BICYCLIST Magazine #137

Issue 137 - Late Fall 2016

socalbicyclist.com

Destinations Within Reach

Los Alamos A Time-Travelling Day Trip

also Ojai Valley Century Winding through Ventura County Saris SuperClamp 4 Hitch rack Got bikes?

2016 Travel & Tour Innovations Refining a life travelled by bike The e-Chariot The electric powered sidecar bike Gran Fondo Crash Course 4 weeks to event success

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BICYCLIST magazine

SoCal and Beyond

Inside this issue

issue 137 Late Fall 2016

Contents Regulars 05 New and Noteworthy For the active west coast bicyclist...

06 New and Noteworthy

For the enthusiast...

08 Letters & Notes Your questions and comments

Features 14 Los Alamos 08 Favorite Things 15 Bob’s Well Bread 09 Ask the Bike Fitter 17 Electric Age 10 By Design 17 Test Ride

A Time Travelling Day Trip

MacAskill’s, dry feet, sweet drops

Cafe and bakery in Los Alamos

How can I get better at climbing hills?

Sans seatstay

08 Analog/Digital 11 The Route 12 Travel & Tour 27 Event Calendar 13 From broken axles to 12 speeds What you’ve missed on the bicyclist podcast - SCB.FM

Designed and printed in the United States.

La Purisma Mission

Innovations for adventuring

Find your next adventure

A short history of rear hubs

New & Noteworthy

Stromer ST2 S

18 The e-Chariot

14

Ingenuity and determination

20 Garage Mechanic

Muc-Off X3 Dirty Chain Mechanic

21 Fitness

Gran fondo emergency training

22 JRA Bikes & Brew Coffee and bicycles in Augora Hills, CA

23 The Climb

18

Highway 46

24 Hands On

Coeur, Saris, Coros, Monoprice

26 Over the Shoulder

Ojai Valley Century

22 socalBICYCLIST.com

10 @socalbicyclist

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regulars

prologue #137 - late fall 2016

EDITORIAL

Chris Reynolds - CR | Editorial Director chris@socalbicyclist.com Kelley O’Toole - KO | Managing Editor kelley@socalbicyclist.com Victor Prestinary - VP | Editor-at-Large victor@socalbicyclist.com Catherine Latour | Senior Editor catherine@socalbicyclist.com Tim Wilson - TW | Associate Editor tim@socalbicyclist.com

VITALS & SUBSCRIPTIONS

BICYCLIST: SoCal & Beyond is a multi-platform lifestyle and destination guide celebrating the arts, skills, events, and culture of the cycling life in Southern California and other locations in the Western U.S. BICYCLIST magazine is published 10 times per year. The print edition can be found at better bike shops, coffee shops and breweries throughout major metropolitan cities west of the Rockies.

Print copy subscriptions are $20 per year for 10 print issues delivered to the destination of your choice in the United States.

International print subscriptions are $35.

Bob Becker - BB | Senior Writer bob@socalbicyclist.com

For more information, visit www.socalbicyclist.com/subscribe or send check to BICYCLIST:SoCal & Beyond, 14252 Culver Dr. Irvine CA 92604.

ADVERTISING & PUBLISHING

DISCLAIMER Although all best efforts are made to avoid the same,

Robert Gleim | Associate Publisher robert@socalbicyclist.com

ONLINE

Chris Reynolds | Design & Development chris@socalbicyclist.com Kelley O’Toole | Social Media   kelley@socalbicyclist.com Tim Wilson | Social Media  tim@socalbicyclist.com

DISTRIBUTION & LOGISTICS

Victor Prestinary | Director victor@socalbicyclist.com

we reserve the right to publish unintentional mistakes and/or factual errors which may occur on an issue basis. No responsibility is assumed by the publishers for unsolicited materials/articles/letters /advertising and all submissions will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright and/or appropriate licensing purposes subject to BSCB’s right to edit and comment editorially. The views and opinions expressed in this magazine reflect the opinions of their respective author’s and are not necessarily those of the publisher or the editorial team. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form [print or electronic] without prior consent of the publisher.

Bicycling can be a dangerous sport and can lead to serious injury or death. Make it safer for everyone and obey all traffic laws, ride responsibly, use common sense, and wear a helmet.

F

or the 137 issue of the BICYCLIST experience, we’ve continued our charting of the routes and climbs with a fresh report from Los Alamos, California. The small town is located between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo and is a perfect backdrop for any day-trip or weekend excursion.

We profile a 35 mile loop with La Purisima Mission as the destination, though there are any number of rides available for both road and mountain riders.

You’ll find a route profile on page 11 and a excellent write-up by Kelley O’Toole of our experience in this charming central coast town.

Also this issue, Charles Lindsey provides a report on his experience at the Ojai Century, a challenging ride winding through Ventura County. If you’ll remember back to last year, Charles recounted an accident he had while cycling, and we’re happy to see him back in the saddle. While we’re on the topic of accidents, our Tour & Travel contributor, Rob Templin, was in an accident while riding and broke his neck, but we’re happy to report, after an 8 hour surgery and lots of bed-rest he’s on the mend.

And it wasn’t like a broken neck was really going to keep him off a bike anyway - we met up with Rob at Interbike in Las Vegas and he gave us the inside look at the Touring and Travel products he’s excited about this year.

Bob Becker, our resident e-bike expert, turns in a profile of an interesting project he was apart of, creating the bicycle experience for someone who would otherwise never experience the feel of cool air at 16 MPH. Be sure to check out the photos of this exceptional project on page 16. ▲ See you on the route,

CONTRIBUTORS

Cate Clark, John Jones, Charles Lindsey, Andreas Moore, Samuel Parks, Rick Schultz, Shari Sullivant, Rob Templin

Chris R .

- Chris Reynolds, editorial director

READ/FOLLOW/LIKE

www.socalbicyclist.com @socalbicyclist   /socalbicyclist  #socalbicyclist

SUBMISSIONS & CONTACT

Contact info@socalbicyclist.com for editorial guidelines and information.

BICYCLIST: SoCal & Beyond 14252 Culver Drive Irvine, CA 92604 (949) 264-3346 contact@socalbicyclist.com Designed and Printed in SoCal Founded by Will Decker Published by Chris Reynolds Copyright ©2016 All rights reserved.

All photography and design performed in-house by Chris Reynolds & Victor Prestinary unless otherwise noted.

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BICYCLIST magazine

SoCal and Beyond

Regulars

new and noteworthy for the active west coast bicyclist...

Richard Hoff completes 150 double centuries

Photo courtesy NHTSA

Nothing unconquerable for the well travelled man Richard Hoff was inducted into the 150 Double Century Club of the California Triple Crown Hall of Fame after completing at least 150 double centuries or 30,000 miles of double centuries in the California Triple Crown. According to Hoff’s Strava, who currently resides in Thailand, he’s completed a Strava all-time distance of 47,542.3 mi - and that’s since 2014.  richard hoff

United states implements a vision zero plan NHTSA states goal of zero traffic fatalities by 2046 The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has adopted a Vision Zero plan for the year 2046, aiming to eliminate the more than 35,000 people killed each year in traffic related deaths. Sweden has pioneered the idea, bringing their traffic death rate down to 3 for every 100,000 people.

Comparatively, the US has almost 4 times that with 11 traffic deaths per 100,000 The government organization will work over the next month with state and local governments, as well as the private sector, to develop a plan to eliminate these needless fatalities.  nhtsa

Photo courtesy Bruce Barrette

Bicyclist Eternal: Steve Hernandez Image via Banker Supply IG: @bankersupply

New Bicycle Lifestyle shop in Echo park PITTSBURGH based Banker Supply Co opens location in LA A new cycling lifestyle shop opened in Echo Park on October 15th. The shop, called Banker Supply Co., is a popular Pittsburgh store selling innovative bike brands that are geared towards the trendy city commuter. Banker Supply Co. is on W. Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles.  banker supplY

A Still Shot Fom A Bridge To Nowhere

 Search For more information

Documentary: A bridge to nowhere profiling the Burbank Mariposa Bridge legal quagmire German film director, Alexander Gall, has made a documentary chronicling the embattled fight between local Burbank cyclists and a group of vocal horseback riders who have pressured the city of Burbank to reverse a previous unanimous vote keeping the bridge open to the public. Gal narates, “We felt our European audiences who were accustomed to the bicycle being king of their environment and being able to take them everywhere will be fascinated to learn how the small city of Burbank in California came to restrict bike movement over a bridge vital to the nicest natural and open recreation areas in Los Angeles.” Spoiler alert, the new law banning bikes is unenforceable, according to the Burbank Police Dept. and Griffith Park Rangers, as told to Doug Weiskopf, who was documented in the movie walking his bicycle over the bridge in order to receive a ticket, which would allow an appeal of the law to be filed. Approx. 40 minutes.  mariposa bridge 5

BICYCLIST magazine

board member of lightning velo suffers fatal heart attack Steve Hernandez was one of the first ambassadors of the Lightening Velo Bicycle Club in Long Beach, the news of his passing was devastating to cycling community. Mike Franze from Fullerton Bicycles bonded with Steve over their love of bicycles “he would spend countless hours at our shops after races, just hanging out and loving life…he had a chuckle that you could never forget!” Bruce Barrette, who met him 12 years ago when he started working at Buena Park Bicycles, shared his first memory’s of meeting Steve “He would come in wearing a Giant Bicycles USA button up shirt and for the longest time I thought he was the Giant sales rep. He loved bikes and the racing scene as much as I did, so we instantly became good friends.” Lightening Velo will be hosting a Steve Hernandez Memorial Bicycle Ride on October 30, at El Dorado Park in Long Beach at 8:00 am.

Steve Hernandez died of a heart attack at the age of 59 while riding his bike during the Long Beach Marathon bike tour.  steve hernandez

and links, visit socalbicyclist.com and search the tag that follows the  icon. Weekly cycling news each week on the BICYCLIST podcast (scb.fm)

Photo by Adobe Images

No more cow bell?! In California, no more cow smell state senate passes regulations to limit dairy methane Regulations were passed in the state senate that will now require businesses to regulate methane emissions in landfills and dairy farms. An ancillary benefit of this reduction in the greenhouse gas will be a reduction in the olfactory nuisance that these type of operations cause.  cow bell SoCal and Beyond

Regulars

new and noteworthy Photo courtesy Specialized

for the enthusiast...

specialized issues recall for 2016 venge peter sagan confirms overall title for 2016 Slovakian Pro earns worldTour Rankings victory Peter Sagan, representing Slovakia, retained the rainbow jersey with his win in Qatar on October 16th. In a surprising sprint finish, Sagan beat out Mark Cavendish and Tom Boonen to hold the Road World Championship title for the second year in a row. Cavendish, coming in second, was the 2011 champion and Boonen, who came in third, held the 2005 title. Sagan will be joining a new team next season - Bora-Hansgrohe.

