SAFETY EDITIONS: Highland Park to Rio Hondo Bike Path

When I first started riding, I found it immeasurably difficult to get around LA in a way that felt safe and accessible. Over the years, I’ve compiled a laundry list of short cuts, detours, and locals-only shoots that have allowed me to piece together rides spanning LA proper while still maintaining a threshold of safety from cars and pedestrians alike.

This series is a mission to disseminate this information and help LA riders and commuters (especially new ones) stay safe.

If you have any cuts that you love to use to find bike lanes, avoid cars, traffic, or anything dangerous, please DM us so we can feature them.

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** Safety Editions are very directly about the *safest* way to get to a place, and in city riding, somethings taking major roads is unavoidable. This is one of those times - so keep in mind that this route link is for riders who are comfortable taking major roads with bike lanes, and who have experience riding around cars safely. **

Starting from the east side of LA, it was always kind of hard figuring out how to route long distances without much climbing, but after riding a really amazing century route last year, I came across this quick and safe way to get to the Rio Hondo Bike Path, which connects from Rosemead all the way to Long Beach and back. This route is perfect for long quick miles, FTP intervals, and seeing some new parts of LA you haven’t seen before. The instructions here are complicated to write out simply due to the length of the segment. We recommend you download the segment and have it routed onto your bike computer or strava maps. This route will take you through some beautiful and quiet Pasadena neighborhoods, as well as through some of San Gabriel Valley (note, you may want to take advantage of that and grab some bonk fuel at one of the many incredible restaurants of the area). Enjoy, and again, BE SAFE on this one as you will have to use some major streets.

Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3047744325871691078