The Radavist

Well, that’s something I never thought I’d see; Floyd Landis and Kyle from Golden Saddle riding a tandem. Last night, Floyd’s of Leadville were in town, so they wanted to throw a shindig at the bike shop including a ride in Griffith Park and free tacos by 100 Tacos. Floyd’s are out promoting their new CBD oil capsules that aid in sports recovery and can be sold online, legally.

This weekend has been fun. You do not disappoint, Los Angeles! See more shots from the ride below.

After a successful pop-up in Venice, Rapha has opened a more permanent establishment, just blocks from the Pacific Ocean and a short pedal from the mountains and hills. Head over to Rapha to read more information on the new Los Angeles Clubhouse.

Not since Rem Koolhaas have I heard a better explanation for what Los Angeles is. Nice one, Geoff!

Slip / Scale

Having visited Los Angeles – quite frequently, I might add – for a decade before moving here in 2015, I’ve heard how awesome of a hike Mt. Baldy is. A few years back, we rode to the Ski Lifts at Baldy Village and it was one of the hardest things I had done at the time. Maybe it was the painful memory, or perhaps it was the distance the mountain is from my home but for whatever reason, I hadn’t really desired to hike the 10,000′ beast. Well, on Saturday morning, I woke up just before 4am with Cari and met a few of her friends at the trailhead to take on the hike.

We – along with an insane amount of people for that early on a Saturday – climbed 4,000′ vertical in 5 miles and as we began to descend to Baldy Notch, all my preconceptions of the mountain’s difficulty subsided. Perhaps it’s because as cyclists, we seek out elevation frequently, both on and off-road, often pushing or pulling a good amount of gear with us, so the notion of strapping on a hydration pack with some food and camera equipment seemed like an easier feat when compared to riding.

Whatever the reason, I had a great afternoon, soaking in an area of Los Angeles I’ve never experienced. Check out a few more photos below.

Hey, Los Angeles! Strawfoot and the Radavist have all kinds of stuff for you for this year’s Easter Egg hunt. Follow us on Instagram for clues tomorrow morning as to where this package of goodies might be found. I’ll give you a hint: put on your climbing legs and remember living is easy with eyes closed.

Way, way up Highway 2 in some of the best road riding this area has to offer. Follow Sammi and Tristan on Instagram.

… and we all really hope to see you there!

All-City is fleeing the snow and cold temperatures for a weekend in Los Angeles with the new Mr. Pink road bike. There will be two events, both taking place in Silver Lake. Check the details out below:

Mr. Pink Release Party Weekend!
Friday the 13th: Sunset Ride to the Blacktop. Ride meets at 3:30pm at GSC. If you can’t make it we’ll be back at 7pm for a reception!
Saturday the 14th: 60 Mile Road Ride. Meet at Intelligentsia, Silver Lake at 8am

After months of compiling and editing footage, the boys at Ertzui have finished their documentary on the Svertigotempot brevet we documented last year. If you’re in Los Angeles, please join us for the Length of Sweden Premiere at XIX Studios, along with a photo show from the brevet.

RSVP for this FREE event below.

… and your friends hit the gas! We got rain in LA for the first time in weeks? months? Who knows how long. That meant the temperature dropped and it was finally bearable to ride in the middle of the day. We’ve had quite the spring, summer and fall, with temperatures hovering around 90º and very little opportunity for shaded rides. In our mountains, water spigots have run dry and fires have ravaged the forests. It’s been a rough year for our National Forest, so a little bit of precipitation made the vegetation sing.

Sing… just like my legs as I had to chase down this spry group of riders. While there isn’t really a story here per-se, I really love shooting when weather hits Los Angeles. See a few more below and if you’re interested in the route, here ya go!

Photos by Jake Stangel

… and they did it really well! See the two articles at Air Canada. Biking in LA and Bike Map LA.

Our friends at @FoundintheMountains have made it down the California coast and will be arriving in the Los Angeles area on Saturday. We’d like to welcome them to LA in style, so we’re throwing a group ride. Expect a 60 mile day total, with around 4,500′ of climbing. Half of the day will be on dirt, the other half through Saturday morning traffic, so keep your whits sharp!

The plan is to meet at Intelligentsia on Sunset Avenue in Silver Lake at 6:30am for a 7am roll-out. BE ON TIME. We will be leaving right at 7am. No excuses!

You should bring plenty of food, sunblock, tools, tubes and pack your big bottles. It’s going to be a hot day, with the highs in the 90’s. There is a water stop at mile 18. After cruising on some of LA’s finest inner-city dirt, we’ll drop down Topanga Canyon and meet our friends at 11am at the Reel Inn on the PCH, eat tacos, drink a margarita or two and then ride back to the east side via Santa Monica Blvd. This is a no-drop ride. There is a lot of climbing, so be prepared.

Ride your cross or road bike! If you’d like to load this route in your GPS, here’s my Strava file and if you’ve never ridden Dirt Mulholland, check out some photos from our Getting Dirty post!

This weekend at Golden Saddle Cyclery in Los Angeles, our friends from Sim Works will be hosting a pop-up shop. There will be full stock of all Sim Works items, including but not limited to: high fives, smiles, stems, bars, tires and accessories. Swing through this weekend to check it out and make sure you leave a few hours for a happy hour ride on Friday.

More details on the Friday ride to come, so stay tuned!

My favorite way to avoid the summer heat here in LA is to ride with the setting sun. A fortunate by-product is the resulting views! Last night I took two Norwegian tourists, Hans Petter and Thomas, out for a dirt ride in the Verdugo mountains. It did not disappoint on all accounts!

If you’re planning on attending the Roll With It premiere in Los Angeles this Friday, swing through Golden Saddle Cyclery first at 6pm for happy hour before leaving on a group ride to the screening at 7pm. If you haven’t purchased tickets yet, do so at Eventbrite.

More about Roll With It:

“Going on an overnight camping trip with just what you can carry on a bike seems scary to most people. This quirky, yet artful film debunks those fears, by pulling together strangers with different backgrounds to show how truly joyful and enriching travel by bike can be.

The film will be accompanied by a book that explains, in more granular detail, how anyone can use their bike as a portal to a world of adventure. Look for both the book and the film this June at theaters, bike shops and other venues worldwide.”

… when the Amgen Tour of California comes through town. Thanks to everyone that came out to the GSC / TDT / RAD ride up the 2 this morning and thanks to Amgen for bringing this race through some of the most scenic roads in California! Expect a full write-up soon!