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Old 03-10-2019, 11:58 PM
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philhan89 philhan89 is offline
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Santiago Chile Riding/Routes

Will be visiting Santiago Chile for a month. Anyone got some killer bucket list rides? Looking to get as much riding in as I can. Not really interested in inner city touristy stuff. Getting out of the city looks a lil intimidating so if anyones got their rides saved I would be super grateful for a safe bike friendly commute to the more open areas. So far the big kahuna is Valle Nevado...
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Old 03-11-2019, 12:32 AM
ultraman6970 ultraman6970 is offline
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That's my city

Where are you going to stay? do you know?

THe issue with santiago is that they finished surrounding the city with something like a 485 type of road road (is called americo Vespucio) a few years back and that created other problem. You have to pay a toll to get out of town. Honestly you ride 30 minutes and you are out but since now that Highway is there and was privatized you wont be able to get out, even some roads say no bikes allowed, they killed cycling in the capital city when they did that.

The other problem is that if you arent used to the traffic and you ride like the guys I see here in my area, I assure you that a truck will go over you the 1st f... day... IMO going to the towns around the capitol got really hard my friend.

But... you can go "Cajon del Maipo"... thats uphill... again... ride at the edge of the road, lot of trucks there.

You can go to the Andes (ski centres) too but if you go try to go with support... not hard to get there just will be a very very very long ride with a loto of traffic before starting roads that take you to the ski centers.. not that you will find water every 2 miles you know...

Do you know where are you going to be in santiago?

You other option and thats pretty much what many guys do, they drive off city and then ride their bikes, rent a car there is not cheap just in case.

THe next option is "cerro San Cristobal"... that thing is a good ride and is pretty much in the city... during the week try to go with somebody, weekends is full of people, you can get robbed there during the week... i would not advice you to go there during the week. The nice about "San cristobal" is that has different routes and evne you can go down the back that connects you with the are where the new velodrome is, comming back is like 3 to 5 miles uphill... but again... risky if you arent used to the traffic and stuff... (there is another hill called santa lucia, no bikes and is tiny, just a fort at the top, 10 mins walking, so do not get confused)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Crist%C3%B3bal_Hill

Valparaiso and Viña del Mar are nice places to ride but again IMO you have to go with somebody or support with a car just in case. The road from santiago to Valparaiso you can do it, is like 120 KM the issue to me personally is that is always windy and the pavement is heavy as hell, chanllenging.. then you have 2 tunnels and in those you have to wait for a dude probably to cross you in a tractor or something, we are talking mayor highways there you know...

Out of stgo you have rancagua... 80km south... there's a couple of copper mines which have nice climbs.. then at the north there is a road that nobody uses anymore that was part of the old Panamericana northbound, that one starts maybe 50 km north and you can get sweet 80 km of climbing and downhills... a lot of secondary roads around those little towns, the problem again... how you get off the Santiago. Last 2 times went to my country i did not bring my bike, as simple as that.. i live like 5 mins from San Cristobal Hill and during the week back in the day not even when I was training I was going there during the week alone... big no no...

Advice, do not take your best bike... second... do not take jewellery of any kind, buy a gshock watch for that trip... people is nice and friendly but you cant tempt the bad guys and if you look "gringo" well...

I can try to contact you with some guys there so you have somebody to go out with...

If you want more info send me an email...
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  #3  
Old 03-11-2019, 12:40 AM
ultraman6970 ultraman6970 is offline
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Valle nevado is nice but as i said before, is not like going alone because of water supply, remember is summer over there and we are talking 80 to 110 degrees, mediterranean weather so is not humid which is good...

The other issue is that if you are in downtown just to get to "lo Barnechea" will take you like an hour with a lot of traffic... just to get to the intersection that takes you there will be an adventure Always you can take a cab or something...

Send me an email if you like..
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Old 03-11-2019, 11:47 AM
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philhan89 philhan89 is offline
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Ultraman, thank you SO much. Will review all your input and get back to you soon. So far I know I will be based in Providencia and possibly taking a week trip to Chiloé.
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Old 03-11-2019, 01:05 PM
ultraman6970 ultraman6970 is offline
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Providencia... ok... if you go to chiloé sure you can ride there since is an island... saddly i do not know anybody there but a guy that used to race with me when we were kids, but no idea how to locate him

Let me know, send me an email I we can talk better by phone.

ps: would love to be able to go since havent been there in a while... been in valle nevado once riding a bike. Bike community is not super fan of going to those areas because is not just take the bike and go by yourself.
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Old 03-11-2019, 01:47 PM
CAAD CAAD is offline
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I have always wanted to ride is Chile. Been there at least a dozen times. But with the traffic, roads, and how they drive I never did. Would maybe consider mountain biking or something. I was always between Santiago and Valparaiso.
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  #7  
Old 03-11-2019, 07:06 PM
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AngryScientist AngryScientist is offline
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Oh the stories I can tell about Valparaiso!

Have nothing to do with the bike though, haha.

I think if Ultra can hook you up with some local cyclists, that's your best bet, or try and find some while you're there.

Chile is an awesome place. Be careful, use common sense and have fun!
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  #8  
Old 03-11-2019, 10:13 PM
ultraman6970 ultraman6970 is offline
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WT...???? this is really interesting because been riding with strangers, talking and stuff and then when I mention where i'm from the rider tells me that they had been there....now happens that there's a few that had been there too. Even i meet this guy at CL, got a set of wheels from him, he was barman in one of the winter centers the op wants to go to...

Oh valparaiso... everything there is uphill, you have like 50 hills...kids learn to ride bike and skates there... the only city i know is similar is san francisco.

Amazingly enough chileans arent good climbers.
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  #9  
Old 12-27-2021, 08:05 PM
M_D_S M_D_S is offline
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OP - did you ever make it to Santiago? I rode the climb up to Valle Nevado in December of 2019 - it was an epic, fantastic climb.

I left from Vitacura, and stayed off Los Condes as much as possible until necessary. Once on the approach road to Farellones, I found traffic to be light, and there were several other cyclists.

The climbing begins when you leave Vitacura, and after 16 miles/2,100 ft, you make the turn up to Farellones, and the fun begins. There are 40 numbered switchbacks, for a total of 9.3 miles/3,500 ft at an average of 7.1%.

The climb to Farellones is humbling, and it's a worthy climb in and of itself. But to top out, you continue the climb to Valle Nevado, with another 8.24 miles/2,260 feet, averaging 4.8% to the top. Bear in mind that much of this is at over 7,500 feet of elevation, which sapped the strength from my legs pretty quickly.

This is a serious mountain climb, topping out at arond 10,000 feet of elevation. From where I left, the total climb was just over 34 miles and around 7,700 feet of climbing. I rode it on my CAAD12, with 52/36 rings and a 11-28 cassette. If you can do it in the summertime, I say go for it - it's a bucket list climb.
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