Though he may be wearing a new jersey, he will be instantly recognizable by his rainbow stripes.  sagan

China enters the world Tour Last remaining italian team moves to china, TJ Sport Though the Lampre-Merida were the last remaining Italian team in the World Tour, they will be moving into 2017 with a Chinese sponsor, TJ Sport Consultation, a first for Photo Lampreteam. The announcement was made in any topcourtesy level Team cycling Beijing at the end of August after the team manager, Brent Copeland, announced he’d be leaving and taking Merida with him to form the new Bahrain-Meridia team. Italian bike maker Colnago confirmed that they will be the bike sponsor for the new TJ Sport Chinese team, and previous Lampre-Merida team manager, Giuseppe Saronni (above, center left), will continue his team leadership.  TJ Sport

 Search BICYCLIST magazine

Watchmaker Tag Heuer Back in Pro road Cycling Swiss-based luxury brand returns to team sponsorship Watchmaking company Tag Heuer and BMC Racing officially announced a sponsorhip deal Saturday in Doha, Qatar. The company has a long history of sport sponsorhip and is currently the headline sponsor of the Red Bull Formula 1 racing team. Previously, Tag Heuer had a presense in cycling with a sponsorship of the American 7-Eleven team in 1981 when it was run by Jim Ochowicz.

Today, Oschowicz manages the BMC Racing Team and Tag Heur has joined him in their team’s pursuit of victory in 2017.

Were you asking for our watch recommendation? Our pick, the Formula 1 - Calibre 16. The 44mm black-carbide titanium case gives the watch a lightness that is perfect for the cyclist who appreciates a fine timepiece, yet the Swiss quality guarantees a lifetime of accurate timekeeping. (tagheuer.com, $3,050)  TAG heuer

Estaben Chaves wins big in Europe First non-European to claim victory in Giro di Lombardia Johan Estaben Chaves sprinted to victory 110th Giro di Lombardia in Bergamo, Lombardy Italy. The26 year old OricaBike Exchange teammate became the first Colombian and non-European to win a ‘Monument Classic’, one of five historic one-day road races held in Europe. The Giro Di Lombardia, the Autumn Classic, is typically won by climbers with strong legs at the finish as the course is hilly, but culminates in a flat, sprint finish in Bergamo.  estaben chaves

For more information and links, visit socalbicyclist.com and search the tag that follows the  icon. Weekly cycling news each week on the BICYCLIST podcast (scb.fm) 6

Photo courtesy Tag Heuer

voluntarily recall to fix drop-out prone to failure Multi-national bike company Specialized is voluntarilly recalling 1,000 Venge VIaS bikes in cooperation with the US Consumer Product Safet y Com m ission due to issues with rear wheels coming loose while riding.

Owners affected are instructed to bring their bike to a local Specialized dealer for the rear deraillur hanger to be replaced and the rear triangle to be inspected.  venge

FIND THE CHAIN LINK

A small icon (exactly like this one: ) is hidden somewhere in this issue. If you locate it and enter our Find The Chain Link contest, you may win a FREE one-year subscription (or an additional year for existing subscribers) to the print edition of BICYCLIST. To enter, go to socalbicyclist.com/ftc and complete the online entry form or send an entry with your name and phone number to Find The Chainlink c/o BICYCLIST magazine 14252 Culver Dr. Irvine, CA 92604. Entries must be received by November 15, 2016 for consideration. The winning entry will be selected using a random-number generator and announced in a future print issue.

SoCal and Beyond

regulars

regulars

Letters & Notes Analog/Digital Your questions and comments editor@socalbicyclist.com No more print Copies of the Magazine ? via US Mail I was informed at Victorville Cyclery that there has been a change of ownership. That with that change you are trying to eliminate the paper copy of your magazine. That is all fine and good for people who are tech savvy enough to go online to continue to read this wonderful mainstay. I am not such a person. I enjoyed the magazine until I no longer went to the Pasadena area. I looked for it and didn’t find it again until December 2015. I was so happy to find it again! It inspires me to prepare for the local rides. I have no other way of finding them. The paper copies go so fast, so there must be many more people like me. I beg you, PLESAE don’t cut me off again when I have just found it again.

-Kim Grey, Apple Valley, CA Thank you for your readership and kind words! The magazine changed owners in 2014 when Will Decker stepped down, relinquishing the role to Chris Reynolds, current publisher and editorial director. We have actually increased the number of copies we print and the number of locations we distribute to, but the changes our editorial has made and awareness of our magazine through our digital footprint has drastically increased demand for the finite number of print copies we distribute.

We offer a subscription to the print edition of the magazine to ensure our devoted readship never misses an issue. Subscriptions are $20 for one year and $36 for two years. You can subscribe online (socalbicyclist.com/subscribe) or by sending a check to BICYCLIST: SoCal & Beyond 14252 Culver Dr, Irvine CA 92604.

We encourage our active readers to join our paying subscribers who help to keep the lights on here at BICYCLIST magazine. ▲

What you’ve missed on the bicyclist podcast - scb.fm 53: The Upcoming Election and its potential effect on the cyclist How will the election effect cyclists?

We talk about the policies our politicians are championing for, and how the results of the next election might affect your riding and your life as a bicyclist on the west coast.

52: CLINCHER VS. TUBULAR, TIRE PRESSURE, AND BIG BRAND bike shops We talk clincher vs. tubular tires, specifics of tire pressure, REI’s new brand of bikes, and a short discussion on bike shop categories and types.

51: MUSEUM TRIPS, Theraputic use exemptions, AND THE HISTORY OF DOPING We talk museums and the new issue, the WADA hack and Bradley Wiggins TUEs, and the latest book from Velopress - Spitting in the Soup: Inside the Dirty Game of Doping in Sports.

50: INTERVIEW WITH AARON STINNER ABOUT THE MAN RIDE

On this special episode, we speak with Aaron Stinner, from Stinner Frameworks, about his 4-day journey with Black Sheep Cycling and Men of Steel to raise awareness about Men’s mental health.

49: Road concerns effective cycling

and

\We discuss some of our traffic concerns while road cycling, how we prepare for traffic, and why we continue to cycle amidst the risks.

Listen to

THE BICYCLIST PODCAST Weekly at SCB.fm

Also available on iTunes- FREE!

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@socalbicyclist

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PROVISIONS

favorite things

#001 - Danny MacAskill’s, dry Feet and an antidote to bad coffee

By Samuel Parks

through the best torture test I could come up with on short notice: 4 days of walking the Interbike/Outdoor Demo, demoing a multitude of bikes and pedal platforms, an accumulation of 60 hours standing, walking, and riding bikes, according to the metrics Apple keeps track of for me. Result? New favorite shoe. For apparel as utilitarian as shoes, to become a true favorite for me, they must satisfy a difficult critera; shoes that provide a better experience of off-bike and on-bike life. Shoes that look good as regular shoes, yet have the performance characteristics pedal pushers look for.

New MacAskill drop - 12 days, 3 million views

At time of writing, the new Danny MacAskill’s video “Wee Day Out” has cracked the 3 million mark on YouTube, only 12 days since its release. The entertaining short video documents the insane bike skills of Danny MacAskill, trials extraordinaire and choreographer of sorts, and is a definite favorite with creative tricks (the hay bale ride-whaaaat?) that are sure to make even the most grizzled #endurobro crack a smile. The skills of MacAskill stand on their own, but the story and connection with the surroundings in this video and his previous shorts, is a charming component of their popularity-and Wee Day Out is no exception. Be sure to watch the final bloopers to really appreciate how difficult these tricks can be.

The Danny MacAskill shoes are as comfortable as those original Sal 23’s, with a thick tongue and cushy sides that envelopes the foot, but unlike skate shoes, the footbed retains a stiffness that is unlike mainstream street shoes and ends up providing a more supportive foot bed than what is found in most shoes, casual or otherwise. The shoe base is composed of Five Ten’s proprietary Stealth S1 rubber, a unique formulation that provides a non-marring surface that will stick to pedals, no matter the conditions. (www.fiveten.com, $130)

Pro Shoe faces toughest challenge - daily use But the best part of the video? I happened to be wearing the Five Ten Danny MacAskill shoes that he was wearing in the video! I must admit, I felt like a 13-year-old all over again, wearing my at-the-time favorite shoes (éS Sal 23) and watching videos of Sal Barbier bring them to life performing wild skateboard tricks. I now understand the appeal of these videos - the authenticity of the endorsement. While many endorsements and sponsorships these days are nebulas and veiled, it is refreshing to see the name-sake of the shoe actually wearing them and SHREDDING. The shoes were announced at Sea Otter earlier this year and the folks at Five Ten recently sent us a pair that I put

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BICYCLIST magazine

Backpacking mainstay, New Cycling Favorite

The easiest way to spoil the comfort of a good pair of shoes is skimping on socks. The key is breathability, finding a sock that pulls moisture away from the foot. I have always liked merino wool socks as the anti-microbial properties of this textile keep your new feet from smelling like a locker room, while the quality of the wool keeps your feet itch-free. More consequently, a dry foot allows the socks to regulate temperature, warm when you want it, cool when it counts.

Held in high regard in the backpacking community, FITS socks are the new favorites in my sock drawer especially as we move into fall and temperatures dip.

They have a graduated compression that hugs the foot throughout a ride, not suffering from the loose-ness that merino socks will typically display after a day in the saddle. A cushioned foot bed provides a layer of comfort under foot, but not enough to feel squishy or obtrusive in the shoe. The quarter length fit two inches below the base of the calf and run true to size. (www.fitssock.com, $19 per pair)

Sweet Salvation in bottle

The 60 hours to test the MacAskills shoes required a constancy of coffee, black thank-you-very-much. Lately, I’ve found myself in places that lack any sort of burr ground, pour-over coffee bliss, settling for gas station, hotel and airplane coffee, gratifying only for the warmth and requisite dose of caffeine.

A solution the Mrs. introduced me to - SweetLeaf Liquid Stevia Sweet Drops. The Sweet Drops are a calorie-free insurance against bad coffee and the two ounce bottle takes up much less space than carrying roadside, DIY coffee solutions. Sweet Drops contain stevia, a plant-based alternative to other synthetic calorie-free sweeteners, but lack the bitter aftertaste that many stevia products impart to beverages.

After a non-scientific trial of some of the flavors on offer, specifically Vanilla Creme, Chocolate Rasberry and English Toffee, I’ve settled on English Toffee. It applies a consistent taste to coffee that isn’t overpowering, but upgrades lack-luster coffee into a pleasant, warm beverage enjoyed at any stop. Instead of adding insult to injury by making it also unhealthy with additions of sugar and cream, a couple drops of Sweet Drops heals all coffee sins.

Stick a bottle of drops in your pack and get rolling, rambler.

(Sweetleaf.com, $15.44 - 288 servings)

SoCal and Beyond

regulars

Ask the Bike Fitter how can i get better at climbing hills?

Answered by Rick Schulz - USA Cycling coach The answer to this question comes in three parts; change your gearing, change your weight, and change your training. Let’s break it down:

DO You Have A FIT Question?

Send your inquiries to fit@socalbicyclist.com

1) Change your gearing Cassette Upgrades Probably the easiest of the ‘big 3’ to implement is to change the cassette – especially with Shimano’s new 68xx and 90xx derailleurs that can handle larger cassette gears right out of the box. For larger gearing, the CS-6800 offers several viable options, 11-28T, 14-28T and 11-32T. Since the CS-9000 includes several sprockets made from titanium, it is considered a racing cassette; therefore, it has fewer gear options. 11-28T and 12-28T are the CS-9000’s largest offerings. It is interesting to note that with the new 11-speed drivetrains, a Campy cassette will work with a Shimano drivetrain and vice-versa. Of course, you will need to use a Campy wheel with a Campy cassette and you might need to add several small spacers to its free hub body before installing the cassette.

I recommend the Ultegra CS-6800 as the best balance of price and performance, cassette sizes depend on different factors. Use the table below to determine your ideal size.

