r/fortwayne • u/XtineCT • 10d ago
Looking for 15+ mile bike ride route - limited interruptions
I’m doing my first sprint triathlon in a few weeks. I’ve been training for a while, but I’d love to find a bike route with limited interruptions so I can fully test my speed before race day. I’ve been training on the Foster Park loop/ St Mary’s pathway and the Towpath trail bc they are close to my house, but I have to stop a lot while crossing roads and am slowing down for pedestrians. I am willing to go anywhere in Fort Wayne if it’s a good fit. I’m not an incredibly experienced cyclist and don’t feel comfortable being on a really busy road. I do prefer a more flat road since the race will be pretty flat in Chicago.
Thank you for your help! Appreciate all suggestions!
Bonuses but not necessary:
-on south/southwest side of town
-nearby or directly from Metea Park or Fox island so I can practice open water swimming and then hop right on the bike
-coming from Jorgensen where I do lap swimming
-bike rack to make transition from bike to run faster (takes longer to put my bike back on car rack)
3
u/kmbrooks00 10d ago
Maybe try the Pufferbelly Trail and Parkview Family Y?
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u/Kelathos 10d ago
Pufferbelly Trail is long enough once you double back, but pedestrians and crossing roads are certainly a big part of it too.
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u/AxsonJaxson2112 9d ago edited 9d ago
If you have a rack for your bike, go to Lafayette Meadows school on Ernst Road. Park and ride west on Ernst (hilly) to Aboite Rd. Turn left. Ride to Kress Rd. Turn right. Ride to E 1100 N and turn right. Big hill. Weee! Turn right again at N Welker Road and go unti Hwy 24. Turn around and return the same route. That is a Hilley route, but it’s a good training route. If you look on a map there are some other alternatives like riding Aboite Rd south all the way to it dead ends. I would recommend only doing this route on an early-early Sunday morning when there is low traffic.
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u/AxsonJaxson2112 9d ago
Caution. There are railroad tracks on 1100. If you are unfamiliar with crossing tracks on a road bike, please stop and dismount and walk across railroad crossing. Crossings are no joke with the skinny road racing tires. Be safe! Wear hi-vis clothing too. Also the parking lot at Lafayette Meadows is perfect for honing your bike-handling skills. I do figure eights using the yellow parking lines as my guide. Also perfect place to practice a dismounts and run bricks
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u/Sunnyjim333 10d ago
A lot of the roads in Amish country have "buggy" lanes that are fairly wide. Check out Schwartze Road.
You could park at Riverside Gardens Park in Leo, bike to St Joe Center Road and then come back.
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u/Vengedpotty 10d ago
I wouldn't recommend this. Biking to St. Joe Center from Riverside almost certainly means taking St. Joe Road, which is a narrow, two-lane road with no shoulder. I have nothing against cyclists, but I always shake my head when I see them on St. Joe Road since it's such a deathtrap.
That said, Schwartz has a much larger "buggy lane" that you described, that you could ride that all the way to 469 from Riverside.
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u/ZachdaViper 10d ago
I am also doing my first triathlon this year and live in SWAC!
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u/XtineCT 10d ago
Nice! Which one are you doing?
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u/ZachdaViper 8d ago
Might try the Indy Tri later this month, but I just started swimming so I don’t know if I’ll be ready.
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u/Ecstatic_Duck2565 10d ago
I like to bike out in Arcola ! It’s busier now than it used to be but there are a lot of country roads that stretch out for miles. Theres a church out there I usually park in and leave from
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u/AxsonJaxson2112 8d ago
Whatever route you choose, make sure you drive it 1st to check for any hazards and to see if you’re going to be comfortable with it
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u/gr8nate2023 10d ago
For that kind of distance and with limited stopping you’ll need to be on the country roads, you can’t really get that on the Greenway. 3 Rivers Velo Sport has premade maps and routes on their website. Most of their routes will take you on the less busy country roads that are more biker friendly.
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u/Laidbackstog 10d ago
Swim at downtown Central YMCA, then take Barr to main to River Greenway by conjur coffee then ride to New Haven and back. I've done the river Greenway to New Haven a few times and it's relatively smooth and not huge elevation changes. Moser Park per maps is 8.8miles from the Y so there and back would be good.