Finally was able to make it today. It was tons of fun. Flying down Santiago Canyon at 30-40 mph in loosely rotating paceline was a change of pace from my usual endurance rides. :D They were taking it really easy today. Was able to stay with them leading in to the canyon. On the first prolonged climb I found myself too far back with people dropping of left and right. By the time I got it to near the front front part of the group broke off. So I ended up in the chase group. We almost caught up to the front, but kind of took it easy on the climb out of the canyon.
Moral of the story? Position, position, position. Plus I need to get faster, or and probably should put 11/23 on the back. On the downhill sections I was spinning out my wussy 50/12. :)

get a standard double!!!

don't need to change cranks, go with the 11-23. 50x11 is a little bigger than a 53x12. you don't need an 11 with a 53

get a standard double!!!

Never! lol.

I've never been dropped at Como, but I've ridden the 53x11 to keep up.

Como is a good ride.

I've never been dropped, on the downhill, at Como, but I've ridden the 53x11 to keep up.

There fixed it for you. :D

It didn't need to be fixed. I've never been dropped in the canyon or the downhill. I was just saying, I've used the 53x11 there. The downhill does get fast. You said you were spinning a 50x12 and people always say a 53x11 is not necessary, but i've found it very useful at times and I can spin pretty well.

It didn't need to be fixed. I've never been dropped in the canyon or the downhill. I was just saying, I've used the 53x11 there. The downhill does get fast. You said you were spinning a 50x12 and people always say a 53x11 is not necessary, but i've found it very useful at times and I can spin pretty well.

Yes, but I also didn't get dropped on a downhill. :) For races I'll put 11/23 at the back thought. Anyway my original point was that it was a great ride. Next time I need to stop twiddling my thumbs and smelling daisies and try to stay near the front.

Yes, but I also didn't get dropped on a downhill. :) For races I'll put 11/23 at the back thought. Anyway my original point was that it was a great ride. Next time I need to stop twiddling my thumbs and smelling daisies and try to stay near the front.

You also didn't catch up on the downhill. What I should have clarified is that I know how fast that group can roll after the Cook's corner climb. If you are dropped I know it would be very difficult to catch up with a 50x11 and especially a 50x12. From my experience it is best not to go more than 20 back through the canyon especially the last 1/2 mile or so before the "wall".

Which "wall" are you referring to? Normally "the wall" refers to the climb out of Live Oak Canyon on the "long" route that goes through Trabuco and Live Oak Canyons, before hitting Cooks. The long route is a completely different sufferfest than the traditional El Toro to Cooks route. Either way, your advice is sound, stay near the front, preferred spot is about 6 - 8 wheels back. I've missed the last couple of weeks due to be being sick, but things were getting pretty heated the couple of weeks before that.

You also didn't catch up on the downhill. What I should have clarified is that I know how fast that group can roll after the Cook's corner climb. If you are dropped I know it would be very difficult to catch up with a 50x11 and especially a 50x12. From my experience it is best not to go more than 20 back through the canyon especially the last 1/2 mile or so before the "wall".

Ok, I didn't catch up until the red light. *shrug. Still was a good ride. Seriously the final climb is called the "Wall"?

Ok, I didn't catch up until the red light. *shrug. Still was a good ride. Seriously the final climb is called the "Wall"?

As many times as I've done the ride, the only street names I know are Jamboree, Irvine Blvd. and Bake. After you do the twisty descent, go past the stables and then start climbing throught the canyon with the trees (not sure if they're still there) the road kicks up pretty steep. That is the "wall". You then descend make a right at Cook's Corner and do another climb. I think that is the hardest climb. You then descend again and rip through the canyon past Irvine Lake. I've heard some people call the last climb "trash truck".

Which "wall" are you referring to? Normally "the wall" refers to the climb out of Live Oak Canyon on the "long" route that goes through Trabuco and Live Oak Canyons, before hitting Cooks. The long route is a completely different sufferfest than the traditional El Toro to Cooks route. Either way, your advice is sound, stay near the front, preferred spot is about 6 - 8 wheels back. I've missed the last couple of weeks due to be being sick, but things were getting pretty heated the couple of weeks before that.

This is it. I've never done the "short" route. Live Oak Canyon is the name I couldn't remember.

Ok, I didn't catch up until the red light. *shrug. Still was a good ride. Seriously the final climb is called the "Wall"?