Chainring Upgrades With Shimano’s latest redesigned crank sets, you can run any combination of large/small chain rings you wish. In the past, you were limited to a couple of options if you ran an 110BCD crank and a couple of options if you ran a 130BCD crank. For the large chain rings, Shimano offers 50, 52, 53, 54 and 55T options. For the small chain rings, 34, 36, 38, 39, and 42T are available.

Shimano recommends that you stick with a maximum of 16T difference between the small and large chain rings.

Their standard configurations are 50-34T, 52-36T, 52-38T, 53-39T, 54-42T, 55-42T, but, with Di2, the drivetrain can easily handle a 52-34T (my configuration). In fact, I recently setup a new Di2 system for a client who wanted a 53-34T ROTOR Q-Ring. It works perfectly.

For climbing, I recommend a 34T small ring with a 50T large chainring. For overall, I recommend a 34T small ring with a 52T large chainring.

2) Change your weight

It has been my experience that for every 10 pounds of body weight lost equates to one more gear you can push on the cassette. For example, if you are 200 pounds and can push a 34/28T up a hill and then you lose 10 pounds, you should be able to push a 34/25T with the same effort. The only drawback to weight loss is that all ‘roadies’ push hills as hard as they can so losing weight never makes hills any easier since you will just push a bigger gear up the same hill. You will be faster, but the hill won’t feel any easier.

cassette sizes: Pros and Cons 11-28T

11-12-1314-15-17-1921-23-25-28

3) Change your training

Ideally, you want to be an all-around cyclist so you will need to include hills in your workouts.

But, you can simulate hills as well as get better at hills with certain kinds of workouts, namely intervals and spinning.

PRO Tip A stationary bike at the gym or rollers at home can serve as your training grounds for major climbs.

14-28T

14 -15 -16 17-18-19-20 21-23-25-28

Contact Rick Schultz at bikefitnesscoaching@gmail.com to get started on your road to better climbing with a personalized workout. ▲

Coach Rick Schultz is an avid cyclist who trains, races and coaches in Southern

California. He’s a bike fitter and USA Cycling Level 2 coach. As a USAC Certified Power Based Trainer, Rick helps athletes ride safer and race better via his bike handeling skills clinics. Rick also teachs the local Beginner Racer Program for USA Cycling. He’s the author of Bike Fit 101: Your Toolset for a Great Bike Fit and Stretching & Core Strengthening for the Cyclist and Triathlete. Check his product review website at biketestreviews.com and his coaching site bikefitnesscoaching.com. Rick is now working with Jax Bicycles as their premier bike fitter using the new state of the art Trek Fit System. Come on by and give it a try.

socalBICYCLIST.com

11-32T

11-1 2 -1 3 14 -16 -18-20 22-25-28-32

PROS Gives a good spread in gearing.

11T to go fast and 28T for climbing.

CONS From 15 to 25, there is a 2-gear jump and from 25 to 28 there is a 3-gear jump.

PROS Also known as junior gearing, which makes it USAC legal for juniors who run a 52 front chain ring.

Gives the tightest group of gearing.

CONS From 21 to 25 there is a 2 gear jump and from 25 to 28 there is a 3 gear jump. Since 14 is the smallest gear, you lose top end speed.

PROS Gives the largest spread in gearing including a 32T ‘bail-out’ gear for the STEEPEST of hills CONS Large jumps including a 4-gear jump between 28 and 32.

@socalbicyclist

9

regulars

Changes to the rules of the international sanctioning body of cycling (UCI) now allow designs to eschew rear seatstays (frame component connecting rear fork and seat tube) in search of added gains to the aerodynamics and increased internal storage of race-day food and tools. With pricing reflective of the research and development for these race machines, don’t expect them to be a common site at your local race, but for the athlete looking for every advantage, sans seatstay is the new black.

by design sans seatstay “Two is a coincidence, three is a pattern”

 sans seatstay

-STILES STILINSKI

CERVÉLO P5X SRAM Red eTap | ENVE SES 7.8 | $15,000

DIAMONDBACK Andean

SRAM Red eTap | HED Jet Black 9 | $7,580

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BICYCLIST magazine

Cervelo unveiled their P5X at the Kona Ironman World Championship this past month. Reminiscent of the Barrachi that Cervelo released in 1996, Cervelo will be releasing a second component build on Dec. 1, for a slightly lower $11,000 USD.

DIMOND Marquise

Shimano DuraAce Di2 | Rotor 3D | Zipp 808 | $13,999

SoCal and Beyond

55 miles to san luis obispo

regulars



the route

101

la purisima mission Documented By Chris Reynolds

harris grade road 135

101 135

8.3 135



▲

TAKE A TRIP BACK IN TIME WITH A 35 MILE LOOP BEGINNING IN LOS ALAMOS AND SET AROUND A VISIT TO LA PURISIMA MISSION, A STATE PARK AND HISTORICAL SITE.

▲

los alamos, CA

101

Population 1,890 Elevation 578’

5.3

46 miles to santa barbara 

B

▲ Rucker Road

eginning in Los Alamos, directly off HWY 101 between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, the 35 mile route takes you up noteable climbs, Harris Grade Road and Drum Canyon Road. Take caution on CA-246, though travelling counter-clock-wise will allow you to take advantage of the large eastbound shoulder. Water is limited, but available at the mission, though bikes must be walked when you get to La Purisima. ▲

2.6 9.2

Purisima Road

▲ 1.1

la purisma mission

▲ 0.8

▲

246

7.6

Parking & Provisions Bob’s Well Bread Bakery 550 Bell St Los Alamos, CA 93440

246

lompoc, CA Population 43,509 Elevation 105’ 246

DINING

▲

Distance: 35.2 miles Ride Type: Loop Route Type: Road Climbing: 2,342’ Notes: Limited water and services.

drum canyon rd.

GROCERY PUBLIC FACILITIES SERVICE STATION LODGING

Mileage & Route (CCW)

Full Service

Start at Bob’s Well Bread (miles)

 Left onto CA-135 N (0.0)  Left onto Harris Grade Road (8.3)  Left onto Rucker Road (13.8)  Left onto Purisima Road (16.4)

denotes availability of enclosed services

La Purisima Mission (17.5)

BIKE SHOP CAMPING

socalBICYCLIST.com

mile 1

2

3

4

5

 Continue on Purisima Road  Right at Traffic Circle - 2nd Exit to CA-246 E (18.3)  Left onto Drum Canyon Road (25.9)  Right onto CA-136N (35.1) Finish at Bob’s Wellbread (35.2)

@socalbicyclist

11

provisions

Travel & Tour Innovations for riding less travelled roads and trails less travelled

By Rob Templin

D

uring the 80’s and 90’s, when I was a partner of Burley Design Cooperative in Oregon, I spent my summers exploring Eugene’s vast network of abandoned logging roads using a standard steel road bike fitted with larger tires. Little did I know back then that rides like this would become its’ own ‘category’ within the cycling industry.

At this year’s Las Vegas Interbike show, the growing bikepacking and gravel grinder niches were well represented, and we picked 5 of our favorite pieces of gear for the cyclist taking the less-traveled road.

Arkel Seatpacker 15

Arkel, a Canadian company, isn’t new to the cycling touring crowd, having designed their first cutting-edge pannier bags back in 1988. In the past few years, they have been quick to embrace the emergence of the bike-packing and ultralight (UL) touring market with a wide-range of premium bags and accessories that complement their traditional touring gear.

The Seatpacker 15 with the quick release rack is their latest innovative offering. This bag solves some of the biggest complaints with the current crop of minimalist bike bags that use the seat post as an attachment point. The Seatpacker twopart system totally eliminates side-to-side movement (tail wag), while a slim front design with reinforced panels eliminates thigh rub. For riders that have used earlier bag designs, this is a big deal. The bag is completely waterproof with sealed liner, sliding easily on and off the rack for effortless packing and handling. It also works with dropper posts. The rack’s quick release connection to the underside of the seat means you probably don’t want to be using carbon fiber seat rails (which probably isn’t an issue for most of Arkel’s intended buyers or applications). You do pay a slight weight penalty for having a rack, but we found the trade-off more than worth the few extra ounces.

Besides the typical Arkel-quality build and technical materials, we also like the versatility of this pack. Besides bike-packing, it would make a great option for road ‘credit card’ touring.

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Check out the Seatpacker video on their website to see how everything comes together in a very simple, ingenious package. $219.95 Volume: 9 to 15 liter; Weight seat bag: 440gr, weight of rack: 280gr. A smaller version, the Seatpacker 9, is available for $199.95 Volume: 9 liters, bag: 360gr, rack: 280gr. $199.95

American Made For Adventure: Co-Motion Klatch Frame & Rolf wheels

What’s not to like about two ‘Made-in-America’ businesses competing (and winning) with the big boys in the industry?

For Co-Motion Owner Dwan Shepard, the bike-packing category is more than just a few bucks off a growing niche.

The passion for backcountry exploring shows in the miles he spends playing on Oregon’s dirt roads using his Klatch bike (if only I had had this machine back in the day).

The Klatch can handle 40mm off-road tires, features exclusive Reynolds 853 steel tubing, and is ready for disc brakes and hydraulic cable routing. Besides bike-packing, this model will serve double duty as an outstanding gravel racer. Like any good frame builder, Co-Motion offers a host of options, like S&S couplers, that are too numerous to cover here. Frame Only: $2,095; complete bike, depending on build, will come in around 22-24 pounds. The Klatch with the Ultegra ‘Elite’ kit runs $4,550; with Shimano 105, the ‘Sport’ kit drops the price for a ticket to adventure to $4,195.

Rolf Hyalite 700c

According to Rolf’s Brian Roddy, if you need a “great do it all wheelset” for backcountry escapes, their Hyalite 700c hoops will get the job done. Talk about road to dirt flexibility, you can run 120 psi 25c road tires or 60 psi 40c tires or even 30 psi 2.25 tires. For those looking for maximum versatility - like competitive gravel grinder events - we would opt for their White Industries ‘high-engagement’ free hub version offered with the Hyalite family. The 20/20 spoke count wheels come in at 1520g and cost $1,199. An “ES” model with a less-expensive hub option and a 24/24 spoke configuration, drops the cost to $899 - 1575g

The Breaker

It’s not the lightest or most compact multi-tool on the market but this is a product for any admirer of old-school craftsmanship. This cast-from-stainless steel tool (using a lost wax casting process) showcases this type of attention to detail. In today’s high-tech marketplace, the patent-pending Breaker might seem a bit old-world but the workshop-grade tool was a hit on

SoCal and Beyond

regulars

The Jones Report from broken axles to 12 speeds; a short history of rear hubs

By John Jones

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Kickstarter and this year’s Interbike. For adventure travels where equipment durability is at a premium, you’ll want this tool with you. The breaker features a chain breaker with a tool grade stainless steel pin, magnetic tool bit slots positioned so the matching 3,4,5,6,8 mm hex bolts can be used like a screwdriver (or the bits can be moved to side if extra leverage is needed), tire iron, spoke key, tool bit extender, Phillips head screwdriver, T25 Torx Bit, and (most importantly) a bottle opener. Completing that old-world feel, the tool and parts are packaged in a leather case with recycled inner tube pouch. Tool: 100g - with leather case, 185g $69

Ortlieb Seat-Pack

Though the brand isn’t particularly well known here in the U.S., Germany’s Ortlieb has quietly been building a strong international following with their waterproof rack-touring bags. For 2017, they’re hoping to carry that reputation into the bike-packing category. According to Jeff Scully, Ortlieb’s USA’s president, their approach to the sag issue for bike-packing seat bags was to utilize a “double seat-post strap system” as well as stiffening the nose piece area - allowing for a “more laterally stable” framework. They also added a small valve to the waterproof ‘dry’ bag to bleed out excess air when compressed, which helps to firm up the bag profile. Their marketing team kept it simple with naming this new $165 addition to the line, calling it the Seat-Pack. 430g.

