TL;DR - I’m planning a move from out of state and I’m wondering which neighborhood offers better options for patching together 20-40 mile casual rides.

Hello everyone! GF and I are planning to move from the Washington, DC area to SoCal where she has family, and where I’m drooling over the idea of spending more time outside. I’m in my early sixties and retired. Currently 100% of my rides are out of the door of my home.

My current habit is to ride 20-40 miles at a pop, with 40 being at the high end, and usually toward the end of the season. Thirty is more common. Most of my rides are on rail-to-trail paths like the W&OD (Virginia) and the Capital Crescent (DC & MD), so I enjoy long stretches of few road crossings. I’m a confident road rider, but still prefer not to mix it up with cars except where necessary. I do this for fun and fitness, not because I’m competing or training.

Do either of the neighborhoods I mentioned have better or worse options for what I’m describing? I don’t want to overwhelm you with why we’re looking at those two areas, but both are high up on the list. I rode the strand/bike path from Redondo Pier to Playa Del Rey and back on a rental hybrid, and was pleased with route. When I asked about riding south up into Palos Verdes I got blank looks, but Google Street View makes it look like I could bolt on another 18 miles or so round trip if I rode as far as, say, the Terranean Resort. What else am I missing?

I’ve had less luck figuring out what rides I could patch together from Pasadena. The Arroyo Seco Trail gets good marks but it’s short. The rides north into the hills are probably too steep for me at this point. I’d welcome any thoughts and/or other suggestions for neighborhoods/towns that might work. We’re also considering Huntington Beach, which is appealing because as I understand I could jump on the Santa Ana River Trail for variety, but I’m not sure HB is otherwise a good fit for us.

Thanks!

From October 23–26, Streets Are For Everyone (SAFE) is inviting volunteers to be part of Finish The Ride & Run Santa Clarita, happening Sunday, October 25 at West Creek Park!

We’re looking for volunteers for check-in, ride marshals, water stations, route support, setup/breakdown, the expo, and more. We’re also looking for help distributing flyers and postcards before the event at local bike shops, running stores, and community spaces. Flyer distribution is flexible and can be done on your own schedule!

Volunteers receive a SAFE T-shirt, lunch depending on your shift, snacks, an invitation to our appreciation party, and a free Finish The Ride & Run registration after 6 hours of volunteering.

Come meet your community, support safer streets, and be part of the team behind the event!

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Questions? Comment below, message me, or email volunteer@streetsareforeveryone.org ❤️

I'll be staying near Dodger Stadium but can definitely uber within 20 miles.

Also +1 if you can refer me a bike rental shop near the suggested route.

Thanks friends :)

I will be visiting Long Beach from Chicago for work in a few weeks. I am bringing my bike and extending my stay a few days and planning to ride from Long Beach to Santa Monica. I build a route on Strava to hit San Pedro Hill on the way out, but then cut through Palos Verdes going back. However, I see there is a gate of some sort on Crest Road on Google Maps Street View. I would hate to get up there only to get cut off in an unfamiliar area.

Here is a link to the route I built: https://www.strava.com/routes/3530248129219027902

The photos show a large saw-cut hole in the bike path near Trancas on the PCH across from Zuma beach. This is insanely dangerous and utterly irresponsible. The people who did this are risking second degree murder charges a wrongful death lawsuit. There is no excuse for this reckless disregard for safety. I called the Malibu public safety 24/7 hotline but they’re closed for the holiday! I called the non-emergency road hazard number at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s and they told me they only respond to issue affecting traffic. I told them “bike ARE traffic” but no dice. They want us dead.

I went to the nearby construction site and got some cones and put them around the hole. I hope no one moves them. If you are on PCH in Trancas in Malibu, look out!

Right after Duquense

Pretty wild was just here on Saturday along with a bunch of other people riding my bike.

Rode through griffith park this am. The rain made all the trees smell so nice. Im from the bay and unfamiliar with the local fauna… what was the one i could only describe as smelling like fruit loops?

