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Pittsburgh Roubaix 2009?

12 Next »Started 1 year ago by Dave 74 posts Latest reply from BradQ

Dave

frequenter

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Posted 1 year ago

So I'm thinking about once again putting on the Pittsburgh Roubaix. By popular demand, it will probably be harder--more climbs & more cobbles--and maybe slightly longer. I'm also thinking of adding a fun-ride category that cuts out the worst of it, costs less to enter and isn't eligible for the best prizes. If everything goes as planned I'll have water & PB&J in the middle somewhere so it's almost like a supported ride. Maybe I can charge $20 like Pedal Pittsburgh?

I'm looking for other ideas for the ride and route suggestions. Last year's ride covered:

* Schenley park cobbles (optional)
* Joncaire
* SS trail / Sandcastle RR stone (optional)
* Grant St.
* Chestnut St.
* Spring Garden (climb)
* McCandless St. (climb)
* Murray Hill Ave. (climb)
* Henrietta St.
* LaClaire St.
* Laketon Rd. (kind of a climb, or at least everyone looked tired by then)

Some contenders for this year:

* Climax St.: short steep cobbled climb
* Wyoming St.: cobbled "V" at the top of Sycamore
* Soho St.: cobbled climb in uptown
* One of those cobbled/brick loops off of Center (Uptown/N. Oakland)
* Around the point
* Buena Vista in the North Side.
* The real crappy part of the strip trail
* Schenley Park fireroad--it just flows so nicely after that cobbled downhill
* Dill & Ennis in Mt. Washington (never ridden here, Lomax suggested it)
* Cobbled road down to the Greenfield ball field
* Suffolk (I forget who suggested this, but it's a Dirty Dozen hill...)

Anyone got any others? I'd especially like ones in places people don't normally ride, so now's the time for you to all shout out your favorite north hills dirt road (Brian J & Steevo, I'm looking at you...) I considered that brick climb in West Duquesne, but I don't know if I feel like riding out there to scout it.

Oh, and anyone got a preference on when? Earliest would be in July, but it might end up being early August since it looks like I'll be out of town half of July. Roadie type people: this is especially directed at you since I'd like to avoid conflicting with one of your "races". I put "races" in quotes because clearly this will be harder & more fun and will have cupcakes.

Being somewhat lax in the church going department, I tend to shoot for Sunday @ noon registration/1pm start, but I'm flexible in case anyone wants to ride at 5am instead.

And when's bike fest anyway?
nicholas

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Posted 1 year ago

How about Harbor Street in Spring Hill? Its a good hard climb up Itin from Chestnut to get there, then you can wrap up Romanhoff, left on South Side Ave, right on Sunset, then down Lamar to Spring Garden Avenue.
scott

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Posted 1 year ago

Do it mid august during BikeFest!
bjanaszek

bossanova

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Posted 1 year ago

It's really pretty simple to join Campbell's Run (off Guy's Run) to Old Mill to McClelland. All are really awesome, riding-through-the-woods dirt roads that are (mostly) ride-able on a road bike. Campbell's Run is actually closed at both ends (so just ride through the big concrete blocks at the bottom), and almost completely devoid of any development for most of its length.

Here's the loop.

There's lots of brick in Braddock, too.
Eric

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Posted 1 year ago

Glad you are thinking more hills and more rough stuff. Last year was fun, but overall I wanted mre suffering.

I used to do the cobbles at the top of Sycamore on my daily commute. Put this on the list! I remember the first few weeks of getting to work this way, I'd be all blown up from Sycamore and then have to hit the cobbles.

I wouldn't consider the brick streets very rough, some of them had a much smoother ride than a lot of the asphalt streets in town.

There are some killer dirt path climbs in Riverview Park, very doable on a road bike. Great paved climbs too. Fun going down also. I'd be up for scouting out some routes through the park.

Talk to me about some prizes too.
HiddenVariable

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Posted 1 year ago

murray hill is one of my favorite streets to bike up. and it's even more fun to bike down!
reddan

bossanova

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Posted 1 year ago

Not cobbled, but, if you're heading Riverview-wards, swing up Schimmer off Brighton Rd to Shadeland Ave. Nice little hill, will warm up your legs...then come back down, cross Brighton at the traffic light and work your way back to Kilbuck and the busted-pavement trail up to the top of Riverview.

If there's a "just along for the ride" class to this shindig, I may have to come out and share the pain. From way, way in the back, mind you...
Chris Mayhew

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Posted 1 year ago

Capital Ave, off W. Liberty. Steep, cobbled, long.
Mary

frequenter

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Posted 1 year ago

Just speaking up in favor of the kinder, gentler ride option. I like that idea.
BradQ

bossanova

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Posted 1 year ago

I'm questioning how much harder I can take this ride, but do it.

