Southern California - Simi Valley Ride

I just hope they aren't lumping all cyclists together, because frankly, the ones running red lights they should have it out for.

I know some of the cops here, in Simi, ride and are cycle-holics as a lot of us are and ride 3 or more days a week depending on their schedules. I also know a few that partake in group rides, so I do not believe they would group all cyclists together, well, except for those of us in baggy shorts riding long travel bikes. :rolleyes:

DBD:beer:

I think they get so upset because they have to clean up the mess when things go wrong with cyclists. For instance, I was chewed out by a Culver City cop a while ago for riding illegally. He made the point that the cyclist was in the wrong in every accident he had investigated.

Now he may have been exaggerating just a little bit for effect, but given how many traffic laws cyclists break when they ride (me included), his point is well made. Auto vs. bike accidents just aren't pretty regardless of who is at fault.

I do recall one time when a motorcycle cop rode past us and closed down the intersection for us. He must have been one of those cyclist types.

He made the point that the cyclist was in the wrong in every accident he had investigated.i'm calling BS on that one

http://velonews.com/news/fea/13637.0.html

i'm calling BS on that one

http://velonews.com/news/fea/13637.0.html

Do you think? ;)

As I said:

"Now he may have been exaggerating just a little bit for effect, but given how many traffic laws cyclists break when they ride (me included), his point is well made."

I was riding against traffic and didn't fully stop at a stop sign. He stopped in the middle of traffic to yell at me. I'd say we ended up about even. :)

HMM KEEp hearing about this ride im very tempted to make the journey out there and see how fast the pace is... i know the local crit here in LONGBEACH/CARSON every thursday is fast.. and i never can keep up with the fast group... but its great training in a werid way pushes me on my bike like no other ride... hell and if there are other BFers on that ride to get lost and stuck with..im game!

Cisco, there are generally just two groups. The slower group turns left at Madera and the fast either goes straight or turns right. Going straight is normal through to Moorpark and up Norwegian Grade. Last week, because of the road construction on Tierra Rejada, the fast group turn right on Madera to Easy Street to Moorpark and then Norwegian Grade.

I do not think you will find "clumsy bike riders" here. It is not to say a crash will not happen but these riders are advanced. It might be a little different than you are accustomed. People will pass on either side with no announcement. Not every road hazard is pointed out. The pace can really take off depending on who is in front and their mood. If you fall off the pace or get a flat, there is no one that is going to wait for you.

Give it a shot, I think you will have fun.

I do not think you will find "clumsy bike riders" here. It is not to say a crash will not happen but these riders are advanced. It might be a little different than you are accustomed. People will pass on either side with no announcement. Not every road hazard is pointed out. The pace can really take off depending on who is in front and their mood. If you fall off the pace or get a flat, there is no one that is going to wait for you.

Give it a shot, I think you will have fun.

you make it sound so vicious! i think im more intimidated now than before... ahaha...

do you find yourself riding at an increased pace simply because of the wind break/pack factor? How much of an increase in speed over your solo average do you generally notice?

Yes. Significantly.

I can generally average 15-19 mph on a solo ride and 18-20 mph on a casual group ride. I have never been able to hang on with the Simi Ride the whole way, but average speed is usually above 24 mph when I pull off.

Week 3

I arrive a little early so decided to do an easy pace up to the top of Box Canyon and back down to the Simi start. The ride leader, John Wordin, told the people at the front to not run yellow lights because the 100 riders behind end up running the red light. With that we were off.

The ride through Simi seemed a little slower paced today, 26-30mph. We all did stop at red lights and since I was at the back of a very large group of riders I can say no one ran any lights today. Once we hit Madera the smart riders turned left and the strong riders went straight. As usual, my identity crisis leaves me in neither group so I decided to go straight.

The climb up Drive-In Hill was 19-20 this week. Two weeks ago it was 24 and I had a tough time hanging on. Today, no problem. All through the rollers I was hanging in there pretty well taking advantage of a nice draft. Once Norwegian Grade started, I was getting passed by everyone, and I mean everyone. It didn’t take long before I was DFL. With a few hundred yards left, I passed someone (probably injured) so technically, I was the penultimate rider. Didn’t matter to me, I thought with some traffic signal breaks I could catch the group. Sure enough at Moorpark and Flores I was back with them.

Again some rollers until we hit the first rest stop. Since this is the first time I made it this far, I thought there would be the bolt of light shining through trees marking the occasion. No such luck but it did feel pretty good.

We took off east then headed up Kanan to Cornell to Mulholland. It was here that I felt I was probably cooked and should just head home. I turned right as the group turned left.

Sure enough, right after I made the turn and am on my own, my leg muscles were sore. It is amazing how much group riding just pumps the adrenaline and you don’t even notice how much you are working the muscles. My solo ride home included Rock Store climb and continued to Westlake, up and over to Arboles, up Rikkard, down Erbes and on into Moorpark. Eighty four miles. Feels great.

