Asheville, NC Bike and Beer recommendations?

**Name Redacted** · 08-30-2016, 02:01 PM

Headed to Asheville for Thanksgiving and I'm looking for some suggestions. We'll be there about 10 days so have plenty of time to screw around. First off, looking for some trail suggestions. We'll be looking to Demo some bikes and ride most of the days there I think.

What is a good shop to rent from? Hoping to ride mostly dirt singletrack. Who has a good demo fleet?

What are some good rides? Singletrack with some tech would be good. 10-20 mile loops or something?

What are some of the better local breweries? Yeah, I know about new big breweries, might stop by them too, but mainly interested in the local flavors.

WTF else is there to do around those parts? I went to the Biltmore on a field trip in grade school. Don't care to go back.

**KenJongIll** · 08-30-2016, 03:38 PM

Do you like to eat?
Curate'; Limones, The Admiral, Buxton Hall BBQ (haven't been, hear it's awesome), White Duck Taco in River Arts, etc, etc,

Haven't ridden in years, but no shortage of trails in most directions

Brewery's, Wicked Weed is cool and has good food and is right downtown, Hi Wire, Lexington Ave, Wedge in River Arts district, French Broad...on and on.

Do you fish? Lots of that.

I'll be spending TG west of Aville in Bryson City.

**ridinshockgun** · 08-30-2016, 04:17 PM

Brewery - Wicked Weed for the best beer you'll ever taste. (I live in Seattle now and I miss Wicked Weed) Try some weird shit there too, even if you don't usually like it. Everything they make is SOLID. They also have a "funkatorium" tap room for barrel aged and sour beers, it is a can't miss.

The Wedge is awesome too.

Definitely hit up Sierra Nevada while you're there, they built "beer disney world" in Mills River.

For close to town rides Bent Creek offers up buff singletrack but you can get bored there pretty quick, lots of "sidewalk". Green's Lick (downhill) is a must ride, it doesn't offer much for tech but you can scare yourself silly with speed. Combine it with a loop climbing back up lower sidehill and descending Ingles Field for a good ride.

You want tech/gnar? Farlow Gap/Daniel Ridge or Laurel Mountain to Pilot Rock descent in Pisgah proper (near Brevard). Another option is up Clawhammer Rd to Buckhorn Gap, then hike a bike along the ridge to Upper Black Mountain. Lots of options for big epics there (Combine Laurel/Pilot with Squirrel Gap to make a loop).

Kitsuma near Black Mountain is another must do. Again, not a whole lot in the way of tech but another super fun descent with an easy climb up an old paved rd. Easy to combine with Heartbreak Ridge if you're looking for an epic.

Miles of flowy singletrack with a little tech mixed in here and there - DuPont State Forest. Big Rock, Cedar Rock, and Burnt Mountain can be combined in a loop for fun tech/slickrock style riding. Airstrip and Ridgeline trails for fun, super fast flowy single track.

Don't know much about rentals in Asheville but The Hub or Sycamore Cycles near Pisgah/Dupont have high end bikes for rent/demo. I think there are some places near Bent Creek in Asheville that rent as well.

**milestogo** · 08-30-2016, 05:45 PM

Was just down there. The local bike maps have multiple suggested loops on them, from epic to chill. Billy Goat Bikes in Asheville is a great little shop.
Bent Creek is fun, but after a couple days it gets played. I think you need to head to Brevard to really be in the center of the scene there, at least thats what I
got out of being there a week in July. Folks are super friendly and eager to give the beta--perhaps not secret stashes, but there is plenty for everyone down there.

**biggins** · 08-30-2016, 06:15 PM

Brevard is only 45 minutes away and is where you want to be. The Hub is a nice shop there with beers and maps and suggested rides if you spend a few $$. Edit: just checked and they have a lot of reservable demos: http://www.thehubpisgah.com/pisgah-bike-rentals

Dupont is immediately to the east and Pisgah is immediately to the west- its more than you could ride in a lifetime. When my wife and I were down there for a week we stayed in Asheville and rode in Dupont everyday. Easy peasy lemon-squeezy.

