Central Virginia: A Paradise for Cyclists
Cycling in Charlottesville and Central Virginia brings plenty of clean air, friendly roads, rolling hills, and amazing scenery at every turn.
Central Virginia rolls out the red carpet when it comes to cycling. Or rather, the asphalt/gravel/dirt carpet for everyone from amateurs to professional athletes like Ben King, a native of the region who has competed in the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) World Tour.
Regardless of the surface, the region has all the physical ingredients needed to attract cyclists: clean air, friendly roads, lots of hills, amazing scenery and a plethora of routes from which to choose. Add in an abundance of cycling clubs, shops, races and group rides, and it becomes obvious that Central Virginia has a zeal for two-wheel fun.
“The cycling here is exceptional,” says Jim Duncan, a cycling enthusiast in Crozet, approximately 15 miles west of Charlottesville. “There are countless amazing rides to take. In many parts of Central Virginia, you can walk out your front door, get on your bike and immediately start a great ride.”
Cycling in Charlottesville and Central Virginia means you can venture out in any direction, including the challenging Blue Ridge Mountains to the west, gently rolling hills to the east, the picturesque Skyline Drive running north and the famous Blue Ridge Parkway to the south.
“There’s so much variation to the type of riding you can do around here,” says Ethan Gruber, an official with the Charlottesville Racing Club. “There’s just a little bit of something for everyone who enjoys cycling.”
“There are countless amazing rides to take. In many parts of Central Virginia, you can walk out your front door, get on your bike and immediately start a great ride.”
Jim Duncan, cycling enthusiast
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Clubs and Shops
Cycling is so appealing in Central Virginia that organized programs are available for children starting in elementary school. The Charlottesville Racing Club Junior Mountain Bike Team orients riders as young as 8 years old. The Virginia Interscholastic Cycling League in Crozet provides training and promotes races for children in grades 6 through 12. In addition, the Albemarle, Monticello and Western Albemarle High Schools all recently started cycling teams.
Plenty of opportunities are available for adults as well. The Charlottesville Bicycle Club has a mission of “riding as often as we can.” More groups include the Fortuna cycling club, which hosts rides accommodating a wide range of speeds, and the Firehouse group that coordinates a Wednesday evening ride geared toward accelerating your personal-best times. The University of Virginia Club Cycling team also holds regular social rides throughout the year.
“There are a number of clubs and organizations that will help you get started, so you’re not riding alone,” Duncan says. “Through these clubs, people are able to find and develop friendships. Having shared experiences like that creates an environment where people are healthier and happier.”
Charlottesville Community Bikes tries to make sure everybody has a chance to enjoy those experiences by recycling old bicycles for use by both children and adults. The region also is filled with bike shops that enable cyclists to keep on rolling.
“There are great bicycle shops available to us, with good mechanics and access to the latest bikes,” cyclist Barry Penn Hollar says. “They have trained experts who can fit you to your bike, making sure you have the right size and your seat is the right height.”
Events and Routes
Hollar is an organizer for the annual Tour de Madison cycling event in Madison County, which was held this year for the 35th time. “Almost every county in Central Virginia has some kind of organized annual bike event,” Hollar says.
Others include the Tour de Greene (Greene County), the Culpeper Cycling Century (Culpeper County) and the CVLEBIKEFEST presented by Dairy Market (a fundraiser for Charlottesville Community Bikes). In addition, the Jefferson Cup Road Race, which also benefits Charlottesville Community Bikes, has been taking place since 1991, making it one of the longest-running pro cycling races in the U.S.
For more of a challenge, with swimming and running added into the mix, the Cal Tri Lake Monticello triathlon (Fluvanna County) usually occurs in the spring and is a part of the largest national short-course triathlon series in the U.S.
As for where to go on your bike, well, the possibilities seemingly are endless. Duncan recommends the 25-mile round trip from Crozet to the top of Afton Mountain.
“On a morning when the clouds are sitting in the valley, you’ll suddenly come out above the clouds and have an exceptional view,” he says.
Meanwhile, Gruber says some of the best gravel routes in the area can be found in the vicinity of Montebello and Wintergreen resorts in Nelson County.
“It just makes life better to have access to this many rides,” Duncan says, “and this combination of physical activity, mental health and camaraderie.”
Cyclist Spotlight: Anne Lassere
Anne Lassere is an avid cyclist who grew up in the Shenandoah Valley and has lived in Charlottesville for more than 10 years. She works at Blue Wheel Bicycles. Livability chatted with her about cycling in Charlottesville and Central Virginia.
Anne Lassere
What makes Central Virginia a great area for cycling?
There are so many good trails around here. I can leave my front door and easily ride to a trail. There are just miles and miles of options. It’s pretty incredible. I feel really fortunate to live in a community that values cycling and outdoor recreation.
Do you have any favorite routes?
The Rivanna Trail loops the city and links to a lot of the other trail systems around Charlottesville like Biscuit Run. Observatory Hill is a local classic. And Ragged Mountain loops this beautiful reservoir, with trails that are good for any level of mountain biking. There also are a lot of new trails being built around the reservoir that are super fun to explore.
How can newcomers to the sport become more involved?
Blue Wheel holds a weekly mountain bike ride on Tuesday evening that is open to everybody. We show people the local trails and introduce them to other riders. We encourage people and let them know that it’s not about their skill level, it’s just about spending time together in nature. It’s really rewarding to see people show up over and over and watch them improve their skills.
What is the appeal of cycling and mountain biking?
It gets you outside discovering new places and spending time with friends. In a lot of sports, you’re competing against each other, but in mountain biking, it’s everyone against the mountain. So, everybody is very encouraging. It’s truly an incredible sport and an incredible community.
Need a Break? Sleep Here
When you live in Central Virginia, it’s tempting to want to spend every weekend outdoors, especially because of the outstanding camping opportunities the region provides.
At Getaway Shenandoah in Greene County, the vacation destination includes 45 cabins all with backyard fire pits. The 80-acre resort getaway includes 2 miles of nature trails, forestland and waterfalls.
Situated high in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Nelson County is Montebello Camping & Fishing Resort, adorned with authentic log cabin rentals. Activities include biking, trout fishing, berry picking, and campfires-and-s’mores evenings. The resort also has a unique country store on site.
Rose River Farm in Madison County, just a 1½ hour drive from the bustle of Northern Virginia, has luxury cabins for rent. Its spring fed river is great for fly fishing for trophy-sized trout.
Or, visit Cair Paravel Farms & Lodging in Greene County, which is a working farm with Airbnb accommodations.
– Staff Writer Kevin Litwin contributed to this article.
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