[rizorith]

I got a bike and gear and I'm about to do my first ride (if nashbar ever delivers my shoes/helmet). I live just off of Los Feliz Blvd by Griffith Park and that seems to be the best place to go.

Can anyone reccomend some streets/routes to go on in the area? Since I've never used clipless pedals I'm a bit wigged out about starting off in an area with lots of traffic but I really don't know where to go. I was told Griffith Park Blvd. through the park is relatively safe.

Also, are there any clubs in the area that might help me out? I need to get in shape and a bit of experience but I want to get going on group rides fairly soon.

 

[The Walrus]

Enter the park from the Los Feliz entrance and ride north through the park in the bike lane on Griffith Park Dr, past the pony rides and the merry-go-round, bearing to the right on Crystal Springs Dr. past the Autry Museum and the zoo, swinging west on Zoo Dr past the L.A. Live Steamers and Travel Town. If you're looking for a little climbing, you can head south past the entrance to Travel Town on Griffith Park Dr over Trash Truck Hill, past the golf course and the merry-go-round and head south back to the Los Feliz entrance; if you're not looking for climbing yet, turn around at Travel Town and retrace your route.

You've also got the L.A. River Bike Path nearby, with access at Zoo Dr & Victory (near the Live Steamers), off of Zoo Dr where it crosses the freeway by the Autry Museum, at Los Feliz, at Glendale Bl and at Fletcher Dr. It does continue south from Fletcher, down to the Pasadena Fwy, but the condition of both the pavement and the neighborhood deteriorates from that point. The path is not all that scenic, but it will keep you out of traffic while you're coming to terms with those pedals.

This is a link to a ride report I posted last year: http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=36967. It doesn't touch that much on either Griffith Park or the L.A. River, but does offer some further routes when you feel ready.

 

[seany916]

www.bikeboom.com is a great place for slow, social rides

no spandex, just geeky, dorky fun

If you see a geeky looking Asian guy on a celeste Bianchi with an HID on his helmet, that's me. I'll probably be wearing clear lens sunglasses. Lime green windbreaker jacket on cold nights. I'm usually at every ride I can get to. Say hi! I'll introduce you to whoever I happen to be riding with at the time.

http://www.bikeboom.com/webcalendar/view_entry.php?id=269&date=20060929

If you can drive your bike, Santa Monica bike path going south is awesome!!! No cars, beach weather, nice view on the weekends in bikinis...

have a friend hold your bike up between his/her legs by the front wheel as you practice clipping in and out of your pedals. recommend 25x each side, then 50 each side, then practice starting and stopping in a parking lot for a while. Did that for my girlfriend when she first started and she did fine after that. Make clipping in and out muscle memory. you don't want to fall over without clipping out... or at a green light with cars behind unable to get into your clips

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions, I'm in the Pasadena area.

 

[roadfix]

I live in Silverlake and every Wednesday afternoon I ride out into Griffith Park, hop the gate, ride to the top, and come back down the other side...

 

[The Walrus]

Any idea what the "official" policy is on riding the "closed" park roads, e.g., Vista del Valle or Mt. Hollywood Dr.? I know all the trails in the park are off-limits to bikes, but don't know about the car-less roads. I'm assuming there's no problem with it....

 

[roadfix]

Any idea what the "official" policy is on riding the "closed" park roads, e.g., Vista del Valle or Mt. Hollywood Dr.? I know all the trails in the park are off-limits to bikes, but don't know about the car-less roads. I'm assuming there's no problem with it....

I see many cyclists & hikers every time I ride on these closed maintenance roads.
Yes, the dirt trails are strictly off limits to bicycles.

 

[Mapei]

Whenever I pass a ranger or other official on those closed Griffith Park roads, they always give me a friendly wave. In other words, I think it's okay to ride your bike on them.

 

[The Walrus]

O.K., guys--sounds like it'll make for some good riding, especially now that it's (hopefully) going to start cooling.

 

[roadfix]

So from the top of Griffith Park I come down the gated road and when I reach the tunnel I climb up to the observatory. The observatory is still closed but you can still ride to the parking area. The observatory should open any day now....and I'll be able to have my coffee fix at their new cafe....

 

[The Walrus]

Got any opinions on that place across from Fern Dell just above Los Feliz (can't think of the name) that does breakfasts/lunches? I've heard some good things, but hate to haul myself over the hills these days without some recommendation.

 

[il sogno]

If you can make your way over to Chevy Chase Dr. in Glendale. It's a nice climb over to La Canada-Flintridge.

 

[Mapei]

Walrus. Try the Griffith Park Golf Course Club House for lunch. It's on the downhill that leads from trash truck toward the Carousel. On the left. Where all the golfers congregate. Service can be downright socialist, but the food is cheap & pretty good, and the view from the patio is sublime. You can even chain your bicycle to one of the golf bag racks.

 

[The Walrus]

"Sublime"? ...as in scantily-clad, voluptuous women provocatively strolling by, dropping slips of paper with their phone numbers on my table? :blush2: ...or, as in sunset at the Grand Canyon, with a thunderstorm down in the canyon? (I have seen this--it truly is sublime....:thumbsup: ) Based on the times I've stopped by there, my view would be mostly Korean golfers in truly terrible clothes.

I'll have to swing by just to find out what "socialist" service is like....

 

[Mapei]

The patio sits in a very nice little valley. Look up at the hills. They're close enough so that you can't see any Valley haze. The hillsides are lush. After suffering through the noise of Barham Blvd & Cahuenga, or after slogging alongside that graffitied drainage ditch known as the LA River, it's like being in a different world.

 

[cwg_at_opc]

the steenky L.A. river...

The patio sits in a very nice little valley. Look up at the hills. They're close enough so that you can't see any Valley haze. The hillsides are lush. After suffering through the noise of Barham Blvd & Cahuenga, or after slogging alongside that graffitied drainage ditch known as the LA River, it's like being in a different world.

that glorified drainage ditch has been pretty pungent this summer, no doubt
due to the extreme heat(july was a scorcher, literally) - i ride almost every weekday
into G.P. from Disney. we do the hill behind travel town and then back down
by the golf course, out to las feliz and then back by the autry museum and finally
return to work via riverside drive. it's a nice ride, ~12.5 miles, with the hill
it takes us about 50 minutes for the whole loop.

most days there are few vehicles in the park, the exception being the hill behind
travel town. while they're still working on the new water tower waaaay up the hill,
a few construction trucks will be roaring up the hill past you. it can be a bit un-nerving
but there's plenty of room if you aren't a wanderer. be aware of some nasty
manhole covers on the downhill heading towards the golf course starting right
near the driving range. there's about a three inch gap/rut around each of the
covers that can cause you to lose your balance if you're not careful; some of
them are in the shadows and will be hard to see. one more thing, when they're
watering(tuesday?), DON'T drink the water; it's reclaimed and it's not safe for drinking.