10 Coolest Roads To Ride

February 11, 2010

We all have a friend who floods our inbox with every single joke or catchy link he gets forwarded.  I tend to open one in a hundred and yesterday I happened to stumble on was one of those “most dangerous roads” powerpoint presentations.  I’ve seen these before and always think “man, it would be cool to ride on that road if it weren’t so damn dangerous!”.  That got me scouring all over the internet for photos of cool obscure roads that would be awesome to ride and your chances of death would be a lot less.  Here’s a few I came up with:

Trollstigen, Norway.  A cyclists paradise!  Thanks to plasticine for sending in. (click on image to enlarge)


This one just sent in by Stellite.  Horn Road. I have no idea where this is. France maybe? Update: Tour of Austria, the last section up to the Kitzbuhler Horn summit

Col du Galibier, France. Photo by Jason Ostler (also in the What You Missed This Morning 2010 Calendar)

Dades Gorge, Morocco.  Imagine descending this?

Himalaya Highway.  Next stop, 14,000m

Guoliang Tunnel Road, China.  Now this would be cool to ride

Stelvio Pass, Italy – this was actually featured in the Giro for the first time in 1953, when Coppi beat Koblet up the 48 harpins!

Lysebotn Road, Norway.  Imagine riding up the walls of these fjords?

Pasubio (Vicenza), Northern Italy.  How good would this be!?

Somewhere in Taiwan in the autumn.  Sensational!

Los Caracoles, Andes.   Looks like an easy climb…

Denali National Park, Alaska.  Nothing but you and the open road…and the grizzlies

Of course we don’t really need to go far to find some of the most amazing roads in the world.  New Zealand is a short flight away and the riding there rivals anything shown above!

Photo Source: All photos poached from various websites who poached from other websites….

Tagged as: best rides in the world, most amazing roads

  • Brett Kuper
    For a ride of sheer beauty, nothing will beat Champmans peak, Cape town. It is only a 9km ride with a couple of climbs, but with a 180 degree view of the the Atlantic Ocean, you won't seem to mind.
  • Sensational. Thanks for bringing that one up. I just googled it for photos and came up with a nice one: http://www.blacktomato.co.uk/wp-content/uploads...
  • greendaisy
    Probably cool to cycle but I hate driving on the Stelvio…
  • Yes! The Dolomites is a Must, Austria is very, very nice, I really liked Switzerland specially from Davos all the way to Italy...

    Nice roads, nice people, BUT! take care in summer with the constant rain! (well with the climatic chaos now you never know jejeje it was supposed that I went in autumn to avoid snow in USA but winter arrived in october!)

    Guess I will chase the ones that I am missing from this list!!!!
  • owen_p
    Great post. Bealach-na-ba in Scotland (britian's highest road climb) pales in comparison to these.
  • What a great post! Amazing roads!
  • Hey. Really liked this post. I mentioned it on my blog, so hopefully some of my readers will check it out as well! http://inyourdomeblog.com/2010/02/10-coolest-ro...
  • Scuba Steve
    There was a great write up in Bicycling Australia magazine last month on El Angliru the monster climb in Spain which has been apart of the Vuelta a few times.
    Looks like an amazing climb - very steep and difficult but amazing terrain and scenery! This climb is on my list of places to ride.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alto_de_L'Angliru
  • james_mul
    No Alpe d'Huez? I didn't manage any great photos when I was there so I won't bother posting, but surely it deserves a mention here!
  • Tim
    I actually didn't consider it super amazing. Sure, it was fun smashing up after a coffee at the cafe opposite Hotel Milan, but, it wasn't super scenic. The road down to Allemonde was, and the coffee at O Bar was *excellent*. The view at the top of the village spoke to me in volumes of EPIC snowboarding, but, it wasn't an epicly scenic ride.
  • james_mul
    Hmmm, I may be guilty of reading this post after a night on the gas and missing the point - Alpe d'Huez is not exactly obscure. And it's true that the chalet town at the top is actually a little depressing, not to mention the austere ski lift mechanisms everywhere.

