What’s best small city in Northeast for bikes?

[buddybikes]

The OP:
* Relatively flat compared to much of Westchester, where we are now. Age matters.

Ithaca doesn't match that very much, as beautiful as it is.

[fkelly]

Delmar NY. 5 miles south of Albany. Nice suburban (somewhat older) neighborhoods. A bike trail taking you West to rural, rolling roads that go for miles. A five mile ride south to Southern Albany county where you can ride hills and mountains all day long if you want, even down as far as the Catskills. You can drive 5 to 10 miles East and ride the Rensselaer escarpment (going up to 2000 feet) all day. Or even over into Western MA. and climb Mt. Greylock.

On my 3 mile loop South to get out of Delmar I might get passed by a half dozen cars. On my rail trail loop West for 7 miles to get to an area known as Guilderland I cross 3 roads and see no traffic.

My bike club runs rides throughout the area from April into November.

A few hard core keep riding outside all year. Pre-covid I was going out to CA. for February to ride. Now I have the Kickr, Rouvy to keep in shape.

Lot's of cultural happenings within easy driving distance. Just came back last night from the INDIGO Girls at the Egg in Albany. 10 minutes from pulling out my driveway to being parked in indoor visitor parking. Tanglewood and Saratoga Performing Arts less than an hour away.

[CNY rider]

Originally Posted by fkelly

Delmar NY. 5 miles south of Albany. Nice suburban (somewhat older) neighborhoods. A bike trail taking you West to rural, rolling roads that go for miles. A five mile ride south to Southern Albany county where you can ride hills and mountains all day long if you want, even down as far as the Catskills. You can drive 5 to 10 miles East and ride the Rensselaer escarpment (going up to 2000 feet) all day. Or even over into Western MA. and climb Mt. Greylock.

On my 3 mile loop South to get out of Delmar I might get passed by a half dozen cars. On my rail trail loop West for 7 miles to get to an area known as Guilderland I cross 3 roads and see no traffic.

My bike club runs rides throughout the area from April into November.

A few hard core keep riding outside all year. Pre-covid I was going out to CA. for February to ride. Now I have the Kickr, Rouvy to keep in shape.

Lot's of cultural happenings within easy driving distance. Just came back last night from the INDIGO Girls at the Egg in Albany. 10 minutes from pulling out my driveway to being parked in indoor visitor parking. Tanglewood and Saratoga Performing Arts less than an hour away.

I’m glad to hear that is still such a nice area for riding.
I went to school in Albany, albeit 30 years ago, and loved riding out that way.

[572cv]

Originally Posted by Ralph

If retired, and moving to NE, I might think the best state for riding is one with no state income tax. I believe NH is only one.

Ralph, in reading the fine print, you may find that NH doesn’t have any ‘earned’ income tax. Hence, if your income is from investments or something, you get taxed. Salaries don’t get taxed. I am not sure of all the nuances, but anyone considering moving to NH should look carefully at the impact on his or her own situation.

[Ralph]

Originally Posted by 572cv

Ralph, in reading the fine print, you may find that NH doesn’t have any ‘earned’ income tax. Hence, if your income is from investments or something, you get taxed. Salaries don’t get taxed. I am not sure of all the nuances, but anyone considering moving to NH should look carefully at the impact on his or her own situation.

Thanks for pointing that out. Didn't know that. I just knew it was one of the states with "no income" tax. Wasn't aware that was only wages. My income is mostly from investments. Florida doesn't tax that, guess NH does. "Fine" print matters. Florida taxes consumption, not income. I better bone up on tax laws of other "no income" tax states. Washington, Texas, Wyoming, Tennessee, and I believe one other. (beside Florida and NH)

[smartyiak]

Originally Posted by vespasianus

You will laugh but Hockessin, Delaware (or that general area). You can do a road ride that has 4-5000 ft of climbing in 40 miles or you can do a 50 mile ride with 200 ft of climbing. And there are tons of small roads and lanes to do it safely.

If you like mountain biking you have several places that are fantastic near by.

And while it does get cold, it is not that common and if you have the gear, you can ride all year long.

