How to ride Mulholland safely? (And similar mountain roads)
12-13-13, 10:17 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 15
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
How to ride Mulholland safely? (And similar mountain roads)
So i just started getting really into cycling. I live on Westlake Blvd (right next to Mulholland and all of those mountainous roads) and im not quite sure how to go about safely riding these roads as all im used to is bike lanes. Do you guys always take the lane on these roads? Some of the turns are very sharp and i feel unsafe being in the middle of the lane on the other side of these turns. Should i stay to the right even if there is barely any room? How do you guys safely navigate the Santa Monica Mts?
12-13-13, 10:42 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 4,770
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 630 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 369 Times
in
206 Posts
Take the lane on the "technical" parts, stay in your own lane (unless you know what you're doing), move over to let cars pass you if it is safe to do so
12-13-13, 11:06 PM
#3
velo-dilettante
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: insane diego, california
Posts: 8,311
Bikes: 85 pinarello treviso steel, 88 nishiki olympic steel. 95 look kg 131 carbon, 11 trek madone 5.2 carbon
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1627 Post(s)
Liked 3,112 Times
in
1,682 Posts
i always use a rear red blinker (whether it's the twisty mountain roads or not) which i feel can't hurt. depending on the mtn road and traffic volume, i will ride as close to the center line just before going around the bend on a curve in hopes that any distant motorist(s) will see me from afar.
Last edited by diphthong; 12-14-13 at 12:00 PM.
12-13-13, 11:10 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: MANHATTAN BEACH, CA
Posts: 209
Bikes: 2013 BMC GRAN FONDO GF01, 2010 SPECIALIZED ROUBAIX, 2004 TREK FX7000, 2013 SPECIALIZED ALLEZ
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Try riding with a group to build your confidence on those roads. Conejo Valley Cyclists is a club in your area.
12-14-13, 09:06 AM
#5
Senior Member
Also helps to get your rides in early before the motorbikes, car clubs and generally crazies get out there!
__________________
[insert clever quote here]
[insert clever quote here]