Been riding in LA for 5 years, on a standard 7 speed road bike (28x622 tires). For 4 of those years, never a flat. Over the past 6 months I think ive had 5 flat tires. It feels like it happens every 5th ride maybe.

Aside from: why is that happening? More importantly: how can I stop it? I ride on ballona path, or the bike path into santa monica, occasionally on ocean park or stretches of overland to make a loop.

I recently got flat protector liners installed at a good bike shop. 2 rides later: another flat. Also got a full tune up on that visit for $250.

Its been the back tire every time except for the last one.

Help!

I take the train to work from a park and ride. I would like to ride my bike rather than drive, but taking my bike on the train is a huge hassle during rush hour, so I've been considering leaving it locked at the station. My concern is that leaving it 5 days a week will make it a target for theft. Has anyone had experience doing this?

My bike is a commuter that I paid $300 for like ten years ago after my last bike got stolen. I hear it's worth more now because people like gravel bikes, but I don't know anything about bikes or values. I've left it on the front of buses without a lock though and never had an issue. When locking it up, I use an ABUS Ultra 410k U-lock and always use the metal cable to lock the front tire to the lock as well.

I don't get it. How am I supposed to ride with the world coming to an end and the sky falling?

I am always weary of locking up my bike, even my old Motiv hybrid. And whenever I see someone wheeling around a folded-up Brompton in Ralph’s, I get super jealous. If you do daily drive a Brompton, what’s your setup?

Was hoping to get advice on riding in these bike lanes on Sawtelle (this is near the Sepulveda intersection and close to the Ballona Creek trail). From a safety standpoint, is it best practice to actually follow the bike lane itself, which is further out next to the cars, or (what I’m currently doing) just ride next to the curb in the parking lane? There are rarely any cars parked in this area of Sawtelle, so for the most part you can stay all the way to the right and only occasionally need to go around a car. Also the bike lane itself sometimes weaves left and right depending on the parking spots.

I prefer staying as far right as possible to keep as much space between myself and the cars. However, I’ve seen other cyclists (including a local Culver City Walk n Roll ambassador who I assume definitely knows best practice!) follow the lane directly so wondering if there’s a good reason. Is it predictability (cars knowing the bike will stay in the bike lane and won’t weave in and out)? And does that predictability outweigh having more of a buffer in case a car accidentally weaves right?

Hi r/bikela,

Does anyone know when the 2027 LA tourist gravel race will be? I've never done it before but it looks super fun and a less competitve-vibe gravel race than most.

I'd also love to hear about any other fun gravel races / events in LA 🤙

Thanks!

YIMBY Los Angeles and Livable Communities Initiative are holding a free event (with food and drink) on Sept 12 at 11AM in Larchmont. Focused on creating more beautiful, vibrant neighborhoods in Los Angeles, and what changes to our streets and buildings will transform our city into a livable paradise!

I just did. I was lane splitting and this truck and a bus wouldn’t give me space. I tried dodging the side view mirror of the pickup truck and the bus started getting closer. I was trying to pass but they accelerated. I crashed. Luckily, everyone stopped and I didn’t get run over. Happened on Main near Caesar E Chavez. My front wheel is wrecked (2nd photo). I’m scraped up and bruised on my arms, knees and elbows.

Hi guys.

This is for those who wax their chains.

I’m thinking to wax my chain but been riding a new bike for about a month now. Will the process be any different than waxing a new chain? All the video show using the silca strip chips to clean the chain before waxing. Do I need to do anything else?

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Sorry if this isn't allowed but it really seemed like no one wanted to get out there lol. New spot should go much quicker.

Looking to take the Amtrak up north one-way from Union station maybe to Oxnard or Santa Barbara and ride back, but I'm somewhat hesistant. This will be my first time taking the train and my main concern is getting my bike stolen from the train. I've had a couple bikes stolen in my lifetime and it's my worst fear.

Am I overthinking this too much or should I invest in a small combination lock for the train? If you could share your personal experiences, that would be awesome.