Can the braintrust help with a move to Baltimore?

[b33]

Hello all. Hoping the Braintrust might be able to assist me with a few questions on a move to Baltimore. I'm taking a job at Towson U and am wondering about living in Towson or downtown (e..g, Fells Point).

Is commuting by bike possible? I lived in DC many years and commuted by bike but had Rock Creek or Capitol Cresent trail for most of the commute. Is there anything like that in Charm City from downtown to Towson? Looks like there might be the East Coast Greenway/Jones Falls Train and then Roland Ave has a protected bike lane. Has anyone ridden these?

I'm a big group ride guy, but at almost 50 I need a dad ride. 2 hours or so at 18mph average - not the drop whomever and average 20mph above. Might anyone know of group rides that fit the above?

Any shop recommendations?

Never lived in Baltimore and am looking forward to it.

[OtayBW]

I live ~10 mi N of Towson. Great riding up there (and with opening to points North/PA and West/the Catoctins), and from Towson, there is easy road access to those parts. I have no experience living in Balto proper, but I wouldn't want to commute to Towson from Fells Point. Possibly from some of the more northern parts of Balto city, but not Fells Point. I'm sure others may chime in, but good luck and welcome to the area.

[Mr. Pink]

A cyclist should consider living north of Towson in Cickeysville or even further. Amazing bike country up there. You do not want to commute from downtown to Towson .

[skouri1]

I think it depends how much you want to invest in your commute (distance/time wise). I would not rule it out honestly. I had friends in Fell's or just east of MLK boulevard who would come up to the north of the city to meet me and ride out of the city . You have to wind your way over to St. Paul's, but it's not really bad, multiple lanes and perhaps a bike lane as well. Then you can go on roland ave (again bike lane) and wind your way over to towson. Another alternative is Hampden, which is a quirkey and fun neighborhood west of the Johns Hopkins campus, nice restaurants, bars and local flavor (and a bike shop--twenty20 cycling). I loved living there and its accessible to good riding, but you can also zip downtown pretty easily .

[EricChanning]

...Another alternative is Hampden, which is a quirkey and fun neighborhood west of the Johns Hopkins campus, nice restaurants, bars and local flavor (and a bike shop--twenty20 cycling). I loved living there and its accessible to good riding, but you can also zip downtown pretty easily .

Hampden is a cool neighborhood. Unfortunately, the twenty20 bike shop closed.

[avalonracing]

As the others have said you'll find the best roads north of Towson and commuting from Fells and the like to Towson is kind of a bitch. It can but done but it won't a party unless you are into the "urban assault/bike courier" kind of riding which is pretty exhilarating.

Joe's Bike Shop in Mt Washington isn't too far from Towson, has been around for a while and has a small shop vibe to it. I also think that you may want to consider living in Towson or the Hampden / Medfield area.

[DaveS]

I relocated about a year ago, and ended up in Lutherville-Timonium just a few miles north of Towson and a couple of miles south of Cockeysville. I've found it to be a nice mix of easy access to shops, etc, and getting into the really nice cycling routes just a couple of miles away.

For group rides, there will be plenty. Lutherville Bike shop has a nice Sunday am coffee ride, and there are also some nice ad hoc rides through the Baltimore Bicycling Club that are about the right pace.

Feel free to reach out with any questions!

[avalonracing]

I relocated about a year ago, and ended up in Lutherville-Timonium just a few miles north of Towson


Glad you like it, Dave! I was thinking about you when I saw the original post. We still have to hook up to ride sometime!

[weiwentg]

Hampden is a cool neighborhood. Unfortunately, the twenty20 bike shop closed.

Darn, that is really sad to hear. They were a good shop. Another shop I'd recommend is Baltimore Bicycle Works (https://www.baltimorebicycleworks.com).


A cyclist should consider living north of Towson in Cickeysville or even further. Amazing bike country up there. You do not want to commute from downtown to Towson .

I don't want to say it's impossible to commute safely from downtown to Towson, but I haven't done it. I did used to commute from downtown to UMBC, and it took me through some rough spots but it was doable. Someone could get to Roland Avenue heading north past Loyola University. From there, Google Maps shows some bike friendly streets that you could theoretically use to get to Towson University.

