# Best Central NJ locations for cycling?



## BethLikesBikes

My husband and I are moving to NJ. He will be working in Somerville and I'll be in North Brunswick. We're trying to find a house to rent in an area that's off the main drag. We currently live in Upstate NY and love the rural setting with cycling routes right out the front door. Any suggestions for more affordable and cyclist-friendly locations that aren't too far from our jobs? The photos from the Gran Fondo look amazing. Where are these places?


----------



## Terex

Uhhhh..... You guys hit the jackpot. Parts of Somerset, all of Hunterdon County heading north to NY and into PA, are some of the best cycling in the country. Look at njbikemap.com for the best cycling map in the world.

Join a bike club if you want - several in the area. Others should be chiming in soon. AlanE is the human GPS for the entire area.

I'm only in NJ part time now, but send me a pm and I'll provide more info, and ride when I'm in town.


----------



## BethLikesBikes

Thanks, Terex! I'm excited to escape the sprawl and see what rural NJ has to offer.


----------



## NJBiker72

Its great here. I am in Mountainside. Great rides to the west. Lots of hills. Cost wise and location I would head west a bit. Pluckemin, Warren come to mind. Maybe Bedminster. So many great areas. One note, I generally ride north of 22. More scenic and hilly for the most part.

Up here some good rides can include the Watchung Reservation and the Great Swamp. Also Jockey Hollow. Check out Burnt Mills Road. Or Black River Road going up to pottersville.


----------



## AlanE

Welcome to NJ. Central NJ is a great area for road cycling. If you're into mountain biking, well that's too bad.

Sounds like you are going to have to make some compromises. The area between Somerville and North Brunswick isn't what I would call rural - more like one large continuous suburb. Since you are just looking for something close to those towns and affordable to rent, take a look at the Hillsborough area. Lots of townhouses there. It's a fairly flat area and rush hour traffic can be a drag, but there are good roads for cycling south toward Princeton and the Sourland Mountains. As you venture further west and north, the cycling get nicer - more hills, less congestion, Gran Fondo region.

As NJBiker noted, north of Route 22 gets into more hills, but it's also considerably more expensive. Plus the commute might be a drag if you have to rely on the interstate 287. But towns like Bridgewater and Bedminster (Pluckemin) are nice.

Also several good clubs to ride with in the area. I ride with the Morris Area Freewheelers and the Western Jersey Wheelmen. There's also Central Jersey Bicycle Club and Princeton Freewheelers. Also several racing teams if that's your thing.


----------



## HikenBike

When I lived in that area (many years ago) I loved riding around the back roads of Far Hills and Bernardsville.


----------



## RJP Diver

Welcome to NJ! I live in Montgomery, one town south of the aforementioned Hillsborough. This area would be an easy commute to both Somerville (one town north of Hillsborough) and North Brunswick (Two towns to the east.) The Sourland Mountains start right here in Montgomery and you can pedal west to Hunterdon County, south to Mercer County, etc. Bucks County PA is a 20mi ride, or throw your bikes in/on the car and drive to Lambertville/New Hope and pedal that way. Or drive up to Morris/Warren Counties for real hills. I even ride my bike the 77mi to Long Beach Island.

I think this is a great area for cycling, I think you'll like it too!

PS - which one of you works for J&J?


----------



## tednugent

AlanE said:


> Welcome to NJ. Central NJ is a great area for road cycling. If you're into mountain biking, well that's too bad.


.... Central NJ got some good mountain biking places around Somerville
- Sourlands
- 6 Mile Run Reservoir (which I see a lot of people on road bikes parked at the Canal Street Parking lot)--- also see people on Cyclocross bikes
- Chimey Rock


----------



## BethLikesBikes

RJP Diver said:


> Welcome to NJ! I live in Montgomery, one town south of the aforementioned Hillsborough. This area would be an easy commute to both Somerville (one town north of Hillsborough) and North Brunswick (Two towns to the east.) The Sourland Mountains start right here in Montgomery and you can pedal west to Hunterdon County, south to Mercer County, etc. Bucks County PA is a 20mi ride, or throw your bikes in/on the car and drive to Lambertville/New Hope and pedal that way. Or drive up to Morris/Warren Counties for real hills. I even ride my bike the 77mi to Long Beach Island.
> 
> I think this is a great area for cycling, I think you'll like it too!
> 
> PS - which one of you works for J&J?


Thanks for the recommendation. We'll have to take a look at Montgomery. We don't mind commuting to work if we can live somewhere away from the sprawl. I'll take nature over a strip mall any day.

We're not at J&J, actually (man, that building is huge!). Rob is a chiropractor and I'll be going to massage school. So one income means we have to find something affordable (but hopefully big enough to store all our bikes, etc)  

Thanks for the tips, everyone. Keep throwing potential towns our way and if you have any resources for finding housing in these areas, that would be great too.


----------



## NJBiker72

tednugent said:


> ....- Chimey Rock


What does pizza have to do with this??


----------



## merckxman

I'd suggest the town of Oldwick, and surrounding Tewksbury Township. Beautiful area. Housing is very expensive if you were buying but you can often find some interesting rentals. Great cycling from out the door.

The commute to Somerville is very easy, to New Brunswick not so much but I figured you wouldn't be going to school all the time you are in NJ???

There is Turpin Real Estate and Weichert in Oldwick.


----------



## lfcorrea

Kind of wish I was into road biking when I lived in Basking Ridge ...

Now I live in Hawaii (Oahu) and despite being an awesome place to ride, it is pretty dangerous on the roads here, but one can ride all year round without having to bundle up.

Enjoy your rides there!


----------



## NJBiker72

lfcorrea said:


> Kind of wish I was into road biking when I lived in Basking Ridge ...
> 
> Now I live in Hawaii (Oahu) and despite being an awesome place to ride, it is pretty dangerous on the roads here, but one can ride all year round without having to bundle up.
> 
> Enjoy your rides there!


Basking Ridge is great for riding.


----------



## tednugent

BethLikesBikes said:


> Thanks for the recommendation. We'll have to take a look at Montgomery. We don't mind commuting to work if we can live somewhere away from the sprawl. I'll take nature over a strip mall any day.
> 
> We're not at J&J, actually (man, that building is huge!). Rob is a chiropractor and I'll be going to massage school. So one income means we have to find something affordable (but hopefully big enough to store all our bikes, etc)
> 
> Thanks for the tips, everyone. Keep throwing potential towns our way and if you have any resources for finding housing in these areas, that would be great too.


my chiropractor is a mountain biker (and sometimes roadie)

anyway.... anything along route 206 you don't want. huge traffic and huge signs of urban sprawl

but east of rte 206 is nice... I believe there are newer apartments in belle Meade on township line road, just off of 206 (near the co-op).... which looks very rural.

closer to route 533 and the D&R canal is nice also.