I don't care about it being any more miles, but more cobbles is more better. I want to come back covered in filth.
Andrew

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Posted 1 year ago

If you want a crazy cobble hill add kendall st.

http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=40.48172,-79.948218&spn=0,359.975281&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=40.481834,-79.948385&panoid=7gdQ1lweWBaW-cl_XgKB-Q&cbp=12,127.46,,0,7.42

btw

Capital Ave looks brutal.
Nate

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Posted 1 year ago

Belgian block. Just sayin'.

I approach Pittsburgh hills in a touristy way, with a proper sub-one gear ratio. Kendall looks awesome with the Celadine addition. I gotta go there.
Andrew

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Posted 1 year ago

Fannell St (probably too short and out of the way)

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Soho+St.+Pittsburgh,+PA+15238&sll=40.452172,-79.973602&sspn=0.286331,0.529404&ie=UTF8&layer=c&cbll=40.468279,-79.936325&panoid=d1HxlyFJ3Gj_OpT2Kjk-cg&cbp=11,36.58,,0,0.09&ll=40.468286,-79.93633&spn=0.004016,0.016544&z=16&iwloc=A

Lots of brick roads in regent square if people want easier options.
Dave

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Posted 1 year ago

Well holy smokes, thanks for the responses. I'll check out those various cobbled sections and see how they look.

As for dates, I'm tentatively saying August 16th. That's the first Sunday of Bike Fest. Objections?

Sounds like the "kindler, gentler cobbles" is a go. Or at least a recumbant category for reddan.

There should be enough here for a pretty heinous "Hell of the South Hills / North Hills" ride. If I get my poo together I'll try to put together some scouting expiditions if anyone wants to ride along.

@Eric: thanks for the prize tip, I'll be in touch.
mark

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Posted 1 year ago

i'm so excited to hear... "we thought we were doing ok until we saw you ahead of us" about five more times this year!
Chris Mayhew

bossanova

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Posted 1 year ago

Hey Steevo, what's the cobbled street that takes you to the Hobbit houses in Highland Park? I think that's the hardest section of level cobbles I've ridden.
reddan

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Posted 1 year ago

Or at least a recumbant category for reddan.

What's that? Ooh, ooh! I can place first in my division! Oh, happy day! :)

No need...I'll just do the full route, with absolutely no intention of anything other than enjoying the ride, waving at the pretty girls, and finishing DFL.
steve k

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Posted 1 year ago

oh man, mayhew, totally! i forget the name of that street but yes!
StuInMcCandless

bossanova

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Posted 1 year ago

I don't suppose staircases count, or I'd suggest Howard St to Rising Main Way. I carried my Raleigh up it once, just to say I did. 145 steps, IIRC.

Also in that same neighborhood, try Compromise to Sprain to the end, and a semi-pedallable path up to Warren Street. You will get dirty. No guarantees on personal safety, either.

Might be some belgian block streets up there by the former WPXI studio and tower, but I can't recall specifics.
HiddenVariable

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Posted 1 year ago

i was in the neighborhood, so i tried to go up kendall st. today. unfortunately, i'd never been in that area before and didn't really look at the map (i also forgot the street name--i wasn't actually planning anything), and ended up seeing cobbles and going up leyton st. do not--i repeat, do NOT-- try this. a) it's a dead end, and 2) when your front wheel slips out coming down and you can't unclip in time on its approximately 15 percent slope--which happens to be covered with gravel--you'll wish you'd listened to me.

edit: actually, looking at google maps now, it seems as though the cobbled section is duncan st., and google says it goes through to kendall, so i was definitely in the right place. it doesn't, however, go through to kendall. and it was at that intersection where i did my horizontal track stand.
alankhg

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Posted 1 year ago

Looks like it's just a place where the step-street portion on Duncan isn't clearly marked.
Andrew

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Posted 1 year ago

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=15206&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=38.092988,67.763672&ie=UTF8&ll=40.479125,-79.926589&spn=0.008944,0.024719&z=16&layer=c&cbll=40.478951,-79.926605&panoid=en7rlc86eZ9E-gPaDmFhiQ&cbp=12,314.93,,0,-8.05

Is this the hobbit house you are talking about? It must be. (cordova rd.)
Chris Mayhew

bossanova

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Posted 1 year ago

Bingo. One of the roads that leads to that house (at least the way we went) was seriously cobbled.
bstephens

freewheeler

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Posted 1 year ago

Phillips Ave in Sq. Hill has some cobbled sections. There's a stretch leading to Wightman if you take the right after crossing the Greenfield Bridge. There's also another two blocks of power-climb cobbles right after you cross Murray heading east towards Frick.
StuInMcCandless

bossanova

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Posted 1 year ago

Isabella St on NShore. Dead level but close enough to everything else that you just have to work it in if you're going anywhere near it.

