rms13

I live right by Griffith Park so my normal ride is around the park and the river bike path. Now that I'm riding more I need some more variety. I'm limited by the fact that I share a car with my wife and she usually works weekends so I can only ride where I can get from home and back on my bike. I would like to get some 40-50 mile rides in on the weekends but I don't know where to go and especially routes that are fairly safe to ride. I do like to climb. I looked at Strava and seems GP and La Tuna road and then just riding flat roads in between

trailangel

Glenoaks to Chevy Chase and go up to La Canada/Flintridge around Descanso Gardens area.
St. Katherines Dr. to Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy.
If your heart is still beating when you get to the top you will know why it's called Sacred Heart!

Maybe take Kenneth instead of Glenoaks.

I'm looking for the best way to go from Pasadena to Glendale area.

I would never ride on La Tuna, I think people drive too fast on that road, and I am old and frail…...

rms13

Thanks for the advice. I ride up to Kenneth and up by Brand Park after Griffith some days so this weekend I'll your suggestion

Gallo

I do not know your ability nor your goal but GMR is a destination for cyclists

rms13

GMR is within my goals. It's probably within my ability (not saying I'm going to race up but I do a lot of climbing). It's not within cycling distance from my house so I would have to drive there, which is cool but not something I can do regularly because of my car situation

egress91506

I live in the same area (Burbank, near the Equestrian Center). Here are some routes that I ride and enjoy. I think there is a good variety (rollers, mild climbs, etc) riding from Burbank/Glendale toward the Rose Bowl, Descanso Gardens, etc and linking it into rides toward Sierra Madre. If you want to climb, you can get to the base of Angeles Crest pretty easily. The Crest got chip sealed last year and isn't nearly as smooth. If you look at the links, you can see that many of the rides share the same roads and can be linked together however you want. Hope this helps.

Way to get over toward the Rose Bowl: Bike Ride Profile | Montrose tempo + bonus pre-ride miles near Burbank | Times and Records | Strava,
Bike Ride Profile | cars, coffee and hanging out near Burbank | Times and Records | Strava

Burbank toward Descanso Gardens: Bike Ride Profile | 5/10/14 Burbank, CA. meh wasn't feeling it today. near Burbank | Times and Records | Strava

La Tuna loop (this is an every Sunday group ride), I’m comfortable in the mornings, early side. For this route, if I were riding by myself, instead of going up Victory, I’d recommend Glenoaks – Victory/Empire is too screwed up with construction: Bike Ride Profile | 23 miles near Burbank | Times and Records | Strava

Climbing to Mt. Wilson via Big T: Bike Ride Profile | . my first time on the 43rd Annual New Year's Day Mt. Wilson ride near Burbank | Times and Records | Strava

Climbing to Red Box via Angeles Crest/Highway 2: Bike Ride Profile | 51 miles near Burbank | Times and Records | Strava

Burbank toward Sierra Madre, don’t necessarily need to keep going into Arcadia, etc but fun route to Sierra Madre: Bike Ride Profile | 46 miles near Burbank | Times and Records | Strava

rms13

Awesome, this is exactly info I need. I commute on victory and empire but yeah I wouldn't ride it otherwise.

Is the LA tuna group the one that leaves from Griffith Park?

egress91506

It is. Leaves from small parking lot between zoo lot and Victory Blvd off ramp. Leaves a little after 8am. I think there is another one that leaves the zoo lot at 8:30, but not sure (I ride the other one).

f4rrest

Wow, those are some of my favorites. Hope to see you out on the road.

rms13

Thanks for all the good ideas. I did a modified beginner version of one of egress' rides today

Bike Ride Profile | Morning Ride near Glendale | Times and Records | Strava

egress91506

Glad it worked out for you. In looking at your Strava link, the one suggestion I'd have is after descending Chevy Chase, I'd turn right on Verdugo (just after you ride under the 134 freeway), left on Monterey Rd., right on Geneva and right on Glenoaks (or find your way up to Kenneth). Seems like a little less traffic. See you out there -- I'm usually wearing an H&S Bikes kit.

rms13

Thanks for the tip. As you see I first turned right on Glenoaks but then I realized it was going to be a massive climb over the hill and I didn't have the intestinal fortitude for it at that moment. I think I am going to try to join the Sunday Tuna ride next weekend. See you on the roads

rms13

Is this a no drop / beginner friendly ride? I'm thinking of joining it this weekend but I've never done a real group ride.

egress91506

It is a drop ride (I guess that's what to call a ride that's not a no-drop?). It regroups once, at the top of the la tuna climb (or under the bridge), but doesn't necessarily wait for everyone before resuming. I don't consider it beginner friendly if you haven't done group rides before. I'd recommend San Fernando Valley Bike Club for getting group ride skills.

rms13

Thanks. That answers my question. I'm averaging 15mph on longer rides so I would probably struggle to keep up on that climb (looks like about 5-6 miles of constant climbing). And I've never rode with groups so I'll try a beginner group first

herbm

If you have never ridden in groups, check out SFVBC https://sfvbc.org/index.php they start out at Cal State Northridge. Would give you some group riding experience.

djgonzo007

Agreed. There are about 3-4 different routes up to Sacred Heart, I forget the names of the roads but one of them is like a wall! Another plus is that there is generally little traffic along the roads in La Canada Flintridge, excluding Foothill and Verdugo.

trailangel

Ha! South Pas.. nice.
I think it's St. Katherine Dr. from the backside that's the wall.. from Chevy Chase….. why didn't somebody tell me?
Beautiful view!

herbm

Actually go 1 blk more....St Augustines...THATS the wall!!

f4rrest

That's a wonderful area in which to ride. Emerald isle between Chevy chase and San Rafael is fairly steep too.

rms13

Guess I have tomorrow's ride figured out

trailangel

Ha, fairly steep?
I rode up Emerald Isle on Sat... IN MY CAR.
Nice steep residential street.. and you are rewarded with that fast downhill on Camino San Rafael. Great views of LA.
The only way I will ride that is about 6am in the morning... Nobody wants to see a 60yo man zig-zagging across the whole street to go up that hill. And I can tell you, I have no shame in walking!

rms13

I rode up St Katherine to Sacred Heart on Saturday. It was so steep at one point I could feel me front wheel trying to come off the pavement. Thanks for the tips

herbm

Good job!!
St Augustine and Emerald Isle are even steeper!! But still fun!!

rms13

Tried to ride up Mountain from Glendale toward Emerald Isle this morning. First time in a while that I didn't have the intestinal fortitude to continue on. Made it past the 2 but that next climb broke my spirit. I was under time constraints since I had to get to work so I'll try again on the weekend and from the other side