----------



## RJP Diver

tednugent said:


> my chiropractor is a mountain biker (and sometimes roadie)
> 
> anyway.... anything along route 206 you don't want. huge traffic and huge signs of urban sprawl
> 
> but east of rte 206 is nice... I believe there are newer apartments in belle Meade on township line road, just off of 206 (near the co-op).... which looks very rural.
> 
> closer to route 533 and the D&R canal is nice also.


Montgomery/Belle Mead is expensive due to the great school system. Pike Run apartments (as mentioned above) are nice, but if you don't have kids you'll find that it's much more expensive than comparable digs in neighboring towns.


----------



## BethLikesBikes

Nope, no kids and we're hoping for a house or condo over an apartment.


----------



## RJP Diver

BethLikesBikes said:


> Nope, no kids and we're hoping for a house or condo over an apartment.


Pike Run has houses, townhomes, condos, apartments. 

Where in upstate NY are you moving from? Be prepared for some sticker shock in this area.


----------



## robdamanii

RJP Diver said:


> Pike Run has houses, townhomes, condos, apartments.
> 
> Where in upstate NY are you moving from? Be prepared for some sticker shock in this area.


Rhinebeck, actually...

I'm originally from NJ, so I understand what we're going to be facing.

I'm looking forward to riding with some of the RBRs on here: there's nobody within 100 miles of us up here.


----------



## RJP Diver

robdamanii said:


> Rhinebeck, actually...
> 
> I'm originally from NJ, so I understand what we're going to be facing.
> 
> I'm looking forward to riding with some of the RBRs on here: there's nobody within 100 miles of us up here.


Well if you end up in Montgomery - or surrounding areas - drop me a line. I ride every weekend year round. (As long as it's not raining. I can do hot and cold, but I don't do wet.)


----------



## robdamanii

RJP Diver said:


> Well if you end up in Montgomery - or surrounding areas - drop me a line. I ride every weekend year round. (As long as it's not raining. I can do hot and cold, but I don't do wet.)


Will do. You'll have to point us to a good LBS in the area too.


----------



## RJP Diver

NJBiker72 said:


> What does pizza have to do with this??


As my 7yr old says about Chimney Rock pizza "Their pizza is so thin... it only has one side!"


----------



## tednugent

I can imagine.... it's going to some day be a husband-wife work setting.....

you'll do the real massage to prep for the adjustments for those clients of your husband that need manipulation.... (which is a lot better than the quicky "machine" that my chiropractor uses).... that reminds me.... I need to schedule a deep tissue massage.... (no pain, no gain)

there's always craigslist to rent a house


----------



## BethLikesBikes

Can't stop thinking about Chimney Rock Pizza. After checking out their menu, we must visit!


----------



## tednugent

BethLikesBikes said:


> Can't stop thinking about Chimney Rock Pizza. After checking out their menu, we must visit!


hmmm... maybe I'll have to go mtb at chimney rock on Xmas day....


----------



## Bee-an-key

Just west of Somerville you get into Whitehouse and a bunch of smaller towns that are more affordable (nj standards), less sprawl. Head south towards the flats and Sourlands, head north to hills. Commuting you are close to 287, 78, 22, 206, 202.


----------



## RJP Diver

robdamanii said:


> Will do. You'll have to point us to a good LBS in the area too.


No worries. There are several. I prefer High Gear Cyclery in Stirling. (Morris County.) A bit further from where I am, but great selection and service. Cervelo, Specialized, Trek, Cannondale, Seven, Gary Fisher. They move high volume of high end stuff, and know what they are doing.

Pure Energy Cycling and Java House in Lambertville has Blue, BMC, Kuota, Look, Lynskey, Parlee, Storck, Ridley.

Also in Lambertville is Wheelfine Imports for Pinarello, Merckx, Orbea, Colnago, Bianchi, Merlin, and many more.

There's Liberty Cycle in Basking Ridge. BMC, Colnago, Giant, Jamis, De Rosa.

Marty's in Morristown for Specialized, Trek, and Bianchi.

There's Art's (Trek) and Kopp's (Bianchi, Fuji, Lightspeed) in Princeton. Kopp's is actually the oldest bike shop in the US.

Many more if you head further north.


----------



## NJBiker72

BethLikesBikes said:


> Can't stop thinking about Chimney Rock Pizza. After checking out their menu, we must visit!


We were originally in North Jersey and when we read that the pizza was as bad as kinchley's, we had to go. Sometimes they have a Fat Pizza, inspired by the Fat sandwiches at Rutgers. Great but make sure you ride a century to burn it off.


----------



## NJBiker72

robdamanii said:


> Will do. You'll have to point us to a good LBS in the area too.


I would agree on some of the suggestions rdp posted. 

High Gear is great and very knowledgeable with a good selection.
Marty's is nice and again a huge selection. They run the Fondo too. 
Jay's in Westfield is my favorite. Mainly Specialized with some Trek. Ask for Sam or Chris if you go. They spent tons of time fitting me for a test ride on each bike I tested. They will do repairs for next to nothing or nothing if you buy the bike there. The place feels lime family.

I would not recommend Liberty in basking Ridge. The guy would not let me test ride without paying 75 for a fitting. The other shops above had no problem. He could have just looked at my current bike and set up the one I wanted to match that like High Gear did. Oh and he also tried to sell me on the fee and a Bmc because Evans won the tour with one. Even though it was not what I was looking for.


----------



## BethLikesBikes

We finally explored some of the towns west and north of Somerville. Still no houses that fit the bill, but we really liked Califon and the surrounding area. Holy crap, those hills would whip me right into shape! Nothing was flat. 

The housing search continues. Sounds like there are lots of condos, but not as many houses in our area/price range. We've kept our real estate agent on her toes trying to find us a place with storage for 8 bikes


----------



## john m flores

Hey long time lurked but first time poster and Somerville resident here. Welcome to NJ! Where in NY are you coming from? I went to school in Ithaca.

Not that I'm biased or anything (wink wink, nudge nudge), but have you considered Somerville? It's a great little town with a thriving downtown area with good riding just west. And it's affordable. And it's got the oldest bike race in the country. And when I ride through Raritan I often stop at the Italian cafe that invariably has Italian football on tv and have an espresso in full riding gear and imagine that I'm in Italy and that Serotta is actually an Italian bike. You can't get that in Califon lol!

Seriously, some good riding here, you just have to learn your way around the traffic. You might want to check out Hopewell and Three Bridges, Branchburg, Wertsville, and Clinton too.


----------



## RJP Diver

BethLikesBikes said:


> We finally explored some of the towns west and north of Somerville. Still no houses that fit the bill, but we really liked Califon and the surrounding area. Holy crap, those hills would whip me right into shape! Nothing was flat.
> 
> The housing search continues. Sounds like there are lots of condos, but not as many houses in our area/price range. We've kept our real estate agent on her toes trying to find us a place with storage for 8 bikes


Califon/North Brunswick commute is going to be a miserable drive for you. It's an hour drive WITHOUT traffic. And I don't mean "on a good day" without traffic, I mean "2:30 in the morning" no traffic. I would allow 1.5hrs on any given day for morning/afternoon commute, as you will be dealing with three of the worst stretches of three of the worst roads in the state:

78E the 10mi heading into 287S always backs up in the morning due to heavy volume and sun glare. If there's even a bit of snow or ice it invariably closes for accidents, especially the ramp from 78-287. 

