Attention Phoeniz Area Triathletes-what is the most ideal part of town to live in for triathletes in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area? I am helping a triathlete pick a place to buy a winter home in Phoenix, AZ for his snowbird lifestyle and need your help. He wants a condo or small low maintanence house on outskirts of the city that he can head out for a safe bike ride from his doorstep. I have heard some stories about parts of town that are not very safe to ride in, and want to avoid those places. Any specific neighborhoods or street names of ideal places would be VERY helpful. He also would prefer being close to a pool with Masters group and close to great running. Also any info you could pass along for cycling groups that meet for group rides would be helpful, and Tri clubs, Master swim groups. Any info the Arizonian triathletes could send me would be GREAT!
Attention Phoeniz Area Triathletes-what is the most ideal part of town to live in for triathletes in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area? I am helping a triathlete pick a place to buy a winter home in Phoenix, AZ for his snowbird lifestyle and need your help. He wants a condo or small low maintanence house on outskirts of the city that he can head out for a safe bike ride from his doorstep. I have heard some stories about parts of town that are not very safe to ride in, and want to avoid those places. Any specific neighborhoods or street names of ideal places would be VERY helpful. He also would prefer being close to a pool with Masters group and close to great running. Also any info you could pass along for cycling groups that meet for group rides would be helpful, and Tri clubs, Master swim groups. Any info the Arizonian triathletes could send me would be GREAT!
Scottsdale = $$$, but for condos is probably one of your better bets. If he wants to be near the hills, I’d suggest Scottsdale, North/East Mesa, Fountain Hills. Masters swimming at ASU in Tempe, there are group rides from Landis Cyclery (Rural and Warner cross streets), Tribe Multisport (Scottsdale/McDowell roads). Tri clubs - Tribe, Landis, Phoenix, First Wave, Gage, Durapulse, I’m sure I’m missing a couple.
There are also cycling only teams that organize group rides as well.
John
North Scottsdale, in zip code 85260 or the south part of 85255. Both meet all of the listed requirements, with a few swimming/masters options, very good road riding options, running on streets and trails, and good hiking and MTB, too. I live in this area, and have 2-3 group rides to choose from on Saturdays or Sundays, with midweek groups, too. Pretty easy to ride from the house.
Lots of condo options, particularly in 85260, which is also more affordable. Feel free to PM me for more info.
I live in Fountain Hills and think it’s the best option. A little more affordable than Scottsdale, incredible options for bike training, you can ride north into north Scottsdale, Carefree, Cave Creek, South to Mea, Canyon Lake, Lake Saguaro, or out the BeeLine towards Payson. Great rides with lot’s of hills. Same with running in town, Fountain Hills has about 1000 feet of potential elevation changes in town, very hilly. Scottsdale is too flat for the most part. No decent swim options, tose are all in Scottsdale, but you are only 8 miles from great OWS at Lake Saguaro!
what is the most ideal part of town to live in for triathletes in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area?
About 90-100 miles south of Phoenix
I live in Paradise Valley which probably has the best in-the-city cycling in Phoenix (great roads, lots of bike lanes, hardly any traffic, some hills, albeit urban style). Unfortunately, no condos or small houses. However, there is a new condo development just north of PV on Cactus that backs on the Stone Creek Golf course. It looks quite nice. You can run out your back door on the trails by the golf course. The course connects with the Camelback golf course and I run there all the time (as do many other people). You can get to Phx mtn preserve in a few minutes by bike or foot for miles and miles of trails. Many bike clubs ride in PV. Cactus Swim club is very near (do they have Master’s? I think so). You are surrounded by every conceivable retail store and retaurant. Downstown Scottsdale is a few miles away. You are less than 10 miles from the airport. If I wanted a condo for visiting I would consider it.
He said he wanted to be near a CITY, not a second rate glorified township.
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I have a condo in north Scottsdale, I am actually there right now:-) I bought the condo 4 years ago as my second home and as a good place to go train. I am very happy with my decision. I am 1 mile from McDowell pool, close to Cactus pool, a mile away from endless wild running trails and have bike lanes all around me. The is a good healthclub with endless yoga/pilates classes nearby, a chipotle around the corner and multiples good lunch/coffee places around.
The only thing I wished that was closer to me was the airport (but still pnly 20-25 min) and the canal to run on (about 10-15 min drive). I picked a condo with a build in 2 car garages (great fro biking) and the condos in my complex are now back to the price I paid for it (maybe even less) in 2004. Have your friend PM me if you want:-)
x2 what marisol said…
OR
The Ahwatukee area is great too. I lived there because it was closer to my office and loved it. Its way better priced, quieter, and has great access to running and cycling. The roads around there have huge bike lanes and theres a nice little network of paths to run on all around. ASU masters is around the corner. Ahwatukee is its own little separate part of the greater PHX area surrounded on three sides by reservation land or the largest municipal park in the country. Many football and baseball players live there, so its got places that are wicked nice, but if you stay toward the east part, its much much more affordable than scottsdale. to be exact, the Pointe area, right next to the arizona grand in the small neighborhood there is really the best of the PHX area if you’re not in the $ enough to live in north scottsdale. Do a google map search for E Valley View dr, 85044 and look at that little neighborhood surrounded by the park, and s pointe pkwy. Very small little pocket but its really nice and a condo there is going to be very affordable. Shhhhhhh! dont tell to many people!
I drove the entire state of arizona for a living and have seen every neighborhood in the PHX area and I would go to marisols area or the pointe. Fountain Hills area right there too but a bit out of the way… not that it would matter much if you’re just there to train. After than the Estrella area is very nice too. Then look at Anthem and after that, forget PHX all together.
