Southern California - LA Wheelmen Trainer

I am thinking about trying the Canyon Lakes Trainer this commin weekend.
In the LA Wheelmen site, It mention 4800 feet of ele. gain (http://home.earthlink.net/~roddoty/htm_trainer.htm).
As a new rider, I map every ride so I can mentaly see it while I am riding it.
In my map (and I am doing it for all my SFVBC routes) (http://shprung.com/sfvbc/?ride=LAWM-T1) I add all elevation gain and got to 5,669 ft.
Question : do I do it wrong adding all elevation gain?
I am sure some of you, with expensive cyclometer, can answer this from expirence.
BTW, if it true 5669, It will be a first one for me ... so far 3500 was may max for one ride. :rolleyes:

I'm not sure but I thought that ride was closer to 6000 total. There's more to it than just the numbers, there is significant climbing on Lake Hughes road, 1 big climb and 3 smaller ones, after you think you're going all downhill. It's a great ride, if you do it, you'll love it.

I'm not sure but I thought that ride was closer to 6000 total. There's more to it than just the numbers, there is significant climbing on Lake Hughes road, 1 big climb and 3 smaller ones, after you think you're going all downhill. It's a great ride, if you do it, you'll love it.


I think this is part of the route Francis put us on in December. Lake Hughes is significant! - but beautiful. Just be sure to pace yourself. I blew it out on that climb trying to keep up with the guys (I was not successful) and ended up limping home (figuratively speaking). :o

I think this is part of the route Francis put us on in December. Lake Hughes is significant! - but beautiful. Just be sure to pace yourself. I blew it out on that climb trying to keep up with the guys (I was not successful) and ended up limping home (figuratively speaking). :oAh yes you do remember Lake Hughes don't you? But remember how good the Adobo was too.

Ah yes you do remember Lake Hughes don't you? But remember how good the Adobo was too.
Yeah, they're a great group of strong riders and that was the ride on which I met Keith as well. Those boys were so far ahead of me, it was embarrassing! But Francis sent me my own SAG car and driver. I refused to get in it even when I was on mile 95 dying. I was the only woman and I had to represent! Nothing felt better than finishing that ride. :D

I did the ride today. I think it was my nicest ride (well, only 3,000 miles on bicycle so far), up hills, down hills, nice weather, nice people, lakes, and overall views.
I am usually ride with SFVBC and we get 20-30 people on rides,
so I was surprised that only few came to this LAwheelMan ride.
merider1, lucky me, the group of people wasn't a strong group and for the most part took it easy.

Few riders had alimeter, but at the end of the ride I didn't met any with one.
If you did this ride and have the total elevation gain can you post it, so I can 'fix' my mapping system.

I didn't believe it, but in some point on lake Hughes Rd, I thought I had enough of the down hill and was looking/waiting to pedal hard again upward. Of course, soon after, when the hills started again, I forgot it all...

So far, I did trainer-1 (was fun), trainer-2 (may canyon, was enoying and hard for me;
4+ miles of climing is not-so-paved road.. I had to stop for air few times)

I just maped trainer-3 (both the short, 63miles ~5900ft; long, 77miles ~7000ft)
name "LAWM-T3" and "LAWM-T3L" in http://shprung.com/sfvbc/

This one looks like a nice viewes ride but I a bit "scared" from the long streching hills.
I never did Latigo nor Stunt.
Can you reply if you are planning to do this ride? (You see, in trainer-2 I only saw 4 people... that`s it)
For all of you who did it million times, any input?

A variation of this Latigo Stunt loop is one of my "standard" rides. Latigo is a terrific road.
It's never more than about 8%, has lots of variation, a few shallow descents in mid canyon and
not a lot of traffic. It has two main summits so just save some effort for the second (shorter) climb.
Stunt is only about 4k of climbing and maybe a little harder since it will come nearer the end of the ride. It's still easy compared to alot of other climbs in the Santa Monicas. We're REALLY lucky to have this kind
or riding territory in our own backyard.

Did anybody did this ride http://shprung.com/sfvbc/G/?ride=LAWM-T5 ("Mount Baldy Village" from Azusa)?
It is the 5th trainer; not very long (58miles) but by my mapping this one is more than 8500 ft of elevation gain
Sound crazy to me; as usual maybe all this mapping is wrong, but your expirence and info is allways welcome.
BTW, I didn't do trainer 4. Did you? How was it?

The Baldy trainer has about 6000 feet of climbing, but they might have to change the route because of road work on the lower part of Glendora Mountain Road. If they send you back the same way as you go up, this might add a little climbing. Fun ride!

