Where ISN'T off road riding possible?

[idrinkwater]

This is kind of a weird topic, but I'll be moving soon, and want to do some research. Where I live in florida, I ride MTB trails and dirt roads more than once a week. It's an essential part of my life. BUT, where i grew up, in Orlando, Fl, I don't know of ANY of road riding. At least not within reasonable riding distance from downtown. I know that cities like LA, Minneapolis, and Louisville have great off road options, but I could imagine other cities that don't, like NYC or chicago. So maybe we'll start a list of places that are inhospitable to dirt riders. Educate me!

1. Orlando, FL

[Cicli]

Actually Chicago has some really good off pavement riding. There are a lot of rails to trails in northern Illinois and probably thousands of miles of unsaved roads with zero traffic.

[MattTuck]

RIght, I think you need to be more specific.

off road riding could mean: rail trails, gravel roads, fire roads, etc. as well as single track and technical mtb trails.

I get the feeling that you're talking about the latter.


Boston is a city that has some trails that are sort of close, (Fells to the North, Blue Hills to the South), but I'm not sure I'd call them accessible by bike.

[p nut]

You can find dirt even living in NYC, apparently.

http://joecruz.wordpress.com/2014/10/22/inaugural-nyc-dirt-audax-invitational/

[SlowPokePete]

Great access to trails from NYC...come to Westchester, we've got some nice stuff here...Graham Hills, Blue Mountain, and Sprain, all pretty accessible by train, too.

Every summer I go to the Ocean City area for a couple weeks vacation...I consider that to be a place with no off road riding.

SPP

[josephr]

RIght, I think you need to be more specific.

off road riding could mean: rail trails, gravel roads, fire roads, etc. as well as single track and technical mtb trails.

I get the feeling that you're talking about the latter.


Boston is a city that has some trails that are sort of close, (Fells to the North, Blue Hills to the South), but I'm not sure I'd call them accessible by bike.

+1 on more specifics needed. Pretty much every medium to large city has decent MTB trails with a 20 minute drive.

[Ralph]

This is kind of a weird topic, but I'll be moving soon, and want to do some research. Where I live in florida, I ride MTB trails and dirt roads more than once a week. It's an essential part of my life. BUT, where i grew up, in Orlando, Fl, I don't know of ANY of road riding. At least not within reasonable riding distance from downtown. I know that cities like LA, Minneapolis, and Louisville have great off road options, but I could imagine other cities that don't, like NYC or chicago. So maybe we'll start a list of places that are inhospitable to dirt riders. Educate me!

1. Orlando, FL

Not sure I understand this. Orlando has a huge road riding crowd. Organized rides almost every day. We have a large and growing trail net work to get one out of town a bit. I live in Longwood area, and join an almost daily group for about 40-45 miles to the N and back. Weekend rides from lake Mary with groups as fast as you want to go. Rides on West side also. Winter garden to Clermont area. Probably largest membership bike club in state of Florida (Florida Freewheelers.....has road and ATB). I know lots of guys on N side of town putting in 200 miles per week. I imagine about any metropolitan area you go has riding like around here, you just have to be in right place in area to enjoy it.

We don't have a lot of mountain biking though .....or not near as much as road riding. Cross season here now.

[sandyrs]

Not sure I understand this. Orlando has a huge road riding crowd. Organized rides almost every day. We have a large and growing trail net work to get one out of town a bit. I live in Longwood area, and join an almost daily group for about 40-45 miles to the N and back. Weekend rides from lake Mary with groups as fast as you want to go. Rides on West side also. Winter garden to Clermont area. Probably largest membership bike club in state of Florida (Florida Freewheelers.....has road and ATB). I know lots of guys on N side of town putting in 200 miles per week. I imagine about any metropolitan area you go has riding like around here, you just have to be in right place in area to enjoy it.

We don't have a lot of mountain biking though .....or not near as much as road riding. Cross season here now.

From reading the post I'm guessing he meant there's no off road riding.

[Ralph]

From reading the post I'm guessing he meant there's no off road riding.

But he said he didn't know of any road riding. I have a son living on W side of Columbia, SC. Road riding scares the heck out of me there. Would be an avid Mtn biker if I lived there. Can't really think of any place you can't Mtn bike ride. Miami even OK if you like flat and sand.

It must be nice to pick where you want to live based on bike riding. I'm jealous. Shucks.....go West. Have a friend in Montana. Mountain biking every where. Colorado, Utah, NM, Idaho, even Wyoming.....WOW wonderful. NC, not so cold in Winter. Hope you find the perfect place.