Considering Orlieb’s ‘rack’ touring roots, however, we were drawn immediately to the impressive display of racks for the serious touring cyclist (in conjunction with partner Tubus) - including a titanium gem hidden in the corner of the booth. So maybe no one really needs a bike rack for their seat bag, but it’s hard to pass up the elegance and ultra light features of this beauty. The $260 Airy (the marketing department got the name right on this one) comes in at a feathery light 353g and can handle 66lbs of gear - laying claim to the lightest touring rack on the market. ▲

Rob Templin is a four-time RAAM competitor and former partner at Burley Design Cooperative. socalBICYCLIST.com

modern bicycle is the pinnacle of refinement of a concept dating back to the early 1800’s. Back then it had no pedals, gears, pneumatic tires or brakes. It was heavy and unwieldy and offered no advantage compared to travel on horseback or by carriage. How things have changed. In two hundred years, bicycles have gone from being a rich man’s toy to the most efficient means of transport ever devised. There are many stories illustrating the gradual improvement in bicycle design, but I want to narrow the focus and talk a little about the progress that rear hubs have made since the 1970’s; in particular, rear hubs designed for derailleur systems.

In 1869, the bicycle freewheel was invented, allowing the rider for the first time to rest his or her legs while the bicycle continued to roll forward. Fast forward to the early 1900’s and witness the the multiple freewheel, allowing the rider to maximize speed for the same effort. From the 1920’s to the present day we’ve seen a steady progression in the number of gears (or sprockets) available to riders, from two gears all the way to the current maximum of twelve sprockets. There’s a particular moment when hub design changed, facilitating this continuous march towards friendly complexity; I’ll explain when it happened and why.

“I’m certain that we live in the true Golden Age of bicycle design. It does make me wonder, though; where will we be thirty years down the road?”

Up until the late 1970’s bicycles employed multi speed freewheels, a device that combined the sprockets and a ratcheting mechanism in a single unit; this unit threaded onto a rear hub. All was well and good when we had four or even five geared freewheels as standard equipment; but, as the number of sprockets increased, hubs underwent a progression from 116 mm wide to 130mm wide, to accommodate the extra gears. The unsupported length of the rear axle, from the drive-side hub bearing to the frame drop out, became ever longer, allowing the axle to flex, bend and eventually break. Until Shimano introduced their “freehub” design in 1978, cyclists had been dealing with an ever-increasing frequency of axle breakage. The Japanese company’s design made broken axles a rarity.

In a freehub, the ratcheting mechanism is incorporated into the hub body, allowing the drive side axle bearing to be located far closer to the end, minimizing the length of unsupported axle. The sprockets, liberated from the ratcheting mechanism, simply slide onto splines on the freehub body.

When freehubs were introduced in the late Seventies, six speeds were the default. It’s taken roughly 35 years for us to arrive at Sram’s 12-speed Eagle system. This progression would not have been possible without freehub designs pioneered by Shimano, Suntour and Maillard; with regard to bicycle design and its continuous refinement, we really do stand on the shoulders of giants.

Mountain bikes have benefitted even more than road bikes from a more durable rear hub design. Think of the stress that downhill competition places on ALL parts of the bike, but the wheels in particular. It’s a happy coincidence that off-road riding arrived as freehub design became the norm because I really don’t think the older hub/freewheel design could have sustained the demands of off-road riding.

Disc brakes for bicycles are a breakthrough that would have been impossible, if not for the durability and reliability afforded by the freehub design; stresses absorbed by the hub are phenomenal when it is part of the braking system. Without the rigidity provided by the freehub design, I reckon it would be close to impossible to eliminate disc brake rub.

I started this article thinking about progress in bicycle design and the benefits it offers to us, if we wish to adopt them. And, although some older bicycles cannot accept wider spaced hubs and/or disc brakes, I’m still thrilled by the progress we’ve made. I’m certain that we live in the true Golden Age of bicycle design. It does make me wonder, though; where will we be thirty years down the road? ▲

John Jones owns and operates Jones Wheels in Goleta, CA. www.jonesprecisionwheels.com @socalbicyclist

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Destinations Within Reach

Los Alamos: A Time Travelling day trip

By Kelley O’Toole

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SoCal and Beyond

T

he small town of Los Alamos is at the heart of California wine country. It’s around 150 miles from Los Angeles, about a 3-hour drive, and is located at the junction of US Highway 101 and State Route 135. The isolated town is small and unincorporated, near many vegetable farms and vineyards. Rolling hills surround the town, with cities like Lompoc, Buellton, and Solvang just beyond them. There is a short stretch of businesses along Bell St., which serves as a small scale downtown. Restaurants serve quality food sourced from the surrounding farmland. The buildings are old and new art galleries, antique shops, wine tasting rooms, and a variety of restaurants. During the last weekend of September, the annual Los Alamos Old Days festival honors the town’s western heritage with a celebration including arts and crafts fair, BBQ, car show, dance and parade – the celebration runs along the entire downtown.

The restaurants are top notch, serving quality food sourced from the surrounding farmland. For breakfast, Bob’s Well Bread (below) is a must. Plenty on Bell serves classic American faire like the Turkey Reuben Sandwich for lunch, and classic dishes for dinner like Chicken Pot Pie and the Roast Chicken and Bread Salad. Full of Life Flatbread serves pizza baked in a huge stone oven in the center of the restaurant. The pizza ingredients originate from within 400 miles of the restaurant – just a few hours drive. An example of the kind of pizza they serve? The Central Coast Sausage contains: Naturally Raised Pork in a Housemade Nitrate-Free, Blue Agave, and Fennel Sausage, Smoke-Dried Tomatoes, Onions, Mushrooms, Cheeses & Fresh Garden Herbs. For dinner, don’t miss the stone-ground, homemade tortillas and signature salsas at Valle Fresh. Their taco platter (3 tacos for $12) was an extraordinary deal considering the perfect portion size and superb quality of ingredients.

If you really want to feel like you’ve travelled in time, the two hotels in town will transport you to the past. The oldest hotel, The Union Hotel, opened in 1880 and was once a stagecoach stop during the Wild West. The hotel feels like the set of Gone With the Wind (they actually have two chandeliers from the movie) down to the creaking hardwood floors. Currently they are making some modern renovations, but the wine saloon is open for business, just past the swinging wood doors (a la Tombstone). The second hotel, the Victorian Mansion, has 6 different themed rooms that promise to “delight your senses with a hint of nostalgic adventure”. They make the designers at the Madonna Inn look like amateurs - at least in terms of décor.

In the 50’s Suite, the bed frame is a 1956 Cadillac convertible

Bob’s

Well Bread

parked in front of a giant screen with an authentic movie-style projector. The French Suite is designed to look like an artist’s loft that overlooks Paris and the Eiffel Tower, and in the Gypsy Suite you sleep in a caravan “outside” (the walls are painted to look like an enchanted forest at night). The rooms are limited, each hotel has less than 10, but their restaurants and bars are open to the public.

The people and businesses in Los Alamos embrace a close sense of community that is often lost on those of us living in suburbs or urban cities. Most of the businesses share inventory and ingredients, creating their own twists on the shared local faire using their unique methods and machinery. In this small town, there is enough fun and indulgence to be had for a full weekend adventure; it’ll reignite your love for California.

The Mission

The La Purisima Mission, the halfway point in this month’s “Route”, is an expansive landmark. On the nearly 2,000 sq feet of land, you feel totally immersed in California’s Mission history. The Mission as it stands today is not the original La Purisima that was founded by Father Presidente Fermin de Lasuen on December 8th 1787. After a devastating earthquake in 1812, the mission was moved 4 miles northwest (from its original location in Lompoc) for better water supply, better

W

hen you think of bread, you don’t necessarily think of it as a symbol of innovation, at least in the modern sense. But the bread loaf has been a staple in the diets of humans for over 30,000 years. National Academy of Sciences even discovered traces of starch in prehistoric mortar and pestle-like rocks. The earliest grains would have been hand ground with rocks, resulting in coarse, dark, whole grain bread – think pumpernickel. How we’ve been able to move away from the gruel of prehistoric times to the robust slice of ciabatta for portable lunches and compact sandwiches, is thanks to human innovation.

Towards the end of the 19th century, bread went through several changes according to developing technology and ingredient availability. For instance, in 1868 a Fleischmann Brothers created commercially produced dry yeast for home bakers, which replaced natural starters made with wild yeasts which were tedious to bake with. Eventually most bread recipes called for commercial yeast and the Fleischmann Brothers have been in the yeast business ever since. In 1873 FrenchAmerican Edmund LaCroix invented a flourmill that was more efficient than the Swiss steel roller previously used. His very efficient mill resulted in new refined white flour that became

climate, and closer to El Camino Real. Following the end of the Mexican War of Independence in 1823, Spain cut all funding to the missions leaving the residents to wonder how to care for the land. This created years of tension between landowners, workers, and religious leaders, leading to the abandonment of many missions, including La Purisima. Finally by 1934, preservation and reconstruction of the Mission began with the efforts of the County of Santa Barbara, the state of CA, the National Parks Services, and the CCC. On December 7, 1941 (coincidentally coinciding with America’s entry into WWII), the buildings and grounds were resorted to appear as how they did in the 1820. Today, La Purisima is the only example of a complete mission complex in California. The history of La Purisima Mission is even more fascinating than described here, guests to the mission can take advantage of the guided tours available each day at 1 p.m., beginning at the Visitor’s Center. There is a bit of dark history behind the Mission, at least enough to send the Ghost Adventures team from the Travel Channel; I can’t speak for the legitimacy of ghosts, but during the mission restoration in the 1930s, there were many graves discovered on the grounds. History has it that the Chumash Indians were the victims of the frustrations of the Spanish soldiers following the Mexican War of Independence. ▲

“The trip to the bakery provided some essential fuel for our ride and also provided a great taste experience”

(continued on next page)

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popular with American consumers. Then, when Iowan Otto Rohwedder invented the bread slicer in 1928, pre-sliced and packaged became the standard. Wonder Bread was America’s first nationally distributed sliced bread, ushering in 50 years of, what some would consider, a low point for bread – the public revelation that some millers were bleaching their bread flour using nitrogen peroxide to make it an even brighter shade of white was a sobering fact for some consumers.

We’ve come to see the pitfalls to white pre-packaged sliced bread, particularly with regards to quality. As with any recipe, the less fresh the ingredients are, the less enriching and satisfying the meal can be. Bread in the 21st century has become as diverse as ever, with the consumer turning away from loaves that contain too many unfamiliar ingredients and additives used to extend their shelf life and boost flavor, towards breads made using a variety of sustainable grains and seeds.

That brings us to Bob’s Well Bread, the café and bakery in Los Alamos that inspired me to learn more about bread.

Bob Ozarks, the founder of the bakery, created his recipes using old-world, European-inspired traditions and techniques.