[edit] In attendance, Keith and Stan. Missing VANCE!!!!

The ride through Simi seemed a little slower paced today, 26-30mph


30 is pretty damn fast if you're the one pulling.

30 is pretty damn fast if you're the one pulling.

Those guys are in another world than me. I am just giving the perspective from the back of the pack.

And I was really saying that it was somewhat slower than previous weeks.

Enzo, I think you would enjoy it. I am in over my head but it probably is just right for you. Hope to see you there one day.

30 is pretty damn fast if you're the one pulling.
I have never been the one pulling on the Simi ride, and 30 is pretty easy if you stay smack in the middle of the pack. I have seen Tinker Juarez mashing past the pack to take the lead before. We were going 28 and he was passing pretty well... on a mountainbike!

In attendance, Keith and Stan. Missing VANCE!!!!

Ha. Yea, I think this is only the third Saturday I've missed all year, and I don't like it! Trying to get the knee tendonitis to calm down. I'll be there next week for sure. Sounds like you had a good time.

^^ I didn't realize you were having knee issues. Hope that heals soon..

Those guys are in another world than me. I am just giving the perspective from the back of the pack.

And I was really saying that it was somewhat slower than previous weeks.

Enzo, I think you would enjoy it. I am in over my head but it probably is just right for you. Hope to see you there one day.

I'd love to check it out soon. I'll make it down there within the next month, for sure. I've heard that in January it can be a pretty brutal ride.

I'll just refrain from spending any time at the front, at all :)

^^ I didn't realize you were having knee issues. Hope that heals soon..

I'm such the role model that Vance had to go and get the same injury. He's such a follower.

:rolleyes:

I'm such the role model that Vance had to go and get the same injury. He's such a follower.

:rolleyes:

When bending the right one, especially, it sounds like stretching wet leather.

Speaking of sound, what's the group etiquette regarding MP3 players or radios? And this is LA, so surely there's some blue tooth users taking important calls.

Earphones are a really bad idea on fast pack rides like that-- there's a reason they're only allowed in pro races. Your ears can be as useful as your eyes for telling you what's going on around you, and things are always changing fast.

Group Riding 101:

The purpose of ear buds is to make people think you’re in communication with your team car. You don’t actually connect them to anything.

Group Riding 101:

The purpose of ear buds is to make people think you’re in communication with your team car. You don’t actually connect them to anything.

I thought they were for show. You touch them periodically when you're climbing (ala secret service guy), preferably in front of a photographer, whereafter you can take the picture and use it as an avatar for some pissant online forum that keeps breaking down, which in turn makes you apoplectic because you can't eat your Kraft Mac and Cheese without it.

Or am I wrong about that?


:p

Or am I wrong about that?


Very wrong.

::: pulling your file :::

kidd, it doesn't sound like you've done many group rides. i suggest doing some easier ones to get used to riding in a pack before you do something like the simi ride

What about flat stretches and lesser grades along narrow canyons where it would be easier to stay together? Does the group tend to double and triple up on those stretches while cruising 25+? I'm guessing a car stuck behind just has to wait it out. Or you hear angry horns a lot.
Flat stretches in canyons are rare and are usually preceded by a climb or descent which strings them out anyway. This 30 mph cruise we're talking about is during the first 5 miles of the ride when it goes down LA Ave with 2 lanes available. Once they turn up a hill, the group strings out into much smaller groups.

As mentioned above, try some lighter group rides before trying this one. Or at least stay in the back and don't expect to hold on for long.

I heard that only 12 riders showed up this week. Has this pretty much ended, now that the season has started?

sounds about right, i guess i'll see you at montrose?

sounds about right, i guess i'll see you at montrose?

I haven't paid much attention to all the montrose posts. I've seen a lot of different options -- what's my best time/place to start?

I start at Descanso Gardens. Gives me about 55 miles total. About 40-ish of good tempo (with stop-light intervals thrown in for good measure :D ).

The ride starts at Descanso Gardens at 8 am. You can also start at at 8:20 at the Trader Joes in South Pasadena. When I do the ride I usually start at South Pas since it's a closer ride from home for me and I usually get there at about 8:05-8:10.

If you do start at South Pas, there's a slower group that leaves at about 8 am I think. You don't want to be in that group.

vance, i often ride from home to either start. let me know if you want to ride over to the start. one of my teammates usually gives me a ride home but sometimes i ride back which kinda sucks since the ride finishes in sierra madre a bit farther than the start

The ride starts at Descanso Gardens at 8 am.

A slight correction. The ride starts at 8:10 on the dot and if its cold most riders won't even show up until 8:05 or so.