The issue is that I believe Maryland DOT is designating those streets, and I'm not certain how good their designations are. Wilkens Avenue out by UMBC is designated as bike friendly for a good part of its length, and that was also the case in 2012-2014 when I lived there. I haven't been back, but at the time it was in no way bike friendly. Too much traffic. I don't recall a sufficient shoulder. There was and is still no bike lane there.

The other issue is that it looks like a long ride, like 10 miles each way. This may be more than you want to take on.

I think if the OP is going to work at Towson U, I'd also consider living in Towson rather than in Baltimore City. It may be possible to commute by bike. I'm not sure I'd strongly recommend it.

[rounder]

If you want to commute to Towson U, you should probably consider living in Towson or Lutherville. Northern Baltimore County is probably too far to commute by bike but has beautiful bike riding.

I lived in Towson a long time ago but now live in Bel Air, Harford County. It is not too far from Towson to commute by car but is too far to commute by bike. It is another place with beautiful bike riding.

The Lutherville Bike Shop is another good, small shop and has been around for a long time.

Good luck.

[OtayBW]

Darn, that is really sad to hear. They were a good shop. Another shop I'd recommend is Baltimore Bicycle Works (https://www.baltimorebicycleworks.com).




I don't want to say it's impossible to commute safely from downtown to Towson, but I haven't done it. I did used to commute from downtown to UMBC, and it took me through some rough spots but it was doable. Someone could get to Roland Avenue heading north past Loyola University. From there, Google Maps shows some bike friendly streets that you could theoretically use to get to Towson University.

The issue is that I believe Maryland DOT is designating those streets, and I'm not certain how good their designations are. Wilkens Avenue out by UMBC is designated as bike friendly for a good part of its length, and that was also the case in 2012-2014 when I lived there. I haven't been back, but at the time it was in no way bike friendly. Too much traffic. I don't recall a sufficient shoulder. There was and is still no bike lane there.

I think if the OP is going to work at Towson U, I'd also consider living in Towson rather than in Baltimore City. It may be possible to commute by bike. I'm not sure I'd strongly recommend it.

Search forum member 'bicimechanic' (Jason) or at his shop (http://www.servicecoursecycle.com/). Good guy and the best mechanic around, IMO. He gets Campy..... :D

[Blown Reek]

Baltimore?

Aaron earned an iron urn. Feel free to Google it up.

[CPP]

I was born and raised in Towson (Alleghany Ave). I went to all of Towson's public schools and graduated from Towson State in 1976. My family had the bar on the corner of Alleghany and York (Souris') Good riding very close by!
I live in Switzerland now and went back to Towson a few weeks ago. Obviously, a lot has changed. I am still and will always be a Towson boy.

[Mr. Pink]

One of the coolest bike shops is here: http://www.veloccinocoffee.com/welcome.html which is still Baltimore county. Awesome spot, right in the center of great riding. Sells Wilier frames and bikes. Support him, nice guy

[OtayBW]

I was born and raised in Towson (Alleghany Ave). I went to all of Towson's public schools and graduated from Towson State in 1976. My family had the bar on the corner of Alleghany and York (Souris') Good riding very close by!
I live in Switzerland now and went back to Towson a few weeks ago. Obviously, a lot has changed. I am still and will always be a Towson boy.And the riding will still always be better in Switzerland!...at least where I lived......:)

[OtayBW]

One of the coolest bike shops is here: http://www.veloccinocoffee.com/welcome.html which is still Baltimore county. Awesome spot, right in the center of great riding. Sells Wilier frames and bikes. Support him, nice guy
Yes - great point! It's a great place and right in the heart of some very good riding.

[DaveS]

Glad you like it, Dave! I was thinking about you when I saw the original post. We still have to hook up to ride sometime!

Definitely need to hook up to ride sometime! Thanks again for your help with the house hunting - we've been really happy with where we ended up.

[echappist]

If you want to commute to Towson U, you should probably consider living in Towson or Lutherville. Northern Baltimore County is probably too far to commute by bike but has beautiful bike riding.

I lived in Towson a long time ago but now live in Bel Air, Harford County. It is not too far from Towson to commute by car but is too far to commute by bike. It is another place with beautiful bike riding.

The Lutherville Bike Shop is another good, small shop and has been around for a long time.

