Hi folks - I’m lining up a work trip to LA at the end of Feb, and it looks l’ll be able to pack the road bike for the weekend!
I can base myself pretty much anywhere with a hotel within perhaps a couple of hours drive of LAX - I’d love some suggestions for locations, routes etc. I don’t know the area at all - ideally I’d love to do some climbing, but I’m mindful of the weather at that time of year. Any recommendations? Thanks!
Been in SoCal my whole life and yet have barely scratched the surface of LA riding but what I have ridden is incredible! Undoubtedly others will come through with more detailed suggestions (I’ve never been a true Angeleno, only showed up for rides led by others).
For starters, I’d recommend a hotel in Santa Monica or Malibu if it’s in the budget (in Feb, prices should be attainable). If you can deal with being on the other side of the mountains, Calabasas is also a great option. That’ll give you pretty quick access to the Santa Monica mountains. From there some simple route research will provide you with a bounty of routes and climbs (paved or unpaved). As you’d imagine getting to the climbs can be a little hectic (traffic, lights, etc). But once you’re in the hills, you’d never guess that you’re near one of the largest cities in the US. If you’re looking for a quieter stay, Pasadena offers good access to amazing climbs.
Enjoy!
Thank you! That’s exactly the sort of insight I was hoping for. I can’t wait! 
Awesome sauce. I’ve done this several times (ridden around LA while there for work) and it’s absolutely worth it. Basically, the Santa Monica Mountains are legendary riding for a reason so presuming that’s your focus, staying somewhere like Malibu, Calabasas, or Topanga is ideal for being able to jump on the bike and get to the mountains immediately with low stress. Epic Road Rides has some classic routes laid out that you can build from or customize/stitch together as needed: https://epicroadrides.com/destinations/cycling-usa/santa-monica-mountains-national-park/
Goes without saying the mountain rides are serious climbing. Rarely super scary hard (though Deer Creek Road up from PC1 is pretty horrible, as I accidentally discovered this past November!) but plan on multiple legit 30-45 minute efforts on each ride. In Feb you shouldn’t need to worry too much about water but if you do bigger rides, there’s an old Phil Gaimon video with some helpful tips on where to find a few hidden water taps up in the mountains.
Another option would be to stay in Orange County and do much chiller and flatter riding around there. Still pretty but far less climbing and easier amenities along the routes
And there’s Mount Baldy near Pasadena which is quintessential Type 2 “fun” but a real US bucket list climb.
I can endorse OC. I lived in and still visit Huntington Beach, and the coast ride down to Dana Point and beyond is really sweet–huge shoulder/bike lane, lots of rollers, and plenty of coastal canyons to climb should you wish.
I’ve been staying in San Pedro and Redondo Beach on my Socal visits lately. There are many, many hilly routes straight into Palos Verdes hills, combined with chill coastal flats. And it’s easy enough to ride from Redondo north. I do these rides solo. I find Calabasas, Topanga, Malibu to be really scenic but a little sketchy without a large group.
I’m actually curious about this too. I know the Santa Monicas pretty well but I have an upcoming trip where I’m staying near Altadena and wondering if anyone has some recommendations for that side of things, around the San Gabriels or Angeles NF. Road or light gravel ideally.
Check out Phil Gaimon on Strava and some of his routes.
I stopped riding road years ago but here’s my favorite road route in the Santa Monicas:
From PCH up Latigo, turn right on Kanan Dume then soon after right on Mulholland Hwy. Stay on Mulholland for a while, then turn right on Stunt, right on Schueren, left on Rambla Pacifica, and left on Las Flores down to PCH. Be careful on those descents.
At the Rapha Clubhouse we have some QR codes posted on a big map for routes in the area as well.
Many road rides in the San Gabriels involve Angeles Crest Hwy, Big Tujunga Canyon, Hwy 39, Glendora Mt. Road, Mt Baldy. Not all of coarse unless you want a huge day. Generally bigger loops in the San Gabriels and check road conditions as winter rains often close roads.
Do not live in LA but visit somewhat regularly. Can confirm the stuff around Santa Monica, Malibu, and Calabasas is just awesome (presuming you like climbing and descending). Be aware that there is no shortage of decreasing radius corners so descend with a bit of caution.
In LA proper, there is fun stuff around Hollywood hills and the Griffith Park Observatory is a dope ride.
Should be easy pleasy to find routes via Strava or RWGPS.
Hi! I live in Pasadena and am an enthusiastic road rider. I’m particular to the rides I have outside my door, but I can’t say you’ll go wrong with the Santa Monica Mountains if that’s where you end up. If it ends up being too pricy to stay over there, or if you don’t mind being a bit further from the beach, anywhere on the east side of LA (Los Feliz, Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Atwater, etc), or into Glendale, Pasadena, or anywhere else in the San Gabriel Valley will give you excellent access to great LA roads, and the mountains I love. A key tip is that most of the best climbing in Griffith Park is closed to cars, and you’ll end up with excellent Hollywood Sign views, as well as have access to the Griffith Observatory and killer views of all of LA - definitely should do that if you don’t do anything else. If you’re feeling more ambitious (the Griffith Park climb is approx 20 minutes), you can ride up to Mt. Wilson via the Angeles Crest Highway (recommended during weekdays to avoid traffic), or head up either Highway 39 or Glendora Mountain Road (my absolute favorite, a 9 mile climb, average of about 5%,) into the San Gabriel Mountains. From the top of GMR, you can also take the (closed to cars) Glendora Ridge Road to Mt. Baldy, which is about another 30 minutes of rollers. There are also all kinds of great group rides, depending on how fast you want to go, and honestly they’re all very welcoming to tourists and anyone new to the area. Hope you have a great trip, and feel free to check in with me once you’ve booked lodging if you’d like!
I’ve ridden a bunch around LA, but I’ve never liked the PCH north from Santa Monica - it’s just too busy (and I say this as a NY’er). The climbs are spectacular, as folks below have noted, though. Same can be said about Angeles Crest and even Mt. Wilson (descending Mt. Wilson once, I was to the right of the white line, and a guy coming up drifted the corner in his MX-5 and missed me by 12”.
Summer 2024 I went looking for another option and found a truly spectacular road about 45 mins north of the city (depending on traffic, of course). The Ridge Route predates the 5 through the mountains and now has been abandoned and is being reclaimed by the desert (gravel bike is highly recommended). Park in Castaic, ride north on the Ridge Route, when the main part of it ends make a right on Pine Canyon, ride into Lake Hughes for food/water (about 40-42 miles in) and then descend down Lake Hughes road to the start. Total about 69 miles, 6800 of climbing. A hard but stunning ride. Just beware the heat and bring enough water and food - Lake Hughes is your only option.
Can confirm, the PCH is hectic particularly towards Santa Monica.
Highly recommend Latigo Canyon - it’s great going up or down - HOWEVER, it can be a bit sketch on the weekends with the car/moto drivers thinking they’re on closed roads…. go early morning if you can’t ride it on a weekeday.
Can’t go wrong with many of the canyon roads out ther. I also really Old Topanga, Decker.
Maybe go and check out Phil Gaimon’s Strava for some ride ideas. He posts his rides and there is plenty of great riding in that area.