TakingMyTime

Do any of you have experience using the bike carriers on the front of these buses? I realize I'll need to remove my lights, saddle bag and water bottles but I am just a little concerned about loading up a new and relatively expensive carbon bike to the front of a bus. I would ride in the front in order to keep a close eye on it, but I'm just a little concerned about scratches and minor damage while attached to the bus. I've watched the videos on how it attaches and it appears to only clamp down on the tire thus eliminating any contact with the frame.

skidder

AFAIK that's the way it works. No locking mechanism, so anyone could walk up while the bus is stopped and steal it, but I've never heard of that happening; probably more likely at the timed stops where they wait if they're ahead of schedule. Its been a while (15+ years) since I road the OCTD buses with a bicycle (a 'beater'), but I don't remember having any issues with the process.

diphthong

bring and use a lock and sit as far forward as possible.

Andrew_G

I wouldn't use the bus's bike rack. Ride, drive, or Uber (which I haven't used) instead. I read a story years ago in either a bike forum or the LA Times, where a bus passenger had his bicycle stolen off the front rack, when the bus was stopped at a traffic light.

sslonkosky

I haven’t had any problems with OCTA buses (I don’t go to OC very often), but I did have a bike stoked from a Metro Bus rack while passing through Eagle Rock at night. The person who took my bike left his bike in the rack. This was in 2019. I heard from someone who had his bus stolen from a bus rack when the bus was stopped at a light by Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles.

TakingMyTime

I think that's probably a good idea which I hadn't even considered. I NEVER take my eye off any of my bikes while I'm out. I had one stolen many years ago and it's burned into my DNA that you never leave a bike alone or out of your sight... period. I'm thinking about just taking the bus without my bike and see what the whole vibe is like. I mean at worst... I take a bus ride down to San Clemente, have lunch, and then back to Bolsa Chica, right? A full day pass is only $4.50.

travelinhobo

I've ridden many public buses with my bike and my loaded touring bike. I've left my bottles in their racks when I've had tight-fitting cages. Just make sure they're filled with water for weight. Don't know why you'd have to remove lights. Yes, occasionally I've heard of a bike being ripped off from a bus rack, but I've now had 2 buses where the spring-loaded tire holder gizmo has slipped and left my bike vulnerable to falling, so anything can happen. Since a bike can be taken by anyone, the vibe of the bus won't matter. Mostly it would be what parts of a crappy town you're going thru. STILL DOESN'T MEAN IT WILL GET STOLEN. RICH PEOPLE STEAL, TOO. The rule of the bike rack is the first bike on goes to the back slot. That means you'd be putting it on in the most secure location for it not to get taken. And by the way, a scratch on the bike isn't going to affect your ride. Or life.

diphthong

could also ride from bolsa chica/huntington to the sart and ride up the sart to the anaheim or santa ana metrolink stations and take the metrolink train down to san clemente. grab lunch there or after riding up to san juan capistrano
and then take the train up to santa ana or anaheim and ride back down the sart to huntington and the start. 3 smaller rides that add up to approx 45 flattish miles.