Good luck.

possibly the single worst place I've ever lived (and that includes Kearny, NJ). Of course, it may be the perfect place if one were petit bourgeois and Catholic. Middle class conformity and consumerism ran amok (think Chavs, only American). The Catholic part notwithstanding, it probably has a lot more in common with suburban Charlotte, NC, than it does with similar locales in the Mid-Atlantic.

Yes, there are some beautiful countryside riding, but the same could be said for many other parts of suburban MD.

[CPP]

And the riding will still always be better in Switzerland!...at least where I lived......:)

Can't argue with you about that!

[b33]

Spoke with Avalonracing . . . what a great guy and an example of how paceline rocks. Thank you mods.

At this point it looks like we will be going more towards Towson. My wife is going to call avalonracing. #happywifehappylife

Any group rides and shops are appreciated.

[mass_biker]

Great riding in points north of the city...some of the more interesting and challenging rides I have done. Think up and down, up and down, up and down. Once you get north of Oregon Ridge Park (where the roads get really lovely) I find you gain 1,000 feet for every 10 mi. ridden - the 36x28 comes in handy.
The loop around the Prettyboy Reservoir is particularly fun.

There is a pretty good Saturday AM ride from Joe's Bike Shop in Mt. Washington in spring/summer/fall, and I know there are some fast paced group rides that meet up at Veloccino in Bulter (smack dab in the middle of great riding).

Towson is also quite close to the Loch Raven Reservoir; there are some great road loops that go in/out of the Reservoir. Towson is also reasonably close to the NCR trail, a rail trail (gravel) that goes up to the PA state line and back.

I moved from New England about 10 years ago...I love the riding north of Baltimore.

[Mr. Pink]

possibly the single worst place I've ever lived (and that includes Kearny, NJ). Of course, it may be the perfect place if one were petit bourgeois and Catholic. Middle class conformity and consumerism ran amok (think Chavs, only American). The Catholic part notwithstanding, it probably has a lot more in common with suburban Charlotte, NC, than it does with similar locales in the Mid-Atlantic.

Yes, there are some beautiful countryside riding, but the same could be said for many other parts of suburban MD.

Jeez, Baltimore/DC is a very diverse place, if you drive fifteen minutes. Compact, too. Said awesome farm riding north of Cockeysville is only 30 minutes to the Harbor and Camden Yards, with a lot in between.

[echappist]

Jeez, Baltimore/DC is a very diverse place, if you drive fifteen minutes. Compact, too. Said awesome farm riding north of Cickeysville is only 30 minutes to the Harbor and Camden Yards, with a lot in between.

City proper, yes. Immediate suburb, also yes (I lived in Pentagon City for four years). Not so much for the exurbs, which is the correct designation of places such as Harford County

The milieu of Harford County is much more comparable to that of Carroll and Frederick counties, cf. Howard and Montgomery.

Also, i rode out toward Poolesville often when I lived in NoVA. Doesnt mean i’d want to live there...

[Mr. Pink]

Well, yeah, story of America, but, as I said, easy to get to more diverse places, much more than in high end suburban CT., Where I live. And, much, much cheaper. Great airports, and on the I95 and Acela corridor. Awesome crab culture, too.

[Mr. Pink]

You may be thinking I would like to move there. Know it well. Oriole tickets are really cheap, too.

[sailorboy]

Darn, that is really sad to hear. They were a good shop. Another shop I'd recommend is Baltimore Bicycle Works (https://www.baltimorebicycleworks.com).




I don't want to say it's impossible to commute safely from downtown to Towson, but I haven't done it. I did used to commute from downtown to UMBC, and it took me through some rough spots but it was doable. Someone could get to Roland Avenue heading north past Loyola University. From there, Google Maps shows some bike friendly streets that you could theoretically use to get to Towson University.

The issue is that I believe Maryland DOT is designating those streets, and I'm not certain how good their designations are. Wilkens Avenue out by UMBC is designated as bike friendly for a good part of its length, and that was also the case in 2012-2014 when I lived there. I haven't been back, but at the time it was in no way bike friendly. Too much traffic. I don't recall a sufficient shoulder. There was and is still no bike lane there.

The other issue is that it looks like a long ride, like 10 miles each way. This may be more than you want to take on.

