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Slowtwitch Forums: Triathlon Forum:
Moving from SF to MA - where's the good riding?

fzzl

Aug 22, 08 7:54

Post #1 of 13 (426 views)

Moving from SF to MA - where's the good riding?	Can't Post

After a number of years living in SF, I'm moving to MA (born/raised there), and wanted to get some input on the best areas for road riding. I have spent some time riding there in the past, and am reasonably familiar with the suburbs west of Boston (newton, weston, concord, etc) and it seemed pretty good. I'm really curious about the south shore, for example rides out of the Hingham area? Is it relatively easy to get to decent roads (roomy shoulders and/or roads without a lot of traffic) on weekends for long (3-5 hour) rides? Any hills? Also interested in mountain biking. I know Wompatuck is nearby, are there good mtb trails there? I'm really going to miss the easy access to good riding/climbing around SF, but moving back to be closer to family. Is the riding on the south shore any worse/better than the riding in the concord area? Any info would be very much appreciated.

-Fzzl

DawnT

Aug 22, 08 8:03

Post #2 of 13 (422 views)

Re: Moving from SF to MA - where's the good riding? [fzzl] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I grew up south of Boston and still visit there regularly. The best riding I've found is in the Lakeville area. I did a 100 miler there in prep for LP last year. Riding around the lake(s) is nice riding. I think I did 3 loops plus lots of other stuff in the area. I haven't really found anywhere else for good riding. All of the other areas I've tried are too congested. It's made me realize how good I have it here in Toronto. I'd love to hear other ideas for good riding in the area so I can bring my bike down more often.

cgroundy

Aug 23, 08 13:54

Post #3 of 13 (350 views)

Re: Moving from SF to MA - where's the good riding? [fzzl] [In reply to]	Can't Post

There's a decent ride that goes out of hingham HS saturday mornings and a race training series at wompatuck state park. South shore wheelmen and the bicycle link in weymouth would also be good resources to track down more info.
"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
Hunter S. Thompson

fzzl

Aug 23, 08 20:06

Post #4 of 13 (314 views)

Re: Moving from SF to MA - where's the good riding? [cgroundy] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks you two for the info, i'll look into the south shore wheelmen and bike link. How are the actual roads in the area for riding? Quiet country roads or riding on the shoulders of freeways? Maniac drivers or reasonably bike-friendly (means no more than one life-threatening incident per ride)? Is it relatively easy to get to quieter roads out west (that would seem to be the direction that would get me to quieter/hillier routes)? I'd imagine there are some decent shorter routes along the coast (cohasset/scituate/duxbury), but again, am not really familiar with the immiedate south shore area. I did do a race once in wompatuck, was pretty nice, though i don't think i'd do much training there (i have low patience for multiple loops).

cyclisto

Aug 23, 08 23:01

Post #5 of 13 (300 views)

Re: Moving from SF to MA - where's the good riding? [fzzl] [In reply to]	Can't Post

from sf to ma? that's a huuuuuuge downgrade dude. can you reconsider? i left that shithole along with all those massholes years ago, and couldn't be happier!! :-)

cgroundy

Aug 24, 08 5:31

Post #6 of 13 (264 views)

Re: Moving from SF to MA - where's the good riding? [fzzl] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Good roads for riding do exist, but are not always easy to find. check out Rubel maps (http://www.bikemaps.com/regmaps.htm you want the eastern map and maybe the cape if you'll be heading that way as well) and get yourself one of the waterproof copies (they're printed on thin folding plastic and will last FOREVER), they're about $12 and well worth the money, they have great detail and classify roads based on ridability.
"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
Hunter S. Thompson

Roscoe

Aug 24, 08 5:47

Post #7 of 13 (259 views)

Re: Moving from SF to MA - where's the good riding? [fzzl] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I live in Dartmouth, and the riding in South Dartmouth and west, into Westport and Little Compton/Tiverton, RI, is really incredible. Roads are sparsely traveled. The scenery is coastal rural, with lots of views of the ocean. Lots of group rides if you want them. Combine a trip down with an open-ocean swim!
______________________________________________
Outside of my bike, my running shoes are my favorite things. Inside my bike, it's too cramped to run.

