Riding in Santa Barbara, CA?

[Avispa]

Anyone lives or has ridden in the Santa Barbara or Goleta areas? How is the riding there? Flats? Hills? Traffic?

Thanks!

[sellsworth]

I have friends who live there and they tell me that the Figueroa Mountain climb is spectacular. It's out by Solvang.

[Bill Bove]

Quite possibly as close to heaven as you can get on a bike :banana: Bring a camera.

[bcm119]

I lived in SB for about 6 years, and often wonder why I left. It does have some fantastic riding. The best way to describe the riding in SB is that it offers a few absolutely stunning rides, but lacks in numbers of options to put a loop together. SB sits on a narrow coastal strip between steep mtns and the ocean, so you really have two choices: straight up the mountain or down the coast. The famed Gibraltar climb is challenging and beautiful- it starts just behind town and climbs to almost 4000 feet in about 7.5 miles. You can make a loop out of it and descend into Goleta 10 miles west. The "other" rides are different permutations of a loop that snakes south (actually east) through Carpinteria, then over a mountain pass into Ojai, which is a nice foothill town. There is a nice 90-100 mile loop that includes Ojai and Ventura.

Traffic-wise it is significantly better than towns closer to LA, but there is still steady traffic on almost all roads on the south coast. To find real quiet country roads, you have to go over the pass into the Santa Ynez valley (Solvang), which is a car-topper because the only road over from SB (154) is not very bike friendly. If you drive over there, the riding is hard to beat.

In-town bike lanes exist everywhere and drivers are generally pretty nice to cyclists. Its a great town to commute in- theres a bike path from SB out to Goleta/UCSB that I used almost every day as I worked out there and lived downtown. All around great place to ride, but you won't find many traffic-free roads on the ocean side of the mountains.

If you're going for a visit, stop in Fastrack LBS and ask for a loop that includes East Mountain Drive- its a must see.

[SoCalSteve]

I lived in SB for about 6 years, and often wonder why I left. It does have some fantastic riding. The best way to describe the riding in SB is that it offers a few absolutely stunning rides, but lacks in numbers of options to put a loop together. SB sits on a narrow coastal strip between steep mtns and the ocean, so you really have two choices: straight up the mountain or down the coast. The famed Gibraltar climb is challenging and beautiful- it starts just behind town and climbs to almost 4000 feet in about 7.5 miles. You can make a loop out of it and descend into Goleta 10 miles west. The "other" rides are different permutations of a loop that snakes south (actually east) through Carpinteria, then over a mountain pass into Ojai, which is a nice foothill town. There is a nice 90-100 mile loop that includes Ojai and Ventura.

Traffic-wise it is significantly better than towns closer to LA, but there is still steady traffic on almost all roads on the south coast. To find real quiet country roads, you have to go over the pass into the Santa Ynez valley (Solvang), which is a car-topper because the only road over from SB (154) is not very bike friendly. If you drive over there, the riding is hard to beat.

In-town bike lanes exist everywhere and drivers are generally pretty nice to cyclists. Its a great town to commute in- theres a bike path from SB out to Goleta/UCSB that I used almost every day as I worked out there and lived downtown. All around great place to ride, but you won't find many traffic-free roads on the ocean side of the mountains.

If you're going for a visit, stop in Fastrack LBS and ask for a loop that includes East Mountain Drive- its a must see.

Yes, great road and dont forget to check out "the mailbox". Also, Hope Ranch is a great place to ride through. Very beautiful! Just north of Leadbetter Beach.

In Auguts there is a century ride called "Cool Breeze" It goes through a great deal of Santa Barbara.

Enjoy!

Steve

[EdK]

I second Figuroa Mountain, stunning but getting hot. There is a large group ride (tuesday, Thursday and Sunday worlds) Tuesday Thursday start promptly at 0800 on State St. @ Santa Barbara roasters. Sunday starts at the beach. Can be fast and has a few minor cliimbs in it. http://www.ridesb.com/local_rides.htm

[froze]

I lived there for about 15 years until I moved in 82 and went back for regular visits with family until 2004. Riding in Santa Barbara and SB county including Santa Ynez, Ventura, and Ojai areas is probably the best areas in the USA to ride due to varients in typography such as all flat areas along the coast to hills along the foothills to the mountains above, as well as great year round weather. The only place that I would probably not ride on too often is State St in SB due to the heavy traffic from tourist that make it more accident prone then when I lived there...but that's being real picky. Even longer multiple day rides like going from San Francisco to SB, or long single day rides like from Bakersfield to SB via Ojai are a real pleasure.

All the bike shops have bike route/path maps and can even tell you about great alternative routes. Hazards Cyclesport is probably the best in town for maps and info at 110 Anacapa in SB, speak to Sergio.

Living there for the long term though can be quite financially draining since the lowest cost small (under 900 square feet) fixer upper in Goleta can cost over 500k.

[Louis]

Living there for the long term though can be quite financially draining since the lowest cost small (under 900 square feet) fixer upper in Goleta can cost over 500k.

I guess that's why I put up with the Missouri winters and summers...

[froze]

I guess that's why I put up with the Missouri winters and summers...

Yep; and I failed to mentioned the taxes on that "cheap" house...in a word-OUCH!!

[Jeff N.]

Anyone lives or has ridden in the Santa Barbara or Goleta areas? How is the riding there? Flats? Hills? Traffic?

Thanks!All over the place there, and further up in Solvang, it doesn't get any better. Jeff N.