spinwax

Looks like my wife's job may be moving her to SoCal. To be specific she will be working in the Burbank/ Van Nuys area.

My question is, where is the best area for cycling, training, etc around there. Must be a nice area. My wife lived in Burbank when I met her, but I wasn't riding at the time so I really didn't take mental notes of the riding areas. I am from Manhattan Beach/Redondo/Hermosa South Bay and I don't think you could pay me enough to ride around there. Super scary and too many people.

I was told Burbank, Studio City etc was close to some good riding. I need hills. I like to climb. Is Pasadena too far? It seems nice. Any good shops in those areas. I would really like to make a point to move to a community that has a lot of cyclist, shops, etc.

Honestly it all scares me. I am so use to riding in such open country with safe roads with no cars. This will be tough for me.

Thanks!!!!

merlinextraligh

Just from visiting, I would think Pasadena would be a good place. there's the Peloton ride around the Rosebowl, and a lot of climbing in the Mountains outside there.

Excelsius

Are you really going to pick your new place based on cycling routes?

Hills: Mt. Wilson in Pasadena
Most scenic rides: Pacific Coast Highway --> move to Manhattan Beach or anywhere else along the coast...

spinwax

I lived at the beach for a long time. Too crowded, not enough good riding, and overcast. I literally walked out my front door and was on the sand for about 10 yrs of my life.

Yes, we will move based on cycling routes, safety, etc. It is our passion, our life. If the roads are pretty, wide, and hilly there is a good chance the areas will be nice as well (at least from what I have found). Anyways the beach is not an option. Too far of a commute for my wife. I can work anywhere, so it's no big deal to me where I work.

It has been so long since I have really spent any time in Burbank, Pasadena, etc areas, I just can't really remember what the riding and area is like. They must be safe, quiet, and nice of course. I don't want to live in the Valley. The San Fernando Valley was once a really great area but has gone down hill in the past 20+ yrs.

jmX

IMO that area isn't all that good for cycling. I spend most of my week up in burbank and its just packed in urban sprawl with crappy old roads. You'll generally have to drive anywhere to get a good bike ride in.

The guys further out west (Malibu, Thousand oaks), or down in Orange County have much better ride choices. Of the thousands of miles I've ridden in OC, I've never ever put my bike into a car to get to the ride. Bike lanes are everywhere down here, and often times I'm on dedicated bike only paths.

I think you'll have to suck it up and just move into an area you can deal with, and then drive to all your rides.

save10

i used to live in Burbank...i loved it there. great cycling. i used to ride in the hills above Griffith Park every day after work. Pasadena is also great. all kinds of great cycling there. the Tue/Thurs crit at the rosebowl...does that still happen? that was awesome.

If you do go to Burbank/Glendale...go to Porto's get a Cubano Sandwich, three or four potato balls, a guava/cheese roll, a coke and thank me later. Oh and Tony's Bella Vista in burbank has the best pizza in the area. don't listen to those Casa Bianca hipsters

nesdog

You haven't mentioned where you will work so that plays into all of this. As posted above, those of us out in the TO area have plenty of great riding. The commute to VN is probably an hour on bad days,maybe less on good days.

kimconyc

Claremont/R. Cucamonga, although her commute will probably be 30-45 minutes.

GMR-Mt. Baldy all day, every day.

55/Rad

Bubank, Glendale, Pasadena as others have mentioned. Further east and you move towards the Mt. Baldy area, though finding a great place to live that isn't affected too much by smog may be a bit hard.

One area worth looking into - the La Canada area, off the 218 between the valley and pasadena. I think there are some nice areas to live in there. And there are certainly hills there.

Might also consider Santa Clarita. A bit further out and more traditionally suburban. Newer. Lots of great places to ride.

55/Rad

wrr1020

I live in Burbank and it isn't bad for cycling. I like how its close to a lot of different areas depending on where i want to go. Its not far enough inland that if i wanted to ride down to the beach i can without having to throw the bike in the car, close to Pasadena if i wanted to do the rose bowl training ride, etc. Griffith park is 3 miles from my house and riding around there on the weekend is nice. Also some climbs in the hills above griffith near the observatory and the Hollywood sign. I don't think you can really go wrong no matter where you move to in So Cal.

spinwax

My folks and wife say Burbank is probably the best choice for us. Since she lived there and liked it, it will probably be Burbank. Talked to a friend of mine on the phone just now that lives in Pasadena and he even said Burbank. LOL.

