Roaarsome Road Rides

A flat, mostly windy round through the north-west of Cologne on dirt roads and side roads with little traffic.This round leads along the Rhine via Worringen in the north-west of Cologne to shortly before Grevenbroich. The route is mostly flat and mostly leads over field and bike paths.The highlight for climbers is the Vollrather Höhe on about half of the route. The wind is a constant companion here in the opencast mining area. It drives the huge clouds of water vapor from the power plants across the country and all too often prevents a new record.The round is named after the village of Anstel, which belongs to the municipality of Rommerskirchen. If you need some refreshment in between, you are in good hands at the “Eiscafé Venezia” in Stommeln.

A short, crisp round through the Bergisches Land with one or the other well-known climb.The exit starts at the petrol station on Bonner Wall. Over the Severinsbrücke it zigzags through the districts of Cologne on the right bank of the Rhine until you finally reach Refrath and Lückerath. Finally you can do the first meters in altitude! A little dangling over the Milchborntalweg to Bensberg and there the pulse rises: It goes up to the Bensberg Castle. The legendary, paved ascent is an integral part of Around Cologne. Take a short rest and enjoy the view of Cologne. It continues to Moitzfeld and Ehrenfeld. Shake your legs out and let them roll relaxed to Immekeppel.You can also drive flat in the Bergisches Land. But never for long, because the next climb is coming faster than you think: the Bärbroich. A nice climb through the forest. 1.5 kilometers with an average gradient of 7 percent. Once at the top it is time to “let it roll” to Herkenrath. From there it goes on side streets through Ober- and Untersteinbach. From Dürscheid up to the top. Finally another climb - but everything is easy. With an average gradient of only 3 percent, even a flat-country Cologne resident is only slightly challenged.The rapid descent to Herrenstrunden is followed - how could it be otherwise - another ascent. And that's a very fine one: a kilometer in length with an average gradient of six percent. At the top of the intersection you can build an extra loop over Rommerscheid. Or you turn directly right onto a dirt road through the small hamlet of Combüchen, cross the main road and drive on the panorama path to the coffee and waffle stop at Affemia. Here you can enjoy the beautiful view over the entire Cologne Bay.A small request: Since there are many hikers here when the weather is nice, please drive carefully and be considerate of everyone else.From here it goes down back to Kölle with a few sections for shooting. Here you can pull the cut up again neatly.Have fun and greetings to Thorsten!

The 120-kilometer route takes you through the "Flatlands", the lignite opencast mining area in the west of Cologne, to Düsseldorf and back to the cathedral city.You start at the Cologne bike stadium and the first notable stopover is the town of Brauweiler, known for its abbey. Attentive Plan Z listeners know that I broke my collarbone when I hit the bike path.The “Flatlands” begin not far behind Brauweiler: flat, susceptible to wind, not very busy and sometimes a little eerie, this region, shaped by opencast mining, appears. The “Terranova Speedway” starts at the Hambach opencast mine. The former overburden belt route is now a 14 km long, car and crossing-free cycle path, on which the time trial championships of the NRW regional association take place every year.From kilometer 40, the route heads north until it reaches the Rhine at Stürzelberg. From here it gets a little bit more busy, because behind the Fleher Bridge we are driving into forbidden urban areas. You are now in Düsseldorf, where you should visit the “Schicke Mütze” bike shop. It is a popular destination for cyclists from the region. Here you can also watch one of the training animals eating cake in the wild.If the wind is favorable, it's now freshly strengthened via Dormagen and Pulheim back to Cologne at full throttle.Refreshments: Forum Terranova near Elsdorf, Schicke Mütze in Düsseldorf

A nice standard circuit for all situations: not too long, not too short, a little flat, a little climbing, a little full throttle - and all of this in a well-coordinated rhythm.It starts along the Rhine and then through the fields south to the mouth of the Sieg - from there through the Siegauen to Troisdorf. This is where climbing begins: up to Wahner Heide, up to Halberg, up to Muchensiefen and one last time up to Altenrath.Where it goes up, it goes down again: Rapid descents like the one to Kreuznaaf are waiting for you. On the “Alte Kölner Straße” at the airport, the cut can be really polished up again. With a lot of pull on the chain, you fly past the parked planes and you're as good as at home.

