Devoted cyclists take on the Dirty Dozen Bicycle Ride — 55 miles, 13 steep streets — including America's steepest
Dozens of dedicated cyclists took to Pittsburgh’s toughest hills on Saturday as part of the Dirty Dozen Bicycle Ride, a fall tradition for the city and its bike advocates.
This year was the 40th race, which challenges bicyclists to climb 13 of the Pittsburgh area’s steepest hills, including Beechview’s cobblestone Canton Avenue, which ascends at a 37-degree angle and is the steepest street in America.
Other steep climbs include Barry, Holt and Eleanor streets on the South Side.
The race covers 55 miles across dozens of city of Pittsburgh neighborhoods and adjacent municipalities like Sharpsburg, Aspinall, Etna and O’Hara.
It was started in 1983 by Bob Gottlieb and brothers Danny and Tom Chew. Danny Chew is a former professional road racing and ultramarathon cyclist.
Shane Dunlap is a TribLive photographer covering Westmoreland and Allegheny counties. He grew up in the Ohio Valley near Pittsburgh and has worked for newspapers as far away as Fayetteville, N.C., where he covered the U.S. Army at Fort Liberty. He can be reached at sdunlap@triblive.com.
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