287S towards Piscataway is miserable in the morning. Doesn't close for snow/ice... but will flood in a heavy dew.

18S in New Brunswick. Terrible.

1 South from New Brunswick to North Brunswick. Probably the easiest stretch on this route. And it's usually bad.

The trip home will be even worse. Especially the 287N to 78W stretch. It's a dead stop most evening commutes. The ramp from 287N to 78W is a ridiculous merge into the fast lane (which isn't moving that time of day) uphill that takes forever becuase you have two lanes merging on the left and two on the right, and then a lane ends, so you effectively have 6 lanes merging into 3, uphill, into the sun. (apparently no one here cleans their windshields or wears sunglasses.) You really couldn't design a worse traffic scenario.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news. From a commute standpoint I would look in Hillsborough and surrounding areas which would allow for easy Somerville and North Brunswick commutes via side roads.


----------



## AlanE

RJP Diver said:


> Califon/North Brunswick commute is going to be a miserable drive for you. .


Totally agree with RJP. I live near Clinton ( a few miles SW of Califon) and I used to commute I-78 & I-287 to Woodbridge. It sucked. Traffic backs up almost every day for no reason other than too many cars. However, it is a great area for cycling. I can go any direction right out of my neighborhood and get onto nice backroads right away. The area is hilly, but there are some relatively flat areas as well, such as the area west of Flemington, generally known as the Hunterdon Plateau.

BTW, if you want to avoid hills, don't let "Hillsborough" deter you. Despite the name, the township is nearly totally flat. But it is close to the Sourland Mountains, which despite the name really isn't much of a mountain.


----------



## robdamanii

RJP Diver said:


> Califon/North Brunswick commute is going to be a miserable drive for you. It's an hour drive WITHOUT traffic. And I don't mean "on a good day" without traffic, I mean "2:30 in the morning" no traffic. I would allow 1.5hrs on any given day for morning/afternoon commute, as you will be dealing with three of the worst stretches of three of the worst roads in the state:
> 
> 78E the 10mi heading into 287S always backs up in the morning due to heavy volume and sun glare. If there's even a bit of snow or ice it invariably closes for accidents, especially the ramp from 78-287.
> 
> 287S towards Piscataway is miserable in the morning. Doesn't close for snow/ice... but will flood in a heavy dew.
> 
> 18S in New Brunswick. Terrible.
> 
> 1 South from New Brunswick to North Brunswick. Probably the easiest stretch on this route. And it's usually bad.
> 
> The trip home will be even worse. Especially the 287N to 78W stretch. It's a dead stop most evening commutes. The ramp from 287N to 78W is a ridiculous merge into the fast lane (which isn't moving that time of day) uphill that takes forever becuase you have two lanes merging on the left and two on the right, and then a lane ends, so you effectively have 6 lanes merging into 3, uphill, into the sun. (apparently no one here cleans their windshields or wears sunglasses.) You really couldn't design a worse traffic scenario.
> 
> Hate to be the bearer of bad news. From a commute standpoint I would look in Hillsborough and surrounding areas which would allow for easy Somerville and North Brunswick commutes via side roads.


Howabout 22 (I think) running parallel to 78? I recall doing that when I was a kid with my folks and it wasn't bad (granted that was 25 years ago.)

It's frustrating finding something that meets our needs down there, especially with all the bike and brewing equipment we've got.

How's the area around Flemington?


----------



## NJBiker72

robdamanii said:


> Howabout 22 (I think) running parallel to 78? I recall doing that when I was a kid with my folks and it wasn't bad (granted that was 25 years ago.)
> 
> It's frustrating finding something that meets our needs down there, especially with all the bike and brewing equipment we've got.
> 
> How's the area around Flemington?


I really like Flemington as a town. Not sure about riding. 202 and 31 would be roads to avoid on a bike. I think you could get to Round Top and Clinton fairly easily from there. Could also likely ride over to Bucks County Pa with lots of good riding. 

As for 22. Avoid it. Used to commute to Horsham from Mountainside. Going west was better than East but still not good. 78 is much better IMO.


----------



## BethLikesBikes

john m flores said:


> Hey long time lurked but first time poster and Somerville resident here. Welcome to NJ! Where in NY are you coming from? I went to school in Ithaca.
> 
> Not that I'm biased or anything (wink wink, nudge nudge), but have you considered Somerville? It's a great little town with a thriving downtown area with good riding just west. And it's affordable. And it's got the oldest bike race in the country. And when I ride through Raritan I often stop at the Italian cafe that invariably has Italian football on tv and have an espresso in full riding gear and imagine that I'm in Italy and that Serotta is actually an Italian bike. You can't get that in Califon lol!
> 
> Seriously, some good riding here, you just have to learn your way around the traffic. You might want to check out Hopewell and Three Bridges, Branchburg, Wertsville, and Clinton too.


Thanks, John (and welcome!). We live in northern Dutchess County now, but Rob and I both went to college in Ithaca (IC). Small world. 

We're going back on Tuesday to meet with our real estate agent and take a look at places in Somerset County. There are a few houses in Franklin and I think one in Branchburg and something near Flemington. Can't remember where the others are. I think they're condos. 

Thanks for the heads up about the commute. Obviously we've got a lot of decisions to make. But at least good riding will never be more than a short drive away.


----------



## NJBiker72

BethLikesBikes said:


> Thanks, John (and welcome!). We live in northern Dutchess County now, but Rob and I both went to college in Ithaca (IC). Small world.
> 
> We're going back on Tuesday to meet with our real estate agent and take a look at places in Somerset County. There are a few houses in Franklin and I think one in Branchburg and something near Flemington. Can't remember where the others are. I think they're condos.
> 
> Thanks for the heads up about the commute. Obviously we've got a lot of decisions to make. But at least good riding will never be more than a short drive away.


Franklin is a very nice town. I think the canal path runs near there so could be good for biking.


----------



## NJBiker72

Just thought of this while riding earlier. Scotch Plains, Clark and Fanwood may not be bad options. I ran into some guys from Scotch Plains on my route today and it reminded me that the town is just 1 over from me (actually ride through a tiny part). The cycling is nothing great there, but ride 1 town north and and it gets much better. 

Clark in particular is right on the GSP and Scotch Plains on 22, so the commutes might work for both of you.


----------



## BethLikesBikes

NJBiker72 said:


> Just thought of this while riding earlier. Scotch Plains, Clark and Fanwood may not be bad options. I ran into some guys from Scotch Plains on my route today and it reminded me that the town is just 1 over from me (actually ride through a tiny part). The cycling is nothing great there, but ride 1 town north and and it gets much better.
> 
> Clark in particular is right on the GSP and Scotch Plains on 22, so the commutes might work for both of you.


