BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

Yeah, people speed on Shady, but the road is wide and shareable. I generally prefer Shady to S Highland. The only other options I can see involve Negley, Murray Hill Ave, or cutting through Chatham. Negley is narrower than Shady and the hill is unnerving or brutal depending on which way you're going. The other two options leave you doing something difficult on Fifth Avenue. Personally, I would use Shady, being very careful at Wilkins. If you want to avoid some of the trickier part of Shady in Squirrel Hill, ride down Deniston to Hastings (again, being careful crossing Wilkins), and then left on Hastings and right onto Shady.

I'm guessing the person who suggested you do otherwise didn't actually have any constructive suggestions...

Yeah, Shady is wide, but I just wanted to get others opinions. (esp since i haven't lived here that long & i'm still trying to get used to getting up that hill on the way home, haha) The person I was talking to just suggested taking Wilkins instead of Shady... but I didn't really see a great route taking that street..

I'm still trying to get used to getting up that hill too

You could always take the long way, Beechwood to fifth, take the right lane (ride in the center of it) for one block until you hit Denniston or Shady. Take a look at the bike map, the side streets in Shady Side are pretty chill.

Getting home up Beechwood is a lot more gradual and more relaxed since it's not as direct a route.

The clearly fun way is Wilkins to Negley. Try to go home that way and Shady won't seem so bad anymore.

Seriously, I live on Wightman and ride to Highland Park a couple times a week, I usually go down Negley and come back up Shady. Sometimes I'll take Beechwood but I don't think it's much better than Shady traffic-wise or difficulty-wise, and of course you have to ride on 5th to get there.

If your friend was suggesting Wilkins to 5th that is obviously way out of the way and I'd say it's worse as far as traffic, and almost as steep.

whenever i'm going between squirrel hill and shadyside, i generally go out of my way to take beechwood. it's a much more gradual slope, and a much wider road, with less traffic, and is generally a much more enjoyable ride.

when i lived in squirrel hill and worked in bloomfield, i would take wilkins and wightman every day. i didn't have a problem then, and it's even easier now that i'm actually in shape. but yeah, wilkins to fifth to, say, amberson, then ellsworth is, while a nice ride, rather out of the way.

i don't mind going up shady, but i always find it to be a pain going down. it's shorter (and therefore less enjoyable) than beechwood, and traffic not only has less room, but a seemingly overwhelming need to pass you, no matter how fast you're going. and then there's that bit where you're actually going uphill toward fifth, around a curve, and the cars behind you just can't hack it.

that block on fifth isn't scary at all, as long as you just take the lane. i ride it regularly, and have never been so much as beeped at.

oh, and just once in a while, you need to take murray hill. both up and down. it's too much fun to just ignore it all the time.

Cutting through Chatham is a pleasant option, though you have deal with a block or so Fifth Avenue since there isn't a cross street at the main entrance on Fifth.

thanks guys. yeah when he suggested wilkins i didn't really get it because i kind of felt like it wasn't much better & more out of my way.

i might take beechwood home for a change of pace. i'm not in as much of a hurry on my way home.

Is cutting through Chatham technically trespassing? I never ride or walk on Woodland - is it ok to do so or not? I must confess I've never actually *read* the signs...

I don't know if it's "trespassing" or not but I bike up through there on my way home a lot. Never had a problem. Just watch out for the speed bumps.

FWIW, I walk through the Vincentian High School campus a lot. I often carry a plastic bag and pick up litter & glass, delivering dropped car keys to the front door, etc. Fifteen years, nobody has stopped me, but if they do, I would point out that I'm the sort of trespasser they -want- cutting through.

Keep it slow, don't draw attention, and do only good, no harm.

I can't imagine a young woman on a bike is ever going to be hassled by the Chatham police.

If you're making that trip Chatham is well worth exploring.

I lived on College Ave for years and went through Chatham whenever it was convenient. The signs are daunting, but I've never been stopped.

The hill is gradual and pleasant through there. There is a little extra elevation and you can't use it. Going to Sq Hill you swoop down to serious stops at Wilkins and going to Shadyside there are some killer speed bumps.

You might have to wait at 5th to get across to college.

If you don't like traffic, it a respite.

Mick

The best bet is probably Chatham, I live in Shadyside and work on Walnut, and also Forbes in Sq. Hill. Coming home from Sq. Hill I usually just ride down Shady, no matter how fast your going on that road people will ALWAYS try to pass you up. One night some guy was riding next to me shouting something that I couldn't understand and he passed me up and five seconds later I caught up to him at the light so I asked him what he was saying. "You were going like 35-40 miles an hour!" He seemed really nice and kept calling me "baby" which was weird but funny. But if i'm going that fast downhill why would you ever pass me?

I don't speed down that hill anymore but for anyone who does take that road remember the Pittsburgh left! Ive had way too many close calls with people paying absolutely no attention to you on the other side of the road.

But if i'm going that fast downhill why would you ever pass me?

i was going down stanton from the top down to chislett the other day at 35 mph, and i got passed by two cars within a block. it's 25 through there. some streets are just like that--people go fast, so they feel the need to be sure there is nothing that could possibly slow them down, even if it's way faster than they would normally go. i've found shady to be like that, too, which is why i recommend avoiding it if you're new to the area or don't like cars.

Well, I just got buzzed TWICE by the same bus while I was coasting down Liberty Ave at 25+. Dude gave me what seemed like < 6 inches. Took down the bus # and route # after the second time.