Palm Springs , CA area cycling?

[retropean]

I rode there this January! There are some but not many road cyclists. The cars go fast and are often distracted but the shoulders/left lane are usually rather large. I had no incidents. Go north of Palm Springs and you can ride some really deserted desert roads - this is the place I always felt most safe and I loved riding amongst the windmills (look at the north section of the Tour De Palm Springs ride). Riding south through Indian Canyons has tame traffic but you can only go so far until you have to pay, but either way I made it a part of most of my rides due to the quiet road. This is where I'd see the most riders. Go east and you can ride up Palms to Pines highway. The whole area is a grid so it's hard to get lost. I also rode Joshua Tree which was super fun.

Edit - PM me and I'll send you my strava which may give ride ideas...

Despite not always feeling safe I did have a blast riding there and I miss it! Ah.. take me back...

edit - and since you say you are bringing a gravel bike, DEFINITELY go to the area aforementioned north of Palm springs because there's tons of gravel roads shooting off of the main road (public land)

Originally Posted by zacstanley

I created this route:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34370645

A very tough 15 miles. I loved it though my brother was pretty bonked at the end.

You're a beast. I hiked portions of that trail (one of the trailheads was right by my place) that you biked and was in awe that riders could handle those extreme climbs. Tough enough on two feet!

[hobbanero]

Originally Posted by B4_Ford

My friend lives in Cathederal City, close to Date Palm Rd and Ramon Rd.

that puts you kind of in the middle of the mess....you may want to drive a bit to get to a less crowded area. but you are not far from the 74.

[XXtwindad]

Giving this thread a bump as the family and I are planning on being there around the holidays.

Any road loops that aren’t totally flat?

[rccardr]

We go to PS for a few weeks every February; I always ride the Tour de Palm Springs and the first 25 miles of thr Century route is, IMO, the best elevation around. Everything else is pretty flat but people are courteous and there are lots of bike lanes in the city. Headwinds can be fierce, think of them as Nebraska hills.

[robvolz]

are there any decent shops or co-ops in the palms springs area?

[IJWS]

My wife and I spent our mini-moon there after our wedding in Tucson. We rode bikes daily in Tucson--even the day of. When we got to PS we unloaded our bikes into this really cute room at the Ingleside Inn and just left them there for a few days until it was time to pack up the car. It was a nice break. I didn't see anywhere that I was dying to ride, but I did some promising areas. If it's a holiday, maybe up your intensity leading up to the trip and just enjoy a rest week? Definitely check out the Yram though...and that plan about the pool and Negra Modelo you mentioned!!!

[notsew]

I went there in march and rented a bike for a ride one day. Meh is the best I could say. Coming from the PNW it was nice to wear short sleeves for ride in early march, but that was the highlight. It's a land of cul de sacs, dead-end streets, 6 lane arterials and 55 mph speed limits. Nice bike lanes though.

If I was going back for longer I'd ride through joshua tree, but that's it. IMO...

[Ozz]

Was there a few years ago and it didn't strike me as a great place to ride (multi lane roads, high speed limits, etc....as stated previously). It might be cool if you headed out of town or opted for mountain biking.

If looking for tourist stuff....the Living Desert Zoo is pretty cool. Just as much stuff about plants as there are animals. It also has some well marked hiking trails that are fun....

Not sure if you are into fine dining, but had good experiences at La Spiga and Lavender Bistro. Both are $$$ but top notch...

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by rccardr

We go to PS for a few weeks every February; I always ride the Tour de Palm Springs and the first 25 miles of thr Century route is, IMO, the best elevation around. Everything else is pretty flat but people are courteous and there are lots of bike lanes in the city. Headwinds can be fierce, think of them as Nebraska hills.

Thanks for the heads up!

[old_fat_and_slow]

Highway 74 is definitely ... not flat. Never ridden it, so don't know what the shoulder situation is. YMMV.

[11.4]

Lived in PS for a bit. Driving is generally fast and risky to cyclists. When I wanted a serious ride, I'd head north towards 29 Palms and beyond. There are endless beautiful gravel roads to pursue there, some with serious grades and long expanses that are relatively flat. You have to remember (I haven't heard it mentioned yet) that this area is renowned for its wind. A 40 mph headwind is not uncommon and 25-30 mph is almost the norm in daylight hours. In short, I wouldn't rate it in the top 200 sites for cycling in the US. Mountain biking can be a good bit better by sticking to trails, and the place is great for hiking into the canyons and mountains. I'd leave the bike at home and walk or hike.

[zap]

I was in PS on business for a few days and had some time to kill. Rented a bike and did some riding. Yes it was very windy when I was there, the last day was pretty fierce and I was coated with sand.

As 11.4 posted, go hiking.

[XXtwindad]

Took the advice of the always sagacious Waldo62 who told me 174 was totally doable with traffic.

Glad I took his advice. The ride up to the viewpoint was one of the most panoramic vistas I’ve seen. Views for miles. Bucket List stuff. Can’t wait to do it again.