Riding in Tuscany

[PBWrench]

I'll be near Sienna for first week of April, and renting bikes from Gippo.

Any helpful info/advice?

Grazie, PBWrench

[Clancy]

I’ve spent a few weeks riding around the small town of Donoratico, couple hours south of Pisa. In and around Votare. The region’s tourism department publishes really nice bike route maps that you should be able to readily find. Excellent maps that show beautiful routes. I’d start there plus of course getting info from your bike rental co.

Going for the third time this May.

All I can say is I enjoyed the finest riding of my life.

[Clancy]

Throw away post. Realized my post count was sitting at 666, yikes!

Now 667, whew

[thunderworks]

I've been to Tuscany twice riding - one time with an organized tour group (Cinghiale), and the second time on my own with one riding buddy.

It is really spectacular riding. The country is beautiful. The riding itself is challenging, but doable and even though there can be a fair number of cars on the road, I feel safer riding in Tuscany than I do in the US. Small towns are everywhere where you can get coffee. The people are friendly. Really, what's not to like . . .?

Around Sienna, there will be more cars than if you go west towards the Mediterranean. Most of my riding has been south of Pisa, near Castagnetto Carduci, Bohlgeri, Suveretto, etc. but I spent a tourista (non bike) day in Sienna and saw lots of cyclist.

I think one reason it feels safer in Italy than the US is because such a huge percentage of Italian drivers were once (or still are) cyclist. They get the drill about sharing the road in a reasonable manor.

[choke]

The Strade Bianche starts and ends in Sienna, so you could do some or all of that route.

Here's info on the Gran Fondo route which is the same as the Women's race. http://gfstradebianche.it/route/?lang=en

[Ken Robb]

The Hampstens will cheerfully give you all the info you need. Call Steve and make a new pal for life. :banana:

[hampco]

The Hampstens will cheerfully give you all the info you need. Call Steve and make a new pal for life. :banana:

I'll be your friend for a week if you call but for life if you buy a bike. So Ken's exaggerating.

But the cycling in Tuscany is fantastic. Stay off of the highways and it's hard to see how you could have a bad ride. Feel free to call and I have a map or two here somewhere... but I'll bet Gippo can set you up with all the rides you need or even a guide if that's how you roll.

[Ken Robb]

I'll be your friend for a week if you call but for life if you buy a bike. So Ken's exaggerating.

But the cycling in Tuscany is fantastic. Stay off of the highways and it's hard to see how you could have a bad ride. Feel free to call and I have a map or two here somewhere... but I'll bet Gippo can set you up with all the rides you need or even a guide if that's how you roll.

Yeah, yeah, but don't you do tours and rent accommodations there too? And I'm running low on olive oil.

[MattTuck]

Riding in Tuscany is on my bucket list. I've spent hours looking at strava segments and routes in that area. If I'm ever able to make it, I think I'd try to hire a local to help plan some rides and show me the routes for the first couple of days.

Certainly looks beautiful. I am thinking 2020 might be the year that I make it happen.

[Clancy]

Thunderworks and I rode the same areas and both times I was there I ran into Andy. The bike shop in Donoratico I believe is a base for him and his tours stay in a hotel a couple miles up out of town. Wonderfully nice guy who’s wife is a lovely person.

The areas Thunderworks mentioned are bucket list rides, with very little effort you’ll be able to find them.

To ride through a stone gate into an ancient walled city is an out of world experience. The gates opening into Voltaire date back to Roman Times, unbelievable. Small coffee shops are everywhere and the espresso is heavenly.

And although you probably won’t have a choice when it comes to your bike’s set-up, some of the climbs are pretty demanding, not that steep - 6 to 8% with occasional steeper sections - but they are longish, 8-12 k. Great fun but only if you have the correct gearing.

Even though I’m planning on going in May, I’m still envious of you.

[PBWrench]

Thank you all for your input. I am stoked.

Steve - I have very pleasant memories of riding the beautiful powder blue Strada Bianca that you built for Ken -- he was gracious to lend me the bike for a ride up the coast. I'll have to settle for a De Rosa (with Shimano - yikes!) in Tuscany . . .

