Cycling routes in United States

The Riding

Cycling in the United States, as captured in this catalogue, is a story of mountains. The three catalogued routes here sit in two states that have become shorthand for serious climbing on a bike: California and Colorado. These are not flat, rolling affairs. They are rides defined by sustained elevation gain, long days in the saddle, and the kind of terrain that rewards patience over sprint speed.

The numbers tell the character plainly. The longest catalogued route reaches 206 km, a full day's ride by any measure. The route with the most climbing tops out at 4,570 m of ascent, an amount of vertical that puts it firmly in the realm of the truly demanding. One of the three routes is rated an epic, a designation reserved for the rides that stand apart even in this company.

What unites these routes is that they ask something of the rider. Whether the terrain is the high-alpine passes of Colorado or the coastal ridgelines of California, the common thread is elevation earned and elevation given back on the descents. This is climbing country, and the catalogue reflects it.

Signature Routes

Three routes anchor this collection, each with its own identity.

The Triple Bypass lives in Colorado and carries a reputation that precedes it. As its name suggests, it strings together a sequence of climbs, and it is the sort of route that riders train for rather than stumble into. With the catalogue's most climbing sitting at 4,570 m, this is a ride built around relentless ascent.

The Death Ride (Tour of the California Alps) takes its place in California's high country. The name is theatrical, but the riding behind it is genuine: a route through alpine terrain that has earned its billing as one of the region's defining challenges. It is a ride that treats the mountains as the main event.

Finally, the Old La Honda + Skyline loop offers a different flavour of California riding. Where the Death Ride heads for the alps, this loop works the coastal ridgelines, linking a storied climb with a run along Skyline. It is a route with a strong sense of place, threading through the character of the terrain rather than simply going over the top of it.

Together these three routes cover the spread of what this catalogue offers, from the sustained vertical of Colorado to the alpine and ridgeline riding of California.

When to Ride

High-country routes like these are seasonal by nature. The alpine terrain that gives the Death Ride and the Triple Bypass their character also means the higher passes are best approached in the warmer months, when snow has cleared and conditions on the climbs and descents are settled. Riding at altitude changes the equation, and the window for comfortable high-elevation days is narrower than at lower elevations.

The Old La Honda + Skyline loop, sitting in California's coastal hills, is generally more forgiving across the calendar, though the ridgelines can bring their own weather. As a rule, plan the biggest days around clear, stable conditions and give yourself daylight to spare on the longest route.

Practical Notes

These are routes that reward preparation. A 206 km day and a 4,570 m climbing day are not efforts to improvise, so build fitness deliberately and treat the epic-rated route with the respect the rating implies.

Carry enough food and water for long stretches between resupply, and be ready for the temperature swings that come with gaining and losing significant elevation. Descents off high passes can be cold even on warm days, so pack a layer. Fresh brakes and tyres matter more here than on gentler terrain, given the sustained descending. And because these rides pass through mountain and ridgeline country, tell someone your plan before you set off.

Summary

This catalogue gathers three cycling routes across two of the United States' great climbing regions, California and Colorado. Between the Triple Bypass, the Death Ride (Tour of the California Alps), and the Old La Honda + Skyline loop, riders will find terrain that ranges from high-alpine passes to coastal ridgelines, topping out at 206 km in length and 4,570 m of climbing, with one route standing out as a rated epic. It is a compact but serious collection, built for riders who come for the mountains.