Bicycling in Pittsburgh (Braddock, Portland: home, neighborhood, living in)

[juliempdx]

Well only two more weeks until our big move from Portland, Or to Pittsburgh, PA. What is Pittsburgh like to ride a bike in, specifically home to work? We will be living in Squirrell Hill on greenfield ave and I am looking to ride my bike to UPMC Shadyside.

Does anybody know if this is feasible is it too busy of an area to safely ride a bike in? Also is there many bike trails in Pittsburgh just to ride a bike for leisure, i.e. parks with trails, etc. Thanks!

[BrianTH]

Lots of people bike around the East End. I'm not sure about that route in particular, but I suspect it is fine.

Edit: By the way, there are many ways to get from Squirrel Hill to Shadyside, so I suspect if one particular route is too busy there is a better alternative available. Unedit.

There are a lot of mountain bike trails in Frick Park, which wouldn't be far from you. There are also some level trails along the rivers, which are gradually being expanded.

[Johnny C]

You can ride a bike now from Mckeesport to Warshington DC on the Rail to Trail system.

There are MANY mountain bike opportunities if you know where to look. Pittsburgh's hilly terrain makes for some great riding (but you have to be in shape).

[gallacus]

Biking in Pittsburgh is great fun, and getting better constantly. There are some great bike trails for commuting, as well as some bike lanes on major roads through the city. Use the Pittsburgh Bike Map to find the safest streets in the city. In addition, you can use Bikely to find bike routes posted by Pittsburghers.

Bike Pittsburgh is also another great resource to find other local bikers and see whats happening in the Pittsburgh bike community.

[Geeo]

The major trails are along the rivers, which is nice, and I know they just rehabbed a bridge for bikes across the Mononghaela River. I live near UPMC Shadyside and there are a lot more people biking inthe area this summer.

I don't know how flat Portland is, but the ride between Squirrel Hill and Shadyside will require going up or down a hill, so you may already be in shape for that. Pittsburgh is an old city with narrow streets, so be careful.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by gallacus

Biking in Pittsburgh is great fun, and getting better constantly. There are some great bike trails for commuting, as well as some bike lanes on major roads through the city. Use the Pittsburgh Bike Map to find the safest streets in the city. . . .

That is a cool resource, and I don't even bike. I was interested to see them selecting East End Avenue in my neighborhood over the busier Braddock, which in retrospect explains why I have seen a lot of bicyclists on East End Avenue.

[juliempdx]

Thanks for all the great info. I'm just trying to decide if I want to invest in a new bicycle before we leave. With the way gas prices are I am strongly considering it.

[Awesomo.2000]

I bet you would most likely be going up Wilkins, to Negley Ave. That is safe. Lots of bikers on that route.

S. Hill is great for biking. Two large major parks to bike around.

[Drover]

Biking on Pittsburgh streets can be positively harrowing. It's an old city with lots of old (read: narrow) streets that barely let two cars pass each other without bumping mirrors, much less have room for a bike lane. It's nothing like Portland with designated bike lanes all over the city, though there are a precious few. Take whatever vigilance you used to ride the streets in Portland and triple it.

Parks with trails... yes, there are plenty in and around Pittsburgh. Others have pointed you in the right direction in that regard.

[claremarie]

Old narrow streets, drivers who are not used to sharing the road with cyclists, potholes the size of moon craters.
And then there's the ice and snow in the winter.
Commuting by bike is not for the faint of heart.