Cycling around UC Irvine

[UmneyDurak]

Hi.
So how is the terrain and riding in general around UC Irvine?

Thanks.

[Extort]

It is in Irvine.... Bike lanes on every street (except for the residential areas inside the communities) are standard throughout the entire city. People are completely comfortable with individual cyclists on the road during the week and four major groups start and end inside the city for the staggered weekend rides.

Terrain is divided into 3 types:
The Coast: Newport Coast is a minor hill but the popular hill repeat spot and the backside leads into UCI. Newport Back Bay goes from the coast and leads into the Center and is on the other side of the campus.

Center: This flat area as you travel east is where all of the neighborhoods are located, expect heavy vehicular traffic and numerous traffic light stops unless you are on a bike trail that bypasses those features.

Hills: Irvine Regional Park and Santiago Canyon provide amazing solitude for being as close as they are.
**there is about 15 miles is between the coast and the hills

Outside of Irvine there are two types of terrain:
North - Flat until the Mountains
South and East - HILLS, HILLS, HILLS
West - flat until you get to Palos Verde (sp?)

[voltman]

And lots of other cyclists if you ever want to latch onto a group.

[Drew12]

Hi.
So how is the terrain and riding in general around UC Irvine?

Thanks.


Road riding... Is this what you refer to? That's what everyone assumes.
Or,
Mt Biking... Is this what you want to bomb hills on....

[ken cummings]

Off campus or on secure your bike. The only bike I have had stolen as an adult was from a gated back yard with a high fence around it in Irvine about a half mile from the campus. Police figured it was a local High school kid who had seen me parking it there before. The Bicycle Club of Irvine is, well may still be, a laid back relaxed group. The Orange County Wheelmen are a little more active.

[sjmayclin]

There's not too many road cyclists on campus, but once you get off campus its good. Also, there's been a recent push to get cyclists off Ring Road, which is a pita. (You should read up on the BEEP program: Bicycle Education and Enforcement Program. I wound up getting a $50 rebate for my bike from the Parking and Transportation Office. That was cool.)

Anyway, I'm a third year at UCI, so if you have any more particular questions, feel free to pm me.

-Steve

[summoner12]

Road riding... Is this what you refer to? That's what everyone assumes.
Or,
Mt Biking... Is this what you want to bomb hills on....

There is some fine MTBing around the irvine area... or within a shor drive at least.

whiting is fun and aliso woods.

[Drew12]

There is some fine MTBing around the irvine area... or within a shor drive at least.

whiting is fun and aliso woods.


Sommoner, ever ridden Satiago truck trail?
one of my favorites. 9 mles up, 9 miles down....

[summoner12]

Sommoner, ever ridden Satiago truck trail?
one of my favorites. 9 mles up, 9 miles down....

No I haven't. I think my coworker did it once. it starts off behind cooks corner right? kinda goes along the hills of live oak rd?

[Drew12]

No I haven't. I think my coworker did it once. it starts off behind cooks corner right? kinda goes along the hills of live oak rd?


YEs and no.

I like to start at the top of Majeska grade. Park up there and go.
Most folks that park at Cooks just do the Luge.

Are you game to give STT a try?
The thing is, it's a 3-4 hour commitment of time.


Oh, sorry to hijack the thread...

[summoner12]

YEs and no.

I like to start at the top of Majeska grade. Park up there and go.
Most folks that park at Cooks just do the Luge.

Are you game to give STT a try?
The thing is, it's a 3-4 hour commitment of time.


Oh, sorry to hijack the thread...


wow 3-4 hours?! haha I ride Whiting and do about 13 miles... Im not beat at the end.. but the most time i've spent in the saddle on my MTB was sunday for 2.5 hours doing 40 miles with slicks on the road....:o I am sure my coworker Eric would join you....

BTW I ride most days after work in whiting if your in the area around 3-3:30ish

oh and I only have 224 miles under my butt...:o :o :o

[UmneyDurak]

Road riding... Is this what you refer to? That's what everyone assumes.
Or,
Mt Biking... Is this what you want to bomb hills on....
Sorry wasn't very specific. I am talking about road biking. So is it easy to get out of town, or you have to deal with an hour of stop lights?

[cjbruin]

Plenty of riding without too many lights...

The San Diego Creek Trail can take you to many places. University to Alton gets you out of town quickly. The Back Bay Trail gets you to PCH with zero lights. There's even loops of Turtle Rock that only have one light. Lots and lots of options.

I live near Culver & Uni if you want to do an easy ride sometime this week.

[rooftest]

Santiago Canyon Road with an out and back up Silverado Canyon. That's 25 miles, no stoplights.

