I'm kind of a noob...so apologies if this belongs in the "commuting" thread.

Anyhow...I'm relocating to Orange County from Denver, CO in a little over a month to start teaching at CSU Fullerton, and I'm *committed* to bike commuting to campus. I'm looking for housing at the moment, and one of my big concerns is whether a bike commute to campus is possible!

I don't mind longer commutes - 10, even 15 miles each way would be totally fine - but I'm completely unfamiliar with the OC area. My stereotype of Southern California includes big cars, big roads and highways, and lots of other stuff that might be scary to someone who, like myself, is still fairly new to road biking - I've only been a serious rider for about two years. I've been a bit spoiled by The Denver Area...the city is a grid with lots of quiet streets and MUPs, and even on my (far to infrequent) bike commute to Boulder, there's only one or two spots where I consistently fear for my life.

If anybody has opinions or resources on safe routes, MUPs, or simply routes where one is unlikely to get killed, I would really appreciate it! If there's particular cities in OC that allow easier access to Fullerton, that would also be helpful - it will allow me to expand my ongoing search for affordable housing in California. =)

OC is much different than LA in terms of space for bikes. There are many bike trails, paths, lanes etc dedicated to bikes. Now there are areas not so bike friendly, for instance where I work near UCI Medical Center in Orange, but I can get close on trails and then have to go alittle ways on the sidewalk.

Since you will be teaching at CSU, I suggest you find some place to live in Fullerton, Placentia, Yorba Linda or Brea, maybe even N. Anaheim or Orange. You will then have a nice easy bike commute to work.

My suggestion is to start at CSU and then drive in some direction, see if the commute appeals to you. If you can find someplace, say in Brea, you could come straight down State College, something I used to do all the time. But frankly there is lots of housing very close to school. You most likely can find something in walking distance! I'm assuming the school has some program to help ou find housing. Also check with Auto Club. They can provide maps of all the bike trails.

It would be awesome if you can find something over by the Courthouse in Fullerton. Nice area, great restaurants and stores, easy commute over CSU via neighborhood streets.

I've ridden in both places, and IMO Denver has fewer/worse bicycle lanes (since it is an older city with an infrastructure that was established (in some places) before the advent of the automobile.
Orange County OTOH, tends to have wider roads and better bike lanes, but the drivers are less attentive/courteous. This is of course a generalization, because there are a few wide bike lanes in Denver and a few (one or two perhaps) polite & alert drivers in OC.
Also, I was riding in Denver back before the advent of the cellphone, so my impression may be skewed. Perhaps you can update us in here after you've been living in OC for a few weeks to give us a comparison?
But OC is a colossally-huge area, so we need more specifics about the region in which you'll be riding.

Orange County is different. It's mainly Range Rovers driven by pissed off soccer moms that text while they're screaming at you to get the **** off the road.

Your avatar is right, GP, you are grumpy... I'm a courteous OC driver, but I prefer to be on my bike. :-) Irvine has the best bike paths. If I were you, I'd get a temporary place for a couple months and ride around until you get the lay of the land. I use google bike to find dedicated bike paths, but it's not 100%, and to be honest the easiest way to find routes is to get out there and see what the roads are like.

Orange County is a good place to ride. People are used to bikes, and give them room. Fear not.

This is a pretty good guide to bicycle-friendly areas.

https://www.octa.net/BikewaysMap.aspx

However, ya gotta pay attention to the different classes of bikeways...sometimes those so-called Class III bikeways are signed, but not necessarily safe with speeding traffic...also, there's a few gaps in the system that tell you to be on your guard or even just hop on the sidewalk for a slower, but safer portion of the commute.

Thanks everyone! My job is just a one year contract, so I'll be renting, and my stay will be short...more reason to make the most of it. I already feel a lot better about bike commuting, and have a better idea about where I can live and still get to work. It's funny, Coloradans seem to think that they're God's gift to cycling, and we sometimes forget that lots of people in other places ride bikes, too.

I'll be sure to share how OC commuting compares to Denver. One thing is for sure: it will be nice to ride all winter without studded tires and ski goggles!

Orange County is the Mecca of road biking. You'll pass bikers at every intersection. From Fullerton you can ride the Fullerton loop or get yourself into the mountains for some serious training easily. Got a free afternoon, head on down the SART (Santa Ana River Trail) that will take you from Corona to the beach (28.8 miles) without having to stop for a single car or stoplight. You'll pass right behind Angels stadium too.

I travel a lot to Denver for work and my best friend is a major cyclist there. We compare notes all the time. In my opinion, OC rules for road biking. If you want to throw in mountain biking well then I'll give the nod to Denver.

You'll never get tired of the options down here. Huge bike lanes and despite what some have said here the drivers give you a wide berth. Also the OC keeps the bike lanes well-swept and there are no road hazards (thorns, potholes, cobblestones) to speak of. I'm 1800 miles flat-free and I ride all over all the time.

And the kicker? On December 4th when your buddies in Colorado are shoveling their driveways you'll head out on a Sunday ride to the beach still wearing bike shorts with just a long-sleeve jersey to compensate for the "winter".

When you arrive in Orange County, you also arrive in all of what California has to offer. If you watched the Tour of California recently, then you had a glimpse of the diversity and beauty of the area.

Your teaching position at CSUF, there's the "Faculty-Staff Resources. https://www.fullerton.edu/faculty-staff.asp

Then there's the faculty's "Housing Authority" https://www.csufasc.org/housing.aspx

Are we ALL working for the Orange County Chamber of Commerce in here?
We're already eye-deep in Saharizonans, and if you guys aren't careful, we'll be overrun.
There are definitely some advantages to riding in SoCal, but I don't know if I'd call it cycling Mecca.

Southern California has a lot to offer. It doesn't mean that all the roads are the best, or all the drivers give you the rights as a vehicle, or congestion is not a problem, or smog does not exist. But look at the positives:

The Velodrome in Carson. Even if you do not track riding, its a "must see" and the facility is excellent and open to riders per their schedule. The number of cycling clubs, organized rides, triathlon clubs, the number of bike shops.

I don't know how to verify this, but I heard that there are more bike shops in So Calif than anywhere else in the States.

Felt is located in Lake Forest, CA, Orange County. Cervelo's new research facility is located in Garden Grove. Specialized is located in Morgan Hill (not So Cal but near San Jose).

Not all of Orange County is like that! OK Maybe Ladera Ranch or Aliso Viejo but not around Fullerton, Placentia or Yorba Linda. Generally a much younger crowd... but then you really have to worry qbout cell phone use and texting.

If the poster is looking for something around the School, he should be fine. Thankfully lots of rental properties nearby.

My observation, south Orange C., coastal, Mecca, central and northern-varied but overall OC rocks. SART MUT's generally some people like them, me for no stop riding I'll take Santiago Cyn any day or a short commute out of OC to GMR, yippee kiyay!!

BTW I bike commute 4-5 days a week, in dark and early @ 3:30, and largely own the road.
Anyway, lots of good info here good luck during your stay. On weekends you'll also find great options to ride with groups.

Thanks again guys! I found a place to live near downtown Fullerton, so I'll have a super easy commute - 6 or 7 miles round trip. Looking forward to...exploring.

Greenforest, I have NOC dialed-in and can suggest good routing for you. Drop me a PM with a starting point and where on campus you will be working.