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Old 02-24-2010, 12:21 AM
 
Location: In Transition
1,637 posts, read 1,910,217 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles View Post
You might want to consider the opposite route (SB to LA), I think the winds might be a bit more favorable, plus you'd be on the ocean side of the road - more scenic.
Actually, Charles may be onto something, because

(a) Although I personally never rented a bike out here (because I always have had one while living here), if I had to rent a good bike, I would check out or contact either Open Air Bikes (http://openairbicycles.com/articles/road-bike-rentals-pg167.htm - broken link) or SB Bikes To Go. I've bought a bike from Open Air and they seemed like great people, although that was in the 1980s!

(b) You would start out of really nice SB, go through side streets of Montecito, Summerland, and Carpinteria, and then go along the ocean until Ventura. If you really wanted to go further, then you could ride along Harbor until you get to Channel Islands Blvd. If you REALLY wanted a REALLY big trip and don't mind the traffic, go around a Navy base on Channel Islands / Saviers Rd then go west along Hueneme Rd west until you get to PCH. Once you get to PCH and don't mind riding with traffic, you will ride a GREAT stretch of road from Mugu Rock until Zuma Beach. This is my personal opinion, I would turn around at Zuma and go back to Santa Barbara or stop at some Amtrack station (like the one along the way in Ventura next to the fairgrounds), and hop on a train back if you cannot make it.

If you went from SB out, no matter where you decide to turn back, you will have ridden a great bike ride. Also you have options with using the train as a "sag wagon" from Ventura to SB.

(c) Side trips or stops include the SB pier, Carpinteria state beach, places to eat either in Montecito, Carpinteria or Ventura, go to Oxnard Harbor or Ventura Harbor, Sycamore state park, Neptune's Net, Leo Carrillo State Beach, and Zuma beach...

Whew, too bad I'm in bad shape or I would do that ride. I used to ride all of this all the time when I was younger and you cannot find a better place to ride!

PS, another thought. A lot of local bike shops around CA have group rides of various skills where anyone can join. If you time it right and hook up with a SB bike shop beginner ride down the coast, you can ride with a whole group of natives who would love to have you ride with them. If you have any problems, there would be someone who could help you out. Plus you would get a chance to mingle with the natives!

Last edited by jkbatca; 02-24-2010 at 12:43 AM..
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Old 02-24-2010, 02:36 PM
 
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
196 posts, read 564,267 times
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jkbatca
Wow! Great post! I need to look at the map now and digest a little.. Lots of awesome info! I will definetely find out more about the group riding!

Thank you all for your help!
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Old 02-24-2010, 06:50 PM
 
Location: South Bay
7,226 posts, read 22,199,581 times
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you can rent road bikes from Helen's in Santa Monica. Also, PCH from Santa Monica to Malibu can get crowded, but it is a very popular cycling route as well. i've ridden it dozens and dozens of times, you'll be fine, there is plenty of shoulder on the vast majority of the road.
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Old 02-24-2010, 07:50 PM
 
Location: In Transition
1,637 posts, read 1,910,217 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ladybug24 View Post
jkbatca
Wow! Great post! I need to look at the map now and digest a little.. Lots of awesome info! I will definetely find out more about the group riding!

Thank you all for your help!
No problem! Hope that gives you some ideas...

Just be aware that there are rides of all skill levels (fun rides to full out professional training rides) so email or ask someone about a given ride to see if it fits your skill level.

BTW, I have never ridden past Zuma to LA so I don't have any knowledge on what is good riding down in LA. From the countless drives along PCH, I do know there are rolling hills and no bike trails until you get to Temescal Canyon intersection + PCH, AFAIK.
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Old 02-24-2010, 08:29 PM
 
Location: Las Flores, Orange County, CA
26,329 posts, read 93,771,454 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jkbatca View Post
No problem! Hope that gives you some ideas...

Just be aware that there are rides of all skill levels (fun rides to full out professional training rides) so email or ask someone about a given ride to see if it fits your skill level.

BTW, I have never ridden past Zuma to LA so I don't have any knowledge on what is good riding down in LA. From the countless drives along PCH, I do know there are rolling hills and no bike trails until you get to Temescal Canyon intersection + PCH, AFAIK.

South of Malibu Pier gets pretty narrow and dangerous, lots of people zooming, people pulling out of driveways, car doors opening, lots of obstacles like parked cars, trashcans, service trucks, etc blocking drivers' views of cyclists.

