# Trip to San Diego...Tips Please



## bmp956 (Oct 27, 2005)

Heading out to San Diego with my bro to visit family in the middle of Oct., and no vacation's complete without some sorta cycling adventure in unfamiliar territory. I'm hoping to hit some challenging terrain, as here at the Joisey Shore there isn't a whole lot of that, other than going to the beach and heading into the wind. If anyone has any advice on some entertaining loops of 60+ mi routes with some hills, nice scenery, things of that nature, I'd appreciate it.

Was looking to this place to rent the wheels: Stay Classy Bike Rentals - San Diego, CA Anyone have any experience with this outfit? Seems to have universally favorable reviews, but I'd put the most faith in my fellow roadies here rather than vacationers looking for beach cruisers.

Thanks for the response(s).


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## headloss (Mar 3, 2013)

Not sure if they do rentals, but Adams Ave. Bikes is a cool shop among a lot of cool shops. Normal Heights, Kensington, North Park were my haunts when I lived there. North Park has had a bit of gentrification though. 
For an urban ride you can start there and ride down into the city center and then back up through Balboa park (stop at the velodrome or the outdoor organ, grab lunch in HillCrest). There's a great Chinese food place at 5th and Maple if I recall, Mandarin House. 

Beautiful scenery on the coast, especially around La Jolla. Not much inland, but the Taylor Guitar factory tour in El Cajon is cool. Going further inland, you might find some good riding around Cleveland Nat'l Forest. It's beautiful out by Julian so long as there are no fires. 

Sadly, I wasn't as big into biking when I was stationed out there in the Navy. Love that city.

I'd avoid the beaches by bike, they tend to be crowded with lots of traffic... not to mention flat and boring from a cycling perspective... Point Loma (and La Jolla) being the exception


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## Kristatos (Jan 10, 2008)

Adams Ave Bikes is a great shop but doesn't have rental road bikes. Moment Cycle Sport in Liberty Station has rentals, or at least did last time I was in there. There are many great bike shops in San Diego and most of us locals don't really rent bikes locally, so I suspect you'll get the most up-to-date info calling around. Pacific Bikes, Hi-Tech Bikes, B&L, Cal Coast Bikes are just a few others - again no idea if they have rentals.

60+ mile routes with hills? We got plenty of those. Great Western Loop from the city is 70-ish miles. Great Western plus Viejas Grade (some dirt) from Rancho San Diego would get you the 60+. Another ride is from the park and ride at 79 to Pine Valley, Old 80 to Kitchen Creek Rd, up to Sunrise Hwy, down towards Julian to 79 and back through Cuyamaca to the park and ride, would be 60+. All these rides would be over 4,500' of climbing. Plenty of gnarly options if you want to go bigger.


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