# Greensboro NC riding and living ?



## onrhodes (Feb 19, 2004)

I'm from NH, my wife and I have a "5 year plan" (down to 4 now) to get the heck out of here and go live some place else. I am looking for places to live that have a strong cycling culture, decent weather, jobs, affordable housing, etc.
Greensboro has popped up on the list as one of those potentials. Can anyone tell me how that area is for both road cycling and mountain biking? I've found some information online, but would like to hear from riders in the area.
One of the nice things about riding in New England is that a we have a lot of back roads and side roads. You go 4 miles down a road and can take up to 6+ side roads that would all offer a different riding experience. 
My experience riding the coastal areas of NC in the past has been that you are on the same road for miles with 1 or 2 turns and basically end up doing long rides with like 5-6 major turns.
How is it in the Greensboro area? How is the racing scene?
Housing looks to be extremely affordable compared to NH. My 1,000 SQ FT condo was $160K, I've seen houses in the Greensboro area @ 2,000 SQ FT for under $90K that look really nice. Of course knowing nothing about the area, I don't know if it is in a junky neighborhood or not.
I've got a B.S. in accounting and I have done accounting and finance for the State of NH for 11 years. I am currently the CFO for an agency with a budget of $121 million dollars. Hopefully I could find comparable work and pay down there.
Thanks,
-Pete


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## oldroadie_nc (Mar 10, 2011)

I'm an NC native (though I spent 4 years after grad school in NJ), so I'm a bit biased, but I don't think you can do much better for cycling and weather than central NC. I live near Raleigh (Cary) and am much more familiar with the roads around Raleigh, Cary, Chapel Hill, Durham, etc., than Greensboro, but I have done group rides from Greensboro and it's great. In general, NC has lots of back roads, so even in relatively urbanized, high-density areas, you don't have to go far to get on very nice, lightly traveled back roads. There is a great club and racing scene in the Greensboro area (check out greensborovelo.com), and throughout NC, and one of the best and oldest bike shops in NC is located in Greensboro (check out cyclesdeoro.com). They can fill you in more on specifics. The Carolina Cup Criterium has been running for 41 years and takes place in a really nice park in Greensboro: carolinacup.com. There are at least a couple of parks with mtb trails, and you're only about 1.5 hrs from North Wilksboro at the foothills of the Blue Ridge which has one of the best mtb trail systems anywhere: Dark Mountain and Warrior Creek. Also lots of good mtb in the Chapel Hill/Raleigh area.

If I was moving here, I might be tempted to give the Asheville area a look. Lots more mountain road riding and mtb at your back door, but slightly harsher winters, more expensive housing, and farther from the beach. The downtown part of Greensboro is a bit depressed and gritty (in my opinion and limited experience). Winston-Salem (1/2 hr west of G'boro) might be a little more appealing from an aesthetics POV. And the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area is great but more expensive. I'm sure you'll love it wherever you land. Good luck to you!


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## abadyam (Feb 27, 2011)

Yeah pretty much a cycling haven, we've lived in Charlotte 6 years now and I got into cycling about 3 years ago. Great rolling hills around Charlotte for road bike (which to me are much harder than thh real mountains), also 8 or 9 organized mountain bike trails in the greater Charlotte area. Head west a few hours for serious mountian biking or big climbing. Those Clemmons Bicycles and Mock Orange Bicycles guys are tough....


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## benroe1000 (Jun 25, 2012)

I moved to the area around Siler City in August and the riding around here is pretty good. The scenery is great and you really have your choice of hilly or relatively flat terrain. It isn't hard to get to the good country back roads that are lightly traveled either. I'm planning on finding out how the cycling is around the Uwharrie National Forest which I recently found out is only about 40 min from me. I think there is a nice state park fairly close to Greensboro as well. While you are looking at places you should check out the Raleigh area.


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## medicnman (Dec 3, 2012)

Try checking the better LBS'es in greensboro. Cycles De Oro is a great resource, give them a call. Also givce some folks a call at Ken's Bike Shop (Hearts Racing club events are a mainstay) in Winston. If you like TT events, there is a seasonal weekly TT event in the Burlington area as well, though I forget the resource name. The TT group is very friendly bunch.



Congratualtions on your move, and it was a good one for a rider. There is a big cycling community in the area.


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