The Snake Charmer (Ride to the Patratu Valley)  —  It’s a dream for every cyclist in the city to go down the valley once in a lifetime and then ride back the steep climbs through the loops. It is not that easy with a 6–10% incline for over 3-4 km in the route. However, the view you get with every mile forward and back is magical and it makes up for all the hard work and sweat. At the beginning of the second set of loops, local villagers are selling refreshing coconut water.

Horap Forest — Who would believe that there is a beautiful dense forest merely 5–8 km away from the city centre. Horap used to be a house for some wild animals back in the day but now it is a breathing place for city dwellers. The roads are beautiful with tree covers on both sides and the view of the valley from the top of the Horap hill is magical. Best for sunrises, you will see a long stretch of green cover, a train crossing through the hills every hour and the sun rising in the backdrop. The place has literally no traffic and hence makes it on the top list for Cycling. The forest also has plenty of trails for off-roading if that is something that inspires you more. 

Long short ride to Pithoria: This is one of the most common Cycling routes for Cyclists in Ranchi. The terrain is almost flat with wide roads and less traffic. The shops and small restaurants (Dhabha) on the highway now know the cyclists and therefore are very Cycling friendly. There are 2 ways to go to Pithoria — One is a straight line on Kanke Road which is great for practising speed and endurance. The other is via Tagore Hill Road which is way more scenic, has less traffic, and has some rock formations on the route with archaeological importance. Puthoria, the endpoint of the circuit is the starting point of Patratu Valley.

Sunset/Sunrise ride to Dhurwa Dam: Dhurwa Dam is a beautiful location on the outskirts of the city and it is yet another common route for Cyclists in Ranchi where they would go regularly. The best time to be there is either for sunsets or sunrises. The view and sense of calmness you feel while sitting at the Dam is mesmerizing.

Circling the Ring Road: If big wide roads and distance are what matters to you — Ring road is your place. The stretch of Ring Road starts at Rampur on Tata Road and ends at Ormanjhi on NH 33, covering a total distance of 100+ kms, almost straight line and best to practice for speed & endurance. The road is wide and with almost no potholes which makes it very conducive for Cycling. The ring road also opens up various detouring options which would lead you to some waterfalls, parks, and other routes around the city. 

Dasam Fall — One of my all-time favourite routes around Ranchi is the ride to Dasam. Take the road to Dasam from Khuti Road via Taurian World School and believe me you won’t be disappointed even a bit. The road takes you through the green valley of Ranchi, crossing beautiful lakes and bridges, and ending at the mighty Dasam Fall. Be prepared with lots of water and some food as you have very limited options available on the route, take along a good camera to click hundreds of photographs and friends to make meaningful conversations. The route to Dasam is mostly downhill but the way back has steady climbs and sheer isolation. 

Hundru Fall — The direct route to Hundru is via NH 33 but I always prefer to avoid the highway and take the smaller and less crowded Boriya Road to reach Ormanjhi and then enter Hundru Fall Road. The road from Morabadi to Ormanjhi takes you through some really beautiful scenic stretches and the famous Orange Forest which can be experienced only in springtime.

The ride from Ormanjhi to Hundru Fall is beautiful, the roads are covered with trees throughout and have some really good eateries (Dhabha). There are two ways to reach Hundru Falls — One from the top and another from the bottom. I have always preferred the one from the bottom of the fall as the trail is much more beautiful and we don’t have to climb the 500+ stairs.

Getalsud Dam Ride — Not one of my favourite routes but it is still very scenic and beautiful. The best route to go is via Tatisilwai and then take left from the Angara and later exit from Ormanjhi to head back to the city. The Dam in itself is huge and gorgeous and you can see the water falling almost every day at the Dam.

Ride to the Ganj — McCluskey Ganj is a famous Anglo-Indian settlement 60 km away from the city. You won’t find any Anglo Indians living there anymore but they left behind some beautiful bungalows, bakeries and homestays for us to experience. The place has a sense of calmness and is apt to make your creative mind alive. The route is okayish as you ride on the highway for quite a while but mostly flat.