Precision and patience seems to be the key to making bread, as it can take up to 20 hours to for one loaf. This starts with their long fermentation process, the point at which the bread starter - a fermented mixture of water and a combination of white and whole grain wheat flour - infuses the bread and provides a natural preservative. The bakers at Bob’s Well Bread “feed” this mixture twice daily, once in the early morning, and again in the evening. After a few more steps, and before the café opens, the dough is put in the stone deck oven to bake.

The custom-made stone-deck oven is built to maintain a high heat, allowing for a delicate crust to form with an even golden brown color. When the fresh loaves are cooled they are ready to be eaten by the customers at the bakery, or they are packaged and delivered for far away customers.

On most Sundays in Los Alamos, a long line forms inside the cafe (renovated from an old gas station) to get some breakfast

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at Bob’s Well Bread. On one particular Sunday, I enjoyed an English muffin for breakfast and a salami sandwich on a demibaguette for lunch. The muffins were served warm and sliced in half with a dollop of fresh churned butter and jam. The crust was crispy, not too golden, and the insides were soft and light, but not doughy. The spread of melted butter, churned in-house, was a creamy juxtaposition to the crunch of the muffin. For lunch, biting into the fresh slices of baguette, enclosing the delicate provolone and salty salami, was a welcomed reprieve from the challenging route we made it through. Though I was able to fit the sandwich in my water bottle cage, you’ll want to sit down to enjoy this one.

The trip to the bakery provided some essential fuel for our ride and also provided a great taste experience; I don’t believe I’ve ever had such a perfect English muffin. The care with which the bakers took in creating the recipes made me feel privileged to indulge in it. Breakfast at Bob’s Well Bread is the perfect beginning to an all day ride.

Don’t want to wait to find a time to make it up to Los Alamos? Bob’s Well Bread will ship out their fresh baked English muffins, pretzels, bagels, pastries and bread loaves when you place an online order. Bob recommends never putting your bread in the refrigerator, and to always eat it at its peak freshness. ▲

SoCal and Beyond

regulars

electric age

Trek Electric Mountain Bikes

Trek’s new Powerfly mountain bikes, a series of four new Bosch-equipped 27.5 inch or 29 inch models, has been introduced to the North American market. The prices range from $2999.99 to $4999.99.

E-Bamboo

my-Boo, a bamboo bicycle maker based in Kiel, Germany, announced at Eurobike, 2016 that they are producing a bamboo e-bike with Shimano STePS mid-drive system. The frames are manufactured in Ghana. ▲

new & Noteworthy e-Bike Sharing Program

California has a stated goal of getting 1.5 million zeroemissions vehicles on the road by 2025. Recently, the California Air Resources Board (ARB) increased their budget from $2.5 million to $8 million for projects related to these vehicles.

The California Bicycle Coalition (CalBike) is working with e-bicycle manufacturers to use some of these funds for a bikesharing pilot project.

e-Bike Cycletourists

Gary and Gretchen completed the European leg of their world record e-cycling journey by travelling 27,500 kilometers (about 16,700 miles) during a 16 month tour. You can read about their adventures at ebikecycletourists.com

28 Pound e-MTB

Focus, a German company based in Kloppenburg which does all of its manufacturing and assembly (with the exception of frame building) in a single in-house facility, announced its newest project, a 28 pound e-MTB with removable motor and battery. The bike weighs 22 pounds with the propulsion system removed.

test ride Stromer ST2 S

By Bob Becker

Z

ipping around Las Vegas with a genial group of Stromer-mounted cyclists feels like the lap of luxury (pun intended). This is the milieu for those that embrace the finest and I relish the experience of circumnavigating at a pedal-assisted (PAS) speed of 30 mph - easily attained with the mighty 500 watts, three-level PAS motor. My bike, the $10.000 ST2 S, is identical to the vehicle that set the pending Guinness World Record 5,000 mile journey from Wisconsin to San Diego in 34 days. The marvellous e-commuter has the functional accoutrements and requisite bling for the glamor of this venue.

The aluminum frame and full carbon fiber fork of the ST2 S are equipped with an industry-leading 48 Volt, 983-Watt hour battery that has a range exceeding 180 kilometers (100+ miles) if used judiciously. Shifting of the 11-speed, 11-40 cassette, is effortless with an XTR Di2 electronic system. The Magura hydraulic disc brakes provide immediate stopping power and the Continental Top Contact II 26 X 2.0 tires provide a solid adhesion when turning and a secure grip when decelerating.

The list of extras would be as long as your arm if your arm were longer and included: custom aluminum fenders, touch screen to activate fully integrated user interface, daytime running light, 1600 lumen headlight, tail light which also functions as a brake light, remote shut down system for theft protection, GPS chip to retrieve your bike if it’s stolen, ability to communicate with and receive directions from smartphones and USB port. The ST2 S comes in three sizes, 17”, 20” and 22”, and has a two-year “door to door” warranty.

Getting acquainted with the Stromer ST2 S was immensely enjoyable. The ride was comfortable, fast and fun, with nothing occurring unexpectedly. We assimilated miles as though we were consuming M&M’s, and gliding along effortlessly on the superb riding and handling machine. It’s recommended highly for those needing an excellent commuter. ▲

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Features

The e-Chariot

A bike that shares the bicycle life through ingenuity and determination

By Bob Becker

M

y friend Ron’s granddaughter is a precocious nine years old with a penchant for mechanical things. She conceived the e-Chariot to be a vehicle that would allow her family, including her 12 year old physically challenged sister Hailey, to bicycle together. This necessitated some sort of sidecar design since Hailey is confined to a wheelchair and has very limited mobility. Ron and I had already converted a Mongoose Dolomite fat bike to an e-bike by adding a 36 Volt, 350-Watt rear hub motor, and decided that this was a good platform for the chariot.

We selected the Dolomite as a donor bike for the e-conversion because its steel frame could be cold set (bending the rear frame with a vise-like tool in order to reduce dropout width) from the fat bike rear standard of 190 mm to 135 mm. This was required since the advent of rear hub motors with wider axles for DIY fat-fabricators was a year or so away; also, aluminum is a poor choice when attempting frame modifications of this nature. The conversion was uneventful, and the only other changes that were necessary were spacers for the free wheel and disc brakes in order to accommodate the rear dropout reduction. Ron designed the sidecar and wrote the requisite CNC (Computer Numerical Control - automation of machine tools operated by programmed controls) programs to produce the parts, which were then anodized, and the unit was assembled.

Along the way we learned many things, the way the sidecar would articulate when traversing uneven surfaces, the type of wheel(s) that would provide an optimal turning radius and other subjects related to the construction of the system. The carriage, which was affixed to the struts connecting it to the bike, has a rear flap that acts as a ramp when loading the wheelchair, then encapsulates the chair when it is closed and locked in place with pins. It is not necessary to tie the chair down after the flap is closed Finally, its maiden outing and the final product - although somewhat anemic with all the extra weight - rode very well. The family has enjoyed the experience of bicycling together for the first time.

Several refinements are planned for the e-Chariot, including, but not limited to, a motor with much more torque, as well as a reverse gear and a method of attaching the “sidecar” to the bike, which will be more universal in nature allowing it to be added to other bikes. Hopefully Ron will initiate a crowd fund or some other method to provide this vehicle to families with similar situations. ▲

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BICYCLIST magazine

More Photos?

Visit socalbicyclist.com and search “chariot”

SoCal and Beyond

The system is designed to the Mongoose steel-framed Dolomite, with the system’s battery housed in an machined aluminum box.

Ron Mills designed and fab’d Hailey’s chariot as an add-on kit for an existing bike that uses a 350 Watt electric motor to assist in facilitating a bike ride for people wheelchair bound.

Family Bike Rides with Hailey

By Shari Sullivant

A

fter five years of marriage Jonathon and Elizabeth Mills learned the probability of having children was unlikely.

Twelve years ago, a series of unlikely events led them to adopt Hailey as a newborn. Soon after, they learned that she was severely disabled and they were advised by a team of medical professionals not to keep her, but they did not consider this option. She was given a life expectancy of four to five years, and now, having just turned twelve, is going on bike rides with her family, for the first time, in her customized e-Chariot, the brain child of her nine-year-old sister Alexis, a miracle herself.

Hailey requires 24-hour care, given by her loving family, and is included in most family outings, but bike rides were a problem. Alexis, an engineer in the making, came up with the concept of the e-Chariot to solve this problem and assisted

her grandfather, Ron, in its design. Confined to a wheelchair, and prone to frequent seizures, the platform was designed to hold Hailey’s chair facing backwards, so that her mom or dad piloting the bike always have her in their sight and can tend to any problems. Hailey can’t speak, but she can laugh and giggle, and when she is riding in the e-Chariot she has a new freedom, and the fresh air blowing across her face makes her smile and laugh.

Alexis’s vision has given her family the ability to go on bike rides together – something taken for granted by most families. And most people would view the continual demands of a severely handicapped child as difficult, at the very least, but if you ask her grandfather, Ron, he would tell you differently – Hailey has been nothing but a blessing. ▲

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND PHOTOS, VISIT SOCALBICYCLIST.COM AND SEARCH “CHARIOT”

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19

provisions

garage mechanic

at-home chain cleaning with the muc-off x3 dirty chain machine

By Chris Reynolds

THE MUC-OFF DIRTY CHAIN MACHINE REALLY SHINES WHEN IT’S TIME TO CLEAN UP. THE INTERNALS EASILY DISSABEMBLE ALLOWING FOR A THROUGH CLEANING BEFORE STORAGE. WITH THE TIME SAVED, YOU’LL FIND NEW CREATIVE WAYS TO USE YOUR ENERGY.

AFTER A SUMMER OF DRY, DUSTY ROADS AND TRAILS, TREAT YOUR BIKE (AND YOURSELF) WITH A DEEP CLEAN.

Need detailed instructions?

Visit socalbicyclist.com

 MUC OFF

THE MUC-OFF X3 DIRTY CHAIN MACHINE IS A GREAT AT-HOME TOOL FOR PERFORMING A THOROUGH CLEAN OF YOUR CHAIN. MUC-OFF SUPPLIES A BOTTLE OF THEIR BIODEGRADABLE DRIVETRAIN CLEANER THAT MAKES QUICK WORK OF A SEASON WORTH OF GRIT, GRIME AND PREVIOUS APPLICATIONS OF LUBE.

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BICYCLIST magazine

A

s my life as a bicyclist has progressed, I’ve found myself taking on more of the maintenance tasks that I previously had off-loaded to a shop. One of those tasks was drivetrain cleaning. Living in apartments and condo’s made a task like drivetrain cleaning challenging, but with the Muc-Off Dirty Chain Machine, the task can be contained, keeping the nasty bits off your floor, ceiling, dog etc.

The kit contains the tool itself and 2.5 ounces of their signature Drivetrain Cleaner, a biodegradeable cleaner that cuts grease without an olfactory assault - no scary chemicals needed. The cleaner is added to a reservoir at the top of the Chain Machine, with the bike chain enclosed by the clam-shell design of the lid, snapping assuredly shut with a metal clasp to keep it closed during cleaning.

Once the chain has been setup inside the tool, the tool can be held with the left hand, while the right hand spins the cranks.

The amount of cleaner can be controlled by releasing the button at the top of the tool, dispensing cleaner onto wheels that brush the dirt away from the surface and internals of the chain into a collection tank at the bottom.

