# Riding in Cleveland, OH



## Heavy0112 (Aug 13, 2011)

Does anyone know if there is an area with lots of hills in or around Cleveland, OH? I love to ride hills but haven't found the right area yet.


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## heybrady (Jul 3, 2011)

Just saw this thread. Which area of town are you located? Out west is not much in the way of hills, but as you go south or east there are hills everywhere. If you are south, check out area around Rt303-area between Brunswick and Penninsula. Great bike shop in Penninsula right on 303, which is down in the O&E Canal valley. A couple miles of hills down to there, but you have to climb up any way out.

If you are east, get east of Rt 91 (SOM Center Road) into Gates Mills, Pepper Pike, Chagrin Falls, etc. Crazy hills out that way as well. 

Again, if you are west or downtown/heights it is mostly flat, so that is where I'm guessing you are.

PM me if you have any questions. I haven't been riding all that long, but have lived in the area my whole life. Grew up south, live west, work east so I know most of northeast Ohio well.


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## Heavy0112 (Aug 13, 2011)

Thanks for the heads up. I think my company rides in Penninsula. Isn't that by Winking Lizard?


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## Scot_Gore (Jan 25, 2002)

heybrady said:


> Just saw this thread. Which area of town are you located? Out west is not much in the way of hills, but as you go south or east there are hills everywhere. If you are south, check out area around Rt303-area between Brunswick and Penninsula. Great bike shop in Penninsula right on 303, which is down in the O&E Canal valley. A couple miles of hills down to there, but you have to climb up any way out.
> 
> If you are east, get east of Rt 91 (SOM Center Road) into Gates Mills, Pepper Pike, Chagrin Falls, etc. Crazy hills out that way as well.
> 
> ...


I don't know Cleveland very well but my wife is from Cleveland. I've brought the bike on visits a couple of times. On one trip I got out and around the Holden Arboreatum and re-call a great deal of huffing and puffing. I don't know the roads well enough to point you to them, but go to Holden and explore like I was doing and you find decent midwestern rollers. (I'm in Minnesota so pretty similar glacier created topograghy).


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## heybrady (Jul 3, 2011)

@Heavy: Yes, the Winking Lizard is in downtown Penninsula. The bike shop (Century Cycles) is right next to it.

@Scot: That is out on the east side of town, just a couple miles from my daily lunchtime ride. There are some serious hills in that area.


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## Scot_Gore (Jan 25, 2002)

heybrady said:


> @Heavy: Yes, the Winking Lizard is in downtown Penninsula. The bike shop (Century Cycles) is right next to it.
> 
> @Scot: That is out on the east side of town, just a couple miles from my daily lunchtime ride. There are some serious hills in that area.


I have In-Laws of various varieties in Euclid Willowicke and Mentor

Scot


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## dphoenix (Nov 11, 2007)

There is a Gates Mills loop google it. Big hill on Lander (South side of Chagrin)


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## SpicyMac (Sep 24, 2010)

Very timely to find this thread as it looks as though I'll be receiving orders to Cleveland next summer. Lived there '98-'00 on the west side. Spent a lot of time at Century Cycles in Rocky River.


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## NittanyLion (Mar 8, 2011)

As a few other posters have mentioned the Cuyahoga Valley around Peninsula is an area in the Cleveland area where you can find some good hills. They're not Colorado type climbs but if you are looking for hills in the Cleveland area it is the area you want. There are numerous Cat4 & and Cat5 hills to choose from. You can find hills that are 400-500 feet climbs over 2-4 miles or you can find short steep climbs like Oak Hill (more than 200 ft in less than 1/2 mile - I believe that it's around a 20% grade).


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## onlineflyer (Aug 8, 2005)

Try Mohican State Park. It's in Loudonville, OH, about an hour south of Cleveland but you should get your fill of hills.


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## heybrady (Jul 3, 2011)

If you want hills, go onto mapmyride and search in 44143 zip code. You will find a couple dozen 40ish miles rides that are east of Route 91 that are mostly up and down hills. That should be enough for most people.

Here's one for reference

Hills first in Chagrin in Mayfield, OH | Bike Map | MapMyRIDE


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## SpicyMac (Sep 24, 2010)

Sweet, thanks for the replies!


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## namaSSte (Jul 28, 2004)

NittanyLion said:


> As a few other posters have mentioned the Cuyahoga Valley around Peninsula is an area in the Cleveland area where you can find some good hills. They're not Colorado type climbs but if you are looking for hills in the Cleveland area it is the area you want. There are numerous Cat4 & and Cat5 hills to choose from. You can find hills that are 400-500 feet climbs over 2-4 miles or you can find short steep climbs like Oak Hill (more than 200 ft in less than 1/2 mile - I believe that it's around a 20% grade).


Oak Hill can destroy you! I ride in the Peninsula area a lot as it does offer some great climbing and is easily accessible to a west sider. If you do live west side and just want to grab a short ride with some hills, the Rocky River Metropark has a bunch of small climbs. You can do and out and back to Berea hitting each one going both directions. Again, they are all short climbs but if you do enough of them, well its still a good workout if you need to sneak something in.

Nobody has mentioned it yet but Spin (on Madison in Lakewood) is a phenomenal shop that caters much more to the higher end bike crowd. The employees are helpful and knowledgeable. I'm not ragging on Century, its just that you are more likely to find a nice hybrid towpath bike there than you are a race or higher end touring bike.


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## smoothie7 (Apr 11, 2011)

I hear Cleveland is hosting their first every Grand Fondo of Ohio ride in September 2012!!!


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## namaSSte (Jul 28, 2004)

smoothie7 said:


> I hear Cleveland is hosting their first every Grand Fondo of Ohio ride in September 2012!!!


all over this, sounds like a great time!


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## joet (Dec 17, 2010)

smoothie7 said:


> I hear Cleveland is hosting their first every Grand Fondo of Ohio ride in September 2012!!!


It is being held SE of Columbus.

Home | Ohio Gran Fondo


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## heybrady (Jul 3, 2011)

Will have similar route as Pelotonia does, it seems. Although I heard Pelotonia may be routing thru Amish Country next year due to OU going to semesters and being back in schools then


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## Terex (Jan 3, 2005)

namaSSte said:


> Oak Hill can destroy you!


Yes, if you ride down it. T intersection at bottom. No roll out. Uphill not that bad.

Do the CVNRP Death Ride : CVNP Death Ride at Bikely.com


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## NEO Dan (Jun 10, 2010)

At Wilson Mills and Chagrin River Rd the lower entrance to the North Chagrin Reservation has a small parking lot where you can start a nice ride, if you ride north into the park you can warm up with a nice steady climb. When you are ready for a test of intensity leave the park and head down Chagrin River Rd to Sherman Rd. May the force be with you... 

http://g.co/maps/j9qc5


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## heybrady (Jul 3, 2011)

Oh for sure. Or Rogers road is a doozy too. Nice real estate scenery on County Line. 

I ride up that hill from the parking lot on my regular loop. I enjoy it. Oxbow is a nice alternative, although shorter/steeper.


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## NEO Dan (Jun 10, 2010)

Hey Brady,
You must be living in my old home of Chestertucky eh? Chesterland is great, if you own a BIG snow plow or migrate with the birds. 
I had just gotten started riding when I lived there. I need to get back up there and ride some this summer. I do remember the weekly group ride out of the park, is that ride still going on?


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## heybrady (Jul 3, 2011)

I am actually on the complete opposite side of town, but I work in that area and get a lot of rides in during lunch hours. 

Lots of newer houses in that area now as people are migrating farther east. I know what you mean about plow country though.


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