I always got the impression that the towns to the east of Somerville were more built up and congested and that the terrain was pretty flat and not as good for riding. True?


----------



## AlanE

BethLikesBikes said:


> I always got the impression that the towns to the east of Somerville were more built up and congested and that the terrain was pretty flat and not as good for riding. True?


True. I grew up in Plainfield. It was a good place to leave. Basically Route 22 is the dividing line between the flat area / old suburbs to the south and the hills / new suburbs to the north.

You never mentioned if you have kids and if the school system is a factor for you. If so, you may have concerns with Franklin (Somerset Co), although Franklin (Hunterdon Co) is nice, as is Franklin (Warren Co) but probably a bit too far. Lots of places in NJ named after old Ben.


----------



## NJBiker72

BethLikesBikes said:


> I always got the impression that the towns to the east of Somerville were more built up and congested and that the terrain was pretty flat and not as good for riding. True?


Mostly true. But once you go North of 22 it gets better and hillier. The Watchung Reservation is a great place to start a ride. From their you can go west to the great swamp or head to the bernardsville area.


----------



## BethLikesBikes

AlanE said:


> True. I grew up in Plainfield. It was a good place to leave. Basically Route 22 is the dividing line between the flat area / old suburbs to the south and the hills / new suburbs to the north.
> 
> You never mentioned if you have kids and if the school system is a factor for you. If so, you may have concerns with Franklin (Somerset Co), although Franklin (Hunterdon Co) is nice, as is Franklin (Warren Co) but probably a bit too far. Lots of places in NJ named after old Ben.


Nope, no kids.


----------



## tednugent

unfortunately anything in central jersey means traffic. commuting to the Brunswick & Somerville means you'll hit traffic and pretty much lots of it.

you're going to make a compromise so, choose your poison carefully, unless there is another school in NJ for the massage therapy stuff.


----------



## BethLikesBikes

Most of the massage schools are in built up areas. My second choice is in Hoboken, but that school is very expensive. The good thing about East Brunkswick is that classes are from 10:30am-2:30 twice a week and clinic is on Saturday and the program is only a year long.


----------



## NJBiker72

BethLikesBikes said:


> Most of the massage schools are in built up areas. My second choice is in Hoboken, but that school is very expensive. The good thing about East Brunkswick is that classes are from 10:30am-2:30 twice a week and clinic is on Saturday and the program is only a year long.


Hoboken is not cycling paradise but it sure is a fun place to live when young and without kids. We lived there for a couple of years after getting married. A bit expensive though.


----------



## RJP Diver

NJBiker72 said:


> Hoboken is not cycling paradise but it sure is a fun place to live when young and without kids. We lived there for a couple of years after getting married. A bit expensive though.


And the commute to Somerville would be a soul-destroying 2hr slugfest...

:thumbsup:


----------



## robdamanii

RJP Diver said:


> And the commute to Somerville would be a soul-destroying 2hr slugfest...
> 
> :thumbsup:


Yeah, I'd probably stab myself in the liver after a week.


----------



## NJBiker72

robdamanii said:


> Yeah, I'd probably stab myself in the liver after a week.


It would be a reverse commute. Not really that bad. From what you have posted Hoboken is likely not for you but it is a fun place. Definitely go there sometime when you have the chance. Living there was a very good time of life.


----------



## robdamanii

NJBiker72 said:


> It would be a reverse commute. Not really that bad. From what you have posted Hoboken is likely not for you but it is a fun place. Definitely go there sometime when you have the chance. Living there was a very good time of life.


We used to wander there in high school (and to a lesser extent when we were home from college.) It was fun, but I'm not really much of a city-type person.


----------



## NJBiker72

robdamanii said:


> We used to wander there in high school (and to a lesser extent when we were home from college.) It was fun, but I'm not really much of a city-type person.


Gathered from the posts. I am split. The older I get, the more I appreciate the burbs. But I will always have fond memories of Hoboken.


----------



## robdamanii

NJBiker72 said:


> Gathered from the posts. I am split. The older I get, the more I appreciate the burbs. But I will always have fond memories of Hoboken.


Yeah, we're kind of toeing the line in trying to determine the best balance of suburban/rural, a reasonably commute and reasonable access to good (difficult terrain) cycling.

Pretty tough.


----------



## BethLikesBikes

I really liked the school in Hoboken and liked Hoboken too, but I'm not up for the trek every day. Would probably reverse all the massages I receive each day


----------



## RJP Diver

robdamanii said:


> Yeah, we're kind of toeing the line in trying to determine the best balance of suburban/rural, a reasonably commute and reasonable access to good (difficult terrain) cycling.
> 
> Pretty tough.


I'd take "access to good cycling" out of the equation. Go for easy communte and good quality of life... you can always throw the bikes in/on the car if needed.

Have you checked Hillsborough/Somerset area?


----------



## robdamanii

RJP Diver said:


> I'd take "access to good cycling" out of the equation. Go for easy communte and good quality of life... you can always throw the bikes in/on the car if needed.
> 
> Have you checked Hillsborough/Somerset area?


We're finding a little bit around there. Also looking around Raritan, Basking Ridge, Watchung, etc. Basically anything within about 15 miles or so.


----------



## NJBiker72

robdamanii said:


> We're finding a little bit around there. Also looking around Raritan, Basking Ridge, Watchung, etc. Basically anything within about 15 miles or so.


I ride through Watchung all the time. Basking Ridge frequently. Both good places. If in Watchung, Washington Valley Road is a great run east-west.


----------



## robdamanii

NJBiker72 said:


> I ride through Watchung all the time. Basking Ridge frequently. Both good places. If in Watchung, Washington Valley Road is a great run east-west.


Sounds pretty promising.

Am I correct in thinking it's pretty easy to get across 287 and venture into the western hills?


----------



## BethLikesBikes

RJP Diver said:


> I'd take "access to good cycling" out of the equation. Go for easy communte and good quality of life... you can always throw the bikes in/on the car if needed.
> 
> Have you checked Hillsborough/Somerset area?


I agree. If we're commuting for an hour plus, we're not going to have much time to ride after work. In terms of central NJ group rides and clubs, where do they tend to meet for rides?


----------



## NJBiker72

robdamanii said:


> Sounds pretty promising.
> 
> Am I correct in thinking it's pretty easy to get across 287 and venture into the western hills?


Piece of cake. I usually just continue on Washington Valley past Rt. 206 when it becomes Burnt Mill Road. At the end you turn north on Rattlesnake Bridge and have lots of options but Black River Road is really nice.

For shorter routes cut through Basking Ridge or even Meyersville. Plenty of ways. Actually getting north of 78 is what you want to look for because it is built on a bit of a ridge, which if you pick the wrong crossing can be very taxing.