[Johnnysmooth]

Tuscany is a fabulous place to ride. Stick to those side roads, cruise smoothly through the countryside and enjoy the warmth of the Italians. Wish I was heading there soon but alas, booked thru this yr at least.

Maybe something to bring up with missus for 2019?

[Classicvelo]

Any of the L'Eroica events are a great experience, and will take you on routes that you wouldn't otherwise find. Same with the Hampsten tours. They know what's up. L'Eroica now has a Gran Fondo for modern bikes, as well. Some of the best riding anywhere. Loads of good gravel, small villages, and beautiful scenery. Bring you climbing gears, as there is almost no flat or straight road anywhere. Be sure to stop in Gaiole in Chianti. Amazing atmosphere.

[chunkylover53]

I’ll second what classicvelo says. I spent a couple of weeks based out of Florence, and rode the Eroica route. It passes by Siena, so you could ride the loop, or parts of it, and end up back in Siena. Gaiole is nice. The Florence-Siena route is also a classic. I have all my rides saved on Strava, so if you want the routes, just pm me.

[numbskull]

This is a spectacular ride, 90mi, 9000ft. It is the course from a now defunct Eroica ride (Eroica primavera). You can access the area by riding south from Siena on the secondary/tertiary roads heading towards Murlo (part of this would be the same route the classic L'Eroica route takes). Parts of it is strada biancha, but much is not.

https://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=rqvawnbdvaowieys

There is also good riding in the area around and north of Montaperti / Casanova Berandenga a few KM east of Siena.

Some of the secondary roads marked "SP or SR" tend to be fairly fast thoroughfares, albeit often with decent shoulders. You can do well using ride with GPS to pick out the smaller roads and smaller towns and aim for them. Roads with names rather than route numbers are usually a good bet. Roads without names are more likely to be gravel but by going to google earth you can usually figure this out.

[Tim Porter]

+1 on numbskull's recommendation of using Google Earth to check routes. With that and Ride with GPS I was able to put together a week's riding in west-central Tuscany (Radda, Castellina in Chianti, Poggibonsi, Montespertoli, Certaldo, et al.) Pictures on Google Earth can confirm whether you're looking at a gravel road and I even found a nice bar to stop at for my 12 rider group on a route from Marcialla to Castellina. The L'Eroica routes are pretty well marked.

It's cool to just take off and explore--it's very doable coming out of towns like Radda. There're some fantastic roads that loop north and come down from the north into Volpaia, for example. Some are strade bianche, some aren't.

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a583/porterphoto1/IMG_0839_zpscma37kfv.jpg

[Lovetoclimb]

Now I am looking at plane tickets to Tuscany as well :eek:

bonus is coming early this year anyway ...

For those that have been or frequent the area, is Spring generally the best time of year to visit for riding, wine drinking, exploring?

[echelon_john]

Spring and fall are the best. Cooler & fewer tourists which makes the cities much more manageable.

Still have some openings...

www.luccavacationhome.com

; )






Now I am looking at plane tickets to Tuscany as well :eek:

bonus is coming early this year anyway ...

For those that have been or frequent the area, is Spring generally the best time of year to visit for riding, wine drinking, exploring?

[merlinmurph]

About 10 years ago, we had 4 couples renting a house just outside San Gimignano, near Siena. I brought my bike stuff determined to ride at least one day there. Myself and a buddy found some very nice bikes to rent (at a moped rental place, no less) and just took off, totally aimlessly.

I'll just say that it was one of my most memorable rides - ever.

[metalheart]

My wife -- a casual cyclist but avid cook -- and I have planned and Italy trip from 9/4-9/18 this year. Our default is to do something structured like the Andy Hampsten Cooking and Cycling tour. But, we are also considering something less structured such as staying in a couple of places -- Lucca, Sienna, Radda, or other spots -- where I could ride for a few days and she can do some cooking classes and sight seeing. If we didn't do the Hampsten tour, what are some of the Tuscany locations where there would be comfortable accommodations, road bike rentals (guided or self-guided riding) and cooking classes and wine tasting for my wife?