I think if the OP is going to work at Towson U, I'd also consider living in Towson rather than in Baltimore City. It may be possible to commute by bike. I'm not sure I'd strongly recommend it.

Search forum member 'bicimechanic' (Jason) or at his shop (http://www.servicecoursecycle.com/). Good guy and the best mechanic around, IMO. He gets Campy..... :D

I'm biased but check out Tommy Barse at cutlassvelo.com. The guys from the former 20-20 are mostly recommending Tommy if you want work done out of his small shop. He reps a couple minor brands and also builds all or most of Chris Bishop's customer bikes now so he's solid. Besides that he, like Chris, is an ex-messenger from Baltimess and can tell you pretty much where you should and shouldn't ride your bike in town. I lived and worked there for about 6 months and got slightly familiar with it but not enough to help you with your inquiry. The town has a lot of character and history but there are some places where you might find there isn't really much in the way of policing going on, and i wouldn't ride my bike just anywhere. As others have mentioned, the northern outskirts have some of the best roads around if you pick your times to ride.

[Mr. Pink]

Like, not mid day in summer. Hot place, farm country, so, no shade.

[OtayBW]

Great riding in points north of the city...some of the more interesting and challenging rides I have done. Think up and down, up and down, up and down. Once you get north of Oregon Ridge Park (where the roads get really lovely) I find you gain 1,000 feet for every 10 mi. ridden - the 36x28 comes in handy. I live ON TOP OF Oregon Ridge, abutting the park. My road has a nice 20-21% grade for a short time...:eek:

[rounder]

possibly the single worst place I've ever lived (and that includes Kearny, NJ). Of course, it may be the perfect place if one were petit bourgeois and Catholic. Middle class conformity and consumerism ran amok (think Chavs, only American). The Catholic part notwithstanding, it probably has a lot more in common with suburban Charlotte, NC, than it does with similar locales in the Mid-Atlantic.

Yes, there are some beautiful countryside riding, but the same could be said for many other parts of suburban MD.

Sorry you had such a bad time in Bel Air ( I like it here). I have a nephew who grew up in Towson who now lives in Madison. He said it is kind of cold but he likes it there.

Each to his own.

[Mr. Pink]

I spent a long week one night in Kearny N.J.. Man, did it smell.

[merlinmurph]

I just finished watching The Wire. Good luck with the move.

[avalonracing]

I just finished watching The Wire. Good luck with the move.

Ha. Recently I had the flu and rewatched a bunch of The Wire. Strangely, it makes me appreciate Baltimore even more.

For years my brother lived up in Hopkinton where you reside. It's a nice town. But Omar might come up and step to you if he hears you talking smack about B-more.

And thanks for the shout-out b33. It was good speaking with you too.

[XXtwindad]

I just finished watching The Wire. Good luck with the move.

Can anyone argue with a straight face that this wasn't the greatest TV series of the past twenty five years?

[avalonracing]

Can anyone argue with a straight face that this wasn't the greatest TV series of the past twenty five years?

If they do argue it, they are WRONG.

[Mr. Pink]

Can anyone argue with a straight face that this wasn't the greatest TV series of the past twenty five years?

Sopranos still hasn't been beat.

His new series on HBO, The Deuce, kinda fell flat. Disappointing.

[XXtwindad]

Sopranos still hasn't been beat.

His new series on HBO, The Deuce, kinda fell flat. Disappointing.

https://www.vulture.com/2012/03/drama-derby-finals-the-wire-vs-the-sopranos.html

Happy reading ...

[merlinmurph]

Can anyone argue with a straight face that this wasn't the greatest TV series of the past twenty five years?

We got hooked watching it on Prime, sometimes watching 3 or 4 shows a night. We were kinda relieved when we got to the end because we were possessed. Great stuff.

But Omar might come up and step to you if he hears you talking smack about B-more.

HA! If I ever hear "A Hunting We Will Go" in Hopkinton, I'm moving. One of the best all-time characters. His coutroom scene was the best.

[Mr. Pink]

I'm down here for Xmas (long story), so, one thing I should add is length of riding season. While CT. Was coated with ice and the roads were already salted and junked up when I left, it's pretty clean down here. The next few days should be 50ish, so, nice riding. Sure, it snows here, but, in a normal season, you'll be biking all but a few months a year. Lack of extreme winter keeps the surfaces nice, too.