10 Great Retirement Towns for Biking
Category: Best Retirement Towns and States
September 9, 2020 — Although the pandemic has been horrendous for activities like dining out or social gatherings, others are experiencing a gold rush. One of those is biking (cycling to our British brethren). Walk into a bike shop now and say you need a bike – get ready for a 3 month wait. Want a used bike… sorry. The same goes for bike parts and repairs. As people avoid mass transit and have more time on their hands, biking has never been more popular.
While it is a great activity, it is a lot more enjoyable when you live in a place where the infrastructure is set up for it. When bikers and cars are kept separate it is a lot safer and more fun. Bike lanes, special traffic signals, concrete barriers, and under/overpasses make all the difference. No one wants to bike along a narrow berm next to speeding cars, or face daunting intersections with multiple lanes to cross.
Comments on "10 Great Retirement Towns for Biking"
ljtucson says:
How about Tucson, AZ. Ever hear of The Loop? https://www.visittucson.org/things-to-do/outdoor-adventure/cycling/loop https://tucson.com/map-of-the-loop-trail/image_6fa59374-287b-11e8-8df4-7bf1ce46d05e.html
Editor's comment. Wow, what a fantastic trail system! Thanks for sharing this one.
B Dodson says:
I might add Edwardsville, IL. Home to Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. There are two SIU campuses, the other at Carbondale.
Edwardsville may not be a recognizable name but the biking trails are worth checking out.
There is a unique seven loop set of trails totaling 135 miles. These trails loop all around Madison County IL. More info can be found on the website--- mcttrails.org.
Edwardsville is a small city included in Metro East, part of the greater St Louis metropolitan area. Edwardsville is on the IL side of the Mississippi River near Interstates 55 and 270.
Anyone looking for a great Midwestern spot for a biking trip might want to check this out. In addition,
it is near Cahokia Mounds state historical site as well as the Great River Road.
Jan says:
Consider Palm Coast, Florida. I live there on the barrier island. Lots of sidewalks and biking trails, including the one on historic/scenic A1A that runs for miles parallel to the ocean. And, I can ride my bike to Publix (using my handy bike basket). Added benefit: because of the flatness and weather, you can ride your bike virtually every day. I do!
Jan Cullinane, author, The Single Woman's Guide to Retirement (AARP/Wiley)
LS says:
As a graduate of SIUE, I'm glad to see that Edwardsville and Madison County have an extensive bike trail system. Although I haven't been back there for 40 years, I have a lot of found memories of Edwardsville and SIUE.
We have been in the DFW area for the last 22 years and have just signed a contract to build a downsized home in a new development in Denton County just north of Fort Worth. While I preferred to move to Robson Ranch, an active adult community in Denton County, my wife wasn't having it. She didn't want to be among just "old people" (she is age 65). We will be building in Canyon Falls instead. This will be a very large development when completed and the developer has set aside 350 acres of green space which includes 14 miles of paved and natural hiking and bike trails throughout the community. I can't wait to get out there and make use of them.
Bob says:
It seems everything is about cities. Even the Tucson reply. All too big and crowded to appeal to me! I carry a mountain bike on my class b RV and find many nice places to bike in AZ, NM, and CA away from all the hubbub of cities.
Admin says:
Bob raises a good point. Most of the groups that rate places for biking (or walkability) concentrate on cities and not small towns, because it is a lot harder for the former to offer a safe and fun experience than it is a smaller town. But that doesn't mean some small towns try harder than others to make biking safer. For example, towns like Key West have installed bike lanes on some important one lane streets that are a lot safer than they would be on narrow two way streets. Hendersonville NC has installed curves and pedestrian areas downtown to slow cars down. Santa Monica, CA has a paved path along the beach that goes for miles and miles. Pedestrian streets, which many towns are putting in, aren't great for bikers but they sure are nice for walkers. Does anyone know some small towns that have made big improvements for bikers, such as bike lanes and over/underpasses that physically separate cars from bikers?
Jemmie says:
Another city that is very bicycle-friendly is St. Petersburg, Florida. We rented a home during the winter a few years ago, and we were impressed with the bike trails and barriers in some intersections. You can ride on the Pinellas Trail which connects to the Downtown Trail going right through the city, and then on to the North Bay Trail. The city has a biking map and an active biking club. The Pinellas Trail goes through the small towns of Dunedin and Gulfport which would also make nice retirement towns for those who enjoy biking.
Mark Phillips says:
We snowbird in Gainesville. There is access to the Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail which is well-maintained and offers parking along the trail at different start points. Gainesville offers really great bike shops who will assist with maintenance regardless of brand and purchase location. The Gainesville Cycling Club offers the opportunity to rides in groups based on ability in addition to cycling advocacy. They are branching out to gravel riding to minimize riding on paved roads. Joining a club is highly recommended as a way to meet people with similar interests and remember: there's safety in numbers. Just down the road in Alachua which offers mountain bike trails at the San Felasco State park. A little further away to the south is Ocala home to Santos State park that offers a 15 mile paved trail and miles of off road cycling.
Harmon Hovermill says:
Bicycle retirement. I am 81 years old and would like to find a community where I can rely on my bicycle as my main means of transportation. Would like to access a paved network of biking trails that would lead to relaxing trips into nature as well as connecting to shopping for necessities. Currently where I live I have to drive by car at least an hour in order to ride my bike on a trail greater than 10 miles. Would also like the community that provides other senior level activities like tennis, softball, horseshoes, bowling, etc. Any information would be appreciated?