Routes

The Palouse offers a lot of great riding whether you're on a road, cyclocross, or mountain bike. It's easy to get away from town and explore many of the back roads of the area where there is low traffic and you seemingly have the road to yourself. Not all roads are created equal and some may not be suitable for road bikes unless you really like changing flats. With that in mind, we've collected a number of popular routes that the club often uses for group rides that are good for solo rides as well. The great tool MapMyRide.com gives us an easy way to provide ride maps that are easily printed or even downloaded to a GPS unit if desired. If you use MapMyRide.com for your personal routes and have a great ride you'd like to share, let us know and we'll bookmark it with the club's routes.

To access a list of the routes, click the link below:

Vandal Cycling Routes hosted by MapMyRide.com

Most rides start and end at the Chipman Trail Trailhead located near the intersection of ID-8 and Perimeter Drive by the Palouse Mall.

Group Ride Information and Guidelines

Throughout the school year the club has group rides. These rides often occur on Saturdays and Sundays, weather permitting. During the Winter months, groups of riders sometimes drive to the Lewiston-Clarkston valley to ride because it may be warmer/drier than in Moscow.

Riding by yourself can get a little monotonous and the group rides are a great opportunity to ride with others. Occaisionally, we will ride to Pullman and meet up with the WSU Cycling Club to ride with them for a portion of our ride.

The pace of these rides can vary depending on the strength of the riders that show up. Generally, these rides are a little less intense than solo training rides might be. In addition to the social aspects, the group rides offer a chance for newer rider to learn how to ride in a pack, a skill that is very important in racing. New riders are encouraged to attend and will not be "left behind".

The following guidelines apply to our group rides and are good to follow on solo rides as well.
Things you should bring to the group rides:

  1. HELMET: HELMETS ARE REQUIRED to be worn by all riders during the group rides.

  2. A WORKING ROAD BIKE: Make sure your bike is in proper working condition prior to arriving for the group ride. This includes:
    • Tires are properly inflated and in good condition.
    • Brakes are functional. As in, they will stop you.
    • Chain is lubricated and in good condition.
    If your bike is in need of a tune up and you don't have the tools to do it yourself, stop by the bike shops that sponsor us and they will take care of you.

  3. WATER: Water is very important to maintain proper hydration. Most bicycles have two water bottle cages and carrying at least two water bottles is a good idea for most rides. Longer rides may require more. There is nothing worse than being a long distance from home and running out of water. Water bottles and bottle cages are available at the bike shops that sponsor the club.

  4. FOOD: It is also a good idea to carry some form of food or a snack to eat during the ride. You will burn a lot of calories during a ride and you may find yourself hungry at the halfway point with a lot of miles to go. Bananas, granola bars, energy bars (i.e. Clif Bars, etc.), oranges, and energy gels (i.e. Clif Shots, etc.) are popular snacks that are easy to carry in a saddle bag or jersey/jacket pocket.

  5. SPARE TUBE/PATCH KIT/PUMP: Flat tires can occur at any time for an infinite number of reasons. That $5 for a spare tube can be priceless when you get a flat 20 miles from home. Having the spare tube is not enough. You need some way to inflate it and there are a multitude of mini-pumps available in addition to CO2 inflators that are easy to carry with you. If you don't already have one, check out our sponsoring bike shops.

  6. CYCLING CLOTHING: While not everyone is comfortable with lycra/spandex, there are some benefits to wearing it. Many people don't know that cycling shorts are actually padded. This certainly helps prevent butt pain and chafing on long rides. Also, form fitting cycling clothing can reduce drag and help you go faster. The material of cycling shorts and jerseys is often moisture wicking, a definite benefit because you're going to sweat while riding. Cycling clothes aren't required for the group rides but, they have the potential to make the ride more enjoyable. Any type of general workout clothing is sufficient. Assorted club cycling clothing (shorts, jerseys, etc) is available a couple of times a year if you're interested.