djgonzo007

Just moved here from La Jolla, CA and am in need of some good bike routes for commuting and fun rides. Aside from commuting back and forth to USC by bike, I'd like to learn some nice 20-30 mile routes for the weekends. I'm just learning the area and would naturally like to avoid heavy trafficked roads.

Suggestions?

Thanks,
DJ

Soma Roark

There is a river route near you that'll take you to the beach (google it!), and from there you can either to north or south along the beach... alternatively if you're near usc you can take the subway down to long beach and ride from there. You can do loops around griffith park...mountainous climbs in the angeles national park...

FYI Orange 20 is a great bike shop, relatively near you, they can probably recommend some more.

zitter

chantry flats and angeles crest highway are both great rides if you like climbing

JustMe

The USC cycling team is frequently in the Pasadena, Monrovia, Sierra Madre area, on Saturday mornings to do the Montrose Ride. You might look them up for suggestions, and possibly join in. There is also the Pasadena Athletic Assoc. which has a monthly meeting and several weekly rides, and the local bike shops like Incycle, Pasadena Velo, and Stan's Monrovia which sponsor their own weekly ride schedules. Through those you should be able to find something that suits your particular interests, and the occasional rides posted on this and other forums. Enjoy.

rooftest

+1. Chantry flats is closest to you - a short climb. Hwy 39 - east fork - GMR - Mt. Baldy is another area that'll keep you busy.

Soma Roark

Please please have lights or something bc the roads are narrow and the bends can hide you from sight from the autos... maybe a long red flag!

fishymamba

Chantry flats is pretty good. Used to live down the street so I have done many repeats of it. The ride to the beach is nice, but it's over 70 miles there and back

rooftest

Wut.

Soma Roark

Just kidding on the last part... just saying be careful on that mountain path bc the roads are narrow/windy and I don't trust the autos... when I do drive up I wish I can see the cyclists better and if they had a long red flag I can see the tip and give me prior warning as I make turns...

Mansram01

I don't find Angeles Crest as being narrow but a headlight isn't a bad idea. GMR and East Fork are narrow. Haven't tried Chantry Flats yet.

Mansram01

Here's a list of rides from the Foothill Cycle Club and most are pretty local. This should keep you pretty busy for a while. It's a great way to explore the area.

https://www.foothillcycle.org/routes.html

fishymamba

Have to go down chantry VERY slow. The turns are tight, the roads are tight, and there is always dirt/rock on the road. Crashed very badly coming down from there.

rooftest

If traffic on mountain roads scares you. (ACH and GMR don't scare me. Hwy 330, however, is terrifying to me.)

330 is spooky, I think, from the high speeds. (cars are at about 65 mph at the bottom.)

ACH is significantly slower, with GMR slower still.

Chantry flats is probably the slowest for cars. I've bombed that descent probably about 100 times. I'll usually catch cars on the way down. Stay alert on it; but the Mt. Wilson-Red Box descent is probably a little hairier.

mkadam68

If you can't see what's ahead of you, try driving slower.

kenrudman

Hey DJ,

I live in South Pas. Lots of great rides around here, many that start from the Rose Bowl, others that head east off of Huntington.

Do you use Garmin or Strava? You're welcome to look at my rides there. My username is ruddy on Strava: https://app.strava.com/athletes/10514

On garmin you can search for username kenrudman and you'll see what I do.

Soma Roark

Yup, snail pace, alert, some honks here and there, always looking out for fellow cyclists. Not sure if other drivers are like me though. =7 All I'm saying is be careful out there, sheesh.

djgonzo007

Awesome, thanks!

djgonzo007

Thanks for all of the responses! Now that we are completely unpacked and settled in, I'll be going for my first ride tomorrow morning. I'll be feeling a bit rusty as its been two weeks since I've been able to get out and ride, but I'm really looking forward to it.

blarnie

Velo Pasadena has a great group ride on the weekend.