The best part of the whole experience is the clean-up. After you’ve used the tool, you’ll have a clean chain as a reward. The entirety of the tool comes apart to allow for cleaning before the next use. As the cleaner is biodegradable, it is safe for disposal, but be sure the lube you use is also biodegradeable before dumping down the sink. The results speak for themselves. ▲

SoCal and Beyond

regulars

basics

gran fondo emergency training

By Rick Schulz - USA Cycling coach

A

s a USA Cycling coach, I have clients that range from those that have just retired, those that haven’t ridden a bicycle in 40 years, to elite athletes that podium at Nationals. From clients that are somewhere in-between, I get asked quite often, “what should I do to train for an upcoming XYZ event?” In this article, we will discuss a Gran Fondo type event (GF).

A GF is a very challenging cycling event, usually between 75 and 125 miles long. What makes it so challenging is the typical 6,500 to 13,000 feet of climbing. With roughly 55 official events hosted in 2016, GF’s are now very popular in the United States. If you are located in Southern California, other GF-type events include the Belgian Waffle Ride (aka BWR), which, for 2016 was 146 miles long, 41 miles of dirt and 13,000 feet of climbing.

With any of these super hard rides, the top finishers are usually ex-professional riders who know how to train for different events. So what about for the rest of us? How do we train so that we can finish?

One of the difficulties in coaching is that usually athletes wait until well past the last minute to even start thinking about training for this type of event. In reality, most cyclists should start months prior.

routes. Download the GXP file into your head unit and away you go! In no particular order; Malibu Gran Cookie Dough Double-Fudge 117.6 mile/12,456 feet elevation gain from Eastern Malibu to Calif State University Channel Islands Belgian Waffle Ride 146.15 miles/12,959 feet elevation. San Diego county.

Rancho Penasquitos, San Marcos, and Ramona.

2015 Orange County Gran Fondo Dirty Hundred 100 miles/5,528 feet elevation. Start in Irvine through Newport Beach to Corona via river trail back to Rancho Santa Margarita via dirt trails and Santiago Canyon Road finishing back up in Irvine.

The big 3 areas of training for a GF

This is a training plan for a cyclist that works full time, has kids that need help with homework, whose kids play soccer on the weekends, who wants to spend time with their spouse, and who wants to start training with only 3 weeks remaining before a GF? (In reality, there is only about 2-1/2 weeks of actual training when you include rest days.)

Spinning (S), Climbing (C), Long Distances (LD) Since this is an accelerated schedule, I recommend the following workouts. You will note that several are doubled up due to limited time remaining before the event. For example, since the client works full-time, on LD days, I recommend a ride before work, at lunch and after work. Not ideal, but this workout is intended for those that have limited time to train as well as accomplish certain event goals. For C and S days, the client might want to do spinning before work and climbing after work.

You will also note that we accounted for the bare minimum of rest days as well as spending time with the kids.

TRAINING PLAN

SPINNING (S)

TYPICAL SCENARIO

Since GF-type events are a combination of both long distances and plenty of climbing, the cyclist needs to train for both. I will usually sit down with my clients and ask what type of riding they have been doing up until now so I can determine what kind of shape they are in and where they should start their workouts.

Generally speaking, if you are going to ride 146 miles and climb 13,000 feet in one day, your body should have been recently stressed to both of these.

example events and routes

Several readers sent in their training routes and asked to share them with those that are getting ready for a Gran Fondo. These are great for training as you can do the whole route or partial

In my opinion, the best workout for your overall foundational fitness is spinning. Most cyclists have too low a cadence and can end up dumping lactic acid into their legs, which can lead to premature fatiguing and cramping. Spinning taxes the cardiovascular system, not the muscular system, and learning to spin at 95+ rpm will allow you to ride longer without muscle fatigue.

So how do you spin at 95-105 rpm? The short answer is that it takes time. Most cyclists will start at 65-70 rpm. The recommended workouts are 2 sets x 20 minutes at 80 rpm (or 5-10rpm over your current cadence). By the second workout the body will be used to about 75-80 rpm, so set your next workout at 85 rpm. The following workout 90 rpm, then 95, then 100, 105, etc. If you can get to 120 rpm for 2 sets of 20

minutes without bouncing, you will feel comfortable at 105 for an entire 2-hour ride. For these workouts, keep bumping up the rpms each set, but no bouncing.

LONG DISTANCE (LD)

LD days are done separately since they take up a lot of time.

However, it is important to remember that you are not training for time, but rather miles. If you are like most people and work full time, you have only a limited amount of time to train.

Therefore, you need to train smart and maximize the remaining time you have before the event. Remember, for a GF you are training to be able to complete up to 146 miles in a single day.

If you look at the schedule above, the time intensive workouts are mainly left for the weekends. But what about doing a LD on a Monday or Thursday? Install a set of lights on the bike and go out for a 5am ride, trying to get 40 or so miles in. At lunch another 20 and after work another 50. That will get you 110 for the day. During the second and third weeks you might even want to add more miles on your trainer. Keep increasing your miles so that you can kick out a 150 miler on a Saturday.

CLIMBING (C)

Training for climbing is a mix of the above two workouts. Most cyclists who sign up for a GF should be able to do 4,000 feet on a single ride, so I recommend starting there. Since time is limited, you should add 1,000 feet of climbing to each climbing workout.

TAPER

Several days before the GF, take an easy ride on the trainer to keep the legs fresh for the event then rest the next day.

SUMMARY

This is only a quick overview that is meant to help those who only have a short time remaining before their scheduled GF. Following the above schedule, you should have enough miles and climbing to complete the event.

Make sure that you use a roller on your legs after each workout. Also add a stretching regimen as well. This will help reduce soreness and cramping.

Learning to spin will not only make the legs last longer but will really help in the hills. Make sure to add spinning to your overall workout plan even after the GF. Spinning will help you become a better overall cyclist. ▲

Accelerated Training Schedule LD: Long Distance | C: Climbing | S: Spinning | F: Family

Sun

Week 1 LD

Week 2 F,C,S

Week 3 F,C,S

Week 4 C,S

socalBICYCLIST.com

Mon C,S LD LD LD

Tues S S S S

Wed LD Rest Rest C,S

Thurs C,S LD LD Taper

Fri Rest C,S C,S Rest

Sat LD LD LD Event

@socalbicyclist

21

profiles

Local Bike shop

We met Vince Gest, the owner of JRA Bikes and Brew, at the Westlake Village Century, after being impressed with his demo fleet of Torelli’s. We stopped by the Agoura Hills shop while we were still in the area, and found another SoCal institution of biking. Under the JRA roof was a cozy sitting area, roomy bike service area, large inventory space, and full coffee bar. As a full-service bike shop, they can do bike fitting and full build customization. Visit them online or stop by the shop for a quality coffee or tea and be sure to check out their frequent upcoming events.

JRA Bikes and Brew: coffee and bicycles in Agoura Hills

By Victor Prestinary

jrabikesandbrew.com

TOP Gest’s Fat Chance frameset, built by the team who would go onto form Independent Fabrications.

BOTTOM LEFT Full service is standard with a full coffee menu to match the bike services on offer- all while you wait.

BOTTOM RIGHT Torelli Columbus Zona Frameset available for boutique builds at JR A Bikes and Brew.

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BICYCLIST magazine

SoCal and Beyond

regulars

the climb

highway 46 - Hwy 1 to 1762 Sign

By Chris Reynolds

THIS CLASSIC CLIMB IN THE CENTRAL COAST TAKES HIGHWAY 46 FROM THE COAST, SOUTH OF CAMBRIA, AND SENDS RIDERS OVER A ENLIGHTENING GRADE, CONNECTING CAYUCOS TO THE SOUTH, AND PASO ROBLES TO THE NORTH.

46

5 miles to cambria 

1

46

▲

▲

46

4.7

K/QOM Finish

4.5

K/QOM start

46

2016 SLO Gran Fondo October 29, 2016

▲

2.3

▲

old creek road 

10 miles to cayucos

KOM/QOM Segment 4.5 miles 1,339’ climbing

1

1

15 miles to cayucos 

mile 1

2

3

4

5 K/QOM Finish

K/QOM start

socalBICYCLIST.com

@socalbicyclist 23

hands on

hands on

Coeur Saris Zele Bib SuperClamp 4 bike rack A

t the heart of Coeur Sport is the drive to make functional and flexible women’s apparel for the best athletic performance and most comfortable ride/run/swim possible. The founder, Kebby Holden, is energized with ideas to make Coeur Sport the absolute best in women’s sportswear.

You really get the sense that she and the Coeur Sport team know exactly who their customer is. With cool innovations like a bib side zipper and a sports bra with hidden pockets, female triathletes and cyclists are obsessed with the brand.

Of considerable note is the Zele collection, designed with speed in mind. Features of the kit include a comfortable and aerodynamic dimpled fabric that is treated with a coating called ColdBlack – a cooling type of fabric; and the bib has a convenient side zipper for quick and easy restroom breaks. Make sure that the zipper is folded in and facing upwards, that locks it in place so it doesn’t unzip while you’re crushing a descent. (below right) From personal experience, the fabric is incredibly light and comfortable. When getting out of the saddle, I felt swifter and the bib was lighter on my legs. This collection can compete with the best of them; they’ve really created something for ultimate performance, and with a design that is modern and functional. -KO (coeursports.com, $200)

ARIBUS, QUI DENDAMUSANDI TEM VENDA NEST, OPTA CONSEDI DOLOR SED QUUNT VOLOR A SAM EOS EIC TO CONSE POSSEQUAE QUI OMNI CON CONEEICIET DICIAE MOLLABORUM ET EAQUUNTIA VOLUPTUR?

LIFETIME WARRANTY AND ENTIRELY MADE IN THE USA, THE SUPERCLAMP 4 CREATES NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE THE WORLD BEYOND LOCAL ROUTES.

THE COEUR ZELE BIB PROVIDES A REVOLUTIONARY DETAIL FOR PROVIDING FREEDOM TO FEMALE CYCLISTS WHILE ON THE ROAD AND TRAIL: A SIDE ZIPPER ON THE RIGHT LEG PROVIDES ACCESS FOR BATHROOM BREAKS.

24

BICYCLIST magazine

A

FOR MORE PHOTOS, VISIT SOCALBICYCLIST.COM  SARIS

hitch rack capable of carrying 4 bikes really changes the dynamics of the weekend group ride. The production of caravaning with multiple cars to a distant riding spot is removed with a carpool-friendly bike rack. With secure transport for bikes up to 35 pounds, the rack provides a platform that folds up when not in use (above left). The rack we tested was fitted with the standard wheel cups, but wider cups are available for 2017 to accomodate fat tired bikes.

The rack requires minimal assembly with the two main platforms factory-assembled. After attaching the two platforms to the hitch structure, you’ll be ready to mount the rack to your vehicle, load up bikes and start exploring. The rack locks to the vehicle-mounted hitch with a lock keyed to also open the 4 cable locks that extend from each clamp.

The combination of locks ensures the security of transported bikes while inside a gas station or while loading and unloading gear.

