Southern California - Tuna Topanga Torture ride

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wish I could but riding with the team both days this weekend

Ouch. I've got a hard ride on Friday & Saturday this week so I don't think I could pull Tuna Canyon off having those 2 rides in the prior days. I've also never tried it on my compact double. I can spin up Tuna on my touring bike with its lovely 32 ring on the cassette, I'd have to be standing on the double though. (in other words, I'm not the climbing whiz you're looking for)

I might be able to do the following Sunday if you wanted to repeat it.

You put the main climb at the beginning, WUSSY! I prefer the climbing in the first half.

As a modification...instead of right on Mulholland, turn left, then left again on Cold canyon, left on Piuma which becomes Rambla Pacifica, then left on Las Flores, and left on the PCH. Or, from Rambla Pacifica, left on Schuren which becomes Saddle Peak then descend Tuna.

A rider skilled in the art can approach 55mph on the steep straight on Tuna. Just don't take a digger. DOH!

I wish they still ran the Red Bull Road Rage race down that thing. They canceled it last year due to fire danger. These guys are nuts, descending that thing at over 50mph.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2005/nov05/redbull_roadrage05

You can do a warmup before the ride. No problem. Take all the time you need. Then begin the climb, and as long as you're ahead of me you can call me a wussy the whole way up. :D
touche

I wish they still ran the Red Bull Road Rage race down that thing. They canceled it last year due to fire danger. These guys are nuts, descending that thing at over 50mph.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2005/nov05/redbull_roadrage05

that looks fun!!!!!

that looks fun!!!!!

I know one of the guys who was in the race. He works over at Cynergy Cycles. He said something about his tires and tubes melting due to all the heat generated. I think they required disk brakes the next year.

Since the road runs along a cliff, they had walls built up in places where riders were likely to go flying over the edge.

They're all looney as far as I can tell.

the scariest part about that ride is 1) Tuna is a one-way road (going down). The SUVs barreling down won't be watching out for bikes going up. 2) Riding down TC with more SUVs barreling down and little/no shoulder.

Going up Las Flores is a good grind (and legal), then can go over and down stunt, back up Piuma to get another good climb, and then down Las Flores or Tuna (Tuna isn't that bad descending). Once I did it I saw the rangers out with a hand-held satelitte dish--they said they were tracking a mountain lion with a collar, so that made me nervous.

the scariest part about that ride is 1) Tuna is a one-way road (going down). The SUVs barreling down won't be watching out for bikes going up. 2) Riding down TC with more SUVs barreling down and little/no shoulder.

Going up Las Flores is a good grind (and legal), then can go over and down stunt, back up Piuma to get another good climb, and then down Las Flores or Tuna (Tuna isn't that bad descending). Once I did it I saw the rangers out with a hand-held satelitte dish--they said they were tracking a mountain lion with a collar, so that made me nervous.


don't bikes go faster then car/SUV on downhills?????:p:D

Going up Las Flores is a good grind (and legal)

Agreed. That is one of my favorite climbs when I want a good burn. Just the right length, and the steep sections are a reasonable length.

don't bikes go faster then car/SUV on downhills?????:p:D

not when the bike is rode by some guy named 'Phil'...

Lmao Hahahahahaha:D:beer:

\]but the one thing I won't do is descend Tuna.

The key to Tuna is know the road. Brake in a straight line, feather off the brakes going into the turns, and NEVER use the rear brake. Knowing how to counter-steer helps.

Also, its not wise to skate down Tuna canyon without brakes. Trust me.

Just an FYI -

I was going down Tuna the other day and I saw a cop up there. Not sure if he was on the lookout for cyclists breaking the law... but - It IS ILLEGAL to go UP Tuna from the coast... So be prepared to get a hefty ticket if you get caught.

P.S.
Climb Deer Creek instead. Just as tough, but not illegal; and not as dangerous.

Just an FYI -

I was going down Tuna the other day and I saw a cop up there. Not sure if he was on the lookout for cyclists breaking the law... but - It IS ILLEGAL to go UP Tuna from the coast... So be prepared to get a hefty ticket if you get caught.

The police presence in the canyon has increased lately. I saw a CHP car drive down my street for the first time in the 3 years I've been here. I heard there's been some racing going on, who knows though. Careful out there.

Skate down Tuna! :lol:

http://homepage.mac.com/timothyhuber/downhill/iMovieTheater13.html
http://homepage.mac.com/timothyhuber/downhill/iMovieTheater31.html

One run, one set of wheels. Loads of fun

P.S.
Climb Deer Creek instead. Just as tough, but not illegal; and not as dangerous.

Uh deer creek does not compare at all...

Uh deer creek does not compare at all...

Disagree...
but notwithstanding-
it's not illegal to go UP Deer Creek.
Tuna is a one-way street; and that applies to bikes as well.

Disagree...
but notwithstanding-
it's not illegal to go UP Deer Creek.
Tuna is a one-way street; and that applies to bikes as well.

ok so I take it you have never gone up Tuna so you really can't compare right? Nobody cares that's it illegal plus speeds going up are not so fast so its very safe going up.

I have gone up Tuna, and Deer Creek and Las Flores, and every other canyon in the Santa Monica mountains.
You said, they don't compare "at all." And I've simply disagreed.

It's simply NOT TRUE that "Nobody cares that it's illegal." I would imagine that many, if not most folks DO - and as soon as a cyclist gets injured or killed by a right-of-way motorist on Tuna, you may too.

Cyclists who don't care about the laws of the road give a very, very bad name to cyclists in general. California cops, and especially those in Malibu, have little regard for, and definite bias against cyclists. Cyclists are routinely found at fault, or at least contributorily negligent in accident reports.

I don't care one way or the other what YOU do. Everyone here is capable of making their own choices and ultimately responsible for their own behaviour. But I do think it's inappropriate to use this forum to advocate disregard for the laws that apply to cyclists and cars.