April 2021: Big climb / Little climb

tl;dr:
Amalfi Chain Breaker With Flat For Better GPS
Fernwood - Topanga to Tuna

By Special request we’re going to change things up a bit this month - we’re doing two segments that all you west siders should be able to do before clocking-in in the morning. Both will be helpful in races if you can hit them right.

Lars asked that we do a short climb because apparently I’ve been throwing too many long climbs at you and everyone wants a chance to show off their watts. Well, ask and ye shall receive, with an LG group ride twist.

Your short segment this month is part of the Thursday Amalfi Thursday group ride. Chain Break hill. However, it’s not just the hill climb, because in a race it’s not how fast you can get up a punchy climb, its if you can keep on the gas afterward and prevent the rest of the pack from catching you. So this segment is half hard climb then another 20 seconds of suffering to establish that gap you need to win.

Amalfi Chain Breaker With Flat For Better GPS

So this next segment has an ulterior motive - getting you better at going down. But even for a race team is not a good idea to pit people head to head on descending times…

So the official challenge is Fernwood. From where it turns off Topanga to where it turns into the Tuna canyon descent. The idea is that you go hard up the climb, then head back down. If you’re newer to going down fast, head back the way you came and once you get to Topanga start pushing your limits a bit. WE HIGHLY ADVISE YOU DO THIS WITH A MORE EXPERIENCED DESCENDER. The bottom line is your bike can take you around corners much faster than you think it can, so in order to get faster you need to get out of your comfort zone, but without someone to base this on, it’s easy to go too far and then bad things happen.

Your worst enemy in a downhill corner is your left hand. Hitting your front brake is the worst thing you can do when things get too fast, but it’s the first instinct you have, this is a problem for everyone, I personally crashed on my wedding day because of this very reason. (Champagne and pretty views can distract you).

For you more advanced people the answer is obvious: Tuna Canyon. The OG Descent Disciples had this as one of their first runs and if you’ve never done it, you’ll see why. it’s 1 way down, so you can put oncoming traffic out of your head and just go. It’s not uncommon to break 50mph on this one.

It’s stupid. It’s dangerous. And it’s a hell of a good time.

Meet us in the Race Slack to discuss going with some friends and put in a up time and get used to going down.

See ya’ll in the funny papers.

Fernwood - Topanga to Tuna

March 2021: Climbing off of the Sunset

Home: Want to get a solid climb in without interruptions? This lesser traveled route is a great one, but make sure that your brakes are in good working order since coming back down can hit 50mph if you’re not paying attention!

https://www.strava.com/segments/1230502

AWAY: So this is on the border of HOME/AWAY but its a one of my favorite segments so i want to get it on everyones radar and encourage you to go do it if you never have! I highly encourage you to come down the same way you go up and enjoy the view over the Pacific, but remember its always better when you #earntheview.

https://www.strava.com/segments/612524?filter=overall

RESULTS:

I Think this might be the first time we got more people in the away segment than the home one…
Cara and Bruce were the only ones who made it to Sunset

While good amount made it down to PV.

Congrats to Andy Lau and Nikki D for making up the switchbacks!

Febuary 2021: Turtles and The Full Mully

This month’s home segment is another lesser-known way to get up to Mulholland. Ever wonder where you’d end up if you hooked a left at the tree people light on the Nichols ride? Wonder no more!

As for the actual segment, this is a great test in pacing and can show how much time you can gain by hitting climbs + flats. When you get to the flat, don’t let off the power you had on the climb until you’re up to speed. Then once you’re moving you can rest a bit before the next big effort.

Bonus, when you’re done you can come back down and check out the turtles in the ponds!
https://www.strava.com/segments/20748182

On to what I consider the main event: The Full Mully. This route follows Mulholland highway from where it hits PCH to where it ends at the 101. I’ve been told (Thanks Nikki!) that it continues to the hollywood sign, but I didn’t know that at the time I made the segment so.

The biggest thing with this is the section on dirt. You’ll have 8 miles of mostly climbing on dirt Mulholland. Question is what do you sacrifice? Road speed for gravel comfort, or do you suffer on the bumpy stuff to give you added speed on the rest of the 40+ miles of pavement?

Either way you’re going to have a great time.

`https://www.strava.com/segments/27022872

January 2021: Roscomare + We're going skiing!

For the first time of a home segment, we’re going East of the 405!! *GASP*

Roscomare is a great way to get to Mulholland without the high traffic of Sepulveda. Plenty of ways to approach it, but coming on Bellagio is the best, either from east or west. This starts similar to Mandi but has a ‘wall’ towards the end that you better save some of your strength for!

https://www.strava.com/segments/20639179

This month we’re going Skiiing! or at least riding to where you could go skiing…This segment has been used several times as a finishing stage for the Tour of California and you can see why. Plenty of switch backs and some steep pitches make this a tough nut to crack, even if you haven’t ridden 95 miles at race pace before hand!

https://www.strava.com/segments/627646

December 2020: Baldwin Hill Overlook + Griffith Park Smash!

Baldwin Hill is a shorter segment, but arguably not an easier one. Just long enough that ‘just go as hard as you can’ might not work. At least at the end you’ll be rewarded with some great views.

https://www.strava.com/segments/646297

For our first away segment, we go to the back side of Griffith Park to a segment called TFC SMASH. Located on the north side of Griffith its close by but just outside of where most LaGrangers ride. This was was choosen because its a mostly downhill rollers that you can have a lot of fun hammering on.

https://www.strava.com/segments/1652662

Inaugural Segment: Mandeville Canyon - Nov 2020

To get people used to the idea, we start at a segment that nearly every cyclist has at least heard of if not done many many times. With its constant grade and lack of traffic and traffic lights Mandi is a local favorite for easy to get to uninterrupted riding. Getting a sub 20min mandi time is something that many riders chase as their performance goal.

It’s also the end of the West LA Holiday ride which run Thanksgiving and 4th of July where 200+ riders attack this run and most people get their fastest times of the year. Because of the COVID risk of massive groups, we decided not to count any times on Thanksgiving day.

https://www.strava.com/segments/5179574