    Still, it's Huez and during that sweaty, sweaty hour, I couldn't work what was louder in my head, the burning in my knees or all the history that was passing under my wheels. I think it was the knees. And added on to a rather "epic", problem-filled yet stunning ride from Grenoble through the mountain passes with loads of luggage strapped to the back, it will be one to remember for me...
  • michimar
    advice: tre cime di lavaredo, Italy! Amazing!
  • Tim
    Also here is a list I have compiled (I'd love for people to suggest others). I've knocked about half a dozen off, and will aim to have them all done after next year's Tour or Vuelta.

    http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&ms...
  • Lier
    The autumn photo in Taiwan is reported the new highway that goes across the central mountain passes
  • Tim
    Tim has noticed the following are missing.
    Cormet de Roselend, photos http://shredquest.com/collat/france09/ar_S17/aa...
    Ventoux
    Mt Gisborne Rd (haha)
    I also rated Petit St Bernarnd, stunning. -> photos http://shredquest.com/collat/france09/ar_S16/aa... and http://shredquest.com/collat/france09/ar_S16/aa...
    Also the ride from Martigny up into Chamonix is astonishing
    I also think the ride up the Galibier from the Telegraphe via Valliore is amazing, und, the Croix de Fer from Saint-Sorlin-d'Arves and the Galibier via La Grave. See http://shredquest.com/collat/france09/restoftri...

    I shall report to you all post July/L'Etape of our planned reconnoitering of the high Spanish Pyrenees for L'Etape and provide photo reportage.
  • Trollstigen in Norway is fantastic!! We have a bike race here every summer, this year it will be 3rd of July. 22 km road race and some meters to climb.... Come visit us:-D
    But if you really want a challenge.....1500 meters to climb up Dalsnibba in Geiranger 12th of June: http://www.frafjordtilfjell.com/hoved.php?valg=...
  • Wade...The road from Coroico to La Paz in Bolivia is infamous as well.

    Here are some pics from a ride that i did a month ago.

    http://ifeellikealittlekid.wordpress.com/2010/0...

    Cheers mate
  • Pete
    Check out the Transfagarassan road in Romania. Never done it but would love to - quite a spectacle!
  • prolo
    Have done this road, in a car. It is spectacular, unspoiled, quiet. But the road itself is in very bad condition, or was. It struck me immediately that there is a big potential for tourist development there.

    Also, I have not read all replies, but some of the Swiss climbs deserve a mention. Some are really hard.
  • Sean Doyle
    I reckon Gibraltar, Buller, Buffalo, Browns Mt. and Falls Creek would have to rank up with some of them. They don't have the outright altitude but certainly the altitude gain.
  • Adding my two-penneth: I would include the climb of Col du Galibier from Valloire. It’s a stunner.
  • davejross
    Hotham on a clear day??
  • Los Caracoles looks like the road up to the ski resort Portillo, where my wife and I spent a week at during our honeymoon.

    It's a magical place but not a road you want to take by bike as it's the main route from Chile to Argentina and the truck traffic would make it extremely dangerous. Even in early winter there were lots of trucks that couldn't make it up and were just sitting there on the side of the road. I did imagine doing the climb on the way up though!

    Google maps: http://tinyurl.com/y8mpumd

    Some of my pictures of Portillo are on Flickr: http://tinyurl.com/yfhrodo
  • kylieonwheels
    I'm looking at a trip across France this European summer. Friends are competing for a few days in Suisse so I'm thinking I'll fly to London and catch up with a few mates, then ride across France to meet the others in Switzerland. Has anyone done any of this route before? I'll be on a touring bike so depending on how heavy it is, I miiiight just be catching the train for that last little bit into Suisse...what do they call it again...the Alps...?
  • malcolmh
    Tassie Ferry goes to Devonport, From there ride to Forth, across to Ulverstone and take the scenic road to Penguin. ( Coffee at the Groovy Penguin ) Past there there are lots of hills and very quiet roads inland. I did some rides while there in Tassie track carnival week, there seem to be a few bunch rides on the weekends doing 100k plus on the back roads. I avoided hills as much as possible - thats why I love the track!
  • JC
    If these are the 10 roads to ride b4 you die (there's a coffee table book right there) do the China one last cos it'll probably kill ya.
  • Marc G
    Great bucket list!!
    I reckon climbing that hill in the Los Caracoles in the Andes would be fun with the high altitude!
    Fantastic photos CT (even if they are poached .....)

    A cycle tour of Tassie is well worth the effort for a local holiday
  • Do you have any routes you'd recommend touring around Tassie? I've often thought about riding down the street, jumping on the Ferry, and taking a long weekend of riding around. It would be an incredible place to ride.
  • Marc G
    Extended CT bunch ride!!!

    It really was great riding. I did it with panniers, tent, food etc (on a MTB) a number of years ago, basically circumnavigated tassie in a month doing half a dozen bush walks along the way, so riding up the hill realllllly hurt, but amazing country side.

    But for a few days, this would be a great ride (although i am sure there are some tasmanians reading this that would be able to improve on it

    riding out of Devonport up through Mt Roland, Mole Creek - across to Deloraine, passing Ben Lomond, St Marys, St Helans and back to Davenport via Scottsdale. Combination of hills and beautiful valleys and a bit of coast thrown in for good measure (good seafood). That would be somewhere around 550 km depending on the route.