Once on the north-south passage through the Bergisches Land - there are more than 1,300 meters of altitude difference over Cologne's 111 kilometers, including crisp climbs and undulating ups and downs.The Bergisch can certainly also be crossed on faster paths, but on this rather low-traffic route you have the peace and quiet to enjoy the beauty of the surroundings - if the percentage of inclines allows it. Open pastures around Neschen, rollercoaster rides to Biesfeld, panoramic views from the Heckberg, the tranquil Naafbachtal ... - there is a lot on offer here. At the end, it goes again at a fast pace at the airport, to then cheer comfortably back to Kölle in the direction of the beer garden.

The "Brother Klaus Field Chapel" built by Peter Zumthor is an architectural highlight and the route to the northern edge of the Eifel is a real pilgrimage.It starts flat: a first wave is waiting
in Rösberg on you and from there the route in the direction of Euskirchen steadily increases slightly. A first climbing highlight is the path up to the Steinbachtalsperre, followed by a rapid descent down to Aloff.Shortly before Bad Münstereifel, the route rises again. You should definitely take the following loop with you! The stretch through the pine forest between Eschweiler and Weiler feels like a vacation. From the chapel it is mostly downhill and mostly with a tail wind. After a good 100 kilometers, the "Wall of Metternich" stands in your way. It then goes back home via the Villerücken.

Squadron flight towards Nörvenich: The training lap in the southwest, wide, well-paved dirt roads, wide views over the open field, this is where the cycling community romps.Ideal for getting out of town for a moment and sniffing some country air and freedom. You can ride it as a brisk training session, but also as a cozy little round. Abbreviations and numerous variations are possible, the basic character of the tour remains: villages, fields and many a castle.The altitude difference is limited, but the plateau around Berrenrath has to be climbed both on the way there and on the way back.If you would like to make a stop, you can pay a visit to the café at Schloss Türnich. If you are as well informed as the jet spotter scene, you can also time your tour so that you can catch a glimpse of the jets taking off at Nörvenich airfield - or you just happen to pass the airfield at the time of this noisy spectacle.On the way back it goes down the "Berrenrath ramp" - but if you are still fit, you naturally put on an extra shift and race up the ramp again before you return to the Decksteiner Weiher on the familiar path.

A day trip to the Ahr Valley always gives me the feeling of a nice short vacation. Before you are there, however, you first have to pedal a good 70 kilometers.The exit starts in Südstadt at the gas station on Bonner Wall. It goes out via Raderberg, Rondorf, Meschenich and Berzdorf. At Brühl you drive over a piece similar to Paris-Roubaix past Schloss Falkenlust. So step on the gas and hold the handlebars tight. Behind Sechtem it goes up to the Côte de Rösberg - a roughly one kilometer long ascent with an average of 6.3 percent gradient.You cross the Villerücken and drive down to Metternich. From there it continues in the direction of Rheinbach. This is followed by the beautiful four-kilometer ascent to Todenfeld in the Ahr Mountains. "Active relaxation" is now possible up to Berg, after which it goes uphill again to Freisheim. In Unter-Krälingen you take the beautiful descent on the serpentine road to Kreuzberg and get from the Sahrtal to the Ahrtal and from the forest to the vineyards.On the "Red Wine Road" you loop through the Ahr Valley to Dernau, where a beautiful, approximately 1.5-kilometer climb through the vineyards awaits you. You will be rewarded with a fantastic view over the Ahr valley and the vineyards. Take a short rest, enjoy the view and continue on.In the direction of Holzweiler and Kalenborn you unfortunately leave the Ahr valley again. But you still have a few nice sections to Cologne in your luggage. For example, the beautiful descent from Hilberath to Altendorf. You cross the apple orchards near Meckenheim and thus arrive in the Kottenforst. Via Witterschlick and Bornheim you drive home through the fields.Enjoy your short vacation - have fun!