[UmneyDurak]

I live near Culver & Uni if you want to do an easy ride sometime this week.
I live in Bay Area right now, but maybe moving to Irvine in the Fall. Thank you for the offer thought.

[OC Roadie]

I live in Bay Area right now, but maybe moving to Irvine in the Fall. Thank you for the offer thought.
There's a big racing scene in Irvine and the close by surrounding area. There are group rides (sometimes multiple) everyday of the week, all starting in or within riding distance from Irvine. If you move down, you can say goodbye to the weekly road races, and hello to crit central.

[UmneyDurak]

There's a big racing scene in Irvine and the close by surrounding area. There are group rides (sometimes multiple) everyday of the week, all starting in or within riding distance from Irvine. If you move down, you can say goodbye to the weekly road races, and hello to crit central.
Thats basically racing scene around here. More crits then RRs.

[LCI_Brian]

Santiago Canyon Road with an out and back up Silverado Canyon. That's 25 miles, no stoplights.
I love doing that ride from my house in Orange, especially when I don't feel like doing the whole Santiago Canyon loop. With the number of people that ride through Santiago Canyon, I'm surprised you don't see many riders going out to Silverado.

[rooftest]

I love doing that ride from my house in Orange, especially when I don't feel like doing the whole Santiago Canyon loop. With the number of people that ride through Santiago Canyon, I'm surprised you don't see many riders going out to Silverado.

I usually will see one or two each time I do it, but you're right - it's less popular. The Modjeska climb is a lot of fun, too - and I try to add Live Oak whenever I ride the canyon - Those are some fun descents.

[offthepace]

HI, I'm a senoir in HS right now, and got into UCI. I've narrowed my choices for college down to UCI, UCSB, UCSC and CSULB.

would you describe the riding as great in the UCI area? How about compared to UCSB or the Palos Verdes area? (More concerned with the second question I guess-- from anybodywho can answer it that is).


Thanks

[Extort]

HI, I'm a senoir in HS right now, and got into UCI.

Congrats! :beer:

[cjbruin]

HI, I'm a senoir in HS right now, and got into UCI. I've narrowed my choices for college down to UCI, UCSB, UCSC and CSULB.

would you describe the riding as great in the UCI area? How about compared to UCSB or the Palos Verdes area? (More concerned with the second question I guess-- from anybodywho can answer it that is).


Thanks

I think the cycling around here is great. I live very close to the campus and there are a ton of options. IMO UCI is the best school out of the ones you listed.

[sjmayclin]

I definitely concur about UCI being the best school of those you listed (especially since I'm in the Campuswide Honors Program there). Have you visited the school? You should take a weekend and come down to see the campus and give the road riding a try, if thats such a big factor to you. If you want, you can let me know and I'll show you around. If you needed a place to stay, I could put you up for the night too. People say that UCI students don't have much school spirit, but thats before they meet me, :).

[voltman]

I went to UCI and look how well I turned out.

Never mind.

You should go anyway.

[Hawkear]

Yet Another UCI Graduate checking in. Plenty of good riding and clubs in the area that has been covered. Also, check out the UCI Cycling Team: http://spirit.dos.uci.edu/bike/home.html

[offthepace]

Hi, thanks for the opinions-(hehe, wonder what ucsb people have to say to some of those responses). I kind of forgot I posted this and have not read it until now. I actually checked out the campus today with my parents, (must be spring break because it was deserted), and checked out some of the roads. NICE!
Too bad the velodrome is a decent drive away, but I can always stay at my parents house on the weekends to ride it or something....

(I just started riding the track and am addicted)

[UmneyDurak]

I visited the campus on Monday. Fun times. Seems like you have to go through the city no matter what direction you go. How many miles you need to ride before you get out of "stop at every red light"? Specially to hit some good hills, for the intervals (at least 20 minutes of climbing). Not sure how much time I would have to ride, but I can dream can't I?

[UmneyDurak]

Yet Another UCI Graduate checking in. Plenty of good riding and clubs in the area that has been covered. Also, check out the UCI Cycling Team: http://spirit.dos.uci.edu/bike/home.html
Although they are not very competitive in the conference in case offthepace cares about such things.

[UmneyDurak]

HI, I'm a senoir in HS right now, and got into UCI. I've narrowed my choices for college down to UCI, UCSB, UCSC and CSULB.

would you describe the riding as great in the UCI area? How about compared to UCSB or the Palos Verdes area? (More concerned with the second question I guess-- from anybodywho can answer it that is).


Thanks
Well UCI and UCSB are the best out of the four you listed. Although UCI is a better school. You can check out US News rankings to see where they are ranked.