Each individual bike rack (of which there are 4) can be adjusted to accomodate different wheelbases and frame sizes. You’ll want to make sure to tighten the individual yellow adjustment bolts after moving a wheel cup, and be sure to use the included straps that lock the wheel to the wheel cup. (above right) Note that the rack is a bit heavy and awkward to maneuver into the vehicle-hitch, so be sure to get help when guiding into place. -CR (saris.com, $800)

SoCal and Beyond

hands on

hands on

Monoprice Coros Linx Helmet Carbon Seatpost T

his seatpost is another excellent new product coming from Monoprice in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. Traditionally an electronics company; Monoprice is branching out with carbon bicycle components covered by their warranty. This 187 gram seatpost features a very minimal saddle mount and measurements on the post for referencing different bike configurations (forget notching and scratching), and comes in a very approachable $50. Pick up this quality seatpost for an easy decrease in weight - just make sure you have the right allen wrench that’s long enough to turn the forward bolt. (monoprice.com, $50)

Revisiting Carbon Wheelset under $800

In Issue 135, we took a first look at the Monoprice 38mm Carbon clinchers. At the time of this writing, the wheelset is still available online for under $800 and features the 1-year warranty from the SoCal company. On the bike, these wheels resulted in a huge performance increase over a comparable aluminum wheelset. They felt stiff and light while going around turns, and made bunny-hopping addicting. They are a bit lighter than other wheelsets in their price range and make for another easy upgrade. -VP

T H E CO R OS L I N X H EL M E T I N CO R P O R AT E S B LU E TO OT H AU D I O CO N N EC T I N G TO YOUR PHONE, PROV IDING A S A FE LIS TENING E XPERIENCE WHILE RIDING .

T

here are a lot of new helmet technologies planned for release in 2017. This year, helmet companies are showing their responses to the safety crisis of the ballooning cycling community. Many helmets will now be available with lights, but companies like Coros are addressing other factors of safety. The Coros LINX system consists of a bluetooth helmet, handlebar controller, and phone app.

Load up the Coros app on your phone and the helmet easily connects via bluetooth. You can then play music, get turnby-turn directions, or receive phone calls through the helmet speakers, which sit just in front of your ears. The speakers use bone conduction audio that converts sound waves into vibrations bypassing the ear canal and eardrum. This leads to a very decent sound quality while still hearing the world around you, such as cars and other potentially dangerous obstacles. I have tried a number of music-listening techniques, and I’d say this is right behind earbuds in terms of quality. The speakers feel a little bulky at first, but you get used to the feeling of the vibration against your bones - It’s kind of like having your own theme music.

socalBICYCLIST.com

The app, along with the helmet speakers, makes the Coros LINX a stand-out. You can record your route as you ride, search for local routes, and create your own to share using a really intuitive mapping function. The app has an emergency system that, when paired with the LINX helmet, can detect when you’ve fallen down and will notify your emergency contact. The helmet will also give you feedback as you ride.

At around 400 grams, the helmet weighs about double that of road helmets in its price range, and the ventilation seems more for aerodynamics than cooling. Watch out for climbing in the heat if you are the hot-headed type. It is good enough on the performance end for longer rides, but for timed events, you may want something sportier. The helmet does have a tough time connecting to the phone in some instances and seems to need a solid line-of sight - the phone would not connect from my chest pocket, and my backpack side pocket had a tough time as well. That said, the features of this helmet make it great for everyday performance and convenience. One things for sure, we will be seeing more innovation like this from Coros and helmet makers in general. -VP (coros.com, $200)

THE MONOPRICE C A R B O N COMPOSITE S E AT P O S T I S AN EXCELLENT UPGR ADE ON ANY BIKE WITH A 27.2 MM SEAT TUBE. IT ALSO FE ATURE S A N INSERTION LENGTH RULER AND 20MM OF SETBACK ON ITS LIGHT-WEIGHT SADDLE CLAMP. @socalbicyclist 25

Over the Shoulder

2016 Ojai Valley Century

By Charles Lindsey

T

he Ojai Valley Century is a challenging, but fun century that passes through scenic Ojai Valley and along the Pacific between Carpinteria and Ventura. The Century route has 5,300 ft. of climbing and the Hammerhead Century route, which includes a Category 1 climb up through the Los Padres National Forest, has 7,400 ft. of climbing. Both routes end with a Category 2 climb.

Beyond the climbing, the other challenge of this charity ride was the dual nature of temperatures. While most of the century was along the Pacific coast with the marine layer to keep things cool, the last segment reached high temperatures. From Santa Paula to Ojai, the sunny skies ramped up to over 100 degrees.

Start

The Ojai Valley Century starts in downtown Ojai and runs up to Montecito, back to Ventura, and on to Santa Paula to return to Ojai. The ride has two significant climbs, the Category 3 Casitas Pass, between Ojai and Carpinteria, and the 8-mile climb from Santa Paula and Upper Ojai.

From downtown Ojai bicycle shop, we were off to Lake Casitas and Casitas Pass, the first climb of the day. Casitas Pass is a Category 3 climb, with two summits, a few miles apart on Highway 150. The first climb is the longer and steeper of the two. The first climb has an average grade of 8% over 2.5 miles, followed by a 2-mile descent and a shorter 1.5-mile climb up West Casitas Pass with an average grade of 6 to 7%. From there, it is a much longer descent to Gobernador Canyon Road and another climb, a Category 5 that goes for one mile. The descent is steep at the beginning with a sharp hairpin turn, but it is fun.

The route turns right onto Highway 192 to Carpinteria High School and the first full rest stop. Highway 192 travels behind Carpinteria and is regularly used by the

26

BICYCLIST magazine

Amgen Tour of California when the route passes through from Santa Barbara to Ventura County. The route makes a loop in Montecito before returning to Carpinteria High School. This area has a lot of wealthy residents. We pass by polo fields and Oprah Winfrey’s west coast mansion.

Between the polo fields and Montecito, you have another climb, up Greenwell Avenue. Greenwell Avenue is a Category 5 climb, about 1.5 miles long with an 8% start, a flatter middle, and a 9% end.

Second-Half

Returning back to Carpinteria High School, I could see more cyclists still coming up from Ojai and other cyclists heading back to Ventura at this crossing point of the route. After a short break, I was back on the 192 heading south for the second half of the century. Soon I was on the new bike path that runs along US 101 between Bates Road in Carpinteria and Exit 78, the Seacliff exit. This new bike path takes cyclists off of the 101, where we used to ride for years. It is a quick 9 miles back to Ventura and a lunch break in the Patagonia parking lot at Mile 60.

In Ventura, the low clouds were gone, the sun was out, and the temperature was in the 60s. It was a nice day here, but I knew that Santa Paula and Ojai would be a lot warmer now that the sun was out. We passed through Ventura on the way to Santa Paula.

Between Ventura and Santa Paula, it is mostly f lat with an occa siona l rol l i ng h i l l and f r uit orchards along the way. A nd there was a faint tailwind to help the cyclists along. It began to get gradually warmer as we approached Santa Paula.

last Stop - All aboard!

The Santa Paula old train station was the last rest stop of the century. If it is warm here, then the 8-mile climb to the Upper Ojai Valley will be hot. This happens nearly

every year, at this time of the year and day. I begin the last climb of the day, up Highway 150 to the Upper Ojai Valley, past Thomas Aquinas College.

final climb

The Category 2 climb has a 4 to 6% grade for the first 4 miles, with a 1-mile descent to Thomas Aquinas College and a 3-mile ascent to the summit at 6 to 8 %.

It’s not too steep, just a grinder of a climb. You can smell sulphur in the air and see oil seeps along the road while climbing. The temperature increased almost every mile along the climb. The climb became harder and harder, but I had made sure to stay hydrated throughout the ride anticipating this section. The ride organizer had set up a small rest stop 1 mile short of the summit with Gatorade, iced water, and popsicles. I grabbed a Popsicle to try and reduce my core body temperature and dumped a cup of ice water down my back. Many other cyclists stopped there as well.

Looking forwrd

I made it to the Stagecoach Market at top of the climb where the outdoor temperature gauge showed that it was 102º. I moved on to finish the remaining 8 miles of the ride. Luckily, it is mostly downhill to downtown Ojai, including Dennison Grade, a 1.5-mile, 6 – 8% curvy descent. I pulled up to the finish line more overheated than tired. If it had not been for the heat, I could have ridden much further. Maybe next year I will try the Hammerhead route. See you out there! ▲ For more writings by Charles Lindsey, visit his collection of posts at Gold Coast Cycling: venturacycling.blogspot.com

SoCal and Beyond

Event Calendar ___________________________________________________________________

22 Saturday

2016

OC Ride for AIDS AIDS Services Foundation ROAD: 100, 62 miles William R. Mason Regional Park

Irvine

SCa

____________________________________________________

Oceanside Double Century California Triple Crown ROAD: 194 miles / 15700’ Oceanside Days Inn, 92054

Oceanside

SCa

____________________________________________________

CF Cycle for Life Cystic Fibrosis Foundation ROAD: 100, 65, 25 miles Alosta Brewing, Covina

Los Angeles

SCa

____________________________________________________

Canyon Classic Challenge Patterson Modesto Metro and Gateway Rotary Clubs ROAD: 112, 91, 53 miles NCa Creekside Middle School

____________________________________________________

Gran Fondo Santa Clarita Santa Clarita Velo ROAD: 100, 60, 20 miles The Center, 91351

22-23 Multi

Bike MS: Bay to Bay 2016 National Multiple Sclerosis Society ROAD: 150, 125, 100, 25 miles Orange County to San Diego

Santa Clarita

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

Irvine

SCa

____________________________________________________

Casitas Cross Weekend SoCalCross Prestige Series CX: Course Lake Casitas Recreation Area

23 Sunday

Tour de Cure Northern California Women’s Series ROAD: 55, 35, 12 miles Shadow Cliffs Park

Ventura

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

Pleasanton

NCa

____________________________________________________

Advanced Skills Clinic Non Dot and The Path Bike MTB: 4 hour clinic Santiago Oaks Regional Park

Orange

SCa

____________________________________________________

Oakland Gran Fondo Bike East Bay ROAD: 100, 55, 28, 13.5 miles Jack London Square

Oakland

NCa

___________________________________________________________________

24 Monday OC Guts Make-A-Wish Festival The OC MIX and SOCO Collection

Costa Mesa

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

29 Saturday

Victor Valley Bicycle Tour Deset Valley Medical Group ROAD: 100, 62, 25 miles Apple Valley, Hesperia, Victorville

socalBICYCLIST.com

Victor Valley

We do our best to comb the wild west of cycling event websites to get the information you need to make the most of your time in the saddle. We provide this comprehensive listing, without endorsement, but we ask that you support the events that support the magazine.

Do you have an event you’d like to list?

Submit for free at socalbicyclist.com/events

SIGNS & SYMBOLS Date

Santa Barbara Endurance Race XC MTB Marathons MTB: 100, 62, 31 miles Lower Oso Picnic Area, 93105

Santa Barbara

SCa

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Wheels for Meals Ride Meals on Wheels of Alameda County ROAD: 70, 35, 15 miles Shadow Cliffs East Bay Regional Park

Pleasanton

NCa

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Big Orange Classic Ride 2 Recovery ROAD: 60, 40, 20 miles ARB Cyclery

29-30 Multi

SLO Gran Fondo Presented by Avila Beach ROAD: 100, 61, 25 miles Avila Beach Golf Resort, 93424

Irvine

Tri

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

Avila Beach

SCa

Event Name Organizer TYPE: length

City, State

FEATURES

Location

____________________________________________________

Day

MAGAZINE SUPPORTERS support our supporters COMPETITION events with posted participants and results ROAD events with 90% or more paved route MOUNTAIN events with 90% or more dirt trail CYCLOCROSS closed course road/mtb hybrid GRAVEL fire roads, grinders and adventure rides TRIATHLON running, swimming, and biking BICYCLISM arts, entertainment and BIKES!

