# Niles canyon tips



## PoorCyclist (Oct 14, 2010)

can anyone give me some tips on how to make through that 4.5 miles stretch? (east to west)

*What is the best time to ride it?* there are no trucks during weekend right? 

I have commuted on this road for a few years. It's a different story for riding though, and now they have added the rumble strip in the middle for a while now.

I know at the bridges take the lane. There is also some kind of drain grate that is problem somewhere? where? How is the "shoulder" condition?

would it be best to try to ride it at a fast pace to get it over with?


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## roscoe (Mar 9, 2010)

I have driven that road a few times, I'm not sure I'd be real excited about taking my bike on it though, people haul butt on there


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## makeitso (Sep 20, 2008)

Stay away from this area on weekdays. Far too many semi trailers take this route coming from the Hayward area to get onto 680 or vice versa. The only time I would consider using this route is very early in the morning on the weekends. If you're not time crunched it's much better to spend the time to head up to Stoneridge and come back via Palomares. Yes, it's quite a bit out of the way but unless you're comfortable bumping shoulders with cars and TTing through the really tight section (mile marker 10-12 approx) it's a risk I don't want to take and it's not even that nice of a road, it just provides access. 

Maybe when they're done with the widening project it'll be less risky. But who knows when that'll start, much less finish.


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## PoorCyclist (Oct 14, 2010)

looks like I should just start at stoneridge and dublin canyon down to palomares and turn back


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

I took Niles Canyon for the first time on a Saturday a couple of weeks back cycling out to the low-key hill climb at Welch Creek. It was around 9am and I was heading west to east, and it was no issue at all other than the puncture that I got. Of course it only takes one driver to ruin your day.


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## Tort (Nov 4, 2008)

PoorCyclist said:


> looks like I should just start at stoneridge and dublin canyon down to palomares and turn back


You could always do and out and back on Palomares, that way you get some good climbing in and avoid Niles.

I have ridden Niles to Palomares early on weekends and it wasn't bad. Shoulder was decent but narrow in that one section. I wouldn't make a habit of it but the loop from Stoneridge down Foothill to Niles/Palomares/Dublin Canyon is awesome. I usually go Dublin Canyon West to Crow Canyon (another one like Niles) to Bollinger Canyon and then back to Dublin. Great workout.


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## makeitso (Sep 20, 2008)

Tort said:


> You could always do and out and back on Palomares, that way you get some good climbing in and avoid Niles.
> 
> I have ridden Niles to Palomares early on weekends and it wasn't bad. Shoulder was decent but narrow in that one section. I wouldn't make a habit of it but the loop from Stoneridge down Foothill to Niles/Palomares/Dublin Canyon is awesome. I usually go Dublin Canyon West to Crow Canyon (another one like Niles) to Bollinger Canyon and then back to Dublin. Great workout.


I'm still not fully sure if this is for a workout or for a commute of some sort but from the northern end of Palomares you have a bunch of options. Going into San Ramon/Danville, taking Cull Canyon for a 10 mile out and back, Redwood rd in Castro Valley, etc. No reason to limit yourself to taking Dublin Blvd to Palomares and back only. 

But for myself, I refuse to take that 2 mile section of Niles Canyon as a few weekend semi's have scared me straight as they refuse to go over the center line and even from the section from Fremont to Palomares there's a bunch of people who like to try and squeeze you for no good reason and in that section there's plenty of room. Guess I'm not too good when it comes to pucker value.


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## Tort (Nov 4, 2008)

ukbloke said:


> I took Niles Canyon for the first time on a Saturday a couple of weeks back cycling out to the low-key hill climb at Welch Creek.


You are a funny man, I just laughed so hard I almost popped a rib.


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## izzyfly (Jul 10, 2009)

ukbloke said:


> I took Niles Canyon for the first time on a Saturday a couple of weeks back cycling out to the low-key hill climb at Welch Creek. It was around 9am and I was heading west to east, and it was no issue at all other than the puncture that I got. Of course it only takes one driver to ruin your day.


uk - try climbing up Palomares. The start of the climb is about 2.2 miles from Mission Blvd and 84. You head east like you did for the Welch climb, and after 2miles, you'll see a train overpass and right before that on the left is Palomares. You'll have to cross over to the other side to get you to the westbound bike lane. I recommend traversing to the other side almost a city block before the bottom of Palomares, since the place where Palomares meets 84 is next to a sharp bend in the canyon, which creates a blindspot for westbound traffic: You don't see them coming, and they don't see you crossing. 

From the bottom of Palomares to the crest is about 4.6miles. You'll see some old rusted rails at the crest, even a makeshift 'finish line' as you approach the top. As you'll find out the climb on this south side of Palomares averages about 8%. There are two short sections with a gradient of about 10%, and that's basically it. Now, if you decide to come down the other side of Palomares (be careful as this is a fairly steep descent with a couple of switchbacks), you'll head out to Palo Verde, which can take you to Dublin Canyon Road to the right, or Castro Valley/Redwood road to the left. What I sometimes do is make a U-turn at this juncture (Palo Verde and Palomares) and head back up to the top. One thing you'll notice is that the from the bottom of the climb on the other side at mile marker 4.2 to 4.6 is about a 15% gradient, and 4.6 to 4.8 is about a 19% gradient - both markedly steeper than the steepest sections of the south side. Cheers, and tell us your times as you usually report.


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