----------



## RJP Diver

NJBiker72 said:


> Actually getting north of 78 is what you want to look for because it is built on a bit of a ridge, which if you pick the wrong crossing can be very taxing.


Dropped my wife's car for service on 22 in Greenbrook last week. Figured I'd bring my bike and go for a ride while it was there. Took Warrenville Road up to Basking Ridge then Stirling and into the Great Swamp. Damn, I had forgotten what a hill that road is...

:cryin:


----------



## AlanE

BethLikesBikes said:


> I agree. If we're commuting for an hour plus, we're not going to have much time to ride after work. In terms of central NJ group rides and clubs, where do they tend to meet for rides?


The club I ride with most often is the Morris Area Freewheelers. Morris Area Freewheelers Bicycle Club - Home
They have rides starting from lots of spots in Morris, Somerset & Hunterdon counties. The most frequently used start is probably in Pluckemin, followed by Loantaka Park near Morristown. Also White Oak Park in Branchburg and Far Hills RR Station.

The other club I ride with is Western Jersey Wheelmen. Rides Road A  Road B  Road C  Off
Mostly weekend rides with start locations in central Hunterdon.

I used to ride with Central Jersey Bicycle Club. 
Here's their ride schedule. CJBC Rides - Central Jersey Bicycle Club, Inc.

Also Bedminster Flyers. Bedminster Flyers Cycling Club home
They have a big ride every Wednesday out of the Sports People bike shop in Far Hills that's open to anyone.

Several of the other bike shops have regularly scheduled rides. Mostly training rides for their racing teams.
Liberty Cycle in Basking Ridge, High Gear Cycle in Stirling, 

Also, if you are interested in some low-key friendly racing, check out Century Road Club of America.. (not to be confused with the Century Road Club Association) Home 
They ride mainly out of the Neshanick / Three Bridges area. Their club races are small & friendly, no license required, all ability levels, from beginner to pro. They run a time trial series on Wednesday evenings, and a handicap road race on Thrusday evenings. The road race is really more like a team time trial / pursuit rather than a true road race. Riders are put into groups of 5-10 riders of similar ability. The slower groups are given a head start and try to avoid getting caught bythe faster groups. If they time it right everyone should finish at the same time. So everyone has a chance to win.


----------



## NJBiker72

RJP Diver said:


> Dropped my wife's car for service on 22 in Greenbrook last week. Figured I'd bring my bike and go for a ride while it was there. Took Warrenville Road up to Basking Ridge then Stirling and into the Great Swamp. Damn, I had forgotten what a hill that road is...
> 
> :cryin:


That can be brutal. Never went up warrenville road from 22 on the bike (no desire to ride on 22) . 

But that has to be brutal. My least favorite is South-Glenside in New providence. Partially because it is the last bad hill on my way home, bad pavement, traffic, and lack of scenery..


----------



## tednugent

I didn't go to rutgers.... but isn't there a train station somewhere around George St?

living near a NJ transit station on the same line as rutgers may be an option worth exploring


----------



## NJBiker72

tednugent said:


> I didn't go to rutgers.... but isn't there a train station somewhere around George St?
> 
> living near a NJ transit station on the same line as rutgers may be an option worth exploring


Probably the NE Corridor Line. You will not find much good cycling along that route IMO. But it is a way to make the commute more pleasant.


----------



## BethLikesBikes

Thanks again for your suggestions everyone. Really has helped us narrow our search down. Heading down for the day tomorrow. Fingers crossed that we find a nice place!


----------



## RJP Diver

NJBiker72 said:


> That can be brutal. Never went up warrenville road from 22 on the bike (no desire to ride on 22) .


Only had to ride a few hundred yards on 22 from the Michelin tire place.

Yeah, that hill nearly killed me. But at least it was the BEGINNING of the ride.

:thumbsup:


----------



## robdamanii

RJP Diver said:


> Only had to ride a few hundred yards on 22 from the Michelin tire place.
> 
> Yeah, that hill nearly killed me. But at least it was the BEGINNING of the ride.
> 
> :thumbsup:


You're kind of making me want to ride this thing.

Wasn't it on the GFNJ route as well (we'll be doing the metric or full depending upon how much training time we'll have.)


----------



## NJBiker72

RJP Diver said:


> Only had to ride a few hundred yards on 22 from the Michelin tire place.
> 
> Yeah, that hill nearly killed me. But at least it was the BEGINNING of the ride.
> 
> :thumbsup:


I start my rides on Deer Path in Mountainside. Not much for warming up. This time of year can barely breathe by the top.


----------



## NJBiker72

robdamanii said:


> You're kind of making me want to ride this thing.
> 
> Wasn't it on the GFNJ route as well (we'll be doing the metric or full depending upon how much training time we'll have.)


That's not on the fondo route. I have a carryover entry from last year so i am definitely doing it. The Fondo route is mostly west of there. It does include Black River Road which I think I mentioned. 

There is a Century for the Cure from warren which covers more local roads. I want to do that but have been doing an Ms ride and combined its too much fundraising..


----------



## thegock

*Someplace near Quailbrook Golf Course in Somerset, NJ*

This would be close to both locations. Just make sure you pick the right neighborhood. Too close to New Brunswick is not as good.

There are a lot of townhomes near the golf course. From there, you can ride south down to 514 and take that west to the Sourlands or drop south on the DR Canal road toward Princeton. Because of the unbuildable wetlands near the Millstone River, traffic density is lower.


----------



## NJBiker72

robdamanii said:


> Oy.
> 
> 12 hours of looking at places in Franklin, Lebanon, Watchung, and Somerville.
> 
> One possibility in Lebanon.
> 
> I'm starting to get tired of real estate agents just trying to show a bunch of crap to get their commissions.


I don't think Lebanon to north Brunswick would be much fun. You have kinda tough requirements for Nj.


----------



## robdamanii

Oy.

12 hours of looking at places in Franklin, Lebanon, Watchung, and Somerville.

One possibility in Lebanon.

I'm starting to get tired of real estate agents just trying to show a bunch of crap to get their commissions.


----------



## RJP Diver

robdamanii said:


> Oy.
> 
> 12 hours of looking at places in Franklin, Lebanon, Watchung, and Somerville.
> 
> One possibility in Lebanon.
> 
> I'm starting to get tired of real estate agents just trying to show a bunch of crap to get their commissions.


Sounds like you need a new agent...

PS - you DO understand that a real estate agent's job is to show a bunch of crap to get a commission, no?

:aureola:


----------



## robdamanii

RJP Diver said:


> Sounds like you need a new agent...
> 
> PS - you DO understand that a real estate agent's job is to show a bunch of crap to get a commission, no?
> 
> :aureola:


Yeah, I know she's supposed to show a bunch of crap to get a commission. The problem is she's not listening to us and showing us crap that won't work for us. We can't get away with a penthouse condo that has a storage closet the size of a bucket of paint. That's not the storage we need.

