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Looking for some inspiration for road riding routes from/through Bingley. Open to any length but prefer to avoid the worst of the traffic!
I live to one side of Bingley and work the other so these comments are partly from a commuting perspective. TBH all the roads are busy, even the back lanes are rat-runs during commuting times and unless you like hills getting to those would be "interesting".
Heading Bradford/Leeds direction is going to be busy whatever so look at heading up the valley towards Skipton or over towards Wilsden then Hebden Bridge or the Worth Valley. There's a new(ish) trunk road up the valley so best to use the old main road through Crossflats, Riddlesden and Steeton. (There's a bike path to avoid Keighley - if you are coming from Riddlesden turn right where you see the Jewson's depot and go through the industrial estate). The new stuff ends at Kildwick so you need to used back lanes to avoid things.
Beyond all the generic stuff, anything about mileage of routes, etc.?
Cheers that's all helpful stuff. We live on the Eldwick side of the valley. So far I'm thinking the top road that drops down to Silsden near the golf course. Then its into the Dales, Skipton or Addingham/ Bolton Abbey. Seem to be some nice roads up Baildon Moor.
The cycle route you mention in Keighley is one I know.
As for route lengths I quite like to have a couple of nice 30 milers that I can go out an do if I just want a quick blast. Then a longer 60 miler that I can do if I'm feeling like a longer day out.
I live in Baildon, unfortunately road riding is not great from the door, all the moor roads are rat runs as described above and quite dangerous.
The nearest nice roadie riding is really the back road from Otley to Bolton Abbey.
This is a nice short route
https://www.strava.com/activities/652326154
another going out from Otley
https://www.strava.com/activities/676792228 ...quite hilly
another Otley one coming back via Bolton Abbey
https://www.strava.com/activities/628419334
This is one going up St Ives, Hebden Bridge, over Widdop, Colne, back via Keighley.
Its all hills around here though !
Once you get to Silsden, there are some quietish lanes that cut the corner from the road above Silsden to cross the A65 into Draughton. From there you can get over, via a very short stretch of A59 to the back roads around Embsay, and onwards to the Dales.
Yep, used to live in Silsden so happy once I get over there. Loads of routes. At the moment all I can think of is riding my old routes but tagging on the top back road between Bingley & Silsden golf course. The thought if that climb out of Silsden after a long ride isn't good! Hope to get some new routes up over past Eldwick, Baildon Moor etc.
As has been said, the moor roads, East Morton, Eldwick, Baildon are best avoided as quite dangerous.
I'm not too sure what rides you think you will get over Baildon Moor, it's only about 5 miles or so. Then you drop over to Wharfedale for the nice road biking
From Bingley I would be heading Silsden-Addingham.
The Aire Valley just isn't good for road bikes
My sis used to live in Keighley and all I remember about riding around there is that I kept finding brutally steep cobbled roads by mistake. Kind of fun to climb up (in THAT kind of way) but terrifying to descend on.
Ok, sounds like I'd best stick to the original plan of heading back through Silsden. Shame as some of those roads up on the moors look stunning. Just not worth risking though by the sounds of it.