Asheville is covered pretty damn well in the posts above. I ate my birthday dinner at Admiral and had the absolute best pork-chop I will likely ever eat. Have fun- its arrrrrresome down there.

**Bluebird** · 08-30-2016, 06:25 PM

yup, head to Brevard/pisgah/dupont. The Oskar Blues brewery is fun. That Sierra Nevada compound is pretty ridiculous in a good way I think. I really liked the dupont trails. The Hub for was a cool shop with beers and usually a food truck. I think they demo/rent santa cruz bikes. You can also head across the street for BBQ and then some ice cream next store.

**Name Redacted** · 08-30-2016, 06:52 PM

Wow, thanks for all the info. Definitely looking to get around the area. Brevard sounds cool too.

Definitely more stoked on this trip than I was initially. Family trip to the south is not top of my list, but if I have to, then this area seems to have the goods.

**KenJongIll** · 08-30-2016, 06:59 PM

Oh, bring your drum for Friday night drum circle with the old,hippies and trustafarians....or maybe they don't do that after summer.

You're lucky by November most of the steam-punkish, agro, homeless, drug addicts will be off the street. That's one thing about A-ville that has gotten almost unbearable I the last 10yrs.

**Name Redacted** · 08-30-2016, 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by KenJongIll

Oh, bring your drum for Friday night drum circle with the old,hippies and trustafarians....or maybe they don't do that after summer.

You're lucky by November most of the steam-punkish, agro, homeless, drug addicts will be off the street. That's one thing about A-ville that has gotten almost unbearable I the last 10yrs.

Damn, that sounds right up my alley. Oh well.

**milestogo** · 08-30-2016, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by shredgnar

Family trip to the south is not top of my list, but if I have to, then this area seems to have the goods.

Too funny. Thats the exact same thing that brought me there.

**Name Redacted** · 08-30-2016, 08:24 PM

Originally Posted by KenJongIll

I'll be spending TG west of Aville in Bryson City.

I'll be staying out that way too actually. Maybe we grab a beer somewhere one day if there's time.

**Name Redacted** · 08-30-2016, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by milestogo

Too funny. Thats the exact same thing that brought me there.

haha, yeah. At least I'm not going to the ATL. Thankful for that.

**bagtagley** · 08-30-2016, 08:32 PM

Early Girl for breakfast. Sunny Point in West Asheville is solid too. The Marketplace for dinner. French Broad Chocolates for dessert.

Asheville/surrounding is an awesome place to be, South or otherwise.

**huckbucket** · 08-30-2016, 08:49 PM

Originally Posted by bagtagley

Early Girl for breakfast.

^^ This

**jm2e** · 08-30-2016, 09:59 PM

If you're staying near Bryson, spend a day at Tsali. Super fun beautiful flowy single track.

Spend a day at DuPont raging around Big Rock. There's hundreds of miles of trail at DuPont, but it's easy to get on "trail" that's more like gravel road to dirt road to logging road to more road. Big Rock, Cedar Rock is what you went there for. Ridgeline is fun too, but not worth going to NC for if you've ever been on a flow trail.

Get someone to shuttle you (1-3 laps) at Kitsuma. It's stupidly fun and the shuttle is easy peasy.
If said person really loves you, get them to shuttle you at Heartbreak. The shuttle is like a half day scenic drive for your loved one. Otherwise, skip the no-good-option ride up because it's just not worth it unless you're more of an XC guy.

Spend a day or two at Bailey Mountain Bike Park. Sick steep DH trails designed by Christopher Herndon and Neko Mullally. You can rent a carbon V10 there. They shuttle with an old military truck. Open weekends year round. Super nice people.

