furiousbob

I've been doing a lot of riding in Pasadena, seeing as to how I live in Pasadena. The only route that I've found to have a decent grade is Michillinda Ave from Huntington Blvd to the Sierra Madres. Problem is, it's only 3 miles. The good thing is, the last mile has a 7 or so percent grade.

Anybody know any good routes to take locally in the middle of the night? (I do all my recreational riding at night)

jpconrad

Go to the end of Michillinda (past Sierra Madre), it gets steeper.

Are you looking for climbing routes?

spingineer

If you go west, through La Canada Flintridge, there is plenty of hill climbing ... and while you are at it, might as well tackle Angeles Crest Hwy!

JustMe

I don't know that AC would be a good night time option. But La Canada/Flintridge certainly has options that John (JP) is very familiar with. All kinds of routes out of the Rose Bowl.

roadfix

JP knows Pasadena. Listen to the man.

VelodromePhoeni

If you like to ride in the middle of the night, try climbing up Lake from Huntington Drive (it's called Oak Knoll there), up past the Huntington Hotel, through downtown, and up as high as it goes into the foothills of Altadena. It's a pretty good grade, long and straight, and once you pass Washington, the incline just keeps getting steeper and steeper. I've never been further up Lake than Mendocino, I believe, because it just got too steep for me. But up around Altadena Drive, and north of Altadena Drive, it gets REALLY intense.

Lake's awfully busy in the day time, but in the middle of the night it's a little quieter, and it's also extremely well-lit, so it makes it a little safer. Also, it's two lanes in each direction, so cars have another lane they can use to go around you. Just be careful on the decent coming back down. And watch out for parked cars and dumpsters.

vp

jpconrad

If you're looking for a good sustained climb, Lake Ave above Washington to the end.

Over by the Rosebowl, these are some fun climbs:

From Linda Vista, try:

Glen Oaks over Patrician Way and back.

Lida to Figueroa to San Augustine or St Katherine or Chevy Chase/Inverness

Inverness to St Katherine
Inverness to Devon to Normany to Inverness to St Katherine

Highland Drive to Corona to Inverness to St Katherine
Highland Drive to Chevy Chase to Inverness to St Katherine
Highland Drive to Chevy Chase to Figueroa to San Augustine

bigdraft

Another option that also ends at the top of lake is locally known as the thighmaster. It's the route the Velo Pasadena Wed. ride follows once you hit New York and Altadena. It winds it's way up thru the neighborhoods. The ride is characterized by a series of steeply stepped streats that finally deposits you one street below the top of Lake.

You get the same elevation gain as going straight up Lake, which is a brutal climb since it's in your face the whole way. But VelodromePhoeni is right, the traffic on Lake can be sucky and as you get higher on it, there is no real shoulder to work with.

jpconrad

I ride frequently up Lake from Mendocino up and above Altadena traffic is light to almost non-existent, particularly after dark. I am somewhat leery, though, of the lack of shoulder and that concrete drainage canal.

You can always go up Santa Anita to Chantry Flats, just climb the gate if it's closed. It is creepy, though, especially with the Deliverance clan, the occasional wildlife, and the possibility of going over the cliff and never being found again.

furiousbob

Wow, lots of great routes. Thanks everybody.

I do all the hill climbing at night, I got to the end of Santa Anita Ave last night around 3am but my flashlights couldn't light up Santa Anita Canyon Rd properly so I decided to turn back, any mountain lions up there?

Anybody know long, slight grade roads that are quiet? The one I take to work is San Pasqual from Rosemead Blvd to Sierra Madre Blvd, it's got a tiny grade but it's nice and quiet.

roadfix

3am?? Holy!....must be peaceful out there...

VelodromePhoeni

Longdon is nice.

"any mountain lions?"

Um, just lions, and tigers, and bears.

Oh, my.

vp

jpconrad

I'm sure there are mountain lions up there, whether you'd see one or they'd be a problem, I couldn't say.

If you go over the the west side, Grand from Mission, then continuing on Arroyo, left at Seco, left again at Seco, then right at Linda Vista makes for a pretty descent ride, pretty quiet, and not too much of a grade except for the Seco to Linda Vista portion. If you take it from Mission and work your way up through Highland and Berkshire to Verdugo you'll get 8.6 miles and 700 feet of climbing.

Just watch out for deer, they're all over the areas around Linda Vista and not too bright.

doppelg

I rode behind a deer on Highland just East of Chevy Chase the other morning. She was running down the middle of the road. What do you do when you see a deer? I kept my distance behind her, and she eventually ran off the road and up a path.

jpconrad

Usually I'm almost crashing into them when I see them. If I see them with enough warning I'll stop until they get out of the way, I'm worried about passing them and having them try to run through me.

furiousbob

I was actually thinking about taking Orange Grove from Rosemead Blvd in east pasadena all the way to the Rose Bowl tonight but figured I'd take last night's michillinda route one more time.

JustMe

If you go a couple blocks further north to Mountain, then head west, it will deliver you directly into the Rose Bowl/Brookside Park rather than taking that southern direction that Orange Grove does as you approach the fwy. That is, . . . if you want to go to the Rose Bowl/park.

furiousbob

What about longer, low-grade routes? I'd love to find a long, low-grade route and take it on my entire day off...just riding my SS/FG up and down one road. The only thing I can think of is San Pasqual. Nothing with too much traffic.

Then again i guess any large street is good for night riding.

doppelg

I rode Chevy Chase up to Inverness, and going down Inverness on the other side is so steep and curvy! I couldn't get going very fast at all. Great views, though. And zero traffic on Inverness on Saturday morning. Think I'll try St. Augustine next.

furiousbob

I took this route today, made a mistake at orange grove out of the rose bowl and ended up riding two cities too many.

Can you cross the colorado bridge by bike? It doesn't look too accessible.

JustMe

Yes. Just be sure to avoid the freeway onramp.

nickelbus

If you want "decent" climbs....do this ride....I hope the link works...

https://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united...ills/488673320

Ride created my a teammate...have fun!

Large Font

I live at the very top of Lake avenue... riding up or down Lake is not very smart, as the traffic is crazy.
I would recommend going up Hill (it's parallel to Lake, and to the East of Lake) until you reach Altadena Country club, where Hill goes left for a short block. Then right on Holliston ( you are now going North again), and eventually cross Altadena Drive... left at the top, and then keep going, crossing all intersections, and you'll end up on Lake just below its highest point. Coming down will be interesting at night... have nice bright lights. Go left at the top of lake, and that'll take you down Loma Alta... use a map to figure out how to get home from the end of Loma Alta... it's pretty flat from there.
Never ride on Lake above the Freeway!

furiousbob

Looks excellent. I'll have to try that next weekend.

BTW I'm doing all this riding on a fixie so steep hills are a real pain. For instance, I was exiting the Rose Bowl earlier today and taking one of the roads back to Orange Grove. That short section almost killed me. I've got roughly 73 gear inches on my fixie right now so if a few flatland routes would be appreciated.

spingineer

I'm still in SoCal today. I'll be on the road in a little bit. Think I'll head over towards the Rose Bowl, and climb to St. Katherine's Girl's School ... is there still a way up there? Last time I attempted it, there was a barrier blocking the road to go up to the top, and I had to U-turn back down.