Hi! I'm visiting Pittsburgh in May and will be staying at the Hilton. Looks like I can rent a bike near there and ride the trail around the water's edge.
Any recommendations or warnings? Thanks in advance.
no warnings, it's a super fun and beautiful ride! you'll be passing under a whole lotta bridges, so check this site out http://pghbridges.com
lots of history and whatnot. you could print out some of it and do a sweet self guided tour or something.
oh and be sure to check out the strip district
Cool! Just what I was hoping to hear! Any restaurant recommendations in the strip? I am not young and hip.
neither is anyone in the strip, at least during the day.
coffee at la prima. you'll get to hang out with a bunch of old italian guys oogling the ladies in italian
delucas is a great greasy spoon diner
pamela's is a cleaner spoon diner
penn mac is a really cool old grocery store, wood floors, bulk bins, amazing cheeses
the best time to go to see the strip in action is on a saturday. it's an open air market and is full of activity. just wander and you'll find some restaurants.
I'm 'with it', erok!? I think? And I work in the Strip - for sure. 
I suggest don't go to Primanti's, as there are a multitude of other unique eateries and only found in the strip district:
On Penn Avenue: Sunseri's (Two Story White Wash Brick Building beside Bella Norte) for big and cheap lunchtime sammiches, pasta or soup. Enrico's for lunchtime eats if you want a little more presentation - if the boss is hoppin' around you may get super special treatment with wine and fun stories. Penn Avenue Fish Company for seafood prepared many ways.
On 21st Street: Colangelo's for pasta or pizza.
On Smallman Street: Kaya for Caribbean cuisine and good beer. nom nom nom
If you are interested in 5 to 15 mile bike tours of the city, you might want to get Louis Fineberg's "Three Rivers on Two Wheels." It's lsited on teh publicatioins part of this site.
http://bike-pgh.org/buy_stuff/books-and-magazines/
It says it's sold out, but I think I've seen it at bookstores, so the "fall of 2008" edition might be out.
"- The last copies are being sold by Tazza D’oro Cafe and local bike shops. A new edition will be out in the fall of 2008. 3 Rivers on 2 Wheels is a compilation of 10 self-guided bicycle tours offering intimate encounters with Pittsburgh’s most diverse neighborhoods and eclectic architecture. 3 Rivers on 2 Wheels encourages and advises visitors and residents to explore the city’s storied past and celebrated transformation by bicycle. Accompanied by maps and award-winning black and white photographs, the guide presents some of the best and varied urban cycling in the country. 3 Rivers on 2 Wheels was written by Louis Fineberg, co-founder and former board member of Bike Pittsburgh. Lou donates all proceeds of books sold on our website to Bike Pittsburgh, so if you don’t already have this wonderful book, buy it here. $15"
If you are interested in longer rides there is a book by Oscar Swann "400 rides out of Pittsburgh". It's also in the publications section. This has great rides, particularly in the 40-70 mile range.
I wouldn't do even the simplist ride from Swann without tracing it out on Bikely or Google first and having one - or two - good maps with me. And I've lived here most of my life.
The city of Pittsburgh is famous for sneering at your GPS - "You're in EXACTLY the right place! Except you are 200 feet below the bridge you want to be on and it's 2 1/2 twisted miles to get there by road. HAHAHAHA!"
Mick
to add to what sloaps and mick both say:
the general rule for out-of-towners visiting the strip is to go to primanti bros. but you will find much better food elsewhere. live in the city for a year before you subject yourself to that.
and this is a difficult city to find your way around. a good sense of direction will only hurt you. i find it to be more difficult by car than by bike. this might be because i tend to study the maps more before i go out on the bike than by the car, but it might also be because my sense of direction means nothing in places like the south side slopes, and because in the car i'm willing to go up the hill in front of me whereas i might just turn around on the bike.
i've actually not had much difficulty finding my way around on a bike. but i lived here for a good 8 years before i started exploring on bike. just know where you want to go, and don't be afraid to talk to folks (even if they look mean--i promise they won't be), and you won't have trouble.
if you just want to hang out on the rivers, all you have to do is not go up a hill you don't already know, and you'll eventually find your way back.
I second La Prima and Enrico's. And if you don't eat at Enrico's, at least stop in the bakery and pick up some tasty treats. (Aside: I miss the days when Enrico's was a bit more relaxed--when you yelled your orders to the cooks and there weren't table cloths.)
Bring your bike up Mt. Washington during the middle of the day. I agree, fun and beautiful ride. Ride the trail the whole way up on both sides and explore the city.
http://www.goldentrianglebikenblade.com/
oh yeah, definitely take your bike on the incline. you can put it on for the way up, they bomb the hill down. sycamore is especially sick. just check those brakes
Thanks for the help. Looking forward to my trip.
