Road riding loops or out-and-backs in Phoenix?

Any road bike riders out there? Not street motorcycles, but the kind you pedal...

Been looking for a decent 15 mile loop or out and back within 45 minutes of downtown Phoenix. I'd love to be able to roll out my door like I used to in Virginia and Florida, but the overwhelming fear of getting turned into road grease and a meat waffle by some inattentive or vindictive Phoenix driver causes me to shart in my riding shorts.

Know of anywhere decent? Something with a bike lane, or very wide shoulder, and hopefully not a butt load of traffic ripping by on it? Seems like certain members of the Phoenix drivers' guild have it out for cyclists and would love to turn my thick ass into a hood ornament.

Directions? Loops? A little help for someone trying to rack up miles before the fun bunch descends on Phoenix in mid-April?

Are you near the canal - http://www.azmag.gov/Documents/MAG_2...thways-Map.pdf - It,s a nice ride without traffic, except at road crossings.
My dad rides it all the time.

Other routes via bike lanes are on that PDF ... But some are pretty busy with cars.

How about this: Underground Crit Rocks!!! | Ride to Live / Live to Ride ?

The Scottsdale Greenbelt is nice if you want to be completely off the road, but you can't get to full roadie speed on that. I still enjoy riding it.

Also, except for one weekend a month, San Juan road at South Mountain is a nice smooth desert road with no traffic at all. I think it's 6 miles, 12 miles RT. You can also add the other roads in the park (including summit road if you're feeling like a climb) to add distance, but those will have cars on them. I don't feel threatened by the cars on Summit road though. The speed limit is low and most people are taking it easy out there.
Don't forget about Silent Sunday at South Mountain. That's as good as it gets: Official Site of the City of Phoenix - Silent Sundays

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Originally Posted by boomvader

Underground Crit Rocks!!! | Ride to Live / Live to Ride ?

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Looks awesome!

You can chose bike lanes as a layer on Google Maps. A great way to find routes from your doorstep.

I have been road riding from my house in Anthem. Easy to 15-25 miles with little traffic, but that is not in downtown Phx. I believe there are some city of Phx bike maps around the net. These show the major bike lanes etc. There is a lot of places to road ride, but you do need to do some looking on side streets.

Phx has major streets like grid. These are good for car traffic, but not as good for bikes. However there are minor streets at half distance intervals of the major streets. These cut through the neighbor hoods with a lot less traffic, but are not pure residential either. You might be able to make up a route with them.

Look for the nearest canal with an open maintenance road along it. You might be able to get away from traffic entirely and ride your mtb.

Phoenix: Bush Highway to Usery Pass Loop
Length: 23 miles
Biking experience: Intermediate
With good bike lanes, this ride quickly takes you out of the Mesa suburbs and into lush desert scenery along the Salt River. Get an early start to beat the heat and be aware of vehicles hauling boats to Saguaro Lake.

Start at Red Mountain Park on Brown Road just east of Power Road. Ride west on Brown Road, turn north on Power Road (Bush Highway). After about 11 miles, turn right on Usery Pass Road. Climb over Usery Pass and enjoy the descent. Turn right on University Drive, then right on 80th Street and back to the park.

where do you live? do you want hills? Somo as Chongoman suggested may be the best and most central ride. There is a several times weekly Tuke ride that NoelG does. I like East Mesa, but not all of it has bike lanes for the Usery, Saguaro Lake or Tortilla routes. N. Scottsdale has tons of routes with bike lanes, but there will be traffic. If you are serious about avoiding traffic you need to ride early. you also might want to check out Road Bike Review or comparable roadie sites and hook up with some local rides. You are simply not going to get the depth of activity on this forum.

If near downtown Phx you can take 3rd ave through the neighborhoods with bike lane, cross east on earl (kinda scketchy at times) or another one I can't remember to the hwy 51 which has bike path all the way north.

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Originally Posted by Douger-1

Phoenix: Bush Highway to Usery Pass Loop
Length: 23 .

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This is one of the best metropolitan area rides anywhere. Clockwise is tougher; counter clockwise is still pretty tough. And it's great to add in the loop thru Las Sendas neighborhood. Arizona Brumbies club makes this ride regularly if you are looking for a group ride.

