Advice on Dolomite Routes Wanted

I've ridden the Stelvio and it's not my cup of tea either.
When heading to the Austrian MotoGP I usually ride from Soelden to do the Timmeljoch, Gerlosstrasse and Grossglockner in the one day and they're gentle curves and even their tightest corners are done on the flat with excellent road surface.
Here's my route extract:

Thanks, that sounds good - maybe one for another trip!

I agree that camber and road surface make a big difference. When in Greece we did a lot of roads with severe cambers and poor surfaces, a combination which makes the hairpins quite challenging especially with pillion and luggage. Particularly the case with the right hand uphill ones where you have to use enough gas to hold the bike up against the slope and avoid the nearside gutters, while not gunning it so much that you run wide on the exit. Not too bad if you can take a wide line to the left side on entry, but not always possible with approaching traffic.
 
Thanks, that sounds good - maybe one for another trip!

I agree that camber and road surface make a big difference. When in Greece we did a lot of roads with severe cambers and poor surfaces, a combination which makes the hairpins quite challenging especially with pillion and luggage. Particularly the case with the right hand uphill ones where you have to use enough gas to hold the bike up against the slope and avoid the nearside gutters, while not gunning it so much that you run wide on the exit. Not too bad if you can take a wide line to the left side on entry, but not always possible with approaching traffic.

Correct - you've got to be on the ball all the time with these types of roads / surfaces.
 
Here's some Dolomite passes and I route I did last year. Hairpins not as bad as some I've done elsewhere.
Pick any bits you like and play with your options / preferences:

That's the ones - the southern bit from 6 - 11 is pretty good for traffic, the northern section gets quite busy, but OK if you can get out on the road at 6:00 and ride it before all the hikers, cyclists, climbers and campers take over!
 
That's the ones - the southern bit from 6 - 11 is pretty good for traffic, the northern section gets quite busy, but OK if you can get out on the road at 6:00 and ride it before all the hikers, cyclists, climbers and campers take over!

Agreed.
I was on the road by 07:00 and only met traffic when I stopped at the Marmolada mid afternoon - loved it!
I might try it in the car this September en route to Misano MotoGP.
 
Here's some Dolomite passes and I route I did last year. Hairpins not as bad as some I've done elsewhere.
Pick any bits you like and play with your options / preferences:

Am I seeing you missed out the Pordoi pass between Corvara and Arraba ?
 
Am I seeing you missed out the Pordoi pass between Corvara and Arraba ?

No
and
yes.

The pordoi Pass runs west from Arabba which I did at least twice but I did miss out the Passo Campolongo from Corvara to Arraba.
Is the Campolongo a good ride?
 
For the Dolomites I would look at Timmelsjoch, a fairly easy pass imo and not much traffic, at a price (toll road). An alternative would be head to Innsbruck and take the 182 Brenner Strasse. It a very nice road with some good bends but I dont remember multiple hairpins, it runs fairly close to the motorway down to Vipiteno.
Avoid Stelvio (been said!) hard work and many better/easier passes.
 
No
Is the Campolongo a good ride?

Yes and No ;-)

Compared to any UK road it is pretty awesome, compared to some of the other passes in the area not so great, e ridden it twice on the way into the Dolomites and after the run down from Innsbruck it is the first pass we hit and seems pretty good after the motorway slog that proceeded it, but I never bother to put it into my looping rides out from the Hotel.
 
Getting to the Stelvio is a ballache from the Dolomites but I think it's worth the effort as you have lots of options from there.
 
did something similar in 2012 down through Czech Republic, through Austria to Spittal, from Spittal to Lake Garda which is quite near Bergamo, we then headed south to San Remo and back up north again via Route Napolean., still have gpx files if you want them pm your email.
 
did something similar in 2012 down through Czech Republic, through Austria to Spittal, from Spittal to Lake Garda which is quite near Bergamo, we then headed south to San Remo and back up north again via Route Napolean., still have gpx files if you want them pm your email.
Thanks for the kind offer, but I have routes set up in MyRoute now. I need to get back a bit sooner than originally planned so unfortunately the Route Napoleon will have to wait until next time.
 


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