Just wanted to post this upcoming event incase anyone was thinking about visiting Los Angeles in March. This would be fun event to ride if you are in town.

It's the Los Angeles Bike Tour that's held before the marathon. From around 6am-8am, cyclist get to ride the 26 mile marathon course. The nice thing is that the roads have been closed to traffic, so it's a leisure car free ride through LA.

I rode this last year and it was fun. Brought along some friends and rode in a gang. There even families out riding with tag-along bikes.

Official site link (http://www.acuralabiketour.com)

Below is last year's course map. They have not posted this year's course yet.


http://www.acuralabiketour.com/images/LA_refreshment_2004_map.gif

Marathon day is one of the few weekend days of the year that I know I won't be riding because my wife rides the LABT with a friend. Neither rides regularly but they both love the ride. My wife must love it because she normally has a hard time getting out of bed before 8:00 but drags herself out at 4:00 a.m. to do this ride.

...if only for the fact that it's the one day of the year when that much of the city is car-free. I've done it every year since it started in '95 (which was the best route), and it seems like a little bit of the zaniness has been lost. That first time (when we were lined up on Figueroa by USC in the icy rain for hours before the start) seemed to bring out all the local bike weirdos--lots of Pennyfarthings, decorated bikes, decorated riders, unicycles and a double tandem (i.e., four riders; they actually needed a couple of escort riders to clear the path on turns because this thing was so ungainly). About the only challenge is avoiding crashes, as the mix of hammerheads and people wobbling along on bikes they haven't had out of the garage in 5 years is pretty ugly sometimes. The carnage seems to increase each year. ...and what's up with all those electric bikes I've seen the last few years?

Hope they don't make any radical changes in the route (or at least the start/finish), since I finally figured out where to park... :)

You are right about the crashes. I witnessed 3 seperate crashes during the ride. That's three more than should be I think for a mellow family ride.

I noticed that at the start, alot of the racer road riders were sprinting and weaving in between a lot of mellow riders and caused two crashes. Poor mellow riders got nervous with them passing so close and so fast that they panic'd and loss control.

That's why I recommend starting towards the back of the ride to avoid the racers who think it's a stage of the Tour de France.

February 1st is the deadline for the discounted registration fee.

Discount reg fee is $25. After Feb 1, the reg fee is $35.

February 1st is the deadline for the discounted registration fee.

Discount reg fee is $25. After Feb 1, the reg fee is $35.

Hey meat,

are you doing this ride? If you are doing it fixed, maybe I could tag along? I'd be coming from Claremont

Tony

Hey meat,

are you doing this ride? If you are doing it fixed, maybe I could tag along? I'd be coming from Claremont

Tony
Hey Tony,

Yeah I will be doing this ride. It's a little annual tradition with my friends. Come join us! I'll be riding it fixed, probably 42/16t for me.

I noticed just one fixie rider last year. If the local messengers come out, you'll see a bunch.

- Nat

You are right about the crashes. I witnessed 3 seperate crashes during the ride. That's three more than should be I think for a mellow family ride.

I noticed that at the start, alot of the racer road riders were sprinting and weaving in between a lot of mellow riders and caused two crashes. Poor mellow riders got nervous with them passing so close and so fast that they panic'd and loss control.

That's why I recommend starting towards the back of the ride to avoid the racers who think it's a stage of the Tour de France.

That sounds a lot like Rosarito-Ensenada. The first 5 or so miles are downright dangerous. Think we saw three ambulances before the first rest-stop, and one of our group was even involved in a minor crash involving another rider.. I guess some people just don't understand the concept of a "cruise ride".

I like to get out on a road bike and hammer the pace as much as the next guy, but it's just not appropriate in some instances. Dunno why some people can't understand that.

-Trevor

...I like to get out on a road bike and hammer the pace as much as the next guy, but it's just not appropriate in some instances. Dunno why some people can't understand that.
AMEN! I agree. I like to speed down the street like any other rider, but come "family fun ride day" I keep my it in my pants ;) . It's all about the leisure so I just cruise with my friends and chill.

I'm starting waaaaay in the back this year.

Hey Tony,

Yeah I will be doing this ride. It's a little annual tradition with my friends. Come join us! I'll be riding it fixed, probably 42/16t for me.

I noticed just one fixie rider last year. If the local messengers come out, you'll see a bunch.

- Nat

Cool. I ride 41x17, so we'll have about the same cadence. I'll send you pmail about hooking up when I'm back in town and can access the internet regularly.

Tony

I'm planning on doing the ride as well this year. It would be cool to have a group of fixies to ride with. I'm running 42x16 too.

I'm planning on doing the ride as well this year. It would be cool to have a group of fixies to ride with. I'm running 42x16 too.

I was going to organize a fixie group, but then I changed my mine because I am leading a bike gang of newbie and timid riders this year. I don't want to combine faster riders because we're going to be slow and mellow like smooth jazz all the waaaaaaaaay in the back of the ride to avoid collisions with the "I want to be like Lance" crowd.

For the record: I can't stand smooth jazz ;) . I often use it as a reference to a novocaine sensation :) Not that there is anything wrong with smooth jazz, just not my cup of tea ;)

Reminder:

Feb 1st is the deadline for the early registration discount. After Feb 1, it will go from $25 up to $35 to register.

Just remembered something about the 04 ride.

About 1 or 1.5 miles into the start, there is a bank of porta-potties. It caused a huge bottle neck and slow down early into the ride.

The problem was that people had been lining up since 5am without any bathroom facilities at the starting line. As soon as the ride started at 6am, people needed to go to the John right away, causing a huge bottleneck and some crashes at the first sight of porta-potties.

Hopefully they will set up porta-potties at the starting area this year, or move the first stop farther down the course.

on the south side of the street by the museums, for which I was extremely relieved (no pun intended). I always seem to wind up getting in line at the start 90 minutes or so early, and the coffee I need to keep awake at that hour always has its way...at that point, I would have used the bushes in Exposition Park if I hadn't finally located the alternative.

I was going to organize a fixie group, but then I changed my mine because I am leading a bike gang of newbie and timid riders this year. I don't want to combine faster riders because we're going to be slow and mellow like smooth jazz all the waaaaaaaaay in the back of the ride to avoid collisions with the "I want to be like Lance" crowd...

MTP and Northcoast:

Slow and mellow pace is okay with me as I haven't been riding recently. Where can I meet up with you guys? I have to drive there (I know, I'm lame) and then find parking.

Tony

Reminder

February 25th is the last day to register online for the Bike Tour.

http://acuralabiketour.com/

man I'd love to join you guys and put some faces to names, however the day before the ride is the monster Vision Quest mtb race. 52 miles of climbing hell. If I can handle looking at a bicycle the next day, I'll be there on the furry fixie (if its dry out).

Well shhheeeeeeit, if you come riding on that furry fixie, then I will have to bust out my camo duct tape fixie and lucha mask.

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=14660&stc=1