; train for 'cross.

    [dmalbum: path="/velominati.com/wp-content/uploads/readers/topfunky/2012.08.17.22.48.48/"/]

  • @sgt

    Dang! How did I miss this post?

    I have no complaints about the weather during our ride, given that it is usually 30-35C with 90% humidity in early August in Houston. Plus it is a lot more scenic in Santa Barbara, unless you like looking at refineries.

    Thanks for showing me around the roads of your fine city.

  • UCI Masters World Championships

    Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

    August 26, 2012

    It's twenty degrees cooler (celsius) and reportedly the winds have died down as I watch the under 40yo racers flow through the starting gate this morning in Pietermaritzburg.

     
    I can't think of the proper words to describe the UCI masters world championship race yesterday. It was one of the most torturous things I have ever done and I have done a few stupid  things in my life. 
     
    There were several factors at play in the race and a bit of misfortune on my part. The reported temperature at the turnaround point of the race was 43 degrees celsius or  109 degrees Fahrenheit with 90% humidity.  The wind gusts on the course were 60-80kph. The course is 96kms long with 1650 meters (5400 feet) of climbing. This was exacerbated by only 2 hydration stops on the course with none in the last 35k.   This set the scene for a difficult day for sure. 
    The race started where it would end in Alexander Park in pietermaritzburg. At 1pm the 100+ riders were let go under sunny skies. 
    I stayed in the front third of the pack through town and up the first climb. The second climb is long at about 6kms but not overly steep at 5% grade.  A breakaway group of 5 took off for which I did not chase. I stayed with the main pack. At the third climb the  steepest of the day, I stayed with a pod of five riders about mid-way in the now fractured main pack. After this climb you are in Wartburg.  This was the first hydration station.  There was a bit of a lineup and knowing i would be back in 25k, i opted not to stop.
    It flattens to a slight incline here but is very exposed. Gusts are very strong and pushing the lead riders sideways  violently. About 4k of working with this group taking turns at the front, a crosswind pushed a riders back wheel into my front wheel causing me to crash. I wasn't going particularly fast at the time but i was clipped  in to my pedals and fell very hard onto my hip. I looked at my front wheel. The tubular tire had come off the rim which it was glued to. I pulled the tire back onto the rim. Seemed to go on however both front and back rims were rubbing on the brakes. I managed to adjust the brakes enough so that they no longer rubbed. 
    Back on my bike and off I go again. As I start to pedal I realize that my hip is really hurting and causing me to sit slightly to the right side of my saddle. In addition to this, I was worried about the up coming downhill. My tire is libel to come off again if I corner hard at speed. Sure to be a disaster. I started to flag down race vehicles. None had any wheels at all. Before the race I put an extra set of wheels into the neutral support supply so in case of a flat I could pull a wheel from them.  I was loosing a lot of time flagging down cars so I gave up after about 20 minutes of trying. 
    Soon I was back in Wartburg and the hydration station. I stopped and they gave me an open bottle. I asked for another without opening it. They gave me another open one. I asked for a cap. This took a while to be understood. Finally I was underway with one bottle in my hand and a full one in my jersey with 35k to go. 
    Soon I was at the 500m climb. I don't really know how to describe how difficult this climb became. During the climb, I drank the rest of my water with 22k to go. I felt totally shattered. I thought that I must be the last person in the race. I'm out of water and totally dehydrated. There's a very strong sideways gust that is blowing me about 5 feet one way or the other. My speed is about 14kph which is dismally slow. My feet feet like they are on fire and every ounce of pressure makes them scream in pain. I'm not kidding. The pain from my hip and my feet is so intense that I'm really worried about my ability to finish.  I have never dropped out of a race and I'm not dropping out of the championships!  
    A car comes from behind and offers me water. I decline as its against the rules and I don't want to be disqualified (I later find out that they removed this rule about midway through the race). I'm really dying and there is about 2k left to climb. I pass two riders who are not racing. I compliment one of them on their bike (same one as mine). He thanks me and offers me a coke. Oh yes!!  Not from a car, this has to be legal. I down the coke like a frat boy downs his first beer on Friday night.  Boy, that was good. 
    15k from the finish and mostly down or flat. I can only manage to turn my legs against the hell winds that are trying to push me back. I'm spent, dead, shattered, done. I gave everything I have just to get to the finish line where a crowd of spectators gave me the sympathy applause. 
    100m after the finish I collapse to the grass where i can't move without passing out for about 20 minutes. My outfit is crusted white with salt. My hip and elbow are bleeding and stinging from sweat.  My time 3:20 minutes. My place 27th. 30 minutes behind the leader. Most riders arrived alone and not in packs. One was sent straight to hospital from the course and three from the finish. 13 riders attended to for heat exhaustion by the paramedics. I went straight to my hotel, took a shower and drank about 2 liters of water. 
    I really don't know what I think of my result. I'm glad I finished. I wish that I had not crashed.  I can only think that of all the training that I could do, I still would not have been on the podium that day. 
    My hats off to those that did and those that just finished. I have never been though such adversity on the road before. And I really hope I don't again. 
    Love south Africa. Love 'Maritzberg. Great place and people. I'm so happy to have been part of it. No regrets. 
    Jimisurf (James Ingham)
    Vancouver, BC

  • @jimisurf Finishing with a mechanical and an injury in those conditions? A Rule #5 effort as worthy of praise as any you'll see from a pro. Chapeau!

1 … 34 35 36 37 38 … 333
Leave a Comment

Keeper Sites