Rental/Riding Recs in San Diego

[bmeryman]

Hi folks,

I'll be heading out to San Diego next week to visit and stay with in laws for a couple weeks. I was thinking of bringing my bike to ride a little while I'm out there, but traveling with two little kids and a bike doesn't sound that appealing and I'm not sure how frequently I'll be able to ride while we're there so now I'm considering rental.

Is there a recommended shop to rent a bike for a day or two? I'd maybe like to try to ride 3-4 times while we're out there.

Separate question: any recommended routes to enjoy?

Thanks!
Brendan

[joeminglin]

I've rented from UC Cyclery in La Jolla a few years ago.

The SDBC has a few routes under their rides section. https://www.sdbc.org/. Palomar is a must if u have time. https://ridewithgps.com/ambassador_r...n-quatro-climb

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showt...=301371&page=2

[fourflys]

San Diego has some of the best riding I've even seen.. if you just want a beautiful, chill ride, ride up the coast to Oceanside and back.. I usually left from Del Mar, but, depending on where you are, there are other options..

as far as a rental, why don't you post your normal size and maybe someone will have an extra bike they would be willing to lend.. I know I have a bike or two I'd happily lend a Paceliner if the came to Sonoma County..

have fun, I miss riding there!

[mass_biker]

Echo the comments on SD being a great place to ride a bike - I’m most familiar with riding in North County SD (RSF, SJE, inland too) so please feel free to PM me and I can share some of my favorite loops in the area. Not so familiar with the routes closer to SD proper (I am a frequent visitor - not a resident!)

[bmeryman]

Thanks for the recommendations - Palomar looks super cool; I will for sure try to schedule a ride there. And I'll look through the SDBC rides for some ideas as well.

I'm on 54-55ish frames generally. I would love to borrow a bike and/or ride with any Paceliners while out there! I am happy to extend the same invitation to anyone who comes to Vermont and wants to get out on a road or mountain bike.

I'll be in University City. Looks like UC Cyclery is a good option. I'd like to try to visit XL Velo while I'm out there too. It's always fun to see shops in different places.

[mass_biker]

Feel free to PM me directly on this one - it’s my go-to ride whenever I go to SD.

Others have posted extensively on this climb - it’s a must do in the area.

[Gummee]

Originally Posted by joeminglin

I've rented from UC Cyclery in La Jolla a few years ago.

The SDBC has a few routes under their rides section. https://www.sdbc.org/. Palomar is a must if u have time. https://ridewithgps.com/ambassador_r...n-quatro-climb

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showt...=301371&page=2

If you're going to ride Palomar, don't go on a weekend. That road was a racetrack when I lived in Sandy Eggo.

The coast is always a good time. Between the people watching on the road and people watching on the beach and it being one of a few flat stretches in the area, slow down and have fun. Freds are still going to want to 'race' you. My neighbor was one of those.

M

edited to add: California Bicycles in La Jolla was a treasure trove of classic stuff. Don't know if they're still around tho.

[Likes2ridefar]

I’ll be the naysayer, and as only a visitor going for beach trips staying near the coast, I found the riding not worth it. I’ve taken my bike 3 times and did not enjoy the busy traffic and difficultly finding any routes worth doing riding directly from near the coast…we usually stay in Del Mar or near mission beach.

[fourflys]

Originally Posted by Likes2ridefar

I’ll be the naysayer, and as only a visitor going for beach trips staying near the coast, I found the riding not worth it. I’ve taken my bike 3 times and did not enjoy the busy traffic and difficultly finding any routes worth doing riding directly from near the coast…we usually stay in Del Mar or near mission beach.

you certainly have to be used to/willing to riding near traffic for sure I'd say.. (not saying you aren't) there are usually good bike lanes, but it's just a painted line and drivers are gonna be drivers.. for that issue, it was bit better out toward Ramona, but you kind of gotta know where you want to go and it will be hotter.. as an alternative, there are a few good off-pavement areas like Sycamore Canyon, Blue Sky Ranch, Lake Hodges, and Mission Trails among others I'm certain.. I rode these on both MTBs and cross bikes (back when..).

*my info is from my time there 2006-2012, so take that FWIW..

