[Relayden]

I'll be visiting Asheville next week for the PTBA meeting. I'm hoping to squeeze a ride on Monday around 4pm. Any good trails near city limits? where can I rent a good bike?

 

[Relayden]

Looks like I'll be arriving at 130pm now, so more time to ride. Looking for singletrack trails and a full suspension "demo" (rental). Have been suggested Bent Creek, how are the trails there? SOunds like a nice place, thou reading the reviews appears to have quite a lot of fireroad climbing. Any comments? Suggestions?

 

[supercusty]

Not any fire road at all if you follow a good route search previous posts about bent creek routes for a good one. The hub has demo bikes for you to rent but they are pretty far away. Carolina fatz is across the street from bent creek And surely have some demo bikes for you tO ride but I would call first

 

[Maida7]

If you want to stay close to Asheville, Bent Creek is probably your top choice. I'm really not sure what Asheville bike shops do rentals these days. Fats is closest to Bent Creek. Biowheels may have rentals and they are right town. There are several others, Liberty, Youngblood, etc... Just call around until you find one who does rentals. All the shops are quite good.

 

[Dscarbs]

In addition to the excellent shops listed above, Motion Makers Bikes is right near Bent Creek and Has Specialized demos as well.

 

[dobovedo]

Looks like I'll be arriving at 130pm now, so more time to ride. Looking for singletrack trails and a full suspension "demo" (rental). Have been suggested Bent Creek, how are the trails there? SOunds like a nice place, thou reading the reviews appears to have quite a lot of fireroad climbing. Any comments? Suggestions?

Fireroad uphill in BC is optional.. many choose to do it that way, but I usually don't. I believe ya gotta ride up it to deserve the privilege of riding down it. (I'm just masochistic that way)

Here's a way I'd go to cover most of BC with very little fireroad riding. This assumes you're looking at a BC Map:
Park @ Rice Pinnacle and start down the asphalt trail (Deer Lake Lodge: 664)
Bear L on Wolf Branch (666)
R on Ledford Rd. (479E)
Sharp L on Ingles Field Gap (150)
All the way up to Five Points
Continue up gravel North Boundary Rd (485) to top.
Green's Lick (139)
L on Sidehill (145: shows as road on map, but isn't)
Continue on Little Hickory Top (136) back to Five Points
Down Ingles Filed Gap (150: partway)
Down (R) Ingles Field Connector (150A)
R on Gravel Rd. (Boyd Branch? Sidehill? Not sure what that is called here.. but it's your only option)
L on Boyd. Branch Trail (665: easy but fast and fun)
R on Bent Creek Rd.
R on Boyd Branch Rd. (479F)
Immediate L on Lower Sidehill (137A)
R on Laurel Branch (479G) and quick L back onto Lower Sidehill (137A)
Then drop down Bent Creek Rd. to pick up and play around on any combination of the Explorer trails (337/337A/337B).
Explorer to Pine Tree (336)
L on paved road
R on paved road and go past Lake Powhatan)
Becomes gravel road
L on gravel (Bent Creek Gap/Hardtimes) towards Hardtimes Parking lot
R on Hardtimes Connector (661)
Cross paved road to stay on HC
Sharp R onto the asphalt path back to Rice Pinnacle.

Did ya get all that?

I have no idea how far that actually is. Depends on how much time you have as to how much of it you can cover. But the biggest climbs/descents are first, and you can bail at just about any point and head back towards Rice Pinnacle on one trail or another.

 

[Relayden]

Thanks for the advice all:thumbsup:

Saw on the web Sycamorecycles, they have Stumpjumpers for rent @$45p day, not bad. Guess I'd have to start calling the shops as soon as I land in order to be able to squeeze a ride. I wouldn't mind heading further for a ride if time would allow, I think I could be ready to ride close to 3pm. Also saw a shop that has night rides on Wednesdays, so I'm bringing my lights just in case I can make it.

 

[supercusty]

Sycamore is really far away from
Downtown Asheville might as well ride pisgah proper at that point