Southern California - Long Beach Bike Path!

Sup everyone. First time posting in the socal forum. Anybody here a regular rider on the beach path? What are your thoughts about it? How do you like it? Wouldn't it be really cool if they extended it to reach Seal Beach so that we can have LA River to Huntington Beach rides without having to deal with the cars on 2nd street? Doesn't the headwind suck on the path? Type away :speedy:

Don't like that path at all. I actually live in the South Bay, but go to school in LB. The path is too short and way to crowded in the summer. I just stick with PCH if I plan on doing any riding. The last time I rode PCH a group took me up to Newport Coast which was a nice quick climb.

I ride the path from my home (Ocean and Cherry) to the olympic pool where I take Ocean to 2nd street and then PCH or SGRT. Like wcoastbikr wrote above, it is frequently very busy with walkers, joggers, skaters, skate boarders and people riding some strange trike that seems to go only in zig-zag.

I really don't like riding the path and would avoid it if not for the heavy traffic on Ocean.

I like to ride it past dark so it's less crowded. I use it to warm up before I ride some miles elsewhere.

I ride either the SGRT or Long Beach every weekend. Just be careful and make sure to yell when going through under passes.

There's two groups that hook up along the path.. Grant Rea Park on Saturdays at 7:30am and Sunday group at Wilderness Park at 8:00am. Both are hammerfest.. join in if you like.

Good to see other Long Beach bikers. I ride the SGRT, the LA River trail, and the beach path all the time. As others have said the beach path is ok if you're out for a casual cruise, but I've had many close calls if I try to go fast. Pedestrians generally don't seem to understand, or follow, rules of the road even though the beach path is clearly marked with a "pedestrian lane" and a bike lane.

I was on the bike path this last Sunday, the day it was really warm like 80 degrees. Lots of people especially near the boat docs. I was a pedestrian that day.

I admit that I drifted over to the bike lane during my walk back to the parking lot.

I haven't had too many encounters with pedestrians, but they can get quite annoying sometimes. As for the SGRT, is it safe to ride it by yourself (daytime)? That's my main concern. I feel alright riding on the beach path because there are usually families and kids walking around. If I could ride from seal beach to Cerritos by myself, I'll be set, screw the beach path

I ride either the SGRT or Long Beach every weekend. Just be careful and make sure to yell when going through under passes.

There's two groups that hook up along the path.. Grant Rea Park on Saturdays at 7:30am and Sunday group at Wilderness Park at 8:00am. Both are hammerfest.. join in if you like.

Is there a site with more details of those rides....? I ride a fixed and won't be able to do keep up with strong road bikers going for distance, but if its at a slower pace.. :o

Is there a site with more details of those rides....? I ride a fixed and won't be able to do keep up with strong road bikers going for distance, but if its at a slower pace.. :o
Some roadies won't mind you riding with them as long as you have brakes. If you don't have brakes, don't even think about riding with them. Either, they'll drop you right from the start, or more than likely someone will say something to you. It's not considered safe riding without brakes in a group. Also showing up in jeans and a t-shirt you'll probably stick out like a sore thumb and get funny looks.

Wild Life ride meets every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 10:30pm (10-20mi) at the Walter pyramid on CSULB campus. I've heard some people call it fast, I've heard others call it moderate-slow. I've never done it. I doubt it's really that fast, I mean they're only doing 10-20 miles. Unless it's some brutal fixie time trial rides they've got going on...lol. It's almost all fixies. I'd probably stick out like a sore thumb with my gears and bike shorts :p.

Some roadies won't mind you riding with them as long as you have brakes. If you don't have brakes, don't even think about riding with them. Either, they'll drop you right from the start, or more than likely someone will say something to you. It's not considered safe riding without brakes in a group. Also showing up in jeans and a t-shirt you'll probably stick out like a sore thumb and get funny looks.

Wild Life ride meets every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 10:30pm (10-20mi) at the Walter pyramid on CSULB campus. I've heard some people call it fast, I've heard others call it moderate-slow. I've never done it. I doubt it's really that fast, I mean they're only doing 10-20 miles. Unless it's some brutal fixie time trial rides they've got going on...lol. It's almost all fixies. I'd probably stick out like a sore thumb with my gears and bike shorts :p.

I ride fixed with a front brake.. but risers, top tube pad (its for function I swear) and lack of any decent cycling clothing will probably make me stick out pretty badly :p

I've been on one wildlife ride before sometime last november I think, and it was a pretty moderate pace. The whole group split along the ride into 2, with faster riders up front and people who struggled to catch their breaths like me were about a minute behind but it was still fun. It was about 98% fixed bikes; out of a group of 40-50 riders, only 1 geared road bike was there , but it was steel and old and had non-aero wheels (plus the rider was a cute girl). But its nothing like time trials or that sort, they're just out there to have fun and ride. If I had the choice (and the bike) I'd bring out a geared roadie. But uh... I wouldn't bring the bike shorts :thumb:

I've talked to a couple people that give me mixed opinions on that ride. They either say it's too slow, too fast, and/or too dangerous because most the people aren't riding without brakes and don't know how to stop very well and don't really know how to ride in a group. I've also heard some people like it and say it's fun...to all their own. I'm thinking about eventually building myself a single speed for commuting/beating and might try it just for ***** and giggles.

I haven't had too many encounters with pedestrians, but they can get quite annoying sometimes. As for the SGRT, is it safe to ride it by yourself (daytime)? That's my main concern. I feel alright riding on the beach path because there are usually families and kids walking around. If I could ride from seal beach to Cerritos by myself, I'll be set, screw the beach path

I've ridden the SGRT countless times from Seal Beach north up well beyond Cerritos and the most dangerous part are the few blind tunnels. I've never had any people approach me or make me nervous. The only safety concerns I've had are other cyclists, leashless dogs, and the blind tunnels/underpasses. If you want to be able to get from Seal Beach to Cerritos, you should be set. If you're uncomfortable trying it by yourself speak up and maybe we can make a group ride of it. Good luck!

If you want to get to Seal Beach, htfu and just take pch. It's not that far from CSULB. Learning to ride on the streets is mostly a mental thing and pch isn't that bad anyways.

As for the SGRT, I've been wanting to go riding through there. I've never been but someone told me it's a pretty cool to go through, but not to go alone. I'm down to head all the way to San Gabriel Mountains if anyone wants to. Although school just started so time may be a problem.

If I could ride from seal beach to Cerritos by myself, I'll be set, screw the beach path My morning before-work rides are on SGRT. I park at Liberty Park in Cerritos (along the river between South St and Del Amo) and ride south most days, although sometimes I'll ride north. I'm a woman, and ride alone.