[Gummee]

Originally Posted by fourflys

you certainly have to be used to/willing to riding near traffic for sure I'd say.. (not saying you aren't) there are usually good bike lanes, but it's just a painted line and drivers are gonna be drivers.. for that issue, it was bit better out toward Ramona, but you kind of gotta know where you want to go and it will be hotter.. as an alternative, there are a few good off-pavement areas like Sycamore Canyon, Blue Sky Ranch, Lake Hodges, and Mission Trails among others I'm certain.. I rode these on both MTBs and cross bikes (back when..).

*my info is from my time there 2006-2012, so take that FWIW..

I left in 04, so right before you got there... Rose Cyn, Pensaquitos Cyn, and Mission Trails were where I mostly went off-roading. Most of that is doable on a CX bike.

The SDBC Saturday loop thru Rancho Santa Fe is a good time. Golden Triangle off thru Rancho Santa Fe, down to the coast and back up to the Golden Triangle. IDK what they're doing now, but the beginning of that loop looked mostly familiar when I saw a video a few weeks back. Looks like the build a bike path along the 5 rather than have cyclists ride down the shoulder like they used to.

M

[woodworker]

Lots of good places, particularly if you're not stuck downtown where the traffic is worse. There are a number of good rides posted on the Swami's ride calendar, which then hyperlinks to RidewithGPS. Here's the link, and feel free to PM me with any questions, as I've ridden pretty much all of them.

Here's the link: https://swamis.org/events-calendar/

Also, note that the weekday rides tend to be shorter loops, whereas the weekend rides are longer (50-60 miles, or more). If you check out a two month period of Saturdays and Sundays, you should have a pretty wide variety to choose from.

[bmeryman]

Well noted to avoid riding on the weekend if possible. I can probably make that happen. Traffic is generally ok with me, but I'd like to avoid traffic lights as much as I can.

And thanks for the additional recs, all. Will have some research to do over the next week for sure.

[Ken Robb]

Originally Posted by Gummee

If you're going to ride Palomar, don't go on a weekend. That road was a racetrack when I lived in Sandy Eggo.

The coast is always a good time. Between the people watching on the road and people watching on the beach and it being one of a few flat stretches in the area, slow down and have fun. Freds are still going to want to 'race' you. My neighbor was one of those.

M

edited to add: California Bicycles in La Jolla was a treasure trove of classic stuff. Don't know if they're still around tho.

Yep, weekends on Palomar will have motorcycles and cars pushing their limits but week days are von line. ery quiet. California Bicycles is very much alive and Jason has posted several classic bikes for sale lately on line.

It's easy to ride from University City to the coast at Del Mar and you can go up to Oceanside to get a real taste of SoCal beaches. MANY places to get food/drinks of all kinds hence opportunities to visit with other riders.

It's quite a drive to get to the bottom of Palomar but there is usually a place to park. I would ride up the STEEP South Grade, take a break for a snack and drink at the store at the merge of South and East Grades and then enjoy the swoopy turns because only a few of them are blind. When you get to the bottom you can ride a few miles on the highway back to your car. Real animals ride back up and go down the way they came up but descending South Grade scares me too much to be fun. As far as I know Mother's Kitchen on the mountain is still closed but the store is open.

[Bob Ross]

Originally Posted by fourflys

San Diego has some of the best riding I've even seen.

Really?!?! Where were you when I started this thread last year?

I literally came into this thread to re-post my conclusions after that 2023 cycling trip to San Diego:

Between the crap pavement and the incessant traffic lights every ~2/10ths of a mile, it was quite possibly some of the worst cycling the missus and I have ever encountered on a vacation.

[fourflys]

Originally Posted by Bob Ross

Really?!?! Where were you when I started this thread last year?

I literally came into this thread to re-post my conclusions after that 2023 cycling trip to San Diego:

sorry I missed that..

my riding impressions are mostly from North County, but I did commute to downtown (by the airport) and did a couple rides out in the Chula Vista area (the Olympic Center is cool to visit).. of course, getting in downtown SD is going to be traffic and lights.. and there are a few lights on Hwy 1 along the beach, but they aren't bad.. having lived in just about every part of the country other than the NE (visited Boston, Portland ME, and Newport RI), Florida (been there on vacation a lot as a kid and adult), or HI (spent a week in Hono a few years back, not roads I'd want to ride on mostly), I will hands down say that San Diego is the best place I've lived/ridden with Sonoma County being a close second.. both are just way too expensive to fully retire in..