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View Full Version : Ride/Rent in Miami/Everglades - Shark Valley?

deaddog
10-26-2015, 04:53 PM
I'm going to downtown Miami on business and have a free day. I'm looking for ride suggestions and rental places. I prefer to stay off unfamiliar roads and am leaning towards driving out to Shark Valley in the Everglades to do the 15 mile loop a couple of times.

A few questions:

1. Anybody ever ride the Shark Valley path and care to comment?

2. Any other paved bike trails in the general vicinity you'd recommend?

3. Any suggestions on where to rent a bike - all I'm seeing is single speed coaster?

Thanks
bcroslin
10-26-2015, 07:15 PM
You're probably not going to like this answer but I wouldn't recommend riding in Miami. The roads are less than hospitable and the drivers are insane. I don't know anything about Shark Valley but I've ridden in the Keys and I've never seen so much road debris before in my life. I was honked at, harassed and had a small town cop actually force me to ride on the sidewalk. I got into an argument with him and finally just gave up.

So, in conclusion, S FL sucks for bikes. There are a few group rides but they have a reputation for being hairy. My advice, go snorkeling at Bahia Honda or go people watching on S Beach.
vav
10-26-2015, 07:24 PM
You're probably not going to like this answer but I wouldn't recommend riding in Miami. The roads are less than hospitable and the drivers are insane. I don't know anything about Shark Valley but I've ridden in the Keys and I've never seen so much road debris before in my life. I was honked at, harassed and had a small town cop actually force me to ride on the sidewalk. I got into an argument with him and finally just gave up.

So, in conclusion, S FL sucks for bikes. There are a few group rides but they have a reputation for being hairy. My advice, go snorkeling at Bahia Honda or go people watching on S Beach.

+ 100

My in-laws live down in Miami and we go several times a year. I have thought about keeping a bike down there but as BCroslin said, it just sucks.

I've rented a few times a MTB / Kayak at Oleta River State Park (15-20 mins from downtown) and had a blast though

https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Oleta-River
lzuk
10-26-2015, 07:45 PM
Shark Valley is fun. It's best to go early as the trams start at 10:00 am. Lots of gators. You might look at the Florida Keys Overseas Trail. I think you can rent bikes at All Keys Cycle in Key Largo
simonov
10-27-2015, 06:09 AM
I live in Miami. It can totally suck or be great for riding depending on when, where and how you like to ride. The group rides can be sketchy, but most hammerhead rides I've done in other cities are sketchy as well. Most people ride very early to beat the heat and beat the traffic. Some roads are quiet, some are busy. Knowing which ones to use can make all the difference. If you like gravel, there are some cool levees around the everglades that are closed to cars and a great way to see some local wildlife. Riding way south in Homestead/Redlands is nice and quiet with almost no traffic. From downtown Miami you can pretty quickly get to Key Biscayne which is very popular with cyclists. It can also be dangerous at certain times. Virginia Key, which is on the way to Key Biscayne has some mountain bike trails that would be easy for you to get to. Shark Valley is cool, but is pretty boring after the first lap and you give up some riding time to make the drive out there. Vav's tip on Oleta is also a good one for a MTB rental with trails right there. And FWIW, I find riding in the south Keys (like Islamorada south to Key West) worse than in Miami. There's really only one road so you can't avoid cars. If you want more details, feel free to PM me.
Blown Reek
10-27-2015, 07:07 AM
If you think riding in South Florida sucks, you've never ridden in South Florida. If you've ridden in South Florida and think it sucks, you weren't riding where you should.
bcroslin
10-27-2015, 08:02 AM
If you think riding in South Florida sucks, you've never ridden in South Florida. If you've ridden in South Florida and think it sucks, you weren't riding where you should.

Please enlighten us. I travel to S FL frequently and I would like to know where the good rides are.
vav
10-27-2015, 08:16 AM
If you think riding in South Florida sucks, you've never ridden in South Florida. If you've ridden in South Florida and think it sucks, you weren't riding where you should.

Dunno man...FL leads the nation in fatal bike accidents (http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2014/10/cycling-florida) and Miami-Dade ranks second in bicycle deaths (http://www.ivanschertzer.com/blog/2015/08/miami-dade-ranks-second-in-bicycle-deaths.shtml)

If that does not suck, I don't know what does.
bcroslin
10-27-2015, 09:13 AM
Dunno man...FL leads the nation in fatal bike accidents (http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2014/10/cycling-florida) and Miami-Dade ranks second in bicycle deaths (http://www.ivanschertzer.com/blog/2015/08/miami-dade-ranks-second-in-bicycle-deaths.shtml)

If that does not suck, I don't know what does.

Miami has the worst drivers hands down of anywhere I've ever been with the exception of a few 3rd world countries. The roads are largely crap with no shoulders let alone bike lanes. If I lived down there I would spend my time at Brian Piccolo at the velodrome. Gravel riding out in the glades sounds nice this time of year but I'd wait for a cold snap to knock the mosquitos down.