# San Fernando Valley



## marc101 (Jan 3, 2014)

Can anyone suggest a good loop for the San Fernando Valley?

I'm new to the area and would like to find a 15-25 mile ride. Maybe something incorporating the Orange line or Chandler bike path. Ideally some quick streets with out heavy traffic or deep pot holes. 

Any thoughts? Where are you all riding?


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## fast ferd (Jan 30, 2009)

If I ever venture out that way, I generally avoid the heart of the valley. Look up Santa Susana Pass, Las Virgenes, and Mulholland Hwy. Years ago, I occasionally rode the Saturday morning 100+ rider Simi ride, and it seemed to connect to these roads. That was a tough group ride, but it covered some good roads and interesting terrain. Another loop to the northeast would go up La Tuna blvd, thru Tujunga/Sunland, around Hansen Dam, and down Glenoaks blvd to the base of La Tuna. You could add a few miles by going out & back on Glenoaks thru Sylmar.


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## marc101 (Jan 3, 2014)

Thanks for the tip I'll report back on the ride.


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## Hollywood (Jan 16, 2003)

where are you starting from? Cross streets?


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

If you are based in the South Valley, a nice, shady, mellow but still reasonably strenuous thing to do is ride Valley Vista Blvd. and Wells Avenue, the quote-unquote major east-west thoroughfares just south of Ventura Blvd. They aren't totally through streets, and there are places where you have to jog onto a cross street to get back onto Valley Vista or Wells, but once you get a feel for the locale it can be a very pleasant ride. If you do Wells/Valley Vista, you may very well see me on one of my two 'Nags. 

Along the route, there are several ways of making it more challenging, too. If the current 405 construction doesn't scare you too much, you can take Sepulveda Blvd southward up the Sepulveda Pass to Mulholland Drive, and then ride Mulholland east or west. Zoom down Roscomare Road through Bel-Air to Bellagio Road, and then white knuckle your way through the construction back up Sepulveda. Get a first class workout by climbing Reseda Blvd. Navigate your way west to Topanga Canyon Blvd. Find Mulholland Highway and navigate your way to Malibu Canyon and beyond. There are lots of roads in those hills. There's no shortage of alternatives. 

In any event, all this is much, much prettier than the damn bike path.


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## marc101 (Jan 3, 2014)

Hollywood said:


> where are you starting from? Cross streets?


*

Van nuys blvd X chandler Blvd*


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## marc101 (Jan 3, 2014)

Thanks for the suggestions. Appreciate the routes, glad I reached out for some solid advice. I'll report back after the ride. And i'm sure you're right, nothing too scenic on the chandler bike path, other then soccer moms.


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## jskash (Sep 30, 2013)

You could take the Orange Line bike path west. Here is a good map of the path.

Orange Line Busway Bike Path in Woodland Hills, CA | MapMyRide

When you get to DeSoto, you can keep on going to Canoga, and then take the path north all the way to Devonshire.

There is also a map of the entire L.A. area bike paths.http://media.metro.net/riding_metro/bikes/images/la_bike_map.pdf







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## marc101 (Jan 3, 2014)

Thanks, looks like a pretty solid ride, i'll have to check it out.


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## stabor (Nov 22, 2011)

marc101 said:


> Can anyone suggest a good loop for the San Fernando Valley?


The book "Where to Ride Los Angeles" by Jon Riddle and Sarah Amelar is outstanding in every way, and they have several great SFV rides. One of them is the Little Tujunga Canyon loop mentioned above or below by fast ferd, which I'm trying again on Sunday (pooped out on the first try).


Steve


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## tvJefe (Dec 25, 2012)

We live about 2 miles from each other! Here are some of my regular routes:

Orange Line West to Canoga, then Victory West to Valley Circle, down to Calabasas and pick up Agoura Rd out to West Lake - circle the lake and head home (about 60mi)

Orange Line West to Canoga and then Orange Line North to Lassen, over to Topanga and pick up Santa Susana into Simi Valley. Take ROYAL West to Madera South into Thousand Oaks. Agoura Rd back, same as above (about 70-80mi)

I also love going up to Porter Ranch to do hill intervals. Take Orange Line West to Woodley. Woodley North to Rinaldi West and do some hills. Reseda and Mason are both nice. (40mi)

You can also take Chandler East into Burbank, drop down Keystone to Riverside and take that East to Griffith Park and climb to the observatory or just do laps around the park (each lap is 5.5mi and it's about 10mi from your door to the park)

There are plenty of great rides that involve Mulholland, Little T, Big T, the Santa Monica Mountains (you are not too far from the PCH that you can't swing down to the beach) and even the Angeles National Forest where you can do real mountain climbing. 

Feel free to PM me if you want me to get more specific, but I can give you tons of rides in the 40-120mi range from your door. The only trouble is that you have to ride at least 10-20mi to get out of the stop and go traffic lights of the city.

Canyon Country is nice too (albeit a little windy this time of year)!


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

25 mile ride - Trash Truck Hill in Griffith Park: 

Head east on Chandler, So. on Fulton, east on Riverside (bike lane). Make your way through the Toluca Lake residential neighborhood and ride east on Forest Lawn (bike lane). Right on Zoo Drive, right on Griffith Park Dr (at the Travel Town entrance). Trash Truck is a 0.6 mile climb. 

Continue over the top and descend past Mineral Wells and the golf courses. Left onto Crystal Springs Dr. When you get to the Autry Museum you'll have the option of taking the LA River bike path north to Victory Bl or taking Zoo Dr. 

You can get back to the Toluca Lake area either by retracing your ride on Forest Lawn or riding Riverside Dr. by the LA Equestrian center (watch out for them horse medians at the intersections).


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## marc101 (Jan 3, 2014)

Thanks for the response, sounds like I've got some exploring to do!


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