If you take a moment to look around Austin, bicycles are everywhere. Be it a desire for cheap transportation, a loathing of traffic, ethical reasons or just a love for pedaling, cyclists are starting to take over the open road.
There are many places to ride in Austin for a good time. No, not the Barton Creek Greenbelt or the Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail, either. Actually, the Greenbelt is barely conducive to beginners, or hardly anyone for that matter, according to Eric Hess, competitive rider and manager at Austinbikes. Hess says it is an advanced, technical and rough trail. The Hike and Bike Trail is a great experience but, unless you go east, is often packed with runners.
The Daily Texan asked a few cyclists and local bike shop owners about their favorite free rides:
1. Walnut Creek
Walnut Creek is a great first stop for mountain bikers, especially after considering the Greenbelt and deciding against flying face first into the rocks. It is the first place that Aubrey "A.J." Camp, owner of The Peddler on North Loop, recommends for beginning mountain bikers.
"It's probably the easiest place to get in, ride around, have fun and not kill yourself,"Camp said. "Not too technical, enjoyable, the whole thing is a little more tame than the Greenbelt."
Anyone can ride nearly 80 percent of the trail, which is mostly through the woods.
2. Veloway
For those who dream of being Lance Armstrong while commuting on a road bike, there are ways to move from purely transportation biking to leisure or sport riding with no intimidation. Hess recommends Veloway as a closed, paved trail ideal for beginners.
The Veloway is southwest Austin's first closed cycling and rollerblading trail. The 3.5-mile, 23-feet wide trail, which moves in a one-way clockwise direction, is off of Mopac Boulevard just south of Slaughter Lane. It is open daily from dawn until dusk except when it is closed for special events.
3. East on Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail
Heading east on the Hike and Bike Trail will guarantee fewer runners and provide moderate terrain.
Charles "C.P." Tahalken, an employee at The Peddler, recommends picking a Saturday morning to get up and head over to Juan in a Million, a Longhorn favorite for a Tex-Mex breakfast.
The restaurant is usually packed with cars at this time, but on a bike you don't need to worry about parking. Watch your bike while you dine outside by locking up to the gate around the patio. Juan doesn't mind, Tahalken said.
From there you can go to Longhorn bikes by the restaurant or bike the east part of the Hike and Bike Trail.
4. Ninth Street BMX
If you own a BMX bike, you are in the right place. While the west coast may not agree, Austin is a leading spot for BMXing, according to Bryce Holt, owner of Clown Dog Bikes, a shop near campus. The City of Austin recently allocated money to build a BMX and skate park at 12th and Lamar. For now, Ninth Street is more than enough to hold you over.
"Austin is a Mecca as far as Texas goes. This is one of the best cities if you take advantage of what they have," said Holt, who recommends Ninth Street Jumps, a set of trails that offers dirt jumping, rhythms and large table top jumps.
Despite its name, the Ninth Street jumps are actually located on 10th street behind Shoal Creek Saloon.
5. McKinney Falls State Park
Tahalken recommends biking from central Austin to McKinney Falls for an overnight camping trip.
"It's a fun little get away - easy ride," said Tahalken, who was able to leave at 6 p.m. with a couple friends on a Sunday night and make it to the falls within an hour. When it got dark, they sat by lantern candlelight enjoying the sound of the falls and nature. The next morning they were able to get back in time for work at 8 a.m.
Don't think that you need rock-hard calves for this ride, or many other rides for that matter. Tahalken says that it is pretty easy for a reasonably fit person to ride 50 miles if you take a "brisk walking intensity."
If you want to drive out there with your bike, the park itself is a loop of about three miles and is still not very challenging. Camping and swimming are also available.
Directions: Take the Hike and Bike Trail east and keep going until you get to Burleson; take a left on Burleson and keep going until McKinney Falls Parkway.
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