One possibility is to drive out to Pima Rd and Pinnacle Peak, park in the lot there at the gas station/market on the southwest corner (big lot west of the store). Then head north on Pima (fairly wide shoulder), right on Legend Trail Parkway. Follow that around until you get to Stagecoach Pass, go right (east) up to Lone Mountain Parkway, which you then take over to Cave Creek Rd. Right on CCR, start climbing up to the top where you can go left out to Seven Springs (just keep going until the pavement ends), or right out to Bartlett Lake (challenging!). The Bartlett Lake option can have traffic, but it's a pretty popular road ride. As with all road riding in the metro area, it is best to get out there and knock your ride out as early as possible, before the cars really get wound up.

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Originally Posted by cstem

hwy 51 which has bike path all the way north.

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WOW ... I didn't know that.

It's pretty sweet and it links with the east-west brown belt that goes all the way to 83rd ave and bell then turns up skunk creek to at least Deer Valley or down to Peoria.

When I did ride my roadie, I got sick and tired of interrupting my peaceful ride looking out for dummies in cars. It's why I stopped riding a street bike on the street in 1997.

If you want to ride north from downtown without driving, this is a route that gets you to the canal. You can extend your ride from the canal if you go west on the canal, but downtown to the canal and back may be about 15-20 miles round trip.

Take 3rd Ave. north. 3rd Ave. is an established bike route. Keep heading north. At Minnezona there will be a bike only connector that keeps you on 3rd Ave. Keep heading north on 3rd Ave. All the way to Missouri. Take a left on Missouri (west). I simply cross Missouri and get on the sidewalk here. You will then turn right (north) at the first street, which is 4th Ave. North on 4th Ave. to Marshall. Make a right on Marshall (east) to 3rd Ave. again. Go left (north) on 3rd Ave. Stay on 3rd Ave. north. There will be another bike only connector at Rose Lane. Keep going north on 3rd Ave. until you reach Maryland. Go right on Maryland (east) until it ernds at 18th Street. Go left on 18th Street. It may be a bit hard to find but on your right you will see a bike path/access that should take you under a freeway and back to Maryland. Head a bit more east on Maryland. Before you get to a park on the left there will be a bike path and canal. Go left onto the bike path. Take the one that is on the west side of the canal. You can take this path west all the way to Glendale. reverse to get home, except that at Thomas, you will need to switch to 5th Ave. to get you back to downtown as 3rd and 5th are one way streets from Thomas south.

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Originally Posted by Dirdir

If you want to ride north from downtown without driving, this is a route that gets you to the canal. You can extend your ride from the canal if you go west on the canal, but downtown to the canal and back may be about 15-20 miles round trip.

Take 3rd Ave. north. 3rd Ave. is an established bike route. Keep heading north. At Minnezona there will be a bike only connector that keeps you on 3rd Ave. Keep heading north on 3rd Ave. All the way to Missouri. Take a left on Missouri (west). I simply cross Missouri and get on the sidewalk here. You will then turn right (north) at the first street, which is 4th Ave. North on 4th Ave. to Marshall. Make a right on Marshall (east) to 3rd Ave. again. Go left (north) on 3rd Ave. Stay on 3rd Ave. north. There will be another bike only connector at Rose Lane. Keep going north on 3rd Ave. until you reach Maryland. Go right on Maryland (east) until it ernds at 18th Street. Go left on 18th Street. It may be a bit hard to find but on your right you will see a bike path/access that should take you under a freeway and back to Maryland. Head a bit more east on Maryland. Before you get to a park on the left there will be a bike path and canal. Go left onto the bike path. Take the one that is on the west side of the canal. You can take this path west all the way to Glendale. reverse to get home, except that at Thomas, you will need to switch to 5th Ave. to get you back to downtown as 3rd and 5th are one way streets from Thomas south.

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^^^^This man knows his stuff.

This might be the longest thread I've seen without another reply from the OP - so without knowing where you live/ride....there is an excellent route around South Mountain along with some nice Ahwatukee riding off major roads. You can also add Pecos for extra miles but also traffic. Liberty is a great alternative to avoid the cagers.

:thumbsup: