Flag. Sedona is an over hyped tourist trap. The real riding is in Flag for sure. It's cooler there too. Sedona has rocks that are red, once you get past that it's no big deal.
sedona or flagstaff....and why??
sedona or flagstaff....and why??
sedona looks much more attractive to me as a mountain cyclist...but people keep talking about flagstaff
sedona looks much more attractive to me as a mountain cyclist...but people keep talking about flagstaff
1 - 20 of 22 Posts
It's summer time?Danp87 said:sedona looks much more attractive to me as a mountain cyclist...but people keep talking about flagstaff
Why not both?
I think I like Sedona better, but it's a close call.. The techy rock riding is really fun in my opinion. The topography is a little more up and down, and there are some pretty tech, steep climbs. I think Sedona would've been nearly impossible to nabigate without a guide.
Flag is also sweet. The trails on Elden are fast and flowy. It's mountainous and beautiful, and the ride takes on a more up and then down character. I bought a map at Cosmic Cycles in town, and it has tons of good options marked. There also appears to be a decent amount of DH/FR type stuff which I need to play on. I saw some trails that were really nicely bermed out.
I think I like Sedona better, but it's a close call.. The techy rock riding is really fun in my opinion. The topography is a little more up and down, and there are some pretty tech, steep climbs. I think Sedona would've been nearly impossible to nabigate without a guide.
Flag is also sweet. The trails on Elden are fast and flowy. It's mountainous and beautiful, and the ride takes on a more up and then down character. I bought a map at Cosmic Cycles in town, and it has tons of good options marked. There also appears to be a decent amount of DH/FR type stuff which I need to play on. I saw some trails that were really nicely bermed out.
Sedona doesn't have any big cilmbs/descents. They have short rocky chutes up and down. You can definitely put in many many miles in Sedona, and there are some cool epic loops like H******E, High on the Hog, and Hangover, but if you crave long climbs and descents, Sedona doesn't deliver due to the wilderness area that starts 400' above the town. Flagstaff has all sorts of stuff, like tame mostly-flat XC trails, nice banked gentle DH trails, crazy technical uphills and downhills, trails with massive jumps built up, big climbs and descents, and everything in between. Flagstaff is much more like riding you'd experience in Colorado, aka "Big Mountain-riding". You can climb up to above 9000' in Flagstaff (the peaks go up to 12,600, but are wilderness), where it's always cool in the summer, and then descend down to around 7000'.Danp87 said:sedona or flagstaff....and why??
sedona looks much more attractive to me as a mountain cyclist...but people keep talking about flagstaff
Sedona has come a long way in the last 10 years though, with many more "interesting" trails. It's far too hot for me to ride there in the summer. Even though it's just barely breaking 100 degrees, the lack of cover and reflection of energy from the rock faces makes it feel quite a bit hotter. Flagstaff on the other hand is cool during the summer, almost never "hot". During the winter Flagstaff is snowed in, but Sedona is just 30min down the road. Sedona also has a pretty high cost of living and a totally different vibe than Flagstaff. Flagstaff is a college-town and very "outdoorsy" (hiking, climbing, biking, running, kayaking, etc). Sedona is very "artsy". During the winter Sedona is a nice place to ride, in fact I rode it a LOT this winter due to a wetter-than-average winter that made some of our local trails unridable for a short while (rare for us though). If I want big descents/climbs in the winter though, I have to go to Phoenix.
Sedona does have awesome scenery, but so does Flagstaff, especially when the aspens turn in the Fall. Sedona seems to get compared to Moab a lot due to the rock, but realize that it's not nearly on the same scale due to the wilderness area limitation. Trails in Moab cover a lot more terrain. Sedona is a good place though where you can easily reach many riding other destiations without much travel, as Flagstaff is close, Prescott (we have hundreds of miles of trails here) is an hour away, Phoenix is 1.5 hours, and so on. You just have to be able to stand the heat though, and it's pretty brutal in the summer, not as brutal as Phoenix though.
I just rode in Flagstaff today, and it was great. Prescott is also in a location where it doesn't take too much driving to get to many different riding destinations. Sedona is an hour away, Flagstaff is 1.5 hours, Phoenix is around 2. We have hundreds of miles of trails right around here though, so most of the time I just ride here. We have some bigger climbs and descents, more like Flagstaff than Sedona, but not the same quality of trails unfortunately. That said, some big rides are possible here with lots of vertical due to the local mountains.
sedona.Danp87 said:sedona or flagstaff....and why??
sedona looks much more attractive to me as a mountain cyclist...but people keep talking about flagstaff
because you said 'mountain cyclist.'
who in sedona is willing to ride with a noob,to the area but not to mtb, I like AM, more than XC.
J:Jayem said:Sedona doesn't have any big cilmbs/descents. They have short rocky chutes up and down. You can definitely put in many many miles in Sedona, and there are some cool epic loops like H******E, High on the Hog, and Hangover, but if you crave long climbs and descents, Sedona doesn't deliver due to the wilderness area that starts 400' above the town. Flagstaff has all sorts of stuff, like tame mostly-flat XC trails, nice banked gentle DH trails, crazy technical uphills and downhills, trails with massive jumps built up, big climbs and descents, and everything in between. Flagstaff is much more like riding you'd experience in Colorado, aka "Big Mountain-riding". You can climb up to above 9000' in Flagstaff (the peaks go up to 12,600, but are wilderness), where it's always cool in the summer, and then descend down to around 7000'.
Sedona has come a long way in the last 10 years though, with many more "interesting" trails. It's far too hot for me to ride there in the summer. Even though it's just barely breaking 100 degrees, the lack of cover and reflection of energy from the rock faces makes it feel quite a bit hotter. Flagstaff on the other hand is cool during the summer, almost never "hot". During the winter Flagstaff is snowed in, but Sedona is just 30min down the road. Sedona also has a pretty high cost of living and a totally different vibe than Flagstaff. Flagstaff is a college-town and very "outdoorsy" (hiking, climbing, biking, running, kayaking, etc). Sedona is very "artsy". During the winter Sedona is a nice place to ride, in fact I rode it a LOT this winter due to a wetter-than-average winter that made some of our local trails unridable for a short while (rare for us though). If I want big descents/climbs in the winter though, I have to go to Phoenix.
Sedona does have awesome scenery, but so does Flagstaff, especially when the aspens turn in the Fall. Sedona seems to get compared to Moab a lot due to the rock, but realize that it's not nearly on the same scale due to the wilderness area limitation. Trails in Moab cover a lot more terrain. Sedona is a good place though where you can easily reach many riding other destiations without much travel, as Flagstaff is close, Prescott (we have hundreds of miles of trails here) is an hour away, Phoenix is 1.5 hours, and so on. You just have to be able to stand the heat though, and it's pretty brutal in the summer, not as brutal as Phoenix though.
I just rode in Flagstaff today, and it was great. Prescott is also in a location where it doesn't take too much driving to get to many different riding destinations. Sedona is an hour away, Flagstaff is 1.5 hours, Phoenix is around 2. We have hundreds of miles of trails right around here though, so most of the time I just ride here. We have some bigger climbs and descents, more like Flagstaff than Sedona, but not the same quality of trails unfortunately. That said, some big rides are possible here with lots of vertical due to the local mountains.
Great post.
Ditto. Why not do Prescott too while you're at it? All three are worthy.Noelg said:
how much do you like shoveling snow? - Steve Garro, Coconino Cycles.
In the spirit of the Tempe thread or any thread that asks about Phoenix.
Phoenix has a lot better weather in the winter than Sedona or Flagstaff. You can ride year around on lots of interesting trails. You can probably find a career type job in Phoenix. Most of the trails in Phoenix have cellphone coverage so you can ride solo and feel reasonably "safe". If you are single, there are lots of attractive people around. Wednesday morning shuttles on south mountain are great if you like to downhill. Like baseball? Spring training games are great fun in march. Like the NFL? Go to ten games a year. Like NBA? NHL? MLB? Drive to games. Like to gamble? Lots of casinos close to town.
Bob
Phoenix has a lot better weather in the winter than Sedona or Flagstaff. You can ride year around on lots of interesting trails. You can probably find a career type job in Phoenix. Most of the trails in Phoenix have cellphone coverage so you can ride solo and feel reasonably "safe". If you are single, there are lots of attractive people around. Wednesday morning shuttles on south mountain are great if you like to downhill. Like baseball? Spring training games are great fun in march. Like the NFL? Go to ten games a year. Like NBA? NHL? MLB? Drive to games. Like to gamble? Lots of casinos close to town.
Bob
I wouldn't really agree with that, I'd say that Sedona has better winter weather, keeping it cool but not overly warm. Phoenix can easily hit 80 degrees during the winter, but Sedona will be 60-70 with lots of sunshine, perfect riding weather most of the time. That's why I hit up Sedona so much this last winter. Not to mention the air quality in Sedona is infinitely better, in Phoenix area you are warned to limit outside activity due to the air quality. Nasty inversion layers develop in the winter.bobo_krkk_NIN said:In the spirit of the Tempe thread or any thread that asks about Phoenix.
Phoenix has a lot better weather in the winter than Sedona or Flagstaff. You can ride year around on lots of interesting trails. You can probably find a career type job in Phoenix. Most of the trails in Phoenix have cellphone coverage so you can ride solo and feel reasonably "safe". If you are single, there are lots of attractive people around. Wednesday morning shuttles on south mountain are great if you like to downhill. Like baseball? Spring training games are great fun in march. Like the NFL? Go to ten games a year. Like NBA? NHL? MLB? Drive to games. Like to gamble? Lots of casinos close to town.
Bob
All of the Sedona trails are pretty close to the city, it's not like Moab where you are way the hell out there, I haven't had any issues with cell-phone coverage, but you are closer to civilization during rides in Sedona than many places around Phoenix.
If you need a "big city" on the other hand, well, that's what Phoenix is. The shopping, restaurants, entertainment and other aspects of the Phoenix area will be far better.
well Im here, and friendly and love to ride, hit me up if youre in sedona. Brews on me after the ride.
You're comlaining about 80º?Jayem said:Phoenix can easily hit 80 degrees during the winter, but Sedona will be 60-70 with lots of sunshine,
You actually listen to those "air quality" warnings? Let me guess, you probably need the "heat warnings" to tell you it's hot in the summer?Jayem said:Not to mention the air quality in Sedona is infinitely better, in Phoenix area you are warned to limit outside activity due to the air quality.
Sorry, just busting your chops. There's plenty to complain about riding in Phoenix summers but there is nothing to complain about Phoenix winters.
So, where are you? In a post above you said Sedona is 1 hour away, Flag 1.5, and Phoenix is 2 so you aren't in Sedona, Flag, or Phoenix, and Prescott isn't 2 hours from Phoenix.
Hell yeah, I'd rather be able to ride and not become a sweat-hog. 80 is on the warm side of things for sure. I'd rather it be in the 60s, then you can work hard, sweat a little, but always be cool. 80 in the direct sunlight without much cover feels warmer to me.big0mike said:You're comlaining about 80º?
As someone with a great deal of training/schooling in environmental and occupational health and safety, I do listen to such warnings and consider the long-term effects. With any long-term exposure it is hard at any one time to quantify the negative effects, but then one day "all of a sudden" you find that you need an oxygen bottle because your lungs are all screwed up. Most people don't really consider cumulative effects, and we are just beginning to see some of these effects in older people and at-risk groups. Yeah, this is real, it's not some made-up thing. It doesn't mean you'll get cancer or be hacking your lungs out after a ride, it means that you may have some potential health issues down the road. Not cool at all. I also fly over quite a bit and can always see where the "big brown cloud" starts. I find that pretty sickening.You actually listen to those "air quality" warnings?
Prescott is 2hrs away from phoenix riding w/stoplights and considering that you are leaving from your house and not city limits, there are often big slow-downs in Phoenix as well, as it's eternally under construction. Realistically 1.5hrs from Flagstaff. 1hr from Williams. 1hr to Sedona, although from my location in East PV I can make it to West Sedona in no more than 45 min, which is pretty nice. There are 3 main places that I start rides in Sedona though, West Sedona, the center of Sedona, and Oak Creek. Driving down to Oak Creek has sucked more and more as time has gone on, even with the widening of the road and traffic circles. Luckily I can ride there from West Sedona.
huh???:skep:rockychrysler said:sedona.
because you said 'mountain cyclist.'
A cabin on 89A.Danp87 said:sedona or flagstaff....and why??
sedona looks much more attractive to me as a mountain cyclist...but people keep talking about flagstaff
Why? Drive north in the summer and south in the winter.
80 is too hot in winter. prefer the snow or sedonabig0mike said:You're comlaining about 80º?
You actually listen to those "air quality" warnings? Let me guess, you probably need the "heat warnings" to tell you it's hot in the summer?
Sorry, just busting your chops. There's plenty to complain about riding in Phoenix summers but there is nothing to complain about Phoenix winters.
So, where are you? In a post above you said Sedona is 1 hour away, Flag 1.5, and Phoenix is 2 so you aren't in Sedona, Flag, or Phoenix, and Prescott isn't 2 hours from Phoenix.
So, basicly, you're just too smart for you own good? That's a compliment, BTW...Jayem said:As someone with a great deal of training/schooling in environmental and occupational health and safety, I do listen to such warnings and consider the long-term effects. With any long-term exposure it is hard at any one time to quantify the negative effects, but then one day "all of a sudden" you find that you need an oxygen bottle because your lungs are all screwed up. Most people don't really consider cumulative effects, and we are just beginning to see some of these effects in older people and at-risk groups. Yeah, this is real, it's not some made-up thing. It doesn't mean you'll get cancer or be hacking your lungs out after a ride, it means that you may have some potential health issues down the road. Not cool at all.
You remind me a tad of my GF. She's a dietitian and goes on and on about how ABSOLUTELY NOTHING that's not OKd by the FDA is good for you. If the FDA hasn't approved it then it MUST cause you harm. BS.
While I'm sure the cloud is capable of causing us harm it's gonna take A LOT MORE exposure to it than the average person gets for it to work it's magic on a normal, healthy person. The biggest problems we face are GENETICS and old age. The combination of which is rarely good. Your genetic makeup will be a far greater indicator of your health as you age. It's much more important than how many days you spent a couple hours outside in the "bad" air. How many times do we see someone that NEVER smoked or never around a smoker gets lung cancer? That's bad genetics.
So, while it's certainly as issue I worry about the air quality about as much as I worry about the global warming hoax perpetuated by the inventor of the internet.
Ignorance is bliss, right?
Man, we got some spoiled people in the state. 80º is getting warm but it's not even close to "hot."sinatorj said:80 is too hot in winter. prefer the snow or sedona
But, back to the topic...
Sedona and Flagstaff are great places to ride or hike and both are cooler than Phoenix.
If temperature is your only gauge go to Flag.
If you like the desert, red rock, and new-age-hippy-vortex-bs go to Sedona.
If you like the wilderness, trees, and old fashioned pot-head hippies go to Flag.
Or, better yet, go to Sedona on Saturday and Flag on Sunday. Then decide which you like better...
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