Cycling - road riding

In spite of the weather (read: rain) my wife and I are getting very motivated get out and ride the road bikes (er, Renn Rad). Don't have a clue where to go though. Anyone know of groups, etc. to get hooked up with? We've found the local guides, maps, etc. to be completely undependable for directional purposes.

As I was a surveyor in a former life, I have a pretty good idea how to read maps and the local ones, frankly, pretty much suck.

Thanks for the help gang.

no clue wher eto go. i just ride around here (Grunwald- out south of here and also twd Unterhaching)
i'm slow, but willing to ride w/ people who are also slow!

i got plenty of ideas... jesus! do you think i ride the fixie on the hometrainer???

Well, don't you?

I can't help you with the cycling routes, but I can recommend the Bayerisches Landesvermessungsamt series of maps. 1:50000 scale, and great for walking or cycling. I have the set going South from Munich, I don't know if they exist for going North too. Printed on water resistant paper, 6.60 each. You can get them in most of the sports shops in town. They're far more useful than the "Compass" series if you want to actually map read.

There's also dedicated cycling maps at 1:100000, "Radwander-karte". I suspect that the routes in it would not be suitable for road bikes though - in my experience they tend to be rough trails, fine for a MTB / hybrid but not tarmaced.

How about the roads between Taufkirchen and Bad Tölz? I think there are some quiet back roads between Saurlach and Tölz, I have noticed them when trying to avoid the return ski traffic in the car. Other than that how about using Google Earth as an aid, in combination with some road maps? I think that's about as much help as I can give on the Rennrad subject considering I'm not really into that knid of thing

Lurch - have you un-bent your rear sqewer? I don't know, cheap bikes and trees across the Isar trails just don't mix, eh?

Speaking of the trails.. When will we start that up again? I am game.

I am also game for road rides on my road mountain bike. It kinda kept up ish on that ride to Starnbergsee last year

The Isar trails are defrosting nicely although I think that they still have 2 weeks to go before they are completely free of snow & ice. Lurch, Nick and I went down them yesterday morning from the Zoo to Grünwald and actually the biggest problem was fallen down trees over the trails. Anyway, with the real mountain riding still a month away, I'm sure there's going to be plenty of Isar trail runs in the coming weeks!

BTW, how many folk are entering for the Tegernsee MTB Marathon in June?

I'm signed up for the Garda Marathon, but not Tegernsee... yet.

my knee really played up last year so I might give it a miss. I will have more fun going to the bike parks.

I HAVE to get to leogang this year

@wunnspeed: Lucky bastard. Shite. Garda rules.

Assuming it doesn't rain, we could do a Munich-Starnberg-Andechs-somethingSee-Andechs-Starnberg-Munich on Saturday around 10am at Rotkreuzplatz?

How are the roads up there?

A ride I like to do is Munich -> Starnberg -> Tutzling -> Seeshaupt -> Berg -> Munich (around Starnberger See). The nicest part of the ride is on the east side of Starnberger See. The ride is about 90KM from Munich Grosshadern.
I normally go through the Forstenrieder Park to Wangen, but part of that trail is not paved (I have a hybrid). Another way is to go south from Pasing --> Gräfelfing --> Gauting --> Starnberg, or take the U16 next to the A95. Dont take the Würmtal trail if you have a road bike, it is not paved for the most part.

I love roadbiking and the Starnbergersee is a good round trip for me, 100km from Neuhausen...but one side is too much main road and traffic and the other side is too many pedestrians ( especially in summer) ...Andechs/Wothsee routes can be nice, much quieter and country roads. If you have a car then to drive to the Alps, Kochelsee, Elmau etc and start from there . Some excellent toll roads ( free to cyclists ) and routes.
1. Kocchelsee-> Walchensee-> Jachenau-> Lengriess-> Silvenstein dam-> Vorderiss ( -> Eng )-> Walchensee -> Kochelsee, an exact 100km ( or 150km with Eng )
2. From Ellmau ->Fernpass -> Hanntenjoch ->Lermoos-> Ellmau ( also exact 100km but 1500m uphill )
Just a few ideas.

Some great ideas and routes. Keep 'em coming! The primary idea for us and road biking is to not use the car but to leave from home (Schwabing) do 60 miles or so and come back home. For me, it's a training ride, for my wife... it's just a ride.

Kit... we're doing the 6 hour indoor cycling marathon at Elixia on Sat. We can look at Sunday for a ride, but it's supposed to thunderstorm. Lovely!