Oh I looked at Tempe/Ahwatukee but what really made me pick Scottsdale was that this was a second home and if I became tight on money or needed help with the mortgage, there was absolutly no questions there on Scottsdale being the easiest location to rent. I have actually rented my place to a selective few people and the rates are good and it’s easy. most people that come here on vacation look for Scottsdale.
Fountain Hills is great for riding, good for running trails but swimming is not convenient at all.
I think Marisol has it right- McDowell Mtn Ranch. For more $$ you can go into DC Ranch, Grayhawk, or Pinnacle PEak Country Club but no need.
Anything you want from a rental apartment to custom home for $1mm+. Close to running trails, the city’s pool complex and two nice private fitness clubs. Walk or bike to Grazie Pizzeria or AJs. Ride out to Lake Pleasant- New River (75+ mile loop) or Fountain Hills (50+ miles) or up towards 7 springs, or just go around and around on McDowell Mtn Ranch rd for some long hill repeats. Trail running and mtn biking at McDowell Regional Park - 30 min away or at Pima Dynamite or north end of Alma School Rd in the preserve… AND you have more preserve access right there in McD Ranch… or go ride out to the end of Via Linda and annoy the residents as you fly back down at 40+ mph.
Good access to restaurants, (including Sassi!) Whole foods, Trader Joe’s + other “stuff” you need like bookstores, movies, bike shops. too bad Tribe Multisport is a bit too far south… but good group rides at Landis and Bicycle Ranch.
nuf said?
I should definitly pick your brain about different places to eat and more options for riding. I do the mountain view/via linda loop all the time, the pima/dynamite and anything around there but never done lake pleasant/new river or 7 springs. i will check on “map my ride” 
Do you live around McDowell mountain? I am off Thompson Peak between Thunderbird and Redfield.
sent pm with my contact info…
Fountain Hills more affordable than Scottsdale?!? What part of Scottsdale are we talking about now?
I think anywhere in the Scottsdale, PV, Fountain Hills area is going to be a good choice. There’s a lot of riding down in the South East Valley (Gilbert, Mesa) but there’s also a lot of riders that get hit by cars down there it seems.
Some rides to check out are definitely Tribe’s rides on Thursday nights 7:10p and Saturday Mornings 7am. Also hour of power (time?) Tuesday and Thursday mornings and BOS on Saturday mornings (time?).
Bump
After 26+ years of Western Washington weather, I am seriously considering getting the flock out of here. Not to mention Washington’s economy is cratering and I doubt I will survive the layoff process for more than a year. I was down in the West Valley area last week and liked it. So, how is AZ’s economy? The online versions of the newspapers (AZ Central and Republic) don’t seem to be screaming doom & gloom. Phoenix metro is something like the fourth or fifth largest city in the U.S., so there should be opportunities even in a rough economy.
I saw a few runners & cyclists about but not in the numbers I’m used to seeing here in cold, wet Western Washington. Hard to believe but true. Maybe I just didn’t look in the right area/time. From the preceding posts, it sounds like East Valley area might be a bit better for what I’m looking for. I might see if I can swing down for the Dessert Classic Duathlon in February (22nd) and stay for a little while longer to check the area out.
Gee, two or three months of 100+ degree highs versus 10+ months of rain. Tough decision (note sarcasm).
Thanks!
Brett
Gee, two or three months of 100+ degree highs versus 10+ months of rain. Tough decision (note sarcasm).
Someone lied to you. You are getting 130+ days of 100F or higher and at least (EDIT) 20 days of 110 or higher temps. You have to start riding at 5am and need to be done with outside workouts by 9am if riding and earlier if running from May until October. By 9am it will be over 100 many days during the peak of the summer. It’s a different kind of hurdle to overcome for training vs the rain.
fwiw, I would typically run over 50% of my total mileage from April until October on a treadmill.
It’s not the dry heat always that people think of in the desert. As much as everyone says the PHX valley is a good place to live, I’d disagree and call it a big pos and not even in the top 3 areas in AZ to live for quality of life. I couldn’t wait to get out of there and get back to Tucson.
I’m in Sedona, about 2 hours north of Phoenix in the middle of no where. Temps here are about 10 days over 100 (maxed at 105 this year), super sunny most of the year, hardly any rain, 50 in the winter. But, other then tourists and beautiful scenery, there is nothing here.
So, my wife and I will be retiring in about 1-2 years and we’ve decided to move to either Tempe or Tucson. That will be 8 months of the year. June, July, Aug and Sept we will be living in Flagstaff or traveling the world. Its way too hot in Phoenix during the summer. I’m NOT getting up at 5am when I retire. I’m biking at 1pm!!!
I don’t think it’s quite as bad as DD makes it out to be, but he’s not far off. I
did all run mileage that wasn’t injury limited (broken collarbone) outside, but
during the summer you’re running early. Same for biking, you have to go
early.
The economy in Phoenix is generally better than the rest of the country, but it
depends on the industry. Generally high-tech is the best bet. Probably medical
too.
Tucson is nice, but the economy isn’t as robust.
I think you’d want to live towards the NE. Use search. There are a few threads
on that.
-Jot
I’ll second DD, after living there for over 20 years, I headed the hell out and never looked back. Some people love, but I havn’t found many that do. Nice place to visit in winter for a few weeks a year but that’s it for me.
DD is exaggerating. Historically in Phoenix there has been about 15 days per year over 110. That has gone up in recent years and was 30 or so last year. Still, it is nowhere close to 100. I have lived in Phoenix 13 years and have never been on a treadmill. It is hot but it is all relative. It is not nearly as bad as a coastal tropical climate where I lived 5 years. I would also take the heat over a damp wet winter climate up north where I grew up. I do agree with DD that Tucson has some advantages over Phoenix but my job keeps me here. That said, I guess I am kind of a wuss myself: What keeps me sane is that I spend 2-3 months a year in cooler places than AZ.