Well...welcome,

I'm not familiar w/FAQ for this group.

Your route: From Northwest Burbank take Victory Blvd
west and then south to the 134 frwy overpass and the
LA River Bikepath is there and you exit the path at
Glendale Blvd (right)and over a modest hill and down
to 2nd street into Downtown. If your going towards
Chinatown or the eastside it would probably be better
to go around the hill south on Riverside drive and
follow 26th ave (right) to Broadway (right) then
through Chinatown.

I personally like exiting the bikepath at Los Feliz
and racing the cars to Riverside Dr/Los Feliz
intersection going south on Riverside and then going
over the hill (right) at Allesandro past the famous LA
Wheelman's FARGO hill climb (I went one year and those
who accomplished the climb got one 12 oz Coke which
was nice but most fell on their ###) so back onto
Glendale Blvd through Echo Park to 2nd & downtown.
I've rode to the Laker parades and those won't be
going for a long time and I've rode to jury service,
etc. The commute will be about 45 minutes one way but
the return is has more of an uphill.

You need a 58-60 cm road bicycle or a large 21"
commuter with 700 mm rims; Kona has some good bikes
http://www.konaworld.com/ check out "asphalt-- Dew "
for $399 but you need the Jake at $750 both retail
prices or Gary Fisher http://www.fisherbikes.com/ has
some good bicyles called "duel sport" which also offer
fun riding at modest prices but those are also above
your price range of $100-$300.

My only suggestion is to ride the beach crusier to the
Red line at Lankershim & Chandler or Cahuenga/Universl
Park Terrace in Universl City (I think bicyles are
prohibited during rush hours 6-9:30 am and 4-7 pm) and
save your gas & parking money till you can buy a
better bicycle. The $300 bicycle will be worn out in
several months x 30 miles a day. Bicycles have a
mantainace cost; and, a good bicycle for commuting can
be negotiated to between $400-$600; it will ride
problem free several years longer and/or easier to fix
than a bicycle from a department store floor.
--- sillyopolis <sillyopolis@...> wrote:

> Hi everyone,
>
> I just joined the group and have a few newbie
> questions.
>
> 1. Is there a FAQ that sums up questions asked on
> this list? (I
> couldn't find one on the site and the link in the
> introductory email
> goes to a broken page)
>
> 2. I am thinking of making a jump to bicycle
> commuting, although my
> route will be rather challenging, I think. I ought
> to be physically
> up to it though (I run marathons)... but we'll see.
> :D Any general
> advice?
>
> 3. I need to purchase a new bicycle for commuting -
> any
> recommendations? I only have a beach cruiser and
> that just ain't
> gonna cut it, I know. :) My budget is roughly
> $100-300. I'm 6'0"
> if that matters.
>
> 4. The route I am considering riding is from
> northwest Burbank to
> downtown L.A. and back. This means, I think, either
> finding a bike
> route along the 5 Fwy / L.A. River, or riding to the
> red line metro
> station and (if it's possible?) taking my bike with
> me that way.
>
> I would *very* much appreciate any advice on the
> above topics. I've
> been reading up a bit and I have some rough ideas of
> how to make
> this work, but I'd really like to ditch the car for
> my daily commute
> and see how that works out. Can I do 15 miles each
> way per day? I
> think so. I'm willing to give it a shot.
>
> - Sillyopolis
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


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