its not cleveland

---

http://www.clevetriclub.com

rob reddy

following...

The only cycling destination trip I've been on was to the Park City, Utah area and it was pretty damn phenomenal for your list. Phenomenal climb right out of town and lots of different awesome climbs to be had within a 30 min drive.

Curious to see what others suggest myself...

My vote would be for Bourg d'Oisans number 1, Bormio number 2. The climbs from each are awesome, and the pedigree of the climbs are well known. The only problem with Bormio is you are starting at already 1200m, which means you really need it to be almost hot in the valley for it to be comfortable at 2500-2800m up. But that is a small price to play. Another awesome location is Bedouin at the base of Ventoux. Lots of rollers and beautiful riding in Provence and then you have Ventoux. Fourth, I would put anything on the Cote d'Azur between Cannes and Menton, from which you can access fabulous climbs in good weather and you get oxygen as a bonus. But it might be a toss up with Kailua Kona itself from which you have access to Kaloko, and further away, Mauna Kea access Road and Mona Loa. The big Island climbs though are not quite as accessible (minus Kaloko).

Someone needs to chime in on the climbing in Taiwan. It is plentiful and awesome. My only experience is Taipei area which is beyond awesome for the options you have from a city.

I don't have enough experience in the Pyranees. There is nothing in the North East of the US or Canada East and West that even comes remotely close to some of these. I can't comment on US west.

Boulder, Co if you want to stay in the US. It's a great town, great climbing without ever getting in a car and it has elevation. I think the ability to ride and live without needing a car is huge. Add a car into the mix and you really open up your options.

Innertkirchen, Switzerland ..

---

*
___/\___/\___/\___ the s u r f b o a r d of the K u r p f a l z is the r o a d b i k e .. oSo >>

Puerto de Pollenca and Alcudia are the main towns in Mallorca for cyclists. Mallorca Ironman 70.3 is based out of Alcudia for example. But the old town Alcudia is a nicer actual town.

I think it's a mecca for cyclists because the are lots of interesting roads, both climbing and flat, mostly decent road surfaces, and probably most of all, I've never seen anywhere else anywhere geared up for cyclists like it. Lots of bike hire and bike shops. It was a revelation to me, as it's more like a ski resort for bikes. Ie the cafes all have bikes propped up outside them, the hotels have bike rooms, and often on site bike shops. Add in perfect weather most of the year, lovely beaches, swimming in the med, and good food at reasonable prices and it's a winner.

Is it the best place in the world just for climbing? Maybe not. But if you want to getaway and not have to worry about routes, spares, etc, it's perfect for a stress free cycling (and running and swimming) holiday.

.. best time to go there, late August / September .. oSo >>

---

*
___/\___/\___/\___ the s u r f b o a r d of the K u r p f a l z is the r o a d b i k e .. oSo >>

I don't know what the single best town is, but last year I was moved to Bakersfield, CA for my job and I was pleasantly surprised with the cycling here. You have a non-stop "bike superhighway" path to get you out of town and then endless mountain climbs all over the place. It's not a big town or a busy town and the local cyclists are cool people. You can also ride year round. It's probably not the best, but I've lived a lot of places both in and out of the US and this is the best ive had at my back door.

I had a brain freeze leaving out San Jose area....Sierra, Metcalfe, Mt. Hamilton, Old LaHonda, Page Mill....the list is endless and you can do all these climbs BEFORE work and be in the office by 9:30. If it was not for the stupid real estate prices in Silicon Valley, I would be there, but turned down multiple job opps for that reason. Maybe Rob Gray can comment if Boulder climbing or San Jose climbing is better.

Frisco Colorado

Want to climb? Head west and go over the Vail Pass. Want a nice, easy, scenic ride? Ride around the reservoir. Want to spend some time in aero? Head south to Breckenridge. All of those are bike trails btw. There's tons and tons and tons of more riding you can do on the roads. Edit: oh yeah, there's some pretty good mountain biking to be had there as well.
(wish the map was bigger)


Scenic? Check


How's the town? I think it's reasonably active during the summer. They could use some culinary talent tbh but there's a decent Mexican restaurant there and a pretty solid breakfast spot so that's pretty much all I, personally, need.