Shprung, I apologize, as I just stepped back in this thread and you had asked me a question a few posts down to which I haven't replied. I'm not the best source for info on the Wheelman rides except to say that the group who showed up on the one (and only one) I attempted last year was great (Big John and Vertical Bob being two of them). But I quit the trainer I started on Angeles Crest as it was 104 degrees that day and I wasn't fairing well. From what I've consistently heard, all of the trainer rides are solid, quality rides. :)

Did anybody did this ride http://shprung.com/sfvbc/G/?ride=LAWM-T5 ("Mount Baldy Village" from Azusa)?
It is the 5th trainer; not very long (58miles) but by my mapping this one is more than 8500 ft of elevation gain
Sound crazy to me; as usual maybe all this mapping is wrong, but your expirence and info is allways welcome.
BTW, I didn't do trainer 4. Did you? How was it?I think that if you go to the Ski Lift parking lot it will be over 8000ft. That adds over 2000ft of torture. I'm plannin to do that on Saturday, you?

Bob,

I thought that I read in a recent post that GMR is closed to bikers except on Sunday. Am I mistaken? Does the club have an exemption?

Fill me in.

Thanks.

V.bob, I like how you say "add torture. I'm plannin to do that".
I am not sure if I like the torture part, but I am going to do the trainer this saturday.
From the PDF/route, it goes as high as the lunch break in mount baldy village (where ever that is?!)

I really want to learn ( read, watch, listed ) all about being capable climing mountens because so far the only thing I do it week after week climing, and it still/always looks like so-many just pass me by going faster than me. (I can start at about 70 cadance and fade to 45 cadance over time)

Bob,

I thought that I read in a recent post that GMR is closed to bikers except on Sunday. Am I mistaken? Does the club have an exemption?

Fill me in.

Thanks.Little GMR, the part from the East Fork up to the Ridge road is open and that's open to Baldy. They will have to return the same way as Big GMR down to Glendora is closed to bikes. I met a guy up there Sunday who got turned around trying to decend Big GMR last Saturday. Soon it will all be open, TO CARS.:mad:

Soon it will all be open, TO CARS.:mad:
I feel your pain, Bob...:(

http://shprung.com/sfvbc/?ride=LAWM-T8
Who`s coming this Saturday.
I am sure Vertical Bob... with this type of a ride, it perfect for more elevetion gain.
BTW, while mapping the route, I found that in the PDF route sheet in the 68.5 mile it says "R - Fenwich St" but I think it should be "R - Foothill"

http://shprung.com/sfvbc/?ride=LAWM-T8
Who`s coming this Saturday.
I am sure Vertical Bob... with this type of a ride, it perfect for more elevetion gain.
BTW, while mapping the route, I found that in the PDF route sheet in the 68.5 mile it says "R - Fenwich St" but I think it should be "R - Foothill" Sorry but I'll be doing Sea 2 summit on Saturday but the 2 Tujnga's ride is great, I've done it many times. Save some legs for Aliso Cyn. The turn on Fenwick is correct. It bypasses a part of Foothill and avoids some traffic. I am planning on the June 9 Wheelman ride. Its the best one of the trainers, San Gabriel Cyn. It goes up A.C. all the way to Islip Saddle where Hwy 39 comes up fron Azusa and takes that down, great ride.

Sorry but I'll be doing Sea 2 summit on Saturday but the 2 Tujnga's ride is great, I've done it many times. Save some legs for Aliso Cyn. The turn on Fenwick is correct. It bypasses a part of Foothill and avoids some traffic. I am planning on the June 9 Wheelman ride. Its the best one of the trainers, San Gabriel Cyn. It goes up A.C. all the way to Islip Saddle where Hwy 39 comes up fron Azusa and takes that down, great ride.

Please take Bob's advice on this especially if there are any headwinds out there toward Acton on Saturday.

hey shprung, how'd the tire boot work out for you on angeles crest? apparently you made it down in one piece...

the tire boot saved me!
This Continental are ****: I replace the front tire this Monday because it had the same 'problem' like the rear one back at angeles creast. I place the 'live saving' boot under my seat now just in case.
SO this last 3 weeks I spend $75 for 2 tires, then $49 for the rear replacement and $40 for the front replacement; Cycling lately costs me like fuling a car :-)

hey shprung, how'd the tire boot work out for you on angeles crest? apparently you made it down in one piece...
Hey Will, sorry to bail on you up there, but the ladies wanted to go back down. Funny, those two usually enjoy kicking my ass all over those mountains, and I'm surprised they didn't jump on the chance to do it some more.

http://shprung.com/sfvbc/?ride=LAWM-T8
Who`s coming this Saturday.

I'll be on this ride, along with 3-5 others. See you there.

VanceMac, Mario told me you are/was sick and this is why you didn't come today. Hope you are feeling better, and get well soon.
The ride was hard (for me). Not many people arrived. You can see photos in my site.
I am not sure if it was the heat or the grade of the hills but I felt destoried at the end.