I NEVER thought I'd see Hockessin...buuuut...he's not wrong. I live next to Hockessin and regularly do 50miles/4000ft rides on many different routes. I generally ride from Mar-Nov pretty easily and the season ends more so b/c it's dark than b/c of snow/cold.

More north...I don't think it's been mentioned, but I've done some riding up near the Tappan Zee Bridge (Nyack, NY) that was very scenic and seemed pretty rural for being a stone's throw from NYC.

[mistermo]

Originally Posted by ripvanrando

Virginia is the southern most part of the Northeast. Charlottesville area seems quite nice, good university town, excellent healthcare, mountains in one direction and relatively flat riding in the others, trail network, and decent roads compared to the snowy north. Some excellent restaurants within an hour. Bit far to Dulles ( 90 minutes or so). Limited real experience there, couple visits with only one short stint on bike.

Ahem. Virginia is the northernmost part of the South.

[dsjackson]

Montpelier, VT. The best riding in the northeast at your tires.


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[zennmotion]

Originally Posted by steveandbarb1

The OP:
* Relatively flat compared to much of Westchester, where we are now. Age matters.

Ithaca doesn't match that very much, as beautiful as it is.

Sorry, yes it does <<Ithaca special wet snowball pitched! If you live outside the downtown area above the "bowl" where much/most of the housing most likely to be attractive to a retiree. OK- Ithaca "area" outside the city limits proper then. My 85 year old father is riding daily on flat or gently rolling roads every day as I did for 25 years myself. It's glacier-affected terrain, avoid the terminal moraine at the S end of the big lakes that the city nestles into and the E-W trending roads that rise directly above the lakes and it's gentle terrain especially N of the city. What's nice about Finger Lakes area roads is the variety of the topography, between the lakes is often quite flat, as confirmed by a USGS map. The local club includes a good number of active riders > 70 years of age. And anyway, e-bikes are getting better every year, I'd get an e-bike way before I'd "settle" for riding exclusively in pancake flat terrain...

[buddybikes]

Originally Posted by zennmotion

Sorry, yes it does <<Ithaca special wet snowball pitched! If you live outside the downtown area above the "bowl" where much/most of the housing most likely to be attractive to a retiree. OK- Ithaca "area" outside the city limits proper then. My 85 year old father is riding daily on flat or gently rolling roads every day as I did for 25 years myself. It's glacier-affected terrain, avoid the terminal moraine at the S end of the big lakes that the city nestles into and the E-W trending roads that rise directly above the lakes and it's gentle terrain especially N of the city. What's nice about Finger Lakes area roads is the variety of the topography, between the lakes is often quite flat, as confirmed by a USGS map. The local club includes a good number of active riders > 70 years of age. And anyway, e-bikes are getting better every year, I'd get an e-bike way before I'd "settle" for riding exclusively in pancake flat terrain...

I stand corrected

[Louis]

Based on what I'm reading here I'd say that there are tons of places in New England (or the North East) that would be really great for cycling. The tough part is that it's the NORTH, and that means COLD for 3-4 months of the year, and cold means SNOW and ICE.

[zennmotion]

Originally Posted by steveandbarb1

I stand corrected

The natives are easily triggered in the People's Republic (of ageing rusty Volvos)

[merlinmurph]

Originally Posted by Louis

Based on what I'm reading here I'd say that there are tons of places in New England (or the North East) that would be really great for cycling. The tough part is that it's the NORTH, and that means COLD for 3-4 months of the year, and cold means SNOW and ICE.

And that's a good thing. That's what skiing is for. I hate, hate, HATE the heat.

[rwsaunders]

Originally Posted by Louis

Based on what I'm reading here I'd say that there are tons of places in New England (or the North East) that would be really great for cycling. The tough part is that it's the NORTH, and that means COLD for 3-4 months of the year, and cold means SNOW and ICE.

Louis…multiply the 3-4 X 1.5 = 4.5-6 months/year. My wife and I recently discussed the subject of moving at some point and we both agreed, that the location would need to be somewhere that’s warmer.

[buddybikes]

November, December, January, February, March (mud month VT), April, early may - so brown (when not snow) up here. It gets long...even in RI

But still here...