But yes, I think it's time to get an agent that listens. This is the second one we've tried in the Weichert system, and they are both not doing what we want them to.


----------



## BethLikesBikes

Lebanon seems pretty cool. We saw a condo that's on a hillside (so no real trees or landscaping, just other condos), but it has a little bit of a view and is just across the street from the reservoir. Looks like wonderful riding. I've come to realize that everything is going to be a haul to East Brunswick. What do you guys think about this location?


----------



## AlanE

BethLikesBikes said:


> Lebanon seems pretty cool. We saw a condo that's on a hillside (so no real trees or landscaping, just other condos), but it has a little bit of a view and is just across the street from the reservoir. Looks like wonderful riding. I've come to realize that everything is going to be a haul to East Brunswick. What do you guys think about this location?


Great location for cycling. 

Easy commute to Somerville - you can take some local roads if 78 or 22 are backed up.

Commute to EB is going to suck, especially if it coincides with rush hour.

Tough decision - good luck. My suggestion - don't sign a long term lease.


----------



## Terex

BethLikesBikes said:


> Lebanon seems pretty cool. We saw a condo that's on a hillside (so no real trees or landscaping, just other condos), but it has a little bit of a view and is just across the street from the reservoir. Looks like wonderful riding. I've come to realize that everything is going to be a haul to East Brunswick. What do you guys think about this location?


Totally great place to ride and totally bad commute. Really look at Hillsborough. It's got a zillion condos (seriously, I think this is where condos are grown), and it's going to be the best commute to both areas for work. There is access to great riding if you use a little caution getting out of the more developed areas.

You can also get a train nearby (NE Corridor) to get into NY or Philly, get to the Shore relatively easily, get over to Princeton and Lambertville to hang out, etc.

I live in Montgomery Twp., just south of Hillsborough.


----------



## robdamanii

AlanE said:


> Great location for cycling.
> 
> Easy commute to Somerville - you can take some local roads if 78 or 22 are backed up.
> 
> Commute to EB is going to suck, especially if it coincides with rush hour.
> 
> Tough decision - good luck. My suggestion - don't sign a long term lease.


This is what we're wrestling with.

Her trip to EB is 2-3 days per week, depending upon the course work. I'll be going to Somerville 5 days/week (and we'll both be traveling to work on Saturdays, so one day will be an "off" day for traffic.)

The problem we're finding is condos with garages or larger storage aren't common. Townhouses aren't that common in general. After she finishes in a year, we'll probably be looking at relocating somewhere closer to where she works (wherever that may be) and it will be easier to match our needs with a place with two incomes to play with. Not that easy right now.


----------



## BethLikesBikes

Yes, lots to think about and we really like townhouses too. Fortunately my commute to East Brunswick will only be twice a week and then three times for the last six months of the program. I also don't need to be there until 10:30 or 11 and will be done early afternoon. 

Our agent (the good one) is looking further south for us, so we'll see what turns up.


----------



## BethLikesBikes

Haha, I should read to the end of the thread b/f posting doh...thanks, Rob


----------



## AlanE

BethLikesBikes said:


> Yes, lots to think about and we really like townhouses too. Fortunately my commute to East Brunswick will only be twice a week and then three times for the last six months of the program. I also don't need to be there until 10:30 or 11 and will be done early afternoon.
> 
> Our agent (the good one) is looking further south for us, so we'll see what turns up.


Beth, 

Who wears the pants in this decision? It sounds like it's time for you to put your foot down, draw a line in the sand, and lay down the law. Since you're the one who has to suffer with the worse commute (albeit only twice a week during off-peak hours), you should at least agree on a location that allows you to get in some great cycling on those other 5 days of the week. Tell what's-his-name to just suck it up. ;-)

You'll love Hunterdon County


----------



## robdamanii

AlanE said:


> Beth,
> 
> Who wears the pants in this decision? It sounds like it's time for you to put your foot down, draw a line in the sand, and lay down the law. Since you're the one who has to suffer with the worse commute (albeit only twice a week during off-peak hours), you should at least agree on a location that allows you to get in some great cycling on those other 5 days of the week. Tell what's-his-name to just suck it up. ;-)
> 
> You'll love Hunterdon County


I like this. Please tell her to make me live in a more rural, hilly, picturesque, beautiful area and drive an extra 10 minutes to work. I need more help in convincing her that this is a good idea and a good tradeoff. 

I think I framed it like this:
"Would you rather have a short commute and little opportunity to ride without driving somewhere or have a longer commute and the ability to ride out your front door."


----------



## john m flores

BethLikesBikes said:


> Yes, lots to think about and we really like townhouses too. Fortunately my commute to East Brunswick will only be twice a week and then three times for the last six months of the program. I also don't need to be there until 10:30 or 11 and will be done early afternoon.
> 
> Our agent (the good one) is looking further south for us, so we'll see what turns up.


Lebanon to East Brunswick @ 10-11am won't be bad at all. Rush hour is over by then. Saturday shouldn't be a problem either.


----------



## BethLikesBikes

robdamanii said:


> I like this. Please tell her to make me live in a more rural, hilly, picturesque, beautiful area and drive an extra 10 minutes to work. I need more help in convincing her that this is a good idea and a good tradeoff.
> 
> I think I framed it like this:
> "Would you rather have a short commute and little opportunity to ride without driving somewhere or have a longer commute and the ability to ride out your front door."


Much of my health and happiness centers around cycling, so I certainly agree that a slightly longer commute is worth it for the payoff of pedaling right out the door and onto some fantastic roads. 

We're heading back Friday to see some townhouses. Hopefully if they don't work out, the Lebanon condo will still be there.


----------



## RJP Diver

Terex said:


> I live in Montgomery Twp., just south of Hillsborough.


Howdy, neighbor!

Wonder if we've ever past each other on the road? If you ever see someone on a black Cervelo R3 around town, give a wave! (Unless you're one of those Pinarello or Colnago guys I pass who never wave back...)


----------



## Terex

RJP Diver said:


> Howdy, neighbor!
> 
> Wonder if we've ever past each other on the road? If you ever see someone on a black Cervelo R3 around town, give a wave! (Unless you're one of those Pinarello or Colnago guys I pass who never wave back...)


I split time between NJ and NM these days, and generally haven't been riding a lot lately. I'm usually on a white Scott Addict, and sometimes a carbon Parlee with Reynolds CF rims.

Up until a year and a half ago, I'd be passing you, and just about everyone else. Now, everyone passes me. But I'm always up for a wave. :thumbsup:


----------



## BethLikesBikes

Looking forward to some group rides. Nice to know that even though we're moving, we already have some cyclists to meet up with.


----------



## rlb81

So did you two ever find a place? The western side of Franklin or (as many have said) Hillsborough would be best! Also give craigslist a try if you can weed through the BS. You wont get the condo perks of a mowed lawn and shoveled driveway but if you rent part of a multi-family house you're much more likely to get garage and/or basement space. Good luck!


