BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

I cut from Braddock up Kensington, then on a path through Frick.

Then Reynolds -> Beechwood -> Fifth.

(Often Denniston -> Kentucky -> Aiken, etc)

The path in Frick is not long, but I suppose could be a problem if the road bike has seriously skinny tires and/or it rains.

Going From Regent Square to Downtown, I might just go on Forbes -> Schenely Dr -> Bigelow -> Fifth.

The only reason I think someone might chose Penn over Forbes is because their gears aren't low enough, but that's me.

I would also consider Forbes-> Murray -> Bartlett -> Pather Hollow trail down past the lakes. Someone who isn't me (SWIM) might goe past the lake, carry their bike over the tracks and be on the Junction Hollow trail. But, of course, never trespass or break any laws.

So many ways to go! If I did it every day, both ways, I might only repeat once a week or so.

I usually use Forbes, making my way to the jail trail via Oakland:

Forbes to Schenely Dr to Frew St, enter the CMU parking lots near

Scaife Hall, wind down to Boundary St, follow that to Junction Hollow

Trail, and take that to the jail trail. (I used to switch from Forbes

to Aylesboro at Homewood Cemetery.)

Aside: Has anyone cycled or driven on Commercial St/Forward Ave recently? It used to be a narrow "shortcut" for speeding cars. If that's changed, it'd be a nice way to climb to Beechwood from either the bottom of Frick Park or Swissvale.

I'm not really interested in road routes, mainly the possibility of getting to greenfield ave or duck hollow on trails that a road bike and an average rider can handle. The main goal is avoiding the hill in the middle, it currently takes the commuter about an hour to get downtown and I think if the right route exists that could be down to about 35 minutes.

I have been commuting from Northside to the Carrie Furnace in about 40 minutes for the last week. I was thinking the regent sq commute should be about the same.

Going the way mick said using braddock, kensington, Frick park, I get to north side near Oliver high school in about 45 min. I live in swissvale near the triangle bar. I've toyed around with other routes, but that seems the safest. As for commercial I use it going towards swissvale but will never use it to get to sq. Hill. Mark please let us know how the trip works out for you I would like to find another route.

I live in Regent Square and used to commute to town when I still worked there on average once a week for 3-4 years. I explored a few options and can say that there is not going to be a route that fills all three; avoid roads + avoid hill + 35-40 minutes.

My primary concern was time and my ride to town usually averaged 25-30 minutes...a little longer coming home since the reverse route is more uphill.

Depending on what time the person is leaving, (I'd leave around 6:15-6:30ish)the 'to town route' really runs into little traffic and with the bike lane on Forbes, the uphill portion is much safer on mornings before the sun is up.

To town: Up Forbes through Sq Hill > down hill through golf course > left on Schenley Dr > Right on Blvd of Allies > left on bates (yes, I know left at this intersection is illegal) > right onto Jail trail to town.

From town: jail trail to greenfield > up through Panther Hollow onto Boundary > follow until parking garage at CMU > up through garage, switchback through campus > left on Frew > uphill through golf course > Forbes back to Regent Sq

The 'from' route is easily the least trafficked of the two. No reason you can't use that to town also...would just add some time.

Here's what I came up with http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1416925

You can go through Frick Park to Duck Hollow, cross a lot of train tracks, ride on Second Ave for a mile to Hazlewood and take the trail into town. The paths through Frick are loose gravel and limestone, Duck Hollow is paved. You can't assume that a train won't be parked on the tracks though so it's a gamble.

Another cool park route is to use Schenley park. There is a trail that starts at Blvd of the Allies, Hobart and Bartlet, Greenfield Rd junction. Take that down to Junction Hollow.

I'd take Frick to Beacon (there's a couple wiggles through Squi'll depending on the Frick exit you pick), to Schenley park (I don't know what the trail is called, but it's to the side of the little park where Hobart turns Blvd of Allies and part of the 2 mile loop, but instead of the loop, go right, down to the back of the reservoir - cross some tracks and you're at the jail trail (I think - might be some glenwood wiggle).

Not entirely skinny tire friendly, but it is a nice ride. If you're loaded, porting across the tracks can be unfun no matter how fat your tires. I don't like porting across the tracks (even unladen), so I'd take a Forbes parallel to CMU, then pick up the bottom of Neville to the Jail trail.