LA peeps: riding Sullivan Fire Road?

[KJMUNC]

Anyone ever ridden Sullivan Fire Road all the way to the top to Mulholland on a road bike?

Was riding in Palisades today and when I got home I started looking up alternatives to Mandeville.

I’m riding a Trek Domane (rear susp) with 28c tires. I’ve read that Sullivan is partially paved and then a fire road for the rest of the way.

Planning on trying it out next weekend but figured I’d see if anyone here has given it a shot...road bike or otherwise.

Up that climb to Mulholland and back down to Sepulveda and SVC would be a nice little loop.

Let me know, thanks!

[tctyres]

I haven't but now that I see what you're talking about, I will.

I did try to get up Old Ranch, but there's a big gate so you can't go through it.

I have gone up Kenter to the top. You can take that fire road over to Mulholland with a short paved section in Mountaingate. Mulholland to the west of Kenter (where Sullivan Canyon is) is hardpack and to the east it's paved. I did it on 25mm tires on a Italian steel bike. There are short stingers at 20% or so that you'll need to be able to climb or walk on the way up. Once you get up there, just choose a good line as it's relatively flat. I would imagine that Sullivan Road is the same.

The other one to try is Westridge. That's a climb out of Mandeville, but when I've done it, there are tons of people going through the gate with mountain bikes.

If you do Sullivan Canyon or Westridge, let me know what you find.

[Buzz]

It was possible when I did this regularly in the early 1990s on 700x23 but also depended on whether the fire road was bulldozed. Eventually stopped and just did a mt bike only. Today’s gravel type bike would handle it easy.

I use to have the road all to myself even on weekends - fantastic - then it got discovered in mid 90s. One of my happiest places in LA. Enjoy!

[kokies]

I did it on my travel road bike on 28’s 2 years ago. It wasn’t fun on the way up with normal road gear and the way back down was very sketchy and not fun with rim brakes.

That road is the reason I ordered a new disc travel gravel bike.






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[m4rk540]

It's a fire road not a forest road, so you'll be fine on a road bike with 28s. Not too rutted and very little chance or a pinch flat or sidewall blow out. Just ride within yourself.

[stev0]

I've done the full gamut of things listed here : Sullivan, Kenter, Westridge on 25s, as well as on a CX/MTB - Sullivan would be the least fun on a road bike, with Kenter being the most road-friendly (but most steep). Coming down sullivan would be slow going on road tires.

[cgolvin]

Originally Posted by tctyres

I have gone up Kenter to the top. You can take that fire road over to Mulholland with a short paved section in Mountaingate. Mulholland to the west of Kenter (where Sullivan Canyon is) is hardpack and to the east it's paved. I did it on 25mm tires on a Italian steel bike. There are short stingers at 20% or so that you'll need to be able to climb or walk on the way up. Once you get up there, just choose a good line as it's relatively flat. I would imagine that Sullivan Road is the same.

The other one to try is Westridge. That's a climb out of Mandeville, but when I've done it, there are tons of people going through the gate with mountain bikes.

If you do Sullivan Canyon or Westridge, let me know what you find.

Not much help here since I've only done these (many times) on a mountain bike. But plenty of friends have done Sullivan Ridge and Westridge on a road bike with 25s or 28s.

But just to be clear, Sullivan Canyon is a different beast. It has more technical sections (I understand that there may now be some rubber mats in place too, which might present a problem on skinnier tires).

And just to throw in a couple of other options, near the top of Mandeville there is Hollyhock (right turn) that heads up to near the Kenter intersection, and Garden Land (left turn) that merges with the Westridge fire road just below Mulholland.

I don't think you'd want to do the Kenter whoop-de-doos on a road bike, though.

[soupless]

@cgolvin do you know everything about riding in the hills? awesome local knowledge

@OP DM me if you want some company...

Thanks

[tctyres]

Originally Posted by cgolvin

Not much help here since I've only done these (many times) on a mountain bike. But plenty of friends have done Sullivan Ridge and Westridge on a road bike with 25s or 28s.

But just to be clear, Sullivan Canyon is a different beast. It has more technical sections (I understand that there may now be some rubber mats in place too, which might present a problem on skinnier tires).

And just to throw in a couple of other options, near the top of Mandeville there is Hollyhock (right turn) that heads up to near the Kenter intersection, and Garden Land (left turn) that merges with the Westridge fire road just below Mulholland.

I don't think you'd want to do the Kenter whoop-de-doos on a road bike, though.

Thanks for the input.

Just to be clear, I wouldn't come down Kenter on a skinny-tired road bike. No way. Going up really isn't a big deal.

[KJMUNC]

Originally Posted by tctyres

Thanks for the input.

Just to be clear, I wouldn't come down Kenter on a skinny-tired road bike. No way. Going up really isn't a big deal.

Good to know.....and no way I'm going DOWN any of these....was just curious about more "up" options in the area. Thinking a Mandeville + Sullivan Fire Rd. to Mulholland to Sepulveda would be a nice loop. Looks like a 60mi loop for me from the Southbay.

@soupless I'll let you know when I get back up there to check it out!

[cgolvin]

Originally Posted by KJMUNC

Thinking a Mandeville + Sullivan Fire Rd. to Mulholland to Sepulveda would be a nice loop. Looks like a 60mi loop for me from the Southbay.

I'm trying to make sense of the route you're thinking of. The only ways to get to Sullivan Ridge from Mandeville are via the Westridge fire road, Garden Land, or Sullivan Canyon —*the entrance to the base of Sullivan Ridge is via Capri Dr to Casale Rd. Or maybe you meant first climb and descend Mandeville then head over to Sullivan… Among these options I'd guess that the Westridge fire road would be best on a road bike.

[cgolvin]

Originally Posted by soupless

@cgolvin do you know everything about riding in the hills? awesome local knowledge

Ha, kind of you. Born and raised on the west side so I've covered a lot of ground, but I certainly don't know everything, especially when it comes to dirt and heading east…

In a bit of irony, yesterday before the La Grange Nichols ride I was talking to some first timers as the ride leader mentioned "crash corner", and I told them not to worry, people make too big of a deal of it.

Wouldn't you know it, I went down on crash corner. Ouch.

[soupless]

I have a scar on my hip from crash corner.