# Hermosa/Redondo/Manhattan Beach Group Rides



## singlespeedwi

I am new to Hermosa Beach and new to CA. I talked with a guy at Catalina Coffee Company that listed off a bunch of various group rides that meet throughout the week. 

What are the various ones that meet in there area and the type (social, fast,etc)? Wanting to learn the various routes and get my legs back under me.

Thanks a ton

Travis


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## jlyle

Southbay Wheelmen 
LA Wheelmen
Cynergy 
Ironfly
Helen's Cycles
Palos Verdes Bicycle

Use Bing or Google to find their websites.

Talk to your local bike shop - most have formal or informal rides.

You don't say how old you are, but I ride weekdays with a bunch of retired old f*rts...


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## singlespeedwi

Thanks... I am 35. Currently very slow... been a crazy past 8 months and totally out of shape. 

I am still hoping to find out what days/times rides go out of Catalina Coffee if anyone knows. 

It will be a month or so before I join, but what time/where does the infamous doughnut ride meet?


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## Hollywood

singlespeedwi said:


> Thanks... I am 35. Currently very slow... been a crazy past 8 months and totally out of shape.
> 
> I am still hoping to find out what days/times rides go out of Catalina Coffee if anyone knows.
> 
> It will be a month or so before I join, but what time/where does the infamous doughnut ride meet?


the donut ride is fast. Something to shoot for, but you can probably hook up with other riders just by hanging at Catalina. If you're "very slow" maybe you should start some solo training rides either north towards Malibu or south for the PV loop(s).


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## ptfmb71

When I moved here I took a lot of solo rides to learn the area. I like to climb so most of my riding is done in the PV area (I also live there) it's where the Donut Ride goes through. If you want to explore that area:
1. from Hermosa take the strand bike path to the end...
2. then cotinue south N Harbor Dr
3. Make a left on Beryl St 
4. Take the first right on N Catalina Ave
5. Continue on N Catalina until you take a right Palos Verdes Blvd 

Once you hit Palos Verdes Blvd you can take a left to PV Drive N or continue rigth on PV Drive W. Continue to PV Drive W and this will lead you to some nice roads to cycle. On the weekends you will see many bikers out and there are several good climbs you can take non ocean side of the street....Via Zumaya, Hawthorne, continue to Palos Verdes Dr. East and climb the switchbacks up to Marymount College and if you want some more climbing take crest from there all the way to the top. If you continue on PV Dr. East just before Miraleste Intermediate school you can climb Crownview which is the steepest climb in the area (about 1mile at 15-18% grade average and 20%+ in one spot) if you continue PV Drive East several miles through the twisting road will will drop you back on PV Drive North where you take a left and it will take you back to Redondo Beach.


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## tom_h

singlespeedwi, A _partial_ list : 

There is a So Bay Wheelmen "Late Riser" ride that leaves every *Saturday @ 900 am from Catalina Coffee*. Pace is moderate, "No drop" policy, and there are regroup points every 4-8 miles or so (shorter on hill roads, longer on flats). Typically a 30-35 mile loop thru PV. Average speed on flattish or gentle rollers might be 17-19 mph. I often ride this before a race day or if I need a recovery ride ;-)

Beach Cities Cycling (BCC) is a recreational, non-race club that has rides leaving Catalina Coffee *Sat 800am & Sun 900 am*, IIRC.

There's a bunch of other race-oriented clubs in the area, too: Big Orange, Iron Fly, etc etc.

The rides below tend to be fast to _very_ fast, and need good pack riding skills, I list them so you have something to anticipate, but would not recommend them if you are "very slow" and just getting back into the sport.

Donut ride departs *800 am Saturdays* from Starbucks Coffee on Avenue I ("eye") in Redondo Beach. 50+ riders, some of them seem a bit less experienced and squirrely, they are out there to ride the "famous" Donut, even if they take down other riders in a crash :roll eyes: 

"Doctors Ride" leaves *Sat 700 am* from same Starbucks, it's generally less squirrelly and better riders.

Kettle Ride departs from Kettle Coffee Shop in downtown Manhattan Beach, *Sunday 700am*, and heads north. 

Pier Ride departs *6:40am (exactly!) Tues & Thurs* from Manhattan Pier, and heads north to Marina del Rey, where it picks up more riders. It ends up sort-of being crit practice on public streets. A video, which does not fully capture the intensity, except maybe in the last couple minutes: http://vimeo.com/12311810


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## ssing20

It sounds like you'd fit in nicely w/ the Beach Cities Cycling Club.

Beach Cities Cycling also meets at 4pm on Wednesdays at the Catalina Coffee Company. Pace is considered fast for that club, but probably moderate relative to a race-oriented club.

They do a ~25mile hilly PV route for that ride.

BCCClub.org is their website for more info.


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## singlespeedwi

Thanks for all the info. I am an ex-road racer turned endurance mtn racer - so the list of faster more experienced rides is appreciated. I need to get the speed back and getting dropped once in awhile is a good thing. 'very slow' is relative perspective 

Been exploring shorter rides in PV as time has allowed with just moving in and starting new job.

Thanks again and see you out there! Looking forward in doing some local crits as well


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## tom_h

singlespeedwi, 
A couple more, these are _fast_ training rides: 

1) Telo crit practice at a business park in Torrance, Tuesdays, don't recall if it's 600 or 630 pm. 
I just happen to have a google map of the course: *http://tinyurl.com/23urabf *

2) The eponymous Westchester Parkway ride is on the road adjacent to LAX or north side, Tuesdays. Riders arrive and start warming up about 615pm, hard riding starts about 630 pm. 
They will do 5 or 6 laps (4 miles per lap) on the Parkway. This is roughly the course of the annual LA Circuit Race. 
If you fall off the pace, you can do a U-turn and rejoin peloton on opposite side of road, when they come back again.


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## StevenAkaProek

ptfmb71 said:


> When I moved here I took a lot of solo rides to learn the area. I like to climb so most of my riding is done in the PV area (I also live there) it's where the Donut Ride goes through. If you want to explore that area:
> 1. from Hermosa take the strand bike path to the end...
> 2. then cotinue south N Harbor Dr
> 3. Make a left on Beryl St
> 4. Take the first right on N Catalina Ave
> 5. Continue on N Catalina until you take a right Palos Verdes Blvd
> 
> Once you hit Palos Verdes Blvd you can take a left to PV Drive N or continue rigth on PV Drive W. Continue to PV Drive W and this will lead you to some nice roads to cycle. On the weekends you will see many bikers out and there are several good climbs you can take non ocean side of the street....Via Zumaya, Hawthorne, continue to Palos Verdes Dr. East and climb the switchbacks up to Marymount College and if you want some more climbing take crest from there all the way to the top. If you continue on PV Dr. East just before Miraleste Intermediate school you can climb Crownview which is the steepest climb in the area (about 1mile at 15-18% grade average and 20%+ in one spot) if you continue PV Drive East several miles through the twisting road will will drop you back on PV Drive North where you take a left and it will take you back to Redondo Beach.


I do pv south, to pv east all the way to Wilmington Daily

Did not know about crest, going to try that soon  how long is it?


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