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Nor NORTHERN CALIFORNIA Nv NEVADA So

OREGON Wa WASHINGTON Az ARIZONA Or

SOCALBICYCLIST.COM/EVENTS

October

GUIDE TO THE CALENDAR

SCa

@socalbicyclist

27

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Spooky Cross Weekend SoCalCross Prestige Series CX: Course Lakeview Park

Silverado

SCa

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Tour del Toro Boys & Girls Club ROAD: 50, 25 miles Lake Forest Sports Park, 92630

30-4 Multi

Lake Forest

SCa

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24, 12 & 6 Hours of Halloween Los Olivos MTB Weekend MTB: 50, 30 miles SCa The Dirt Club

Death Valley Century Death Valley Planet Ultra ROAD: 100 miles / 4500’ SCa m The Ranch at Furnace Creek Resort

30 Sunday

Sufferfest Gran Fondo Calabasas Sufferfest Beer Company & Stinner Frameworks MTB: 65 miles / 7000’ SCa Pedalers Fork

Filthy 50 Quick N Dirty MTB: 50, 30 miles Lake Hodges, 92033

12-13 Multi Padres Pedal the Cause ROAD: 162, 100, 62, 40, 25, 10 miles

Petco Park, 92101

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Escondido

SCa

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Casper’s Wilderness XC Race Non Dot Adventures MTB: 4.2 and 6.5 mile loops Casper’s Wilderness, 92675

San Juan Capistrano

Ride the Point Point Loma Rotary Club ROAD: 62, 25, 10 miles Liberty Station, 92106

San Diego

SCa

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SCa

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Tour de Foothills Upland Chamber of Commerce ROAD: 100, 62, 31 miles Downtown Upland, 91786

Upland

SCa

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San Diego

SCa

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Hostelling International ROAD: 400+ miles University of San Diego

San Diego

SCa

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January

2017

15 Sunday

MoValCX MudFest 2017 SoCalCross Fever Series CX: TBA

TBA

21 Saturday

Tour de Palm Springs CVSPIN ROAD: 100, 05, 25, 10 miles Palm Canyon Theater

22 Sunday

Corriganville CX-XC Season Finale SoCalCross Fever Series CX: TBA

29 Sunday

Laguna Niguel Triathlon Laguna Niguel Renegade Race | So Cal Triathlon Series TRIATHLON: 11 miles SCa Tri Crown Community Park/YMCA

SCa

TBA ___________________________________________________________________

Irvine

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

TBA

SCa

TBA ___________________________________________________________________

CicloSDias San Diego San Diego County Bicycle Coalition OPEN STREETS SCa

San Diego, 92104

SLO Cross Wekeend SoCalCross Prestige Series CX: Course

November 2016

14 Monday

The All City Century Wolfpack Hustle ROAD: 100 miles (night ride) Tang’s Donut

3 Thursday

Mike Nosco Memorial Bicycle Ride Michael P. Nosco Foundation ROAD: 80 miles Dos Vientos Community Center

18-20 Multi

Peter Sagan VIP Charity Ride Westlake Village The Specialized Foundation for Children.

ROAD: TBA SCa Westlake Village Inn

4-6 Multi

Revolution Bike Fest Race OC Outdoor Festival Irvine Lake, 92676

19-20 Multi

UCI CXLA Weekend SoCalCross CX: Course

5 Saturday

Catalina Island Triathlon & Duathlon Avalon Renegade Race | So Cal Triathlon Series TRIATHLON: 17, 14 miles SCa Tri Avalon Pier

20 Sunday

Turkey Tri San Dimas Renegade Race | So Cal Triathlon Series TRIATHLON: 19 miles SCa Tri Bonelli Park

4 Saturday

28th Annual Blossom Bike Ride Reedley Lions Club ROAD: 60, 40, 20 miles Reedley College

27 Sunday

Turkey Trot Cross SoCalCross Prestige Series CX: Course

4-5 Multi

Malibu Granfondo Westlake Village Serious Cycling ROAD: gran fondo & time trial SCa Four Seasons Hotel

December 2016

11 Saturday

Solvang Century S.C.O.R. ROAD: 100, 70, 51 miles Hotel Corque

3 Saturday Quarterly Swap Meet Encino Velodrome

18 Saturday

Solvang Double Century Planet Ultra ROAD: 192 miles / 8300’ Santa Ynez Valley Marriott

___________________________________________________________________

Newbury Park

SCa

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Silverado

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Circle of Doom ROAD: 100 Miles

Trader Joe’s

Pasadena

SCa

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Bike the Coast San Diego County Bicycle Coalition ROAD: 100, 50, 25, 15 Miles Betty’s Lot on The Strand

Oceanside

6 Sunday

Malibu Gran Cookie Dough Phil Gaimon of Cannondale Pro Cycling ROAD: 114, 86, 42 miles SCa 1 University Dr, Camarillo

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

Malibu

____________________________________________________

Dinosaur Dash Bike Tour Tustin Public Schools Foundation ROAD: 31, 9, 3 miles Tustin Marketplace

Tustin

SCa

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ANZA Crossing SoCalCross Prestige Series CX: Course

Riverside

SCa

Martha McLean Anza Narrows Park ____________________________________________________

SoCal Enduro Series Final Presented by Intense MTB: 4 Stages Vail Lake Resort

12 Saturday

Operation: Ride for the Red American Red Cross ROAD: 100, 50, 30 miles Camarillo, CA

Temecula

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

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BICYCLIST magazine

Camarillo

SCa

San Luis Obispo

60th Annual USA Christmas Bicycle Trip

SCa

TBA ___________________________________________________________________

Los Angeles

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

South El Monte

SCa

Whittier Narrows Recreation Area ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

TBA

SCa

TBA ___________________________________________________________________

Encino

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

3-4 Multi

CACX Championship Weekend SoCalCross Prestige Series CX: Course

10 Saturday

Dirty 30 Quick N Dirty MTB: TBA Sycamore Canyon

11 Sunday

Santa Cross Prestige Series Finale SoCalCross Prestige Series CX: Course TBA

17-18 Multi

Nor Cal vs So Cal Showdown SoCalCross Fever Series CX: Course Hart Park

TBA

SCa

TBA ___________________________________________________________________

Poway

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

TBA

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

Bakersfield

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

February 2017 18 Saturday

Camino Real Double Planet Ultra ROAD: 198 miles / 8500’ La Quinta Inn

Irvine

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

March

2017 Reedley

NCa

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Solvang

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

Buellton

SCa

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Tour de Cure Phoenix American Diabetes Association ROAD: 100, 75, 50, 25, 10 miles Midwestern University

Glendale, AZ

20-26 Multi

Solvang Spring Tour Planet Ultra ROAD: 69/78/77/77/63/92/39 miles Royal Copenhagen Inn

Az

___________________________________________________________________

Solvang

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

25 Saturday Saddleback Spring Classic Gran Fondo Irvine Renegade Race & PCRF ROAD: 100, 50, 31, 1 miles SCa

Irvine Valley College ____________________________________________________

Bike MS: Coastal Challenge National Multiple Sclerosis Society ROAD: 100, 30 miles Rose Bowl

Pasadena

SCa

SoCal and Beyond

___________________________________________________________________

25-26 Multi

Bike MS: Arizona Scottsdale, AZ National Multiple Sclerosis Society ROAD: 100, 30 miles McDowell Mountain Regional Park

Az

April

2017

7-9 Multi

Eroica California Hospice SLO County ROAD: 120, 85, 67, 38 miles Paso Robles Downtown Park

8 Saturday

Mulholland Challenge Planet Ultra ROAD: 106, 73, 52 miles

9 Sunday

Mulholland Challenge Double Planet Ultra ROAD: 106 miles / 12700’

Paso Robles

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

TBD

SCa

TBD ___________________________________________________________________

TBD

SCa

TBD ____________________________________________________

Campagnolo GranFondo San Diego Granfondo Cycling Tours ROAD: 102, 56, 34, 20 miles Ruocco Park

15 Saturday

Mr. Frog’s Wild Ride Feeney Park Foundation ROAD: 100K, 50K Feeney Park

20-23 Multi

Subaru Sea Otter Classic Powered by SRAM FESTIVAL, CX, MTB, ROAD Laguna Seca Raceway

23 Sunday

45th Annual Primavera Century Fremont Freewheelers Bicycle Club ROAD: 100, 85, 63, 40, 25 miles Mission San Jose High School

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

Murphys

NCa

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Monterey

NCa

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Fremont

NCa

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Tour de Cure Tucson American Diabetes Association ROAD: 100, 75, 50, 25, 10 miles Crossroads at Silverbell District Park

29 Saturday

Tour de Cure San Diego American Diabetes Association ROAD: 100, 62, 29, 12, 1 miles Del Mar Fairgrounds

Tucson, AZ

Az

SOCALBICYCLIST.COM/EVENTS

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Del Mar

SCa

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M ay

2017 June

7 Saturday

Tour de Cure Napa Valley American Diabetes Association ROAD: 100, 80, 50, 25, 10 miles Veterans Home of California

20 Saturday

Heartbreak Hundred Planet Ultra ROAD: 100 miles / 8500’ Holiday Inn Express

Yountville

NCa

___________________________________________________________________

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Lebec

SCa

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2017 June

3 Saturday

Eastern Sierra Double Century Planet Ultra ROAD: 200 miles / 10200’ La Quinta Inn

10 Saturday

Tour of Two Forests Double Century Planet Ultra ROAD: 198 miles / 13220’ Hampton Inn

Bishop

NCa

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7 Saturday

Tour de Cure Silicon Valley American Diabetes Association ROAD: 120K, 100K, 75K, 50K, 25K HP Campus Palo Alto

17 Saturday

Tour de Cure Spokane Spokane, WA American Diabetes Association ROAD: 100, 50, 25, 10 miles Wa Northern Quest Resort and Casino

NCa

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Tour de Cure Gold Country American Diabetes Association ROAD: 64, 42, 22, 10 miles Johnson Springview Park

socalBICYCLIST.com

Rocklin

NCa

___________________________________________________________________

SCa

Tour de Cure Los Angeles American Diabetes Association ROAD: 100, 66, 32, 7 miles Santa Fe Recreational Dam

Ferndale

Tour de Cure Oregon/Washington Hillsboro, OR American Diabetes Association ROAD: 104, 69, 49, 29, 5 miles Or AmberGlen Park

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Tour of the Unknown Coast St Joseph Health ROAD: 100, 62, 50, 20, 10 miles

Humboldt County Fairgrounds

29 Saturday

2017

Santa Clarita

Heartbreak Double Century Palmdale Planet Ultra ROAD: 202 miles / 15500’ SCa

Holiday Inn Palmdale ____________________________________________________

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Irwindale

SCa

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Palo Alto

NCa

___________________________________________________________________

@socalbicyclist

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share your story Issue #139 ‘Yearbook’ Submissions Deadline: December 16, 2016 Release Date: January 3, 2017 Share your story of adventure, advocacy, exploration or simply, how you spent 2016 by bicycle with the readers of BICYCLIST magazine. We will publish our favorites in the first issue of 2017, the yearbook issue of 2016, as an inspiration for all of us planning how to spend 2017 on the bike. For your story to be considered, it must include your name and the city you live in. Submissions can be sent to editor@socalbicyclist.com with “Yearbook” in the subject. What will you share?

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BICYCLIST magazine

SoCal and Beyond

Bicycles May Use Full Lane

I n Memor ia m

BM U F L .org #BM U F L socalBICYCLIST.com

@socalbicyclist

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