Our 10 favorite cycling destinations: Richmond
Biking near the James River.
Carytown Bicycle Co.
RVA in 2012 was named by Outside magazine as the nation’s most livable river town, and the park system with its many high-quality biking trails had much to do with it. The 550-acre system includes popular trails Pony Pasture, Buttermilk, North Bank, Belle Isle, Huguenot Flatwater and the Wetlands. Other favorite cycling destinations in and near the city include Forest Hill Park and Pocahontas State Park, the Commonwealth’s largest state park.
The trails in the James River Park System can be broken down in different levels and experience, according to mountain bike enthusiast and volunteer Andy Burch of Richmond. “I wouldn’t recommend that a family go riding on North Bank or Buttermilk, for example. They are more on the intermediate to advanced side,” he says, noting that Buttermilk is his favorite ride because it’s fast and technical. “Pony Pasture in the James River Park System and Pocahontas State Park are great for beginners and families.”
Bike shops in the city include Pibby’s Bicycle & Skate, Agee’s Bicycles, Carytown Bicycle Co. and Coqui Cyclery. Popular biking hangouts in the city include Bottoms Up Pizza near the Virginia Capital Trail, Sinè Irish Pub and Restaurant in Shockoe Slip, Crossroads Coffee & Ice Cream near Forest Hill Park and Lamplighter Roasting Company in the Fan where the hipster cycling community gathers. The Jefferson Hotel offers its cycling guests information about trails and storage for their bikes and gear.
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