When most people talk about Pisgah, they're referring to the part near Brevard, mostly around Davidson River and Mills River areas. If you're going to ride a bike in North Carolina, you should spend at least 2-3 days here. Otherwise, you didn't really experience Pisgah. Also, the two bike shops likely to rent you a legitimate bike (mentioned above) are right there at the entrance to the Davidson River Area. You could literally rent a bike and do several of the trails without a car. These are the classic big climb to big descent trails with natural old school trail conditions. Consensus is that 10-12 miles here feels like 20-25 miles in most other places.
1. Farlow to Daniels Ridge.
2. Big M Loop (Middle Black > Lower Black > Sycamore)
3. Bennett Loop
4. Laurel Mountain > Pilot Rock > Pilot Cove

I'm 4 hours away and spend a ton of weekends there after DH season ends. Hit me up when you get closer to your trip. My wife and I might be riding.

**Edgnar** · 08-30-2016, 10:22 PM

I'll second Green's Lick DH. Thats a fun one. Haven't ridden much else out there, but I liked Bent Creek the couple of times I rode there.

Also check out Biscuit Head for breakfast, and Four Bones for BBQ dinner.

* This beta may be out dated, I haven't been to Asheville in a year, but that should change soon. Headed there for my brother's wedding in October.

Also worth checking to see if there are any good shows at the Orange Peel if you're into music.

**KenJongIll** · 08-31-2016, 09:47 AM

Buxton Hall BBQ is one of Bon Appetits best new restaurants. I was in town last week, but unfortunately didn't get to try it.

Where exactly are you staying? What town?

**Name Redacted** · 08-31-2016, 09:54 AM

Originally Posted by KenJongIll

Where exactly are you staying? What town?

Black Mtn. apparently. Looks like some trails and a brewery or two. Definitely want to make it down to Brevard too.

**milestogo** · 08-31-2016, 10:09 AM

I wanna check this place out next time:
http://www.reebranch.com/

**ridinshockgun** · 08-31-2016, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by shredgnar

Black Mtn. apparently. Looks like some trails and a brewery or two. Definitely want to make it down to Brevard too.

Definitely, definitely make it to Brevard. Wasted trip if you don't.

BUT, since you are in Black Mtn you need to find someone to shuttle you to the top of Heartbreak Ridge. The Old Toll Rd climb is closed from Oct 1 to Jan 1 for Bear hunting which is usually used to climb to the top from Montreat. Just keep in mind it is illegal to ride a mountain bike on Blue Ridge Parkway lands

**Name Redacted** · 08-31-2016, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by milestogo

I wanna check this place out next time:
http://www.reebranch.com/

That looks intriguing, but is there anything to do for a day tripper?

**milestogo** · 09-01-2016, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by shredgnar

That looks intriguing, but is there anything to do for a day tripper?

My understanding is that they have a big jump line that was used in a Red Bull comp, and maybe some trails?

**biggins** · 09-01-2016, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by shredgnar

That looks intriguing, but is there anything to do for a day tripper?

I think it's really more of a stay and play kind of thing. Brevard proper is perfect for a day trip. The college there has a conservatory, so there is often really good music in town too (usually of the classical and jazz persuasion, but probably a good roots/acoustic scene as well it being Appalachia).

**ridinshockgun** · 09-01-2016, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by biggins

I think it's really more of a stay and play kind of thing. Brevard proper is perfect for a day trip. The college there has a conservatory, so there is often really good music in town too (usually of the classical and jazz persuasion, but probably a good roots/acoustic scene as well it being Appalachia).

Exactly, it's right on the road that goes into DuPont, so if you're passing the Reeb Ranch just wave on the way by and go ride Big Rock and Burnt Mountain

This is making me really, really miss winter riding in Pisgah.

**fool** · 09-07-2016, 08:10 PM

Awesome info! Just moved to the Research Triangle so I'm hoping to get to Asheville at some point.

jm2e, maybe we can link up at some point. Haven't been riding much lately but would love to grab a beer.