The 150-kilometer route from Cologne to the Eifel is a real classic for cyclists from the Cologne region.The route in the direction of Hürth, the “hotspot” of the Cologne cycling scene, starts from the cycling stadium. André Greipel, Nikias Arndt, Phil Bauhaus and Nils Politt live and train here. The legendary “Rampe Berrenrath”, one of the most competitive segments in the region, is also located here.The route to Kreuzau in the Rureifel takes you along numerous dirt roads and side roads with little traffic. Now eat again, because from here it will be much more difficult. After 55 kilometers, the short and steep “Petacchi Mountain” gets in the way. According to legend, Alessandro Petacchi bought the parking ticket here at the Giro 2002.This is followed by a beautiful descent from Vossenack into the Kall valley and another climb up to Schmidt. Suspended? No problem, the rest of the group will be waiting for you in the bakery.From Schmidt the route leads down to the Rurtalsperre - a great photo spot! The highest point on the route is reached at 90 km: the Kermeter, which is a little over 500 meters high. Pea soup fans take the alternative route via Heimbach and make a stop at Mariawald Abbey.On the way back it's almost all downhill - often with a tail wind. You won't get much of the following locations until Cologne with “full force ahead”.Refreshments: Kreuzau, Schmidt, Mariawald

+++ The L352 from Allner up to Happerschoß is currently not passable (thanks to frau_spatz for the hint) - the diversion route runs via Bröl +++A varied round into the Bergisch to the Wahnbachtalsperre, which can be combined with a visit to the Sieg. If you want to splash around, pack your swimming trunks or bring enough time to let the bib shorts dry in the sun.Along the Rhine, you first drive south, before slowly climbing up into the Bergische after a short interlude in the field. The view of the Wahnbachtalsperre invites you to pause for a moment.Following the course of the Sieg, there are two options in Allner: take the Mühlenberg ascent directly to Happerschoß or attach an extra loop to it to pay a visit to the Siegufer. You can combine the latter with a well-deserved cooling off in summer, which is also rewarded with a view of Blankenberg Castle.Behind Happerschoß, the way back offers more Bergisch finesse with a few ups and downs, before you start the final spurt on Panzerstraße along the airport. Through the satellites on the right bank of the Rhine like Finkenberg, it goes back down to the Rhine, where you can comfortably roll out the tour.

A nice, relaxed after-work round over the Ville with cooling in the Otto-Maigler-See. Pack your swimming trunks and off you go!The exit starts at the gas station on Bonner Wall and it goes south. You drive via Raderberg, Rondorf, Meschenich and Berzdorf until you take a short but rumbling piece of pavé under your wheels at Falkenlust Castle near Brühl. Along the railway line between Cologne and Bonn you drive to Sechtem and turn from there to Rösberg. Here you can treat yourself to the steep ascent ("Côte de Rösberg") or - as on this tour - take the moderate ascent via Auelsgasse.

Once at the top, you roll through the fields of the Ville. Especially in summer you have perfect photo light here. You continue to Weilerswist and from there on bad asphalt along the Swist in the direction of Bliesheim. A crisp ascent and it goes over a beautiful avenue towards Liblar.A little tip: stock up on cold drinks at the kiosk in Liblar, the cooling is approaching!You leave Liblar via Luxemburger Straße and roll over dirt roads to Berrenrather Straße, which rises slightly to the Knapsacker industrial area. In front of the industrial complex, turn left and take the exit to Burbach Monastery.The next section along the Otto-Maigler-See is unpaved. Those who prefer asphalt and not cooling down should take the path through Berrenrath. But if you want to jump into the lake, you are in good hands here on cozy summer evenings. Please now open the cold drink you brought with you and think of the most important things: From a water depth of 1.20 meters you must start swimming independently. Bottom up!Back to Cologne it goes with a wet bum via Hürth-Efferen.

The 130 kilometer long, demanding route starts in my new home in Cologne and ends in my old home in Unna. It crosses some regions of North Rhine-Westphalia such as the Rhineland, the Bergisches Land, the Sauerland and the Ruhr area.From the Cologne bike stadium, the route muddles through Cologne and nearby Leverkusen to the so-called Balkan Terrace, which begins in the Opladen district. The former railway line is a real cycle motorway. The route climbs gently up to Hückeswagen in the Bergisches Land. From there it goes uphill to Radevormwald and on to the Ennepetalsperre, one of the numerous dams along the route.At kilometer 80 the route leads up to Rummenohl. A challenging slope over a small side road is waiting for you here. Through the quiet valleys of the Sauerland, you pass the Brenscheider mill in the direction of Letmathe and from there into the Ruhr area to Schwerte. The route now leads mostly flat through the Ruhr valley to Unna. The goal is the “Stahlhaufen” bike café, where your legs can relax with coffee and cake from the 1,300 meters of altitude. For the way back please contact Leo 😜.Refreshments in Hückeswagen, Letmathe, Brenscheider Mühle