A long weekend in Italy - Lake Como.

homers_double

We've had a house there for ages but only played on the old bikes on the local trails and the odd short road ride but this coming October myself and three mates are flying over to Italy with the bikes and staying at our house in Mennagio, Lake Como.

Got a few routes planned, the obvious round the lake...

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/lake-como-route

A jaunt over to Switzerland...

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/me ... o-menaggio

And also, for those who have read Cyclist magazine a year or so ago a trip over on the ferry to Bellagio to climb "The Wall", then some route back which is as yet, undecided.

Really looking forward to it, pics as and when!

Silly Old Hector

What's the profile like ? I recall some inclines between Bellagio and Como...

Of course, this means great views 8)

homers_double

Around the lake it shouldnt be "that" hard as we'll be covering miles (or KM's) rather than focusing on climbing however there are a few on the way and we intend on hitting a nasty little climb out of belaggio one day, I just need to find a GPX for it as I've never knowingly walked there.

andymiller

I've not looked at your route (posting on an iPod) but there are some problems - the road on the eastern leg of the lake is (IIRC) off-limits to bikes - and if not one to avoid. There's also a fairly horrible tunnel on the western side of the eastern leg.

You don't mention the Madonna del Ghisallo, [edit: actually you do, but indirectly - the normal route is steep enough] but the climb from Belaggio is not to missed if you are there.

Check my website italy-cycling-guide.info for my suggested route (maps, gps tracks, yada yada):

http://italy-cycling-guide.info/themes/ ... ern-lakes/

Edit: opened your Lugano route on my tablet. I'm pretty much 100 percent sure you can't ride on the E45 into Lugano - stick with the minor road that rims alongside. The southern end of the lake is the most scenic bit - IMO.

homers_double

To be honest the routes were just quickly put in to gauge the distances, I know the place very well and know the leg down to Lecco is fairly grim and basicaly motorway all the way up to Varenna. I'll be looking into the finer details closer to the ride but I wont be using any GPS for the lake rise as its fairly simple to follow - water on the left...

The Ghisallo is the climb we're planning, do you have the GPX file for that? It was an article in Cyclist which brought it to light but it only has basic directions and as I said, I've never ventured that way.

/\ edit:- yes you do... found it thank you!

I assume you mean the E35 out of Lugano??? Again just to gauge the distance really, on this route I will be using GPS so will plot a finer route soon.

andymiller

homers double wrote:

/\ edit:- yes you do... found it thank you!

I assume you mean the E35 out of Lugano??? Again just to gauge the distance really, on this route I will be using GPS so will plot a finer route soon.

I must have misread the number. Yes the main road into/out of Lugano.

homers_double

Just updated the lugano loop with a slightly longer and more cycle friendly route around the western shore of the lake

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/me ... o-menaggio

Not huge at 90km but there is always the potential to extend it once we're back on Como if the legs are feeling ok.

homers_double

The 7 day countdown begins to my first foreign forray on two wheels.

Most things are here and ready, just got to get a new set of bibs and stretch the new bottle cages (at least the new bottles won't rattle loose).

Collect hired bike boxes and print some boarding passes. Woohoo...

homers_double

So we did three days of riding as seen here...

http://app.strava.com/activities/204790684

http://app.strava.com/activities/204790652

http://app.strava.com/activities/204790611

The garage.



Ready to roll.



Not quite at the top, but almost... It ramped up to 27% at one point.



Slight incident with a wall.



Near Varenna on Lake Como.



Waiting for a ferry.



At the side of Lake Lugano (Porlezza)