Hi all,

It looks like I may have an opportunity to accept a promotion but would entail a move to Medford, Oregon area. My question is how's the road riding there?
Is there a good racing and event scene?
\Thanks

I've done a little riding in the Medford area when my in-laws still lived there, and I think you'll find a lot of good riding, both on and off road. I can't speak to the overall scene, but with Ashland nearby, I suspect you'll be able to connect with some cyclists. I wouldn't be dreading finding a bad situation. The only ride/race I know of I can't recall the name of, but it's a fairly long mtn. bike race in the Siskyous (which I probably misspelled).

bradley
bleckblog.org

Hi all,

It looks like I may have an opportunity to accept a promotion but would entail a move to Medford, Oregon area. My question is how's the road riding there?
Is there a good racing and event scene?
\Thanks


http://www.siskiyouvelo.org

I've only ridden in the area a few times and have only been in the area a few more times then that to visit my inlaws but I'd say the riding is good. It's easy to get out of the populated areas. Most road races are going to be 3 - 5 hours North of you though there is a weekly evening race series in the summer that I was able to participate in once this last summer (I think it's the SO Thursday Nighters) at this link.
Schedule (http://obra.org/schedule/2006/index.html)

Oregon isn't USA Cycling land, OBRA (http://www.obra.org) is the governing body for racing (and does a great job of it).

Join the OBRA mailing list (http://obra.org/email_list.html) and ask your question there.


Hi all,

It looks like I may have an opportunity to accept a promotion but would entail a move to Medford, Oregon area. My question is how's the road riding there?
Is there a good racing and event scene?
\Thanks

Hi all,

It looks like I may have an opportunity to accept a promotion but would entail a move to Medford, Oregon area. My question is how's the road riding there?
Is there a good racing and event scene?
\Thanks
I LIVE IN ASHLAND (13 MI FROM MEDFORD) AND DO A LOT OF ROAD RIDING ALL OVER THE AREA.THE SHORT ANSWER IS THAT THE CYCLING IS GREAT.THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BIKE SHOPS AT LEAST ONE OF WHICH SPONSERS A TEAM. THERE ARE TWO WORLD RENOWNED CUSTOM BIKE BUILDERS IN THE VALLEY AS WELL(LANDSHARK AND DESALVO).
IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO RIDE DON'T BE.YOU WILL LOVE IT.

Hi all,

It looks like I may have an opportunity to accept a promotion but would entail a move to Medford, Oregon area. My question is how's the road riding there?
Is there a good racing and event scene?
\Thanks


will test your lungs like no other. check out the obra.org site for details. lots of events around the ashland/medford area and good rides into the Siskiyous....I'm jealous in a way as I'm having to drive further and further away from Portland to get in different rides...
winter riding will be limited, but the other 3 seasons will do you well.

Riding in the Medford area will test your lungs in another way as well. Its got some of the worst air quality in the Pacific Northwest. Particulate matter is the primary pollutant of concern. Welcome to Oregon, but please keep riding, stay out of your car and speak out for clean air!

Yo Edwin...

I've lived in the Medford/Ashland area now for 4+ years. The road riding is great. The joker with the air quality comment is right and wrong. If you live in smack-dab-center of Medford, yes the air sucks and the riding sucks. But nobody that rides actually rides in the center of Medford. There are great rides out to Applegate Lake, or Grants Pass, or up the old highway toward Klamath Falls. Serious mountain biking around here too. There's one fairly serious road racing group out of the Medford Cycle Sport shop, and lots and LOTS of independently wealthy early retirees with Sevens and Serottas who're out in the middle of the day, every day....bastards.

There's one fairly serious road racing group out of the Medford Cycle Sport shop, and lots and LOTS of independently wealthy early retirees with Sevens and Serottas who're out in the middle of the day, every day....bastards.

Somebody sounds a little, shall we say, envious? :p

Of the bikes? Not really. I've got a sweet DeSalvo made right in Ashland.

Of the free time available to ride? Absofrickinglutely.

Over & Out

Hi all,

It looks like I may have an opportunity to accept a promotion but would entail a move to Medford, Oregon area. My question is how's the road riding there?
Is there a good racing and event scene?
\Thanks

The road riding in the Medford area is very good. Lots of variety. The valley floor between Ashland and Sams Valley has everything from dead flat to undulating foothills and then you've got a dozen or more big climbs in the Siskiyou and Cascade mountains. There is just as much good mountain biking. I'll also say that winter riding is NOT limited. We get rain in winter, but nowhere near as much as up north. Our winters are pretty mild and even when it's stormy, we're in a rain shadow from the Siskiyous - it's not uncommon to see rain falling in the hills all day but stay dry.

The racing scene in Oregon is fantastic - if you're like me and want to race a lot, you'll have to be willing to travel. There are four teams - Cycle Analysis, Cycle Sport, DeSalvo/Etna Brewing & Marty's Cycle. We don't have a ton of races down here. There's a Spring TT series in March, a few MTB (Cross Country & Downhill) races scattered throughout the year, the summer Thursday Night Circuit Race series and the Mt Ashland Hillclimb. Those are the only stalwarts of the racing scene. This year we have the Table Rock RR on 5/7 on a great course a few miles north of Medford, and a 3 week Short Track series starting next week. Hopefully those will keep going. There are a lot of strong riders here but supporting racing is difficult because southern oregon is a little isolated - only the most dedicated racers from up north come down here to race - the folks in Portland/Eugene/Salem have hundreds of races to choose from, they can race 7 days a week in the summer.. why come down here?

Feel free to visit the Siskiyou Velo website and shoot me an email if you have any questions.

Riding in the Medford area will test your lungs in another way as well. Its got some of the worst air quality in the Pacific Northwest. Particulate matter is the primary pollutant of concern. Welcome to Oregon, but please keep riding, stay out of your car and speak out for clean air!

Medford is better than it used to be in the 80's - the pollution can be bad on cold and hot days with no wind, but most days have no more or less air pollutants than Bend or Eugene - Portland/Salem is usually worse. The valley is surrounded by mountains on 3 sides - on cold days in particular, there will be an inversion layer at 3-4,000 feet and the smog just sticks to the valley floor. You get above the inversion layer and the weather is glorious. In summer, we don't have that inversion layer, but there is rarely any wind until late afternoon so the smog just gets stuck.

Then again, the current administration is considering loosening air quality standards for Medford so things may change for the worse. Right now, it's a beautiful 50 degree morning with clear skies - air quality is pretty good.