GlobeCycle

Sunset on Mt. Hollywood Dr in Griffith Park It's September and the days are getting noticeably shorter. Those morning or late afternoon rides are now becoming less doable as darkness encroaches. Well, now might be the time to get yourself ready for night riding! Riding in the dark does not have to be a dangerous and scary experience! With some planning and proper equipment, riding at night can be just as pleasant as a daytime cruise. And you can easily extend your available riding time by starting your morning ride before the sun is up, or wrapping your afternoon ride well after sunset. I'll share my approach to night rides by looking at 3 topics: Gear Route planning Safety tips Gear When it comes to your bike, there are two absolutely essential items that you need to ride safely in the dark. First, a good tail light keeps you safe by alerting motorists to your presence and allowing them to steer clear of you. Second, a good headlights has a dual purposes o...

CicLAvia is a fantastic event in LA modeled after Bogota, Colombia's weekly bike event: Ciclovia. Running every Sunday morning for the last three and a half decades, Bogota's Ciclovia closes more than 80 miles of roads to auto traffic. The city becomes alive with energy and people from all walks of life cruise the streets and enjoy their otherwise traffic-choked city. LA's version is slighlty less expansive and less frequent, but the momentum is growing with each and every successive event. It is a great opportunity to get outside and safely share the road with thousands of fellow riders (and walkers/skaters/dogs/etc.) Each time the route different, giving you a chance to see parts of the city you might not even know existing. The third and final event of 2013 is coming up on Sunday, October 6, 2013 from 9a to 4p. It uses a hub a spoke model centered in downtown LA and reading out into Macarthur Park, Chinatown, Boyle Heights, and the fashion district. Read more at   htt...

The "Car-free LA" series profiles rideable terrain in and around Los Angeles that separates you from the endless stream on cars. All are rideable by road bikes unless otherwise noted. This hidden trail hugs the side of the 110 freeway as it cuts through the hills in Elysian Park, just north of downtown LA. It can be used as a clever connector between the southern terminus of the LA River trail and downtown, avoiding an otherwise extended detour through industrial parts northeast of the downtown core. Finding the trail the first time on either side can be a bit tricky. Here are a few pics to help: Northern access point on Avenue 26 where it runs under the 110 freeway. Take the stairs in between the two overpasses. Picture of the trail heading southbound Southern access point. The entrance is on Stadium Way, just east of the 110 overpass. You can see the southbound overpass and northbound underpass in this picture. It requires some hike-a-bike up stairs ...

The "Car-free LA" series profiles rideable terrain in and around Los Angeles that separates you from the endless stream on cars. All are rideable by road bikes unless otherwise noted. Most people in Los Angeles do not even realize that there is river running right through the city. It is most famous for its appearance in film: a prototypical place for car races and chases. The river is not the most beautiful thing in the world with concrete lining and industrial setting, but it is something. LA River bike path looking northbound at Fletcher Dr. bridge. Just this year watercraft are now allowed here. A seven mile trails run along the west side of the river in the Burbank / Glendale area. Seven glorious car-free miles along the west side of the river. You'll share the path with walkers, skaters, homeless people, and the occasional horse, but the path is generally pretty wide open and makes for a nice ride - fast or slow. Much of the river along the path has a ...

So I went into the Angeles National Forest this past weekend to explore some trails that I noticed on the side of the road the last time I was in the area. Coincidentally, two others guys were in the parking lot and planning to do a very similar ride. We headed down and then up a lesser traveled portion of the Silver Moccasin Trail (SMT). The trail was fun in some sections and absolutely brutal in others. With a mix of sharp switchbacks, steep sandy ascents, and super steep hike-a-bike ascents, it took us over an hour to cover 2.7 miles. I was beat at the top of the climb. I walked over to a bush to take a nature break, and as I finished my business and walked away one of the other cyclists asked, "So, do you know about the Poodle Dog Bush?" "Uh, no," I responded. Sounded like a made up thing to me. What is this guy going to give me a lecture about the types of plants up here? He continued, "the plant you just visited is a Poodle Dog Bush. They can give peop...

Do it yourself (DIY) bike shops is a concept with growing popularity, and there are a couple of great locations to check out in the LA area. You might be asking, what is a DIY shop? Well, it is a workshop that usually consists of some bike repair stands, tools, old and new spare parts, and volunteers to help you along with whatever job is at hand. Which may then lead to question number two: why would I want to use a DIY shop? People come in for lots of different reasons, such as: It's cheap. Most places ask for donations based on how long you are using the tools and floorspace, roughly in the range of $7 per hour. Plus, there is a huge advantage in not having to collect all the required tools yourself. Bike stands, wrenches, grease, and many other odds and ends are necessary for many repairs, and for most people it doesn't make sense to buy it just for the occasional job. You can learn new skills. Whether is changing a tire or building up a new frame from the ground up...

The "Car-free LA" series profiles rideable terrain in and around Los Angeles that separates you from the endless stream on cars. Most are rideable by road bikes unless otherwise noted. Mount Hollywood drive is 4.1 miles of pure car-free riding in Griffith Park, just about 6 miles northwest of downtown LA. The road was originally used by automobile traffic, but was closed to cars many years ago. It is a great way to get from the Valley side of Griffith Park to the LA basin side if you are looking to get in a bit of climbing. The views in both directions are fantastic, with great vistas of the San Gabriels, Griffith Observatory, downtown LA, the Santa Monica Mountains, and even the Pacific Ocean on a clear day. Great views to Griffith Observatory and DTLA View of the ridge from the south side Southern entrance (LA side) to the car-free section. You can ride around the right side of the gate It is like having a highway all to yourself! The other ...