Bike routes: Scottsdale, AZ

Triathlon Forum
1

I am in Scottsdale, AZ for a week of work and was able to bring my bike. I am staying near Fashion Square and I all I really know is the IM course and was hoping someone could recommend some other routes, or links to them, in the 40 - 100 mile range.

Cheers!

2

Any help, just did the Soma HIM and the roads for that stayed close to town. Looking for some longer scenic rides that are relatively safe.

Cheers!

3

Three rides I would suggest right off the top of my head…

  1. South Mountain. Drive down there, park in the… park, and ride up the hill. Follow the signs to the “TV Towers” and you’ll go all the way up. 7 miles from the ranger station, about 1500ft of climbing. On the way up, you can take the “San Juan Road” turnoff and that’s about 5 miles down to the end, then you go back up, and continue on to the TV towers. Beautiful ride… smooth pavement, tons of bikers, twisty, very scenic. You’ll have to look at the map to get there… I just did SOMA too and I’m too wasted to do a ton of research. :wink:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/90680438

  1. Usery Pass/Bush Highway. Zoom in on this map. Find Highway 87. See where 87 meets “McDowell Rd”. Drive to that intersection, park at the gas station… it’s about 5min from Tempe Town Lake. Take the 87 north, which is up the IMAZ course. Go allll the way to the exit for the “Bush Highway”, as seen on the Garmin report below. (For what it’s worth, the IMAZ course turns around when 87 gets to Fountain Hills. Don’t do that). Exit on the Bush Highway, hang a right. It’s a fast downhill, zooming by Saguaro Lake, a bike lane starts shortly after that. Then go up the Usery Pass climb. It’s maybe 6-7%? Goes for four miles. Get to the top, turn around and ride back. Very fun ride, VERY scenic. It’s rolling hills down the Bush Highway… like a roller coaster ride.

Tip: When you get past Fountain Hills on the way out there, stop and top off your drinks food. It’ll be a while till you have access again. Maybe 2-3hrs. The ride back is fun because it’s downhill literally from the Bush Highway to where you have your car parked… 20 miles or so of fast downhill.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/23167207

  1. My favorite ride in Fountain Hills. Drive to FH, park at the Wendy’s (on the corner of 87 & Shea Blvd). Print this map, take it with you. There are several decent climbs on this route, including one heartbreaker that’s a 20% grade.

For the most part, you can park in Fountain Hills, then just ride around anywhere, for as long as you want. The whole town has bike lanes, the pavement is good, very little traffic, very nice scenery… you can just ride all over the place, get lost and it’s easy to find your way out because the town isn’t very big.

Another idea: (Look at the Garmin Map). Find “Fountain Hills Blvd”. If you head North, it turns into “McDowell Mountain Road”. McDowell Mountain Road is amazing. Rolling, somewhat desolate, fast, fun, has a wide bike lane. It’s the Desert Classic Duathlon course. Great bike ride.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/68212223

Those are my suggestions. Should keep you busy for a few days. :slight_smile: MUCH more interesting than the SOMA course.

4

Great suggestions from phoenix R34. You can also just continue out the Beeline past Bush Highway pretty much as far as you want to go. Its pretty hilly past Shea. No water beyond the gas station at the bottom of the hill past Shea, just before the Verde River.
There is a bald eagle nesting pair that hangs out along the Verde River, but I haven’t seen them for a while.

For some tough hill repeats, 56th street north of Camelback. Continue up and over, down the other side, make the first right, then the next right, and do the next climb, up by the castle. Down the other side. Turn around and repeat.

5

Great suggestions from phoenix R34. You can also just continue out the Beeline past Bush Highway pretty much as far as you want to go. Its pretty hilly past Shea. No water beyond the gas station at the bottom of the hill past Shea, just before the Verde River.
There is a bald eagle nesting pair that hangs out along the Verde River, but I haven’t seen them for a while.

For some tough hill repeats, 56th street north of Camelback. Continue up and over, down the other side, make the first right, then the next right, and do the next climb, up by the castle. Down the other side. Turn around and repeat.

Agreed with both of those too.

6

I do South Mountain a lot. San Juan for a warmup and then try to get up there quickly. Not a lot of traffic, and the weather in the AM’s is perfect right now.

7

Thanks all, went out Mockingbird this morning to 56th north past 101. Nice recovery ride after yesterday’s “Grand Prix” turns course for Soma HIM. I will look to head east from here tomorrow to make my way to Fountain Hills to get in a longer ride.

Cheers!

8

I am in Scottsdale, AZ for a week of work and was able to bring my bike. I am staying near Fashion Square and I all I really know is the IM course and was hoping someone could recommend some other routes, or links to them, in the 40 - 100 mile range.

Cheers!

If you’re up for it, meet at the Gainey Village off of Scottsdale Rd and Double Tree Rd. in Scottsdale. It leaves a 6am, and though about 30 miles, I can ride back with you to make it 40ish or 50ish. It leaves at 6am. I’ll be wearing a black and grey/silver Tribe Multisport kit and will be on a Cervelo R5. PM me if you want to go.