I am thinking about trying the Canyon Lakes Trainer this commin weekend.
In the LA Wheelmen site, It mention 4800 feet of ele. gain (http://home.earthlink.net/~roddoty/htm_trainer.htm).
As a new rider, I map every ride so I can mentaly see it while I am riding it.
In my map (and I am doing it for all my SFVBC routes) (http://shprung.com/sfvbc/?ride=LAWM-T1) I add all elevation gain and got to 5,669 ft.
Question : do I do it wrong adding all elevation gain?
I am sure some of you, with expensive cyclometer, can answer this from expirence.
BTW, if it true 5669, It will be a first one for me ... so far 3500 was may max for one ride. :rolleyes:

Shprung, for a new rider, you've stacked up some good rides in the past couple of months. Good work!

Next time you see Phil, tell him Ron from TnT says hi.

VanceMac, Mario told me you are/was sick and this is why you didn't come today. Hope you are feeling better, and get well soon. The ride was hard (for me). Not many people arrived. You can see photos in my site.
I am not sure if it was the heat or the grade of the hills but I felt destoried at the end.


Thanks Shprung. It's had me down since Tuesday, and it's driving me crazy! Glad you guys had a nice ride. And thanks for the great photos (http://shprung.com/sfvbc/?ride=LAWM-T8#posts)!

I'll be on this ride, along with 3-5 others. See you there.
Never even saw this post. I did almost the identical route yesterday but I was probably about 30 minutes behind the Wheelmen group (started at 8am, but I left from Sherman Oaks). I passed a few of the riders who were at the tail end of the group.

Shprung - I felt the same way after the ride. The heat was much more brutal than I expected and Aliso Canyon was steeper than I expected. I was struggling for a while in the middle of the ride.

Wish I would have gotten my butt out of bed a bit earlier so I could've joined and ridden alongside you instead of behind.

Next time you see Phil, tell him Ron from TnT says hi.
I will.
I think Phil is such a good person. He became a friend after two rides together, and now we talk on a weekly basis. He got sick last week and still on antibiotic so he didn't ride this week.

Saturday, may 26th, Trainer # 9: Paul Neuerburg Century.
I start maping this one, but gave up: Half (the first 55 miles) (http://shprung.com/sfvbc/?ride=LAWM-T9)
The map don't have all these Bike Trails/path and when I am trying to zoom in and find the bike path it driving me crazy. It look like we (the cyclist) can get lost million times and lose the original route (http://home.earthlink.net/~roddoty/htm_long.htm)

DiId you ride this one before?

Who`s coming to ride this trainer?

Look like 12-16mph avg speed type of 100 miles (especially because the many street crossing) ... I wish for few good story tellrs and many jokes to kill the 7 hours ride

Hey Sprung, I have not ridden this one (I've really only ever ridden one LAW trainer), but those guys do these every year. I'm sure the route is well considered. Vertical Bob and Big John do those trainers every year and if you PM one of them, they may be able to tell you more about #9. Another good source are the Wheelman guys themselves. Kermit is the President of the club and I think his email is on their website. I don't have the link offhand (not so useful this morning, am I?), but again - easy to find.

Have fun and please report back about this route. I'm assuming you are getting ready for the Grand Tour?

This is one that I have never done, nor do I know anyone who has done it. As you found out last week, sometimes none of the LAW riders show up. Good luck!

um...okay...scratch that - contact Kermit if you can, Shprung, to make sure the ride is still going!

This is one that I have never done, nor do I know anyone who has done it. As you found out last week, sometimes none of the LAW riders show up. Good luck!The Wheelmen ride up A.C. and down hwy. 39 is the one I'm looking forward to on June 9th. I'm doing 4or 5 counties this Saturday along with the Heartbreak ride.

The Wheelmen ride up A.C. and down hwy. 39 is the one I'm looking forward to on June 9th. I'm doing 4or 5 counties this Saturday along with the Heartbreak ride.

Didn't get enough of that hill last Saturday did you? :rolleyes: :p

... I'm assuming you are getting ready for the Grand Tour?
Yes, I am thinking about it. You see, I started the first one just to see if I can do one.
I was under the impresion that someone will 'train' me, but I found out that it just a route and few cyclist.
I then continue to the next trainer and the next, and now don't want to stop (invested to much pain allready...)
I did my first century (Cruisin; so I did skip one trainer) and I don't think I am ready for double just yet.
People are tellimg me to do the low-land 200 is easier than the double metric?! - I didn't register to any yet.
I did registered to Cool Breeze 120miles in Aug, and going to do the 'ride of a lifetime' at the end of september.
BTW, today (well, yesterday it after midnight) I passed Christy (http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p250/wonged1/bf%20gmr/IMG_2836.jpg) going up Reseada; she told me she is doing intervals. What exactly is that? (I still need someone to train/teach me about all this cycling stuff) I assume it going up the hill and down few times...

