cervelo4me

it was my first huge ride ever only been road biking a month.it was a great experience and cool to see lance 5 feet away and amount of people was shocking with all kinds of bikes.let me say this i had a blast but its way to crowded and im hoping future event rides are not like that.saw lots of people go down and lots paramedics doing their thing the fact is its pretty dangerous out there.ride was very slow which also made it dangerous as well.i enjoyed the vibe all people we pleasant but i must say i have a new found appreciation for my solo rides and just doing the zen thing all alone.rode with with foot out of the clickless pedal a lot due to very sudden stops and massive lines ups at the street lights and just wanted to be extra safe.i sure hope the amgen ride is not gonna be like that.im glad i did it and i would do it again .one more thing does the mayor ever stop talking?

Luwin1026

Lol =) Yes, there were a lot of folks, and some massive backups at stoplights with some questionable riding, but that's to be expected for a mass-appeal ride like this. Glad you liked it enough to want to do it again, though!!

travelmama

Oh damn. The guy does not talk, he stutters which annoys me. I can't do the mass crowd events but am glad they take place and that you enjoyed yourself. In watching the news, I heard the next one is set for June and possibly once a month.

Luwin1026

According to the LA Times the next ones are scheduled to be 7/10 and 10/9

JetWave

I had a lot of fun riding with my son today. I heard on channel 9 news that about 130K people show up? I agree it is very crowded, but I like the atmosphere and most people getting along. I just hate that some moron has to blast throught a down hill street with signs & people cautioning slow down, the guy hit someone on the uphill with a baby on his trailer, really piss me off. Other than that, I think it is great concept with a lot of foot traffic bring business to the local communities on a Sunday.

Genaro

I had a nice time with my family. We were moving fairly slow along the right side of the street, but why is it that every skinny jean wearing, fixie riding mofo was determined to sqeeze in between the curb and my 9 yr old daughter with only 1 or 2 feet clearance ??? Is it that important to go around people ? Other than that, it was a nice time. Great weather, nice vibe. Didn't see the Mayor or Lance. Were they riding ?

cervelo4me

they did opening ceremony at the Japanese museum together i was there early so i saw them.the mayor can sure drone on and on

motrheadsroadie

events like this arent really for people who already deal with riding their bikes in traffic on a daily basis. they are for fat overweight soccer moms and dads to drag their kids out of the house on a sunday to "enjoy the city" or whatever. i get what they are trying to do, but i dont like it. cycling isnt for everyone.

kenrudman

uh...incorrect

cervelo4me

i agree like i said i have new appreciation of riding alone and just doing the zen thing.i just love that alone time on my bike.love my friends company but when alone i go where i want when i want for how long i want and how fast or slow i want.also when alone your not locked into a time or place you just go where your bike takes you.

cervelo4me

ill pass on the mass events for now on and just head to pch via old topanga cyn

motrheadsroadie

hey kenrudman, your logic has holes the size of matzo balls. is driving for everyone? is eating mcdonalds for everyone? is watching/listening to fox news for everyone? no. then why should cycling be for everyone?

kenrudman

There is nothing special about riding a bike. There is no reason it can't or shouldn't be enjoyed by just about anyone. You seem to feel that cycling makes you special, but I think it's like walking or breathing or going to McDonald's. I feel grateful for every day that I am well enough to ride my bike, especially today after crashing out in the Angels Ride thanks to lots of gravel on the road and some sketchy riding all around, and with my arm in a sling and stitches pulling my skin back together. Then again, maybe CicLAvia isn't for you.

rooftest

You can say the same thing about golf or soccer - two sports that I can't stand.

Hillbasher

And yours has even more.
Some people may be better suited for it, but riding is indeed for everyone that wants to do it. Way more pros than cons for anyone to get on a bike, if they want to. Not your decision to make for them , or anyone else's for that matter. Not trying to start a war or words here, but most other riders I think would disagree with you.

Hillbasher

Then do not partake in them. Your right. Not someone else's to make for you.

cervelo4me

cant stand golf?

alicestrong

First of all, it's not really a bike ride. If you view it as such, you will probably be frustrated...

It's an event for people to "reclaim" public space ie our streets for multiple uses, biking is just one of them....

JetWave

Can't agree with you more! The event is for the people to come out and enjoy the streets of L.A. like a park. SO people can feel & see the city at a leisurely pace, to share and connect with other people. People who came out just for a bike ride had it wrong. I am coming back for the next one.

rooftest

That's right. I played both golf and soccer for several years, and was actually pretty good at golf. I realized that I didn't like golf when I started riding again. Why waste half of a good day playing golf when I could be out riding?

Bearrister

*This*

I rode Ciclavia for the first time yesterday. It was a lot of fun, but not something I'd do every week (if it happened every week like Ciclovia in Columbia). It is very crowded, but it's not meant for high speed cyclists or other elitist cycling snobs. It is a nice change of pace from my typical rides on SGRT, SART, Griffiths Park, random parts of Orange County, etc. Rather than be condescending about the various non-hardcore bike riders and telling them that they shouldn't partake in my hobby (as if I or anyone else have any place to make that judgment), I enjoyed Ciclavia for what it was; a chance to experience and enjoy various LA streets at a leisurely pace without worrying about being mowed down by random cars. This is pretty important to me because I live in Downtown LA and typically avoid riding most streets because of the traffic.

I definitely look forward to the next Ciclavia.

alicestrong

kenrudman

Nicely put.

Hippiebrian

I wish I didn't have to work, I definatelly would have taken the folder on the blue line and attended. I hope I can make the next one! I don't see it so much of a bike ride but a way to see L.A. while stopping to smell the roses as it were, as well as a real visual means of communicating to the rest of socal how many cyclists of ALL types are out there!

As to anyone who says cycling isn't for everyone, I'm glad no one ever told me that. I am not your typical carbon fiber Gi-trek-alized bike rider nor am I a skinny fixie hipster (nope, at 49 and definatelly not thin no one wants to see the skinny jeans on me!), however I ride my touring bike at an average of about 14 mph, commute with a mountain bike, and have not been behind the wheel of a car or on a motorcycle since October. Oops, I ddid drive my truck once in Dec. to help a friend move. Anyways, with the above definition, would I be one of those who you'd like to not see on the street? I think everyone, from 140 lb. Lance Armstrong wannabe's to 300 lb. hockey dads, from sub 100 lb. triatheletes to 300 lb. socker moms deserve the right to get on a bike! It really is an activity which anyone can get involved in, and it should be supported for everyone to promote healthier lifestyles! How can anyone say cycling isn't for everyone when we look at rising obesity levels, diabetes rates, heart problems and everything else that goes along with being a fat nation!

This event may not be for everyone, but cycling definatelly is!

Hillbasher

+1