Cycling in Atlanta

[Ryun]

Relocating from Florida to Atlanta. Looking for some input on rides/groups/ etc/
Looking mostly at the Decatur/Druid hills area.
Where do all the middle aged, vaguely quick retired racers ride?
Which shops carry the goodies in the area?
Thanks

[FlashUNC]

Bit far from Decatur, but the Dunwoody Cycling group is tough to beat. Great guys and great rides.

[jr59]

Bring gears!

I did it, moved from fla to the Atl and thought I was going to die.

The Atl is a great place to ride, but it goes up and down a LOT next to Fl.

[Ryun]

Yup making that change now. I lived in the blue ridge for 10 years and raced there a bunch so I vaguely remember it. Certainly dont need my 54/42 11x21 setup I have for group rides...

[jr59]

Yup making that change now. I lived in the blue ridge for 10 years and raced there a bunch so I vaguely remember it. Certainly dont need my 54/42 11x21 setup I have for group rides...


:beer:

Yep, that's for sure.

I use to ride with a bunch out of Buckhead, but it's been a long time ago.

[witcombusa]

Paging SamIAm to the white courtesy phone....

[LegendRider]

From Decatur / Druid Hills you'll likely be interested in the Stone Mountain and Tucker area rides. Lots of fast guys in that part of town. Send me a PM with your email address and I can get you added to a distribution list and/or introduce you to one of the unofficial ride leaders.

[pdmtong]

Now maybe RP will own a gruppo with crank and cassette gearing I can actually buy from him.

11x21? not where I live...

[Ryun]

Yeah the days of 30+mph group rides are pretty much over.
It was fun while it lasted...

[PQJ]

Atlanta has a vibrant scene and great cycling, both within the Perimeter, just outside it and way beyond.

Outback Bikes in Little 5 Points, which is near Decatur/Druid Hills, organizes 2 rides, one on Wednesday evenings (spring/summer/early fall only) and one on Sundays. I haven't done their Sunday ride but try to do the Wednesday ride when work permits. It is open to all but attracts mostly amateur racers in the 1/2/3 range, but also with some 4/5. It isn't a no drop ride and can feel a little hairy since it is all in town. With that said, ride leadership is pretty good and most of the guys (and the few gals) have decent skills and group riding experience.

Dunwoody Cycling is a bit of a shlep considering where you live. It attracts a nice group of people - a few people who race, but most of the folks are recreational riders. The Saturday ride is about 38 miles and it typically breaks (very loosely) into A and B groups, and sometimes a C group as well. A group will average around 20mph (which considering the terrain and traffic volume/stop lights/etc, isn't bad). I have never finished that ride with the B or C groups but would guess their average is around 13-17mph. I don't ride with DCC anymore because it doesn't have very 'involved' leadership which results in a somewhat fractious, testosterone fuelled environment, depending on who shows up, of course. The organizer is a nice guy but he doesn't 'lead.' As a result, the group doesn't have a ton of respect for motorists and (I think) gives cyclists a less than good name. There also seem to be more than a few squirrelly riders. YMMV, but that's my opinion.

Beginning in April and ending with the end of DST, there's the "Sunday Ride." It is billed as a "cooperative fast training ride with the goal of everyone finishing together," (but you need to be able to keep up - they won't wait if you don't have the fitness) and it rotates among 4 or 5 different areas outside the Perimeter. Ride distances are typically between 65 and 75 miles, and average 22.5++ mph. It attracts many amateur racers and lesser pros, and thus has your usual smorgasbord of nice people and assholes. However, the ride organizer, Aaron, is both a great guy and an excellent leader, and he keeps the group very much in check. If you are a Lance Armstrong type, this ride is not for you. I highly recommend the Sunday Ride. You can subscribe to the Sunday Ride Yahoo group for weekly ride announcements

When the Sunday Ride is not in season, the Airport Ride is. The ethos of the Airport Ride is similar to the Sunday Ride, but it attracts a bigger group. It also only does one route, which is mostly flat. Since it starts at 10am on Sundays, I don't do it.

There are also numerous weekday rides during the spring, summer and fall that start at various locations throughout the city.

http://sadlebred.com/ is a great resource for cycling-related goings on in and around Atlanta.

Bike-shop wise, I think most Atlanta area bike shops are average to pretty crappy. Peachtree Bikes is ok, as is Atlanta Cycling and All 3 Sports. The mechanical work I've had done at all 3 has been hit or miss.

PM me if you want more info.

[SamIAm]

Relocating from Florida to Atlanta. Looking for some input on rides/groups/ etc/
Looking mostly at the Decatur/Druid hills area.
Where do all the middle aged, vaguely quick retired racers ride?
Which shops carry the goodies in the area?
Thanks


Send me you email and what you are looking for in a ride and I will get you plugged in.

[fiataccompli]

I used to go to ATL fairly regularly visiting my brother-in-law in Smyrna (literally a couple hundred feet from a sidewalk-esque section at the end of the Silver Comet Trail) and I think I may be there this coming weekend. I've never had a much luck (or a lot of flexibility in time) finding a group ride, so I ended up opting for a rather dull out/back SCT ride. A Saturday morning gig of 30+ miles with a cooperative paceline averaging anywhere from 18-23mph somewhere around the SCT (for lack of a better landmark...in other words, where I can ride to the start) would be great to know about......but, then again, I've lived this long without knowing about it so I'm sure I'll be fine doing something different.

FWIW, I'd much rather climb hills than fight a steady headwind and endless horizon like you have in FL!

[PQJ]

I used to go to ATL fairly regularly visiting my brother-in-law in Smyrna (literally a couple hundred feet from a sidewalk-esque section at the end of the Silver Comet Trail) and I think I may be there this coming weekend. I've never had a much luck (or a lot of flexibility in time) finding a group ride, so I ended up opting for a rather dull out/back SCT ride. A Saturday morning gig of 30+ miles with a cooperative paceline averaging anywhere from 18-23mph somewhere around the SCT (for lack of a better landmark...in other words, where I can ride to the start) would be great to know about......but, then again, I've lived this long without knowing about it so I'm sure I'll be fine doing something different.

FWIW, I'd much rather climb hills than fight a steady headwind and endless horizon like you have in FL!

Silver Comet is fine every once in a while but can get very monotonous. I believe there's a triathlon club (Tri Atlanta?) that organizes weekly Silver Comet rides. If you do the Comet, I suggest starting at approximately mile marker 5 (Floyd Rd. trailhead) so you can avoid runners, walkers, kids, dogs, rollerbladers, etc. It thins out even more after mile 10.

[fiataccompli]

yeah..well, since I end up leaving from a point that's at the beginning of the trail, I end up putting in 20 out of 40-60 (depending how early I get up) miles in on the "high traffic" area on the begging & end of the ride (don't really want to drive somewhere to ride, but maybe I should?). I have to say that it works pretty well considering the variable speeds, dogs with leashes, earpods, random old & young people, etc....but it doesn't work as well (for me) as a nice, rolling country road!