Lohr-Maintal-Platte

Start and endpoint is located in the Sendelbach district of Lohr. First, we roll out to Pflochsbach, optionally on the road or bike path. For the road bike, I recommend switching to the road just before Pflochsbach, although the bike path running right along the river to Erlach works too. From Erlach to Zimmern, the route remains flat. At the end of Zimmern, we head towards Urspringen into the first incline, just right after warming up for about 30 minutes. This is the most moderate ascent to the "Platte," thus a paradise for road cyclists. Nicely rolling with not-too-long climbs and gentle descents where one can pedal well. Thus flows the way to Urspringen. There, from the center of the village, we climb the hill and then speed along the long rolling straight at the edge of the forest heading towards Steinfeld. From there, it remains mostly flat through fields back towards Lohr, into the Buchental valley. From the Buchenmühle we enter the forest and the road climbs slightly. From the turnoff to the pilgrimage church of Maria Buchen, it goes downhill. The highlight is the rapid 10% descent to the Sendelbacher sports field and back to the starting point.

The section before Roden to Urspringen is not really recommended for midday in midsummer, as it goes across the field. Depending on your mood, this "base loop" can be shortened (before Roden to Ansbach and down the Waldzeller Berg into the Main valley) or extended (Urspringen via Stadelhofen or Duttenbrunn and possibly from there into the Main valley towards Zellingen or Karlstadt and back along the Main).

I really like this route, as you are nicely warmed up before the moderate ascent to the road cyclist's paradise "Platte" and because you can adjust the route according to your mood, fitness or available time.