----------



## rlb81

I forgot my LBS recommendation...Check out Halter's Cycles if you're in that area.


----------



## tednugent

rlb81 said:


> So did you two ever find a place? The western side of Franklin or (as many have said) Hillsborough would be best! Also give craigslist a try if you can weed through the BS. You wont get the condo perks of a mowed lawn and shoveled driveway but if you rent part of a multi-family house you're much more likely to get garage and/or basement space. Good luck!


I believe they decided Lebanon was their best compromise. (they mentioned it on another thread)


----------



## robdamanii

tednugent said:


> I believe they decided Lebanon was their best compromise. (they mentioned it on another thread)


Yup. Couldn't resist the rural character of Lebanon area.

Frankly, neither of us could stand Franklin at all. I think we made a good choice, all considered.


----------



## ischgl99

robdamanii said:


> Yup. Couldn't resist the rural character of Lebanon area.
> 
> Frankly, neither of us could stand Franklin at all. I think we made a good choice, all considered.


Good choice, I grew up in Branchburg and you could not pay me enough to live in Franklin. There is a benefit ride out that way you might want to check out called Tour de Long Valley. I haven't done it, but the route looks like it would be a great ride a bit northwest of you.


----------



## tednugent

ischgl99 said:


> Good choice, I grew up in Branchburg and you could not pay me enough to live in Franklin. There is a benefit ride out that way you might want to check out called Tour de Long Valley. I haven't done it, but the route looks like it would be a great ride a bit northwest of you.


I did it last year. If you like climbing hills... it's a great ride for you (I did the 20 mile route)


----------



## AlanE

tednugent said:


> I did it last year. If you like climbing hills... it's a great ride for you (I did the 20 mile route)


Speaking of Lebanon - If you really like climbing hills, there's always the "Lebanon 64". 

Lebanon 64 in Lebanon, NJ | Bike Map | MapMyRIDE


----------



## rlb81

Nice choice! And some great riding right there. I'm jealous, since I have 30 minutes of garbage riding at the start/finish of my loops before I can get to some nice roads. Enjoy it!


----------



## ischgl99

tednugent said:


> I did it last year. If you like climbing hills... it's a great ride for you (I did the 20 mile route)


I wanted to do it last year, but my inlaws were here for the summer and my wife seemed to always find things we had to do each time there was an interesting ride  As for liking climbing hills, I live in Northwest CT now and all we have are hills, so like them or not, I am stuck with them!

Not sure if they are doing it again this summer, I see the same foundation has a Tour De Lake Hopatcong scheduled for April or May. I'm thinking about coming down for that and letting my wife visit her relatives.


----------



## tednugent

I did the Tour de Lake Hopatong 2 years ago. Miserable weather... very cold & rainy.

I wonder if the acting police chief of Mt. Arlington is participating this year???


----------



## NJBiker72

robdamanii said:


> Yup. Couldn't resist the rural character of Lebanon area.
> 
> Frankly, neither of us could stand Franklin at all. I think we made a good choice, all considered.


Did a group ride with the gym through Franklin last week. Colonial Park was nice but still prefer the northerly routes. This was a little easy.


----------



## RJP Diver

NJBiker72 said:


> Did a group ride with the gym through Franklin last week. Colonial Park was nice but still prefer the northerly routes. This was a little easy.


Let me know if/when you guys want to do a "guided tour" of some of the routes in and around the Sourland Mountains, parts of the Hell of Hunterdon, etc. 

Ray


----------



## BethLikesBikes

RJP Diver said:


> Let me know if/when you guys want to do a "guided tour" of some of the routes in and around the Sourland Mountains, parts of the Hell of Hunterdon, etc.
> 
> Ray


That sounds great. I think we're going to head out around the Round Valley reservoir to do some exploring today.


----------



## RJP Diver

BethLikesBikes said:


> That sounds great. I think we're going to head out around the Round Valley reservoir to do some exploring today.


Enjoy!

PS - You can see every possible Sourland Mountain ride I've done in the past two years on my MapMyRide page...

rjp3's Private Profile

Not sure if you need to "friend" me on MMR to see them. The routes are all public, but looks like my profile might be private.


----------



## AlanE

BethLikesBikes said:


> That sounds great. I think we're going to head out around the Round Valley reservoir to do some exploring today.


Avoid descending Stanton Mountain Road (on the south side of Round Valley). I rode up it this morning, and it's in pretty bad shape.


----------



## BethLikesBikes

AlanE said:


> Avoid descending Stanton Mountain Road (on the south side of Round Valley).  I rode up it this morning, and it's in pretty bad shape.


Actually, we did descend it a few hours ago, but thanks for the heads up. Wasn't in great shape (and we don't know the road), so we took it slow. Do you live around there? If so, we're very close. Here's the ride we did: 25mi reservoir loop - Lebanon Township, New Jersey 08833, US

I especially enjoyed Woodschurch Rd. I love dirt.


----------



## AlanE

BethLikesBikes said:


> Actually, we did descend it a few hours ago, but thanks for the heads up. Wasn't in great shape (and we don't know the road), so we took it slow. Do you live around there? If so, we're very close. Here's the ride we did: 25mi reservoir loop - Lebanon Township, New Jersey 08833, US
> 
> I especially enjoyed Woodschurch Rd. I love dirt.


Woodschurch is a nice dirt road, more fun in the other direction though. I was actually going to ride it today, but roads were still a bit wet this morning, and I wanted to check out the buffalo herd.


----------



## robdamanii

AlanE said:


> Woodschurch is a nice dirt road, more fun in the other direction though. I was actually going to ride it today, but roads were still a bit wet this morning, and I wanted to check out the buffalo herd.


There's a buffalo herd? Where might one find such a thing?


----------



## AlanE

Readington River Buffalo Company - Buy Buffalo Products Online

When you were on Woodschurch Rd you were right behind it.


----------



## RJP Diver

"Heard of buffalo? Of course I've heard of buffalo!"


----------



## BethLikesBikes

Tasty


----------



## danka24

How much of the roads have you searched so far?


----------



## CheapTrek

Welcome to the area!
Tons of great cycling and if you ever have a chance, (and like steep road climbing) check out the Merrill Creek Reservoir area. Fiddlers Elbow Rd. is arguably the most difficult climb in the state and leads right up to Harmony Brass Castle which is arguably the nicest decent in the state. 

If you have not already bumped into him on the forums here, Ken Roberts has done a excellent job of cataloging road climbs (many local) here:

hills on paved roads in New Jersey -- Bike Roberts

Cheers


----------



## AlanE

CheapTrek said:


> Harmony Brass Castle which is arguably the nicest decent in the state.


Yes, I will argue with that. From the top of Fiddlers, just about any other way down the mountain is better than Harmony Brass Castle.

Castners / Buckhorn / Lomassons is my fav.

Also Montana, Millbrook, or Fox Farm. Heck even Brass Castle down the other side to 57.

