Cycling Thread

[Northendzone]

from mack towne tot eh core is close to an hour in optimal conditions. that would be an epic commute in the winter.

right now I think it is tough to get right DT from MT along the river, as in the fall the path was closed at the top of lynnview ridge heading into beaverdam flats. I think they were repairing the path down there from the last flood.

assuming the path is closed, you are looking at a mix of path and roadways to make this journey.

you will have to study the city's pathway map which is on their website. I'd then make a test ride to see the route.

I know that the pathways in the south are eventually plowed as I ride my fattie from new brighton down to fish creek; however, I am not sure when the plowing happens. My guess is that you would have a tough slog in the morning after it snowed overnight. Could easily turn your commute into 90 minutes or more.

[KTrain]

Originally Posted by Nyah

I would love to bike to work, but I don't think there would even be a route from McKenzie Towne to the core. At least not in the winter. Does anyone have any city wide maps or routes?

There are two routes you can take from McKenzie Towne. As GGG said, you can cross McKenzie Town Blvd and get on to the Bow River Path. From there you can either use a path the entire way down or move on to roads closer to downtown.

The second is the one I use because I find it's a little flatter, quieter and has longer stretches of straight paths you can increase your speed on. Take 52nd to the canal path. You can take the canal path all the way down to Inglewood or keep going on to Eau Claire. Or you can get off the canal path at Ogden/Glenmore and take the road. Shaves a couple kms off the ride but you're on the road.

The Google times are a little off. I can usually be down by the Saddledome in 45 minutes. But that's not during the winter.

Here's the map:

Spoiler!

[KTrain]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

right now I think it is tough to get right DT from MT along the river, as in the fall the path was closed at the top of lynnview ridge heading into beaverdam flats. I think they were repairing the path down there from the last flood.

That stretch is a pain. Though it's easy enough to cut through the community and down into Inglewood/Ogden to get back on the path.

Getting back up the Millican Road hill at the end of the day is another matter though.

[Bill Bumface]

Has anyone ever tried riding in the crud that is effectively like riding through deep sand on skinny tires? If it's not too bad do they sink through it and find the solid stuff underneath? That is the one time I question having the wider tires. That stuff sucks. Total death traps everywhere there are pockets of it.

[habernac]

It's sketchy and death on skinnies, too.

[Bigtime]

My 35mm tires will sink through it a bit, but usually not before that crud starts causing you to slide out.

[habernac]

SO I get all the way to work, just about to head down to the parkade and I hit that invisible patch of ice. Welcome back to winter commuting, klutz. Glad for durable winter gear, I didn't tear anything when I hit the deck.

[Fuzz]

Ugh! Falling is always a bit demoralizing, but not getting hurt is the important part!

Found it better than I was expecting today, a lot of my side streets were plowed down to pavement. The ones that weren't though...like riding through a sand dune. Hopefully there are enough warm days to get them all to bare pavement before the freeze. I'm a little worried about the 7th street path down the bluff, as that turns into a a skeleton run as it melts and re-freezes. Might have to find an alternate route.

[KTrain]

Best of luck to everyone this afternoon. It's going to be sloppy.

[Bigtime]

We're talking like the lunch lady from Billy Madison making them "extra sloppy" kind of sloppy aren't we?

[Baron von Kriterium]

Has anyone been on the Nose Creek pathway recently? I assume it is a sheet of ice in the morning because of the snow melt the previous day. But, I'd like to be proven wrong!

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Baron von Kriterium

Has anyone been on the Nose Creek pathway recently? I assume it is a sheet of ice in the morning because of the snow melt the previous day. But, I'd like to be proven wrong!

Was on it this morning from Telus Spark to Fox Hollow. There is usually two 1' sections of open pavement on the trail. The rest still has that hard packed snow cover and it looked like there was some ice too, didn't notice with the studs.

I'm guessing it will keep getting better as the week goes on, but I wouldn't be surprised to see ice in the early mornings after the freeze overnight.

[habernac]

I'll be riding it home, should be sloppy due to temps. I'll report later as I ride it right to Harvest Hills.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by habernac

I'll be riding it home, should be sloppy due to temps. I'll report later as I ride it right to Harvest Hills.

I wonder if we pass each other in the mornings? I'm usually on Nose Creek by about 6:15-6:30 heading northbound and then I climb the Fox Hollow hill to get over to 12th street NE.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I wonder if we pass each other in the mornings? I'm usually on Nose Creek by about 6:15-6:30 heading northbound and then I climb the Fox Hollow hill to get over to 12th street NE.

I ride Ctr Street in the morning as I leave home at 5:15 and there's zero traffic.

[Bigtime]

Well if we pass in the afternoon commute I'm the guy with the bright orange snowpants. Pretty hard to miss.

[habernac]

Path is not really thawed. Varies from amazing to just ok. I was very careful today, a little timid after my crash this morning. Lots of packed snow and ice, be careful on the corners.

[Fuzz]

So much snirt on my route...

[habernac]

Only snirt is on my own cul de sac, pretty lucky here

[Fuzz]

Crescent Heights is the worst section. I actually had to take the sidewalk as it is un-rideable.