I just rode down in OC last weekend (did the Foodpark Ride). It was nuts. I don't know how someone doesn't die on that ride every week with all the traffic, etc. There are SOOOOO many people. I was scared for my life. Most of my family lives in Newport Beach and it is just so scary riding down there. Everyone is in a hurry in Cali! LOL. Why is that?

kimconyc

Need to get to work to make that lease payment on the BMW and get the new iPad.

DanMartin

I've lived in Socal my whole life, & I know what you mean
I generally pick ride routes that have the least amount of commuter traffic. For most of them cyclists are in their way, & could care less if they crash you out as long as they get where they need to go.
Also, being fearful (which I completely understand) makes it worse in my opinion.
That hesitation & stress could make you more likely to crash or get hit.
I've been real lucky the past 30 years of riding in dangerous conditions.
I ride very defensively, assuming no one sees me or will run into me at any time.
Burbank is nice, you can find some great routes.

spinwax

Haha!! Definitely true in Newport but the maids drive BMWs there.

Seriously. I lived in Cali most of my life and never really realized the hurry everyone is in until we started going down every weekend for races. I really notice it in parking lots. If you need to back out of a spot, you put the car in reverse and start to go out slowly looking both ways. It never fails, people never can stop and wait for you to back out, they gun it and swerve around you. WTF?

kimconyc

It wasn't this way until about 10-15 years ago (basically when the current housing boom started). I grew up in OC when Tustin was a bunch of orange groves and there were shells on Doheny Beach.

hhnngg1

It's pretty easy to pick a preferred location, actually. Unfortunately money will be by far the limiting factor. You likely will not be able to live where you'd dream of in Socal unless you are very wealthy.

For cycling:
- Malibu, Santa Monica, and even Manhattan Beach are awesome. In that order of expensiveness, as well. You have ready access to the PCH, where all the epic coastal rides are easily accessible in the Santa Monica mts. If you need someone to ride with, just show up on Ocean Ave/San Vicente in Santa monica starting 7AM, and you'll encounter hundreds of cyclists of all ranges in various packs to ride with - it's awesome.

- Further inland is still ok, but not as good. Urban LA is the toughest, mainly because you have to slog it out of the city to get some epic rides.

AngelGendy

I'd say divorce is preferable to moving to So. Cal....

Riverside, Loma Linda area was nice for cycling but that's the extent of the cycling charm in So. Cal. but that's a long commute to Burbank.

wrr1020

I agree with this, i like living in Burbank as its far enough from LA where i don't have to deal with the traffic and all the other bs that comes to living there. Although if i had my chance i'd live in Santa Monica. I ride to Santa Monica/Venice Beach/Westwood early Saturday mornings sometimes and there are hundreds of cyclists and runners around Santa Monica and up and down San Vicente. Pretty cycle friendly area and the scenery is nice.

spinwax

ROTFLMAO!! Yeah, I kind of feel that way, but sometimes you got to do what you got to do. Honestly, I can be happy any where I live as long as I am with my loved ones, have a decent roof over my head and places to ride.

We are still out at a yr or slightly less. We will see.

Aerodee80

Hey Spinwax! Food park ride is the craziest ride in OC. I broke my arm there as my testimony. I look fwd to seeing you soon...move to Irvine =p but any places in socal like Burbank is also great.

jmX

Huh??

aboss3

Where's a good starting point for a 60-70 mile PCH ride? Near Malibu somewhere?

desertdork

Yeah, if that was my southern CA experience, I probably would feel the same way.

WHOOOSSHHH...

Wherever the ground shakes the least!

big john

I work in Burbank and live in the hills northeast of there. It's a pretty easy commute and there is some real estate that is afforable.
There is so much great riding around SoCal that doesn't have to involve lots of traffic. Personally, I hate PCH and avoid any of the beach rides unless they are north of Malibu Canyon.
Let me know if you get here and you can ride with our club or an offshoot of the club anytime.