# bringing bike to Pasadena. Is it worth it?



## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

So, I am going to Pasadena for a week in early november and was wondering if I should suck up the 8 hour drive each way and bring my bike or just fly there. 
Will it be easy to go on a few rides during the week in Pasadena without having to drive out of town first or will I be stuck riding mainly in the town dodging trucks?


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## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

You can get in some great rides in and around the Arroyo Seco, where the Rose Bowl is located. You can head down the Arroyo to South Pasadena and Highland Park, or head west from Pasadena on Foothill Bl to Angeles Crest Highway and get in some serious climbing. There are other people here on the forum who can direct you to organized rides.


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

den bakker said:


> So, I am going to Pasadena for a week in early november and was wondering if I should suck up the 8 hour drive each way and bring my bike or just fly there.
> Will it be easy to go on a few rides during the week in Pasadena without having to drive out of town first or will I be stuck riding mainly in the town dodging trucks?


I live very close to Pasadena in a neighborhood called Highland Park. I'd certainly bring my bike if I were you. Were I live/the general area that Walrus mentioned is one of the best places for riding in the LA area by far IMHO. I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised by what you'll find here. Of course there are a few streets that you would like to avoid but there are plenty of roads around here that have very little traffic, few stop lights and etc. I've had no real trouble with drivers around here. If you would like to meet up for some riding just PM me and I can show all the best places.


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

Pasadena riding can be excellent. As the Walrus reports, the area around the Rose Bowl is most fine. It's not countryside, but the roads are hilly, windy, shady, well-surfaced and not horribly trafficked. A ride up through Linda Vista and Berkshire into La Canada-Flintridge takes you through some truly posh neighborhoods. I was riding there yesterday with the San Fernando Valley Bicycle Club. If you're into doing real mountains, head up Highway 2, the Angeles Crest Highway. It's a major thoroughfare, and is sometimes filled with packs of careening crotch rockets, but it takes you high, high, high. When the Weather Gods are on your side, the views from the top are enormous.


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## bigdraft (Nov 21, 2005)

I live in Pasadena and will just add a +1 to what everyone else has said. There are good fast group rides in the area as well as great solo riding. With the days getting shorter and the shadows getting longer, it is important that you do rides where traffic isn't as much of an issue. PM me when you get into town and I can direct you to some great routes and pack rides if you're into them. 

Bring you're bike, you'll kick yourself if you don't, since the San Gabriel mtns. will be staring you in the face everytime you look up. This is also the time of year we get some of our best weather, like this past weekend. Light Santa Ana conditions. purrrfect for riding


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

*So many climbs and so little time...*



Mapei Roida said:


> Pasadena riding can be excellent. As the Walrus reports, the area around the Rose Bowl is most fine. It's not countryside, but the roads are hilly, windy, shady, well-surfaced and not horribly trafficked. A ride up through Linda Vista and Berkshire into La Canada-Flintridge takes you through some truly posh neighborhoods. I was riding there yesterday with the San Fernando Valley Bicycle Club. If you're into doing real mountains, head up Highway 2, the Angeles Crest Highway. It's a major thoroughfare, and is sometimes filled with packs of careening crotch rockets, but it takes you high, high, high. When the Weather Gods are on your side, the views from the top are enormous.


 + Plenty of foothills with 4 through 12% + grades if you know where to find them. If you go up roads like Chevy Chase, Mountian st., Camino San Rafael, Inverness Dr. and St. Katherine in the San Rafael Hills or Canyon Crest and Loma Alta Dr. in Altadena you can get some good climbing efforts in without the erratic traffic that can make Angeles Crest Highway a touch hairy at times.

Big Tujunga Canyon is another sedate route into the SG Mountians.

Another thing you can do is skip the section of Angeles Crest Highway between La Canada and the Ranger's station by driving up to Red Box to park and ride where there is tons of mountian riding with amazing views without so much traffic.


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

Bring your bike. Bring your bike. Bring your bike. Bring your bike. 

What everyone said. There's great riding from the Pasadena area. Bring your bike. :thumbsup:


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

sounds like I'm gonna hit the road then. 
Thanks for the input.


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