See for yourself:

malibu, ca - Google Maps

and

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...90895&t=h&z=14
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Old 02-25-2010, 12:50 AM
 
Location: In Transition
1,637 posts, read 1,910,217 times
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Sorry I just keep on beating this dead horse, but here's a cool site which maps a bunch of bike rides in Ventura County! The ride I mentioned earlier is pretty much this one, but I usually went all the way to Santa Barbara when I had the stamina. If you were in pretty good shape, this ride has more rolling hills (I would just do the part that goes along the coast). Here's another version of the same ride...

Here's that "LA to Ventura" route you mentioned in your OP!
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Old 02-25-2010, 09:43 PM
 
Location: Central Coast
2,014 posts, read 5,522,550 times
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If you are coming to CA to ride a bike, there are much better trips than LA to SB. One of the best and most dramatic rides in the world is Monterey to San Luis Obispo.

Truckee to Lassen Park is another wonderful ride.
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Old 02-26-2010, 01:44 PM
 
Location: In Transition
1,637 posts, read 1,910,217 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Clarks View Post
If you are coming to CA to ride a bike, there are much better trips than LA to SB. One of the best and most dramatic rides in the world is Monterey to San Luis Obispo.
The scenery is the ultimate in riding, but assuming you're going Highway 1, the roads will be narrow (no bike lanes or any berms at all) in many places and fight the high volume in traffic in some places and the occasional RV with your bicycle. However, if you're comfortable with that, then that is an awesome ride.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Clarks View Post
Truckee to Lassen Park is another wonderful ride.
What roads make up that ride, BTW? Sounds interesting. I would assume there's some climbs involved...

Shoot, if we're talking ALL of California, then there are even more rides then that. My favorite area is around the Solvang, CA area. Absolutely beautiful area with tons of very very nice country side and low traffic side roads, wineries to stop at all over the place, etc. This is where the Solvang Century (http://www.bikescor.com/solvang/ - broken link) is held. This area was made for road riding...

Another I like is the Mammoth Mountain area in the summer / early fall, where there's tons of side roads + mountain biking trails with absolutely beautiful scenery (did this last summer).

Even in Ventura county, there are many side roads (one just a couple miles from where I live) which have nice country scenery, relaxed low traffic.

I still think Santa Barbara is a great ride if you don't have the time to do the other rides... The ocean side bike lanes along the SB coast is still pretty scenic in my book... Check out this view!

Another epic "if riding with traffic is not an issue for you" ride is in Yosemite from the park entrance along Rt 120 into the park, IMHO. High altitude, traffic, summer time only, but beautiful riding.

Last edited by jkbatca; 02-26-2010 at 02:24 PM..
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Old 02-26-2010, 02:27 PM
 
Location: Central Coast
2,014 posts, read 5,522,550 times
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RV's are a nuisance so many places. Narrow roads too.

Truckee to Lassen is 89 north all the way to the park. A couple of good grades, supposed to be good for you.

One of my favorite rides, and an old training ride for my friends and I in our competitive days was , "Americas Most Beautiful Ride", around Lake Tahoe. It is done each year as a tour, lots of riders, safety in numbers.

Solvang, and AG and SLO, and Foxen Canyon out of Santa Maria are great.

Personally, riding from Santa Monica through Malibu to Ventura to SB would not thrill me. but that is just my opinion. It is a great convertible auto tour though.
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Old 02-27-2010, 11:23 AM
 
Location: In Transition
1,637 posts, read 1,910,217 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Clarks View Post
Personally, riding from Santa Monica through Malibu to Ventura to SB would not thrill me. but that is just my opinion. It is a great convertible auto tour though.
I'm finding that Google's StreetView is a great way to remotely scope out the riding conditions and the scenery of a given area. That way, each individual can determine for themselves what constitutes a "good ride". What may be a non-starter for a veteran Californian who has seen it all in CA may be a ride of a lifetime to someone who is landlocked and has never seen or ridden near the ocean before.

I personally know that when I first moved from Pennsylvania to CA, I was overjoyed with riding along the coast, especially when it was 36 deg and freezing rain back in PA.

Here are some StreetView examples of PCH from Zuma Beach, Leo Carrillo, Neptune's Net, Sycamore Canyon (where I park to ride my Mtn Bike), and Mugu Rock. When looking at a StreetView area, note how much paved road is on the side of the road for cyclists. Pan around to see the whole area. Note all the cyclists on the road there :-).

Also check out Oxnard Harbor, and the old Rincon Highway... Have fun exploring your next ride!
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