I've been lucky enough to go to a couple of obvious cycling cities like Cortina and Boulder, but I'll throw up an unlikely candidate: Rapid City South Dakota (or really any of the towns in the Black Hills)

There are plenty of decent roads right out your back door and within a 30 mile drive there are plenty more for variety. The roads are empty 11 months of the year but for the month of the Sturgis rally, and are in perfect condition all year round in preparation for the rally. The variety is excellent, plenty of climbs and rolling hills, gravel and endless singletrack. Most of the riding takes you through national parks and forests, so the scenery is always excellent. The weather is dry and while it snows in the winter the summer never gets Arizona hot. Locals are friendly and courteous. The only big thing working against it is Rapid City itself can be a drag sometimes.

I can think of a couple, but an old coach of mine once trained out of Lagos, Portugal and said it was outstanding.
I've never been, but the Algarve region seems pretty damn awesome.
The only thing it might lack is the big climbs.

Las Palmas on Gran Canaria looks nice too.

It's not the fanciest, but I think the best all around I've done (really only ridden in the States, so that's a huge caveat, but I do love America) is in Western North Carolina. Blowing Rock, Linville, Valle Crucis, Asheville sort of, Banner Elk, etc. Absolutely phenomenal.

I loved cycling based out of Alleghe in the dolomites. Gorgeous town, and climbing galore. Get on your bike at your apartment and go climb:

Duran
San Pellegrino
Forcella Staulanza
Falzarego
Campolongo
Pordoi
Giau
Pian di Pezze
and more

And when you get down the other side of whatever pass you do, there will be another amazing town to stop and get a snack or just refill your bottles - or stop at the top of the passes where there are often cafes too if you wish. There is a beautiful lake with a beach to swim in. A few great cafes, a bakery... the town is pretty small though. Many might consider it too small. You could base yourself in Cortina for more town life, but the cycling in the immediate vicinity is not as good.






I like the idea of Frisco in the US as was mentioned. It is so easy to fall in love with great towns in Europe that we forget we have some pretty great places here too.

---

-------------
Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

you live in a pretty good cycling area. just, for the purposes of my question, here is what *i* would say if i were in the neighborhood you are:

- kernville
- california hot springs
- springville
- walker basin
- johnsondale

if you aren't (yet) hip to these places you will be. i might add glennville, woody and a few others in that area. the great climbs are, of course:

- the bear
- breckenridge mountain
- alta sierra (shirley meadows west)
- lion's trail (which i rode up about 3 weeks ago)
- parker pass
- portuguese pass

bakersfield rocks. just, a little bit outside bakersfield, to the east.

---

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

i thought somebody might nominate helen, or somewhere in that north GA west NC area. some of the best cycling i've ever done.

---

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Adding to my sales pitch for Alleghe, here are a few of the climbs from there.

Passo Pordoi:



San Pellegrino



Staulanza

---

-------------
Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

In my opinion, you have to seriously factor in the reality of snow-ice winter seasons in the consideration of any 'single best town for cycling', as no matter how nice it is in the spring/summer, if you can't ride in the winter, that's a big ding against it as being 'the best.'

Norcal/Socal should definitely be on the shortlist, given that in the right areas, it really is year-round lovely riding, even in the dead of winter.

Other places are definitely prettier and more epic (the Alps!) when the weather is right, but I don't think you can claim to be 'the best' if you can't access those roads in the winter.

i love the idea. as you note i mentioned canazei, because there is more "town" there. it's at the base of pordoi, fedaia, sella. same sorta thing. but i like the fact that your town is on a lake.

---

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

what i guess i left out is that i'm not thinking of moving there. i'm thinking of going there. for a week. so, yeah, you're right. all i want is that there is some good weather there, sometime during the year.

---

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Agreed. I live on the other side of the Wasatch in Salt Lake. It is always a tough decision where to ride and which bike (road or mountain) because it's all so good.

You don't need to travel far...just come to Santa Barbara. If you want climbing, I'll show you climbing...bring your "all-road" bike so we can hit the dirt climbs too ;-)

---

http://bikeblather.blogspot.com/

Santa Barbara, but don't come here

Bonsall, say that sort of half joking, sort of not.

---

Mike Plumb, TriPower MultiSports
Professional Running, Cycling and Multisport Coaching, F.I.S.T. Certified
http://www.tripower.org