Introducing QUOC’s City Guides: a celebration of global cycling cultures, told through the eyes of the riders who live there. Each guide is a journey into a new city, uncovering its iconic rides, hidden gems, and the local shops that connect us. In our first installment, we head to Dallas, Texas—the adopted home of Dan James (@96dan). He reveals the city’s surprising versatility and the warm, welcoming spirit that defines cycling in the heart of Texas.

My name is Daniel, and this is beautiful Dallas. Though not a native, the people and cycling community here have welcomed me with open arms. This is the first in QUOC’s series of city guides; I’m excited to share my adopted home.

I think it is competitive and community-based. You have such talented riders coming out of Texas. They’ll go out on four-hour rides, full gas, in 42-degree weather, but they’ll always do it with great company. If you’re not that competitive, there is a group for you, too. I thought I had a great community back home, but there are group rides here that have been going on since I was born!

Dallas is like most big cities: concrete, highways, and fast cars. As you head more south towards hill country, you get more greenery and rolling terrain.

Join our Wednesday morning Espresso ride! It started with a couple dads wanting to do some miles before work, and now it’s a sort of weekly routine with all our friends. We leave at 6 from close to the lake and head down to Bishop Arts to have coffee at Oak Cliff Coffee, a great coffee shop, roaster and bakery We cross the Ronald Kird Pedestrian Bridge where you get a great view of the Dallas skyline and on the way back, you’ll be met with a sunrise peaking over the skyline.

I would recommend a gravel route starting in Farmersville. It’s a bit outside of Dallas, but it’s beautiful, quiet, and you stumble across small, older towns. In Texas, you’ll often run into country dogs that’ll chase you, but not on this route. It’s 100kms of stunning Texas backroads.

If you’re into cycling in America, most likely you’ve heard of The Meteor. The creation of two friends, Doug Zell and Chris St. Peter, it masterfully combines a top-tier coffee bar, a curated bike workshop, and really active community rides led by locals.

I think I’ve always experienced it and then passed it on. Whether it’s someone helping you out with a bike part, fixing your bike, giving you a ride when you’re stuck, or inviting you to a social event.

One time, a mechanic got in his car, closed his shop, and drove to give my friend a tube when he was stuck on the side of the road. It’s part of the Southern Hospitality, I would say: welcoming, kind, and generous. When you experience it, you just want to give it back whenever you can.

The heat, but mostly the humidity. Compared to back home, the humidity here just never stops. 5 a.m. is worse than 7 a.m. in terms of humidity. On top of that, the sun burns a little more as you’re closer to the equator than in Canada.

I would stay near White Rock Lake, or anywhere that has access to Dallas’ trails (Katy Trail, SOPAC Trail, University Trail). Sure, it’s pretty car-dominant, but you can do a great loop of downtown Dallas and the lake while staying primarily on a bike trail.

It usually involves coffee, breakfast tacos, and being outside. We are blessed to live close to our small lake and have a great community in East Dallas. We’ll usually pop up to Cultivar Coffee, grab breakfast tacos from the Mexican store next door, and then head down to the lake to walk around and enjoy the outdoors.

It’s Texas, so you sort of have to try BBQ, but you also have to try some Mexican cuisine. Banana pudding is also a must-try.

…you end up riding on the side of a freeway! LOL. Jokes aside, that was only once or twice, usually when you’re on the bike at 5 a.m. to beat the heat. But that extends to all of Texas, really.

If you’re ever in Texas, please reach out and I’ll do my best to share the best this state has to offer.

Follow Dan’s Instagram: @96dan