I'm thinking of entering the 100 km Streke, cause I'm a bit crazy. I missed it last year, but I hope a group can go later in the year and check out the course because I need to know if 700x30C cross tires will be fat enough.

I'm away this weekend but count me in for some miles next weekend, I'm eager to stretch the legs and test out my new handlebars!

I'm doing the 100k as well, I reckon you'll be alright with cross tires the whole way round. There's one area which is abit dodgy but it's not very long and the rest is wide open firetrails

I'll be down there as soon as the snow clears...

There is always the ADFC, as long as you can read and understand the program.
I have loads of maps and routes around Munich. The best way is to take the S-Bahn or DB with a cheap group ticket, there is an extra charge for transporting cycles. It is possible to do a day trip around Chiemsee or similar routes. I don't go for Renn Rad as I want to be able to cycle at a speed I can enjoy the countryside and stop off for a drink. Anyone interested?

Lurch & I and others are heading for an Isar trail MTB ride today if anybody's interested, meeting at the Tier Park at 13:00. Trails are free of snow and surprisingly dry...

Hi

There are lots of good routes around Munich - but I find that you have to generally ride earlier to avoid too many cars (especially on nice warm sunny weekends). There is a great route to Starnberg and back, with coffee in the middle and a couple of others up north. Generally speaking the roads are in good condition and most drivers pass with some form of respect. I also hear there is a pedestrian/cycle path all the way to Bad Tölz, but haven't tried it out.

I'd like to ride a bit in the alps this year (see if 120km/h is actually possible down a steep hill ) - but am keen to ride just about anywhere when the weather is good. Another plan was to ride down to Austria and back (about 160km round trip) just to be able to say that I've ridden my bike from home to another country

How about getting together for a nice easy "start of season" ride as soon as the weather is good?

B

Well, you could just do what I did - start down in Lindau and ride to Austria and then Lichstenstein in one day. It wasn't very far but it was fun to say 'yep, rode my mountain bike to Austria today from Germany'

that sounds like it'd be fun to say/do!

One benefit of living here in Garmisch...getting to ride over to Austria, less than 10k away, and tell people I was out riding in another country...

I tried to request and ask I guess a 57 minute 45 second 25 mile time trial is another qualification that excludes me from German Life

What are you on about?

hey, I'd be up for that "nice easy start of season ride as soon as the weather is good"...looks like it may improve on friday or saturday...gasp!...so could try to organize something for then if people are around for the holiday weekend.
also, as there seems to be quite a few folks interested in learning about different rides and races we could meet for a beer or three with a couple of maps to toss ideas around...

Motion to "be ready" for a ride on Saturday and decide in the morning. I know a good route down to Starnberg (a few of us rode it last year) - we could persuse your maps and decide on some routes for the summer.

Should the weather fail on us, plan B - maybe meet up somewhere in Munich and take a look at the maps. But let's be optimistic and go for plan A

Who else is in if the weather is good? (just a small note, not wanting to scare anyone off , but "easy ride" by road biking standards is pretty quick for mountain bikes)

Cheers
B

yep, I'd be up for saturday. plan B is always a go as well.
so you reckon 120km or so. average? just to brace myself...ahem, still in the process of finding my legs for the season...

hi

Munich -> Starnberg is 30km which makes 60km roundtrip. Once around Starnberg is about 50km. So we could ride down to Starnberg and decide on the extra 50 if the weather is good and the legs are working

B

hey! I like the way that sounds..

got me a new cross bike and was waiting for the weather to get better so I can take it for a spin.

I will be up for the 60km part of it if the weather is nice. can't say anything for the other 50 though (no big cyclist here)

where do you guys wanna meet and what time?..

oh! and btw, has anyone done that 30km before? how long do you reckon it will take and how are the road conditions? (cars, road itself etc.)

The 60km round trip is actually a circle route with a very swift return (it is mostly downhill from Starnberg to Munich). I've done it alone in under 2 hours with a short water break at the lake - however it might take longer on Saturday - haven't ridden at all this year . Traffic is reasonably light because most people going to Starnberg take the autobahn and the road itself is very smooth and well maintained.

Shall we meet at 9:30am on Saturday? our meeting point last year was always on Rotkreuzplatz - let me know if that is okay.

ok! let's do this!

just two things:

- The weather.. I am sure you also don't fancy biking in heavy rain. So we post here or PM or whatever Friday night or even Saturday morning?

