# Your pick for best cycling city in OC



## bconneraz (Jan 23, 2005)

So after 17 great years living and riding road and mountain in AZ, I'm faced with the possibility of relocating to Orange County. The new office is in Irvine, and my wife and I are tossing around the idea of moving. I have great riding right out my front door (Fountain Hills if you know AZ) and I'm wondering which cities in Orange County would be on your short list of great cycling cities. Because there are so many variables, I'll keep it simple and say that the only reqirement is that the commute wouldnt be more than say 45 minutes from Irvine. Any insight would be great. I actually grew up in Yorba Linda, and rode the river trail to the beach all the time when I was a kid, but that was 25 years ago.


----------



## BikeFixer (May 19, 2009)

I live in Mission Viejo and work in Irvine.It's easy to get around here as most of the streets have large bike lanes. 
Rancho Santa Margarita is nice Laguna Niguel Aliso Viejo there's a bunch of cool areas super close to Irvine.


----------



## BikeFixer (May 19, 2009)

PS
Mission Viejo is cool the 1984 Olympics road race went right by where I live near the lake


----------



## bconneraz (Jan 23, 2005)

BikeFixer said:


> PS
> Mission Viejo is cool the 1984 Olympics road race went right by where I live near the lake



Thanks for posting- funny as I too watched the road race pass by in Mission Viejo. I was a freshman in high school, and just started riding. Great memories. 

Thanks again for the insight


----------



## 180 (Jan 10, 2009)

Is there anywhere in CA that you aren't sucking exhaust fumes?


----------



## lemonlime (Sep 24, 2003)

180 said:


> Is there anywhere in CA that you aren't sucking exhaust fumes?


Sure. I have a couple loops out here near Ventura that are pretty good. Not that you won't see NO cars, but it's light enough that when a car goes by, you realize it's been awhile since you'd seen one.


----------



## Kuma601 (Jan 22, 2004)

180 said:


> Is there anywhere in CA that you aren't sucking exhaust fumes?


Nope, though some sections are a bit better than others. PCH is IMO the worst since it is near constant and even busier nearing the retail areas. Riding the narrowed sections of Coast Highway like in Corona Del Mar and Laguna...brr.


----------



## 180 (Jan 10, 2009)

I moved to SR two months ago and from what I gather it seems like there's a ton of land and mtb trails and just not a whole lot by way of bike friendly, open roads. We got a couple bike paths but that can be even worse with having to dodge the peoples on em. I'm actually considering moving again.


----------



## lemonlime (Sep 24, 2003)

Kuma601 said:


> Nope, though some sections are a bit better than others. PCH is IMO the worst since it is near constant and even busier nearing the retail areas. Riding the narrowed sections of Coast Highway like in Corona Del Mar and Laguna...brr.


PCH from Malibu north isn't bad, but it's awful further south into LA. Yuck.


----------



## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

In OC? Most of South OC are newly developed areas that have nice bike lanes- Even in most of the areas that don't have bike lanes, they have a nice shoulder to ride on. Mission Viejo is good but So is Lake Forest in terms of bike lanes. The best? I'd have to give that award to Irvine. Seriously, Irvine has more bike lanes than any city I've ridden through here in So. Cal. Finding a street without bike lanes in Irvine? They have some but very few. If bike lanes are your thing, Irvine is it.


----------



## Mayor Beanz (Dec 17, 2009)

bconneraz said:


> I'll keep it simple and say that the only reqirement is that the commute wouldnt be more than say 45 minutes from Irvine.



Arte you talking 45 minuts by car commute or bike commute?
If car, then I'd say Diamond Bar or Fullerton, maybe Brea. You'd have Carbon Canyon very near, Grand Ave and DiamandBar Blvd (nice hills). Chino Hills Park right next to Carbon Canyon for MTB. Plus Raging Waters (SanDimas more MTB). Claremont HIlls Wilderness Park not to far for more MTB p to Potato Mt. All within a few minutes.

But biggy of them all is GMR jsut a few minutes down the way! Mtn climbs on the roadie!


----------



## Mayor Beanz (Dec 17, 2009)

Claremont Hills and Potato Mtn (MTB)






GMR Glendor Mtn Rd (Roadride)


----------



## Kuma601 (Jan 22, 2004)

I don't get into Irvine much, from the few passes in the car :thumbsup: The newer residential areas they've planned well to make the streets wide enough. 

I'm partial to my area since I can hop onto the trail and be completely away from car traffic for the majority of the ride. That goes for any of the cities that are close to the trails here. We read too many stories about road kills and being away from car traffic I'll take any day. 
I would enjoy a nice rolling hill and a change of scenery but it comes with other obstacles to keep in mind.


----------



## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

I'm not really a fan of streets with bike lanes because IMO, it enables that fear that many cyclists have about riding on roads with cars car. IMO, they somewhat isolates us from our surroundings- like in a car. The only reason you hear about more riders getting hit is because there are more riders on the road. By law, you actually have a right to the entire lane of traffic. If you show respect to motorists by using hand signals in advance when you need space, then 9 times out of 10, they are more cooperative. Check out bicycle safety videos and such and you'll see what I mean. Most cyclists need to understand that they aren't holding back traffic when they ride on the road- they are traffic. The more you know about bicycle safety, the less afraid you are to ride on the road with cars. Most motorist aren't as bad as cyclists make them out to be. Sure it's somewhat of a struggle for space, but as cyclists, we need to claim our space but show respect at the same time. 
The bottom line: A great place to ride anywhere is a place that has good weather and good roads and trails (that's pretty much anywhere in OC). Doesn't have to have a road with a shoulder or bike lanes. As I mentioned before, bike lanes once again isolates us from our surroundings. If you ride pretty fast, you find yourself not riding in the bike lane half of the time anyway.


----------



## Hippienflipflops (Aug 21, 2007)

irvine is great. i live there now, moved from boulder colorado. i have no complaints on the road biking, mountain is a different story. also check out rancho santa margarita. There is good riding their. if you come out for a visit i could go out for a ride with you (im sort of out of shape because my wife and i just had our 1st child) and only have a single speed, but we could do it.


----------