Definitely Not Level: There's a belgian block alley running off of Balph in Bellevue, closed to auto traffic. Insanely steep. There's a guardrail across the top to prevent auto traffic. I'll scout it out as to whether you can get through on a bicycle.
hooty

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Posted 1 year ago

Capitol Ave off of W. Liberty is a bitch. Nasty cobbles with wide spaces between. Tough for a road bike to make it. Feels like your car is going to fall apart when you drive on it!
StuInMcCandless

bossanova

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Posted 1 year ago

Maryland St, Bellevue is the alley I mentioned. Brick. Brief but very steep. Almost impossible to get to level part of the street from the top of the hill; guardrail and parked (junk?) cars block the top, plus a curb jump. I came down it.
HiddenVariable

bossanova

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Posted 1 year ago

well, if we're looking for insanely steep, why don't we just throw canton ave. into the mix?

there can be only one...
mark

bossanova

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Posted 1 year ago

chesterfield in oakland would be a worthy addition
Dave

frequenter

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Posted 11 months ago

Whew! Now that the balmy heaven is done, it's time to get this finalized. First, the flyer:

The route is not finalized, in fact I'm looking for input!

The probably sections:

Start: Flagstaff in Schenley
1. Broken cobbles past vistors center
2. Schenley fireroad to Panther Hollow lake (so that running the steps to go down Joncaire is harder)
3. Joncaire
4. Climax St. (cobbled spike off of Arlington in SSide slopes/Arlington)
5. Wyoming St. ("V" at the top of Sycamore)
6. Grant St.
7. Beuna Vista St. (northside)
8. E. Bergess St. (cobbles at the top of Suffolk)
9. S Side Ave. (in that neighborhood behind Spring Hill, basically right across 279 from Bergess)
10. Yetta (Spring Hill)
11. Chestnut St. (yes, this forces you to go back down)
12. Intersection of Mt. Troy Rd & Hoffman Rd.
13. Kendall St. (replacing McCandles)
14. Murray Hill
15. Henrietta St.
16. LaClaire St.
17. Laketon Rd.

I'm tempted to add Cordova St. (cobbled road to hobbit house) after Laketon since it's ridiculous (forces you to cross past washington boulevard) and also makes running down the trail to the oval a viable strategy.

I cut the sandcastle parking lot railroad stones since that basically just forced people onto 837 and added some distance. I was thinking of cutting Laketon for the same reason, but I like the fact that that's a climb that only really hits you at the end.

I'm tempted to add Capital Ave (off of West Liberty) since those cobbles are absolutely insane (thanks, Mayhew). I don't ride in the south hills enough to know where to add them... after Wyoming?

I also wanted to add Bryn Mawr (brick/cobbled loop off of Centre in Oakland), Soho (uptown) & maybe Chesterfield (Oakland). If so that will probably be right after Joncaire and before the Mt. Washington leg.

All suggestions welcome.
Dave

frequenter

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Posted 11 months ago

And VOLUNTEERS NEEED! Volunteers get a sense of satisfaction and a high-five. PM or email me at dave@pghalleycat.com
BradQ

bossanova

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Posted 11 months ago

Is there going to be a map of sorts for this one?
Dave

frequenter

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Posted 11 months ago

@Brad: Yup, going to put together a Google Maps
TheLivingTed

frequenter

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Posted 11 months ago

I really don't want to do this.
Chris Mayhew

bossanova

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Posted 11 months ago

Yeah, go up Wyoming, down Southern. Quick right on Arlington, left on 51 to W. Liberty, then up Capitol. Left on Pioneer and you're right back on W. Liberty. Up Southern again to go back over Mt. Washington or you can take Bausman up and over.
Dave

frequenter

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Posted 11 months ago

Here's a google version of the course. I added Capital, Bryn Mawr, Soho, Isabella & Cordova. I'll probably want to drop some other legs. Feedback welcome!
BradQ

bossanova

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Posted 11 months ago

Hmm. I may admit defeat and sit this year's race out.
reddan

bossanova

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Posted 11 months ago

I'm still vaguely hoping to come out and embarrass myself.

Anyone wanna help form a "Back of the Pack with Booze and Bravado" brigade?
Dave

frequenter

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Posted 11 months ago

I was thinking of making Capital optional as a time bonus. Any idea how long would be appropriate?
Dave

frequenter

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Posted 11 months ago

@Brad: too much? I haven't calculated the distance yet and am still going to drop some sections... any recommendations? For the flow of the race dropping Capital or Henriet, LaClare & Laketon seems to make the most sense. Capital is just so far out there, but man is it an absolutely ridiculous set of cobbles.
BradQ

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Posted 11 months ago

I'm not familiar with the roads of the South Hills in the least really, and question my ability to safely navigate on that side of things without finding myself on roads I'd rather not ride on.
Dave

frequenter

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Posted 11 months ago

Yeah, that was my reservation w/ adding Capital. Unless there's an argument for keeping it I'll remove it, or make it an optional section w/ time bonus.
Dave

frequenter

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Posted 11 months ago

@reddan: one of the stops will be a water/PB&J stop, but maybe we can add some PBR
steve k

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Posted 11 months ago

will the course be finalized by saturday morning so i can preride it?
Dave

frequenter

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Posted 11 months ago

Yeah. The plan tonight is to break out Bikely and finalize stuff.

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