    I try and chat to you at Sandown if I can catch my breath long enough to string a sentance together
  • AMAZING SHOTS !! I would like a shot at a few of those climbs - !!
  • mikesaif
    I think Going to the Sun Road up to Logan's Pass in Montana that you rode a few years ago should be a great climb and it has spectacular views.
  • Stu
    looking at those pics two words spring to mind - "brake" and "fade"...
  • In the mountainous region of Northern Thailand (near the Burmese border), the road between Chiang Mai & Pai is famous for having 780 bends in 120km of road. The road doesn't go over any massive mountain passes, it's more rolling mountains than alpine peaks. . . like 100kms of Kinglake with a whole bunch of Arthurs Seats thrown in.

    The road is quite, the drivers are slow and courteous, the road surface is first rate, the weather is warm and the food and local coffee amazing. And let's not forget how freakin inexpensive compared to Europe it is.

    Nestled in the hilly north Chiang Mai has a very active cycling (road & MTB) community.

    If you're iterested:
    http://travelhappy.info/thailand/motor-biking-i...
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbL0pHYKbYA&feat...
    http://www.chiangmai.net/en/motorcycling
  • Tim
    Sounds rad. Coffee + bikes makes it 100% tax deductible, thanks for the heads up.
  • Alex
    Sorry - I meant the second one.
  • my fault - I'm updating the post as more people send me photos that I've never seen before.
  • Alex
    I think the first one is the horrible Col de Joux Plane. Tough climb but so beautiful - great views of Mont Blanc plus wildflowers and meadows.
  • skinnywhiteboy
    Where is Beach Road ;)
  • It may not be so glamorous and the hills may not be mountains, but how about Great Ocean Road (when there's no tourists)?
  • I once road all the way from Barcelona to Nice along the Mediterranean. Much of it was just like the best parts of the Great Ocean Road combined with little villages perched in the hills every 20km. It was a cyclist's dream.

    I still haven't ridden down the GOR. Scares me to think about it. Maybe on a quiet weekday I'll call in a sickie and do it.
  • SF
    The ride Nice to Monaco is also brilliant. It is only 15 km or so but the views of the Mediterranean and the villages are absolutely stunning. There are numerous tunnels cut through rock each no longer than 50 meters.
  • Marc G
    The Audax crew do a great ride along the Great Ocean Road - 150/200 Km on Saturday 13th March

    From Anglesea to Apollo Bay and return along one of the most scenic coastal roads in Australia. New 200 Km route from Anglesea via Deans Marsh to Lorne and Apollo Bay, then back along the Great Ocean Road.

    http://audax.org.au/public/index.php?option=com...

    I noticed a large number of CT kits on the Alpine Classic this year !! (I was jelous - i was wearing a cartoon character - not pro)
  • Griff
    I rode from Apollo Bay to Lorne return at 6am xmas morning 09 and got passed by only one car (that doesn't mean i was riding at 60clicks, just that it was peaceful!). Nearly fell off at every corner as I was scanning the scenery. What a difference 24hours made. The day before I had planned the ride but the xmas eve traffic scared me away.
  • JJ
    The road West of Barcelona (which you missed) CT is pretty good. Hairy though, sheer drops off the cliff. I did a similar long long ride years ago too, but a bit further at each end. You forgot to mention whether you had 30kg panniers, that didnd't always make for a cyclists' dream to me..

    A great part was the Spanish drivers behind giving you a gentle warning toot on the winding roads, rather than a Beach Road tradie ute/Brighton X5 flog's 6am side swipe...

    PS. On my Beach Road ride at 6am topday I counted 38 cars in total parked in the section the Council is banning parking on for Sat/Sun 6am-10am. Can't see the fuss, unless the hype is just anti-cyclist hysteria?
  • I was on my cyclocross bike carrying 2 panniers on the back as well as a small backpack (probably 20kg). I resisted any type of touring for a long time thinking it wasn't PRO. As it turned out it was the best thing I've ever done. There's no better way to see a country and open doors of opportunity. I remember pulling up beside George Hincapie in Gerona and he was very curious about what I was doing and where I was going. Didn't get invited over for dinner though...
  • JC
    A small backpack (20kg)!! You're an animal CT
  • Matt B
    i wanted to ride from rome to nice to barcelona, sounds so good. how long did you spend riding from barcelona to nice?
  • It was about 1000kms. But I had my bike loaded up and only did about 70km per day. Think it took a couple weeks in the end. Magnificent. I couldn't recommend it highly enough.
  • Nick
    Pick your day as carefully as possible - and still pack some wet weather gear! From Geelong to Lorne is normally kosher enough, but any further and god knows what you could hit!