Yes, I am thinking about it. You see, I started the first one just to see if I can do one.
I was under the impresion that someone will 'train' me, but I found out that it just a route and few cyclist.
I then continue to the next trainer and the next, and now don't want to stop (invested to much pain allready...)
I did my first century (Cruisin; so I did skip one trainer) and I don't think I am ready for double just yet.
People are tellimg me to do the low-land 200 is easier than the double metric?! - I didn't register to any yet.
I did registered to Cool Breeze 120miles in Aug, and going to do the 'ride of a lifetime' at the end of september.
BTW, today (well, yesterday it after midnight) I passed Christy (http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p250/wonged1/bf%20gmr/IMG_2836.jpg) going up Reseada; she told me she is doing intervals. What exactly is that? (I still need someone to train/teach me about all this cycling stuff) I assume it going up the hill and down few times...

Intervals are riding a period of high intensity followed by a period of low intensity (to get the heart rate down). Repeat as required.

There are plenty of articles on it, here is one: http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/conditioning/a/aa030802a.htm

When I did them (20 years ago) what worked best for me was variety. I would do them about once a week. One week I would do flats, perhaps 1 minute of full intensity followed by low intensity until my heart rate got below 100. I would do this about 10 times. The following week, I might do a hill climb where it would take 3 minutes of moderate intensity to climb and then meander around until the heart rate receded enough (for me, that is less than 100). Some weeks, my intensity part would be as long as 15 minutes. Anyway, mix it up and about once a week seemed to work best for me.

The Wheelmen ride up A.C. and down hwy. 39 is the one I'm looking forward to on June 9th. m.e. and I talked last night about doing this one. I'm planning on joining.

just a follow up. ( no one from BF came :( )
Photos from the ride at the map/route site (http://shprung.com/sfvbc/?ride=LAWM-T9) where you can see who did came.
It was a weird 100 miles (century); super flat! at the end I felt better than after most the trainer that 1/2 that length.
We started 6 riders. After the lunch we got split into 3 teams of 2 (some are faster than other... ).
Like I mention/sugested few post before: Each team got lost in a different way :eek:
I was lucky/strong in the 1st/faster group; with Steve; a very expirence rider that did this kind of ride many times before so he knew the area (I forgot to mention that he is 61 and can kick any 40 years old butt). I called him Steve austin (The Six Million Dollar Man) because he was strong all the time and I was behind his wheel probably 70 miles out of the 100. took us 5:58min

( no one from BF came :( )


It was a weird 100 miles (century); super flat!

I think you said it all :p

Congrats on the century!

Am I going to see any BF rider in the not "super flat" century this Saturday?
Trainer #10 DISTANCE: 113 miles (coastal return) or 117 miles (valley return)
the LAWheelmen info: http://home.earthlink.net/~roddoty/, I probably will have the route in my site later today (it getting to be really time consuming to plot point by point 117 miles... and I started to know the area and hills anyway).
Because they starting at 8:00AM, this one will take me completly out of being with the family this saturday. I Think I am starting to see some resistent from the wife?! (or is she going to simply get used to it?)
The usual question: Is any one did this one? Who`s is coming?

Last Tranier!!! (Byways of Palos Verdes (http://home.earthlink.net/~roddoty/htm_trainer.htm))
Am I going to see any BFers on this one? ( my map site: http://shprung.com/sfvbc/G/?ride=LAWM-T12 )
I did most of the trainers and going to do the GT 200 low land.
Overall, I think, I become a capable cyclist just because I took these trainers and push my self week after week to complete them.
In the process I met many of you and make few friend.
So I hope to see more of you this coming Saturday.
After all, It is just 75 miles and less than 4000 ft. (vs. the last week when we did 88miles and 9000+ ft; and it was such a nice ride and so many came...)

After all, It is just 75 miles and less than 4000 ft.

S -- you'd get an even better workout if you came out to the Baldy ride with all your friends. :)

I don't see you (VanceMac) on the list http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=305753
But you gave me a choice that put me in 50-50 of what ride should I do. I would love to ride with this group of people because it make the day truly fun, and you end up with like 1,000 photos...
But, I was so consistance with the LAWheelmen trainers, plus I never rode in PV, plus (I think) the weather in the cost line will be much better than GMR/Baldy area that I still concider both.

Maybe you can convince me ; so far the "better workout" and "all your feinds" push the Baldy to 60-40 :-)
I think I am going to map the route...

PV will be there all summer. Baldy should be tolerable this weekend. The true summer heat hasn't begun, once it does, it'll be nasty up there.