The final climb, just past Irvine lake, is called "dump" or "trash truck".

The final climb, just past Irvine lake, is called "dump" or "trash truck".

For me it's called "up chuck" because that's what I wanted to do at that point if I was still with the group. It's been quite a while since I did that ride but the memory of the pain lives on :)

The final climb, just past Irvine lake, is called "dump" or "trash truck".

Ah yes, thats the one I got dropped at near the top. Ok, now we have our climbs straight. :D I guess I did the "short" route since we didn't climb the "Wall". I wanted to do the long route, but I guess I missed the turnout.

Ah yes, thats the one I got dropped at near the top. Ok, now we have our climbs straight. :D I guess I did the "short" route since we didn't climb the "Wall". I wanted to do the long route, but I guess I missed the turnout.

Hi,

So you ended up doing the Old Man's version of Como. ;) :D

I did Como pretty regularly from 1980-1990 (before Jamboree crossed the 5 Freeway). I stopped doing it after a couple of significant events; one of which caused me to see my life passing before my eyes. :eek:

Also, by 1990 the group would start with 100 or more people and there would almost always be a crash before we got to El Toro. I figured racing was dangerous enough without having to contend with crashes on TRAINING rides. I'm sure it's much safer these days. :rolleyes:

Anyway coming out of O'Neil Park on Live Oak Canyon was always a major sufferfest for me. :o I ALWAYS got dropped there except for one time. I could hang going straight up Santiago Canyon but for some reason I couldn't stay in on the stair-step climb (The Wall) up Live Oak.

I guess I'll have to try Como again to see what it's like these days.

Old Man's como. lol. I guess this "young whipper snapper" needs more training, err I mean lighter bike. Yeah thats it it's my bikes fault. lol.
Anyway it wasn't all that bad. Only dangerous thing I saw was when some "brain surgeons" decided to merge in to left lane to make a left turn right in front of the car. It had to lock it's brakes not to run them over. Oh and some dude stopping in the middle of the intersection. No idea why he decided to do that.

Food Park on the other hand... I refuse to do that one. I value my life too much.
Hi,

So you ended up doing the Old Man's version of Como. ;) :D

I did Como pretty regularly from 1980-1990 (before Jamboree crossed the 5 Freeway). I stopped doing it after a couple of significant events; one of which caused me to see my life passing before my eyes. :eek:

Also, by 1990 the group would start with 100 or more people and there would almost always be a crash before we got to El Toro. I figured racing was dangerous enough without having to contend with crashes on TRAINING rides. I'm sure it's much safer these days. :rolleyes:

Anyway coming out of O'Neil Park on Live Oak Canyon was always a major sufferfest for me. :o I ALWAYS got dropped there except for one time. I could hang going straight up Santiago Canyon but for some reason I couldn't stay in on the stair-step climb (The Wall) up Live Oak.

I guess I'll have to try Como again to see what it's like these days.

"Old Mans Como" has become the route that most people ride. Sometimes there's still an "Old Mans" group that leaves at 8:30 instead of 8:00. The Long group is usually a lot smaller, maybe 20-40 riders, and it hurts from the bottom of the switchbacks all the way to the finish. In the past the Long group would turn right on Bake Pwky, but so far this year, they've been going up El Toro and turning right on Santa Margarita.

In the last couple of years, I only know of a few crashes on Como, and nothing serious. Most of them have been on Irvine Blvd on windy days, when everyone is fighting for the gutter. Last year I remember one crash descending the switchbacks into Trabuco Canyon and a crash or two going through Santiago. You can avoid most of the risky riders by staying near the front on Irvine Blvd and being in the lead group through the canyon. A lot of guys stop at the top of Cooks and regroup, that is the group to avoid. Generally the group that goes Long is pretty skilled at pack riding, pace lines, etc. I like the long route because it's the hardest workout around and I always feel safer in that group.

Slightly off topic, but since tomorrow's weather looks like crap, I tried the Canyon Velo ride this morning. It follows much of the Como Long route, but goes down Marguerite (spelled wrong I know) and up La Paz and Antonio. It also hits the 5 mile climb up Silverado. I think this is a tougher workout than Como. While it's tame on the flats and regroups at the top of each climb, we drilled it everytime the road turned up. 82 miles and I'm worked over in a good way:) For anyone interested, you can catch the ride at the Shell station at the corner of Irvine Blvd and Jamboree at about 7:50am on Saturday mornings.