fzzl

Aug 24, 08 7:49

Post #8 of 13 (237 views)

Re: Moving from SF to MA - where's the good riding? [cyclisto] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Yes, i know it's not exactly an upgrade cycling-wise. However, i've weighed the pros/cons of living in SF vs. MA (i'm lucky in that i can do my job from either place) and there are a lot of non-cycling pros in the living in MA column. I'm definitely going to be bummed to be leaving the cycling I've had here, though (I won't miss the tourist-blazing saddles slalom going across the GG bridge, though that can be fun). We've got a new baby, and it will be nice to not have to get on an airplane anytime we want to see our families, you don't have to pay a million bucks for a POS house in MA, and they've got decent public schools there. And ironically "Taxachusetts" has significantly lower state income taxes.

Roscoe

Aug 24, 08 8:32

Post #9 of 13 (224 views)

Re: Moving from SF to MA - where's the good riding? [fzzl] [In reply to]	Can't Post

MA has, far and away, the best schools in the country.
Check out this link for school ratings by the Chamber of Commerce.

And Taxachusetts is a very dated term from the 1970s. Since the property tax caps initiative, we rank about middle of the pack. It's now about 23rd from the top for state/local tax burden.
______________________________________________
Outside of my bike, my running shoes are my favorite things. Inside my bike, it's too cramped to run.

mikerw1

Aug 24, 08 15:02

Post #10 of 13 (185 views)

Re: Moving from SF to MA - where's the good riding? [fzzl] [In reply to]	Can't Post

We lived and rode in the Boston area for many years and are now in NY. There are, as with anywhere, many pros and cons. On the pro there are some very nice areas and organized rides. We preferred the Northwest suburbs (Lincoln, Concord, Carlisle, Harvard) as they tend to be hillier than the south burbs. As to mountian biking check out Blue Hills Reservation if you want to climb and Lincoln for easier terrain. You can easily get trail maps to both.

One of the great pros to Boston is Belmont Wheelworks, potentially the best bike shop we've ever frequented.

The biggest negative is the drivers. They are decidedly biker unfriendly. They are the worst in the country. You need to approach every intersection with care and assume the cars will run the lights and stop signs. Sorry to say they see bikes as targets.

fzzl

Aug 26, 08 9:19

Post #11 of 13 (131 views)

Re: Moving from SF to MA - where's the good riding? [mikerw1] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks everyone for the responses. I do remember MA drivers being not so great for cyclists, but was hoping they'd changed a bit, or that they were more bike-friendly in certain areas (outside of the city). Oh well.

Triocd

Aug 26, 08 9:39

Post #12 of 13 (123 views)

Re: Moving from SF to MA - where's the good riding? [mikerw1] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I disagree with your assessment of the drivers. I bike in all of the areas mentioned thusfar (Concord/Lincoln area, Lakeville area) and in the past 2 years I've yet to have a single negative occurance in those areas. I put in about 3,000 miles a year, which isn't tons but its a good chunk of time on the roads. I've found most smaller white-collar towns to be very safe and a great experience. However, there are many towns that I wouldn't ride through period. There are many towns like this, but they're easy to pick out and you simply don't ride there. I once did a ride through Lynn and Salem (sort of by mistake). Holy shit, I nearly died 30 times, but I simply avoid towns like that now.

Concord/Lincoln/Acton/Harvard will be great, as will most of the south shore and southeast towns. Wester MA has awesome riding but it's far. There are definitely better states to be in for riding, but all in all, there are many nice roads to be found here.

(And a POS house will still cost the OP a lot of money on the south shore, not as bad as SF but still pretty bad)

trinewby

Aug 26, 08 14:15

Post #13 of 13 (93 views)

Re: Moving from SF to MA - where's the good riding? [Triocd] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Might also try Dover, Sherborn, Medfield area. Smooth scenic roads with not a lot of traffic.