    I'd suggest starting in Anglesea and roll on from there to maybe Apollo Bay. Or start in AB and ride to Port Campbell - more scenic but if there's no wind then I'll be a monkey's uncle! It's always blowing for me down that way.

    There are also some great, and relatively unknown, climbs around and just back from the GOR. A few I've only discovered in the past couple of months.
    Means I don't have to drive all the way out to Kinglake or further now to get some decent hill work in :)
  • Rob
    Have ridden the Great Ocean Road in Victoria,and found it absolutely boring. As for the scenery,it too was second rate,for as much of the time the ride is located slightly inland,in very scrubby country. If you really want great coastal scenery,then try Newcastle. The ride along the coast from Nobbys through King Edward Park to the Bar Beach/Merewether strip is so much superior,you can then ride to Adamstown to link up with the Fernleigh Track to Rehead Beach. It's scenery that we Novocastrians take for granted,but would welcome showing any visiting cyclist,at any time.Check it out.
  • Glen
    Completely agree with you Nick. Starting at Angelsea and heading up either hills at Skenes Creek or Benwerrin are both really good climbs. GOR is actually a pretty safe road, cars seem a lot more patient and aware of cyclists than around central Melbourne.
  • Man you don't know what you're missing! Now's the best time of year - all the kiddies are at school & the warm weather makes the beach that much nicer...
  • Riding it during the Otway Classic 100 mile ride is a good time. There are plenty of other riders out, so traffic is aware of the riders up ahead).
  • James
    Some amazing photos. Stelvio Pass, wow! I'm particularly looking forward to riding my bike to 14000m in the Himalayas. Will have to remember the strap on wings and jet engine though, perhaps 14000' is more accurate?
  • Just my attempt at sarcasm...

    ;-)
  • Capo Grouppo
    There is always another road to find, that's why I love cycling so much. I could add heaps more to your list and I'll pass on some more shots of the Stelvio to CT but check this relatively unknown climb out. http://www.salite.ch/scanuppia.asp
  • flat road man
    check out this report on that climb ...
    http://italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com/2009/...
  • martyg82
    Nice pics! Would love to try that Stelvio Pass, but I'm worried that I would have to get a triple on the front and a 27 cog on the back!

    By New Zealand, you must mean out of Queenstown/Wanaka? I'm living in Wellington, and although we have a few good climbs, nothing rivals these roads! I can't wait to take my bike down to the south island though! It looks amazing!
  • JeffyB
    Some of the roads in Italy are just nuts. I found one that had a 5 km section at 20%. The Stelvio isn't that bad, it's just long, so don't get carried away on the lower slopes. The part you see on all the postcards is only half of the climb.

    Now if you really want to suffer, go try the Fedia!
  • MJMK
    I agree Jeffy, the Fedia is just a suffer fest, after riding it and sitting on single figures to watch the Pro's race it at mid 20's is just amazing, a great climb and should be on everyones bucket list.
  • Martin
    I agree, the Fedaia has its moments, especially if - like me the first time I rode it - you are unaware of its gradients and try to ride it as the final mountain of the day. The Stelvio, however, wins on overall points: length, height, scenery. Not for nothing its nicname is "il re", Italian for the King. What is nice is that when you ride it in summer and you arrive on the top in your cycling shirt, you meet skiers who are taking the lift to ski on the glacier.
    In general, the Dolomites are a cycling heaven, with many beautiful and steep climbs, some of them mentioned here already (Mortirolo, Sella loop). Beats the Alps and the Pyrenees by far.
  • GTI
    Ill be doing all of those Italian climbs in less than 3 months!!! woo hoo
  • DS
    Climbs in Italy are ace. You must do the Gavia. Is better than Stelvio in my opinion.

    May 2008 we did Giro and did Marmolada, Sella Loop of 4 climbs in the one day, Stelvio and Gavia and a few others. Magnificent.

    Need to go back and do Mortirolo one day.
  • gm
    one of my favourites, but not as breath taking as what you have listed, but still a nice saturday afternoon ride is hurstbridge out to nutfeild, over mine road and turn left to strathewan and out to the dead end, turn around and return to greens road at arthurs creek, left into greens and left at the next T intersection and return back to hurstbridge or go back up mines road and repeat. a lot of rolling hills and if done with a few friends the bragging rights at the top of mines road on the 2nd loop is well worth it. i have won and also lost a few coffees at the hurstbridge bakery on the ride home.
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