- 60km trip in 2 hours! man you got me scared there a little. If you are looking for an easy ride to start the season and don't mind a me trying to catch up on my cross bike with my tongue halfways out.. I am game

seriously, any chance we can turn this to an easy 30km ride and a big break, some sandwich orange juice or whatever and return..

have fun! i'd love to join you, but my mom's visiting then (and i'm still super out of shape!)
pls post how the ride was- i'm curious about it and want to do it sometime too.
thanks!

9:30 at RKP sounds good. I'm up for anything but won't be speedy...
Looking forward to it!

@mere: too bad you can't make it, was looking forward to meeting you finally! Have a great visit with your mom and we'll see you next time.

Argh! Have planned for the last two weeks that this Saturday will be getting the balcony in order and planting tomatoes. Otherwise it will never get done. Have fun, I'll join next weekend.

Where at Rotkruetzplatz?

tinap

so how was the ride? what speed did you avg?

Alas my project seems to be consuming weekends and the weather is not helping either. My goal was to ride 2,000 KM before I pull the plug on Toytown in early July. Currently I am only at about 360 KM.

Three trips I am hoping to do bridge the 1400 KM are as follows:
1. The Isar from head waters to Danube - done over a couple of weekends
2. Danube from the Isar to Austria (perhaps as far as Vienna)
3. The Mosel River up by Koblenz

The last two would probably involve weekends and credit card camping while the first can be done as day trips. I will keep an eye on this topic suitable for slightly roundish accountants to ride. To give back, here are a couple of posts from last year which may be of some help:

Ammersee & Worthsee, The Peasant See circumnavigation
Ammersee & Worthsee, The Peasant See circumnavigation

Cycling – Freising via the Isar

Cycling - Alpsee to Schongau, Rides and Mad King Castles

Cycling day trip - Salzburg and Golling

Cycling - Oberammergau to Murnau, Screaming downhill in the Alps

Tutzing to BadTolz

@ Mere

Ride was good - we took it nice and slow down to the lake - lots of traffic on the first bit though. Coming back was great - very few cars and a nice open road. A little on the windy side took my average coming back down to 27

Who's up for next Saturday?

i'm gone next sat! i'll be on my way back from Ireland. i really would love to join you one of these days- hopefully some day soon i'll be free (not traveling, not have visitors, not working).

thanks for the update! sounds like a nice ride. and the weather cooperated w/ no rain!

Where you riding to this weekend?

Am off mountain biking with some friends, so will give this Saturday a skip

What's the plan for this Sat.? I didn't see last Saturday's ride till about 10:00 a.m. Obviously, too late.

I've done 100 km on the mountain bike in the last two days. Good rides trying to top off the tank for the Garda marathon.

Wunnspeed,

Where have you been out on the MTB - Isar trails or anything further afield?

I've been out 30 km's from Schwabing south... Lurch knows, basically did the ride we did last fall. Found more singletrack though. That's my thing... I love singletrack! It's the single-speed thing. Yesterday, I went back out and just rode to Grunwald and back. Thinking of doing a short road ride this morning.

I'm still such a newbie around here, I have no idea where to go to find trails or road ride. It's killing me. I come from Kansas City, MO where I had 100+ miles of good singletrack within an hour of my house and hundreds of miles of road riding leaving from my door. Of course, after living there for nearly 30 years, I kind of knew my way around.

Wunnspeed,

I was out last weekend and found some very sweet single trails to the south of Grünwald and for a small beer I could perhaps show you them one night next week? Can't make it this weekend because I'm heading to Garda for some real climbs, and even better descents

Yep. Both sides of the Isar, south of Grünwald have nice singletrack. The east side is more fun though and has a nice loop...I should hit that this weekend. The bridges can get extremely slippery when wet though!! (Note to self: Do not fall into the river this time.)

Due the the backwards Sunday shopping rules here, I don't have time for a morning ride on Saturday, but I'd be up for something on Sunday.

This looks like the right thread. With the weather getting nice (finally!), I'm starting to get out on my bike again. I've also recently acquired an independent means of bike transport (read: car), so I'm looking to do some riding outside the city. My passion is the dirt, but road riding is good, too. Are there any plans for this May Day weekend? Sundays are better for me than Saturdays, which are frequently consumed with provisioning errands.

Heading out on the BOB tomorrow morning for a brisk 160km-ish road ride in the hills if anyone wants to join. Starting in Schliersee

N.B. It won't be a cappucino tour