Not that Harmony Brass Castle isn't a nice descent, but it's too straight and not very steep. It's just not the near-death experience I look for in a downhill.


----------



## CheapTrek

AlanE said:


> Yes, I will argue with that. From the top of Fiddlers, just about any other way down the mountain is better than Harmony Brass Castle.
> 
> Castners / Buckhorn / Lomassons is my fav.
> 
> Also Montana, Millbrook, or Fox Farm. Heck even Brass Castle down the other side to 57.
> 
> Not that Harmony Brass Castle isn't a nice descent, but it's too straight and not very steep. It's just not the near-death experience I look for in a downhill.


I guess it's a bit subjective. If you are looking for technical descents I would have to agree with you but the paving on most of the other roads is usually questionable and especially on Fox Farm and Montana, if you have not ridden down them recently, there's a pretty good chance you'll hit new pot holes or run off gravel. Not fun at 40+.

Making a right onto Harmony Brass Castle after going up Fiddlers you can work up plenty of speed at that initial drop and just crank it out fast for most of the next four miles.

Either way... It's all good. 

Cheers


----------



## BethLikesBikes

Thanks for the suggestions. We were at Cycle Fitters in Easton PA and they were talking about how crazy Fiddler's Elbow is. We've been finding some fun climbs around us in the meantime.


----------



## danka24

BethLikesBikes said:


> Thanks for the suggestions. We were at Cycle Fitters in Easton PA and they were talking about how crazy Fiddler's Elbow is. We've been finding some fun climbs around us in the meantime.


Want some fun climbs around here, you have thatcher's hill road in flemington, Cherryville road, Spring Hill Road.

Personally, I think thatcher's hill road is a bit overrated, but it's still fun.


----------



## AlanE

CheapTrek said:


> ... the paving on most of the other roads is usually questionable ...
> Cheers


I rode down Millbrook today and it's been repaved from the top almost all the way to the bottom. Perfectly smooth asphalt. Might be my new favorite descent off Montana. 

The southern side of Buttermilk Bridge is also new asphalt. Also Hartmans Corner. Gotta love Warren County.


----------



## BethLikesBikes

AlanE said:


> I rode down Millbrook today and it's been repaved from the top almost all the way to the bottom. Perfectly smooth asphalt. Might be my new favorite descent off Montana.
> 
> The southern side of Buttermilk Bridge is also new asphalt. Gotta love Warren County.


Where is this?


----------



## AlanE

BethLikesBikes said:


> Where is this?


Merrill Creek Reservior is about 15-20 miles NW of where you are in Lebanon. It sits atop Scott Mountain, which is also referred to as Montana Mountain. It tops out at about 1200 feet, and no matter how you do it you're looking at at least a 700-800 ft climb. Fiddlers Elbow Rd is by far the most difficult. Harmony-Brass Castle is probably the easiest. But it's all good.


----------



## BethLikesBikes

We took a drive up Fiddler's when we were in the area. Pretty impressive. And we were more surprised to round the corner near Fiddler's to find a massive nuclear power plant on the river.


----------



## ischgl99

That's not a nuclear plant, you probably saw Martins Creek Generating Plant.

Overview


----------



## CheapTrek

AlanE said:


> I rode down Millbrook today and it's been repaved from the top almost all the way to the bottom. Perfectly smooth asphalt. Might be my new favorite descent off Montana.
> 
> The southern side of Buttermilk Bridge is also new asphalt. Also Hartmans Corner. Gotta love Warren County.



I'm going to give that a try soon. Wish I had read your post yesterday. Went up Harmony Brass Castle, down Montana, back up Montana and down Fiddlers.

Beautiful ride and gotta love this weather.


----------



## Terex

What you saw is a natural draft cooling tower (hyperbolic or hyperboloid cooing tower). I've been inside them. Very cool. Used on any industrial plant where you need to cool a lot of water. I used to design the packing for them.


----------



## AlanE

CheapTrek said:


> I'm going to give that a try soon. Wish I had read your post yesterday. Went up Harmony Brass Castle, down Montana, back up Montana and down Fiddlers..


I've never had the balls to ride down Fiddlers. It might be too much of a near death experience. OTOH, I always think I'm going to die when I ride up it.


----------



## AlanE

Rode that area again today. New asphalt on Mountain View from Butler Rd to the top of Pohatcong Mtn. And I love that descent to Good Springs Rd.


----------



## gpcyclist25

Was messing around with Ride with GPS. Don't know that area well, but was able to build, for no point other than an academic one at this point, a 74 mile round trip from Round Valley Reservoir that goes out to Belvidere and has 8400' in climbing. Perhaps a late-season goal?


----------



## danka24

BethLikesBikes said:


> We took a drive up Fiddler's when we were in the area. Pretty impressive. And we were more surprised to round the corner near Fiddler's to find a massive nuclear power plant on the river.


It's the only climb around here I am honestly intimidated of.


----------



## gpcyclist25

danka24 said:


> It's the only climb around here I am honestly intimidated of.


I'd like to ride it soon, but the mapping says its 2.3 miles at 9.1% avg grade.

Wondering if I should drive up and take a look at it before diving in. Then again, it might scare me out of doing it.


----------



## Vaughn231

Enjoy your rides there!


----------



## danka24

Ok, since I last posted in here, I took on fiddler's elbow. Wasn't as bad as I though it was going to be.


----------



## climbingcue

Here is my loop from my house, if you would just like the big hills start at mile 23.40 on my garmin data.

Fiddlers Elbow, Iron Bridge, Chester, Denville by climbingcue at Garmin Connect - Details

Bill


----------



## ErikH

BethLikesBikes said:


> My husband and I are moving to NJ. He will be working in Somerville and I'll be in North Brunswick. We're trying to find a house to rent in an area that's off the main drag. We currently live in Upstate NY and love the rural setting with cycling routes right out the front door. Any suggestions for more affordable and cyclist-friendly locations that aren't too far from our jobs? The photos from the Gran Fondo look amazing. Where are these places?


There are a lot of great areas in NorthWest NJ.


----------



## lul77

holy revived thread batman! heh the first post was made back in Dec 2011. still reading this thread makes me think i should pack up the bike and head back to RU for a few rides instead of always riding 9w.


----------



## RJP Diver

lul77 said:


> holy revived thread batman! heh the first post was made back in Dec 2011. still reading this thread makes me think i should pack up the bike and head back to RU for a few rides instead of always riding 9w.


Funny though that this thread is far and away the largest in this sub-forum in terms of replies. Might be more than all others combined!

:thumbsup:


----------



## AlanE

RJP Diver said:


> Funny though that this thread is far and a way the largest in this sub-forum in terms of replies. Might be more than all others combined!
> 
> :thumbsup:


Now you're just piling on.


----------



## robdamanii

Can I join the pile-on?

I drive 44 miles to work and ride out my front door. I like the tradeoff.


----------

