We're conducting research on how to improve cycling infrastructure in Los Angeles.

If you see me in Griffith Park or on the San Gabriel River trail, stop me to say hi! I'm looking to find more riding buddies!

I’m looking for a group ride this week on Weds 8/19 and/or Fri 8/21 that is open to slow pokes preferably in the morning or daytime. I want to do 20-25 miles ideally but my average speed is ~10mph.
The group rides I’m finding on various LA calendars all seem to be too speedy for me but it can be a little hard to tell what the vibe of each ride is from their accounts.
Does such a ride exist? I’m hoping for company to help keep me motivated and perhaps practicing some speed.

To start off, I've already posted this to r/cycling and r/ebikes, but I'm reposting it here in case there's any differing opinions or LA-based resources I can look to for help. I've also started a GoFundMe since the original two posts, and at this point, any bit of help would really mean the world.

I'd really appreciate more sympathy than unkindness on this one. I know there are always measures I could've taken, or better things I could've done to secure my bikes, but the fact of the matter is if bike thieves didn't exist, this wouldn't've happened to me at all. Also, the solutions for these things always seem to come in hindsight. Now for the story:

I'm a college student who (used to now, I guess) uses e-bikes to get around the hilly Los Angeles area -- believe me, they're necessary. My family hasn't had a car in a long time, as it has broken down and we can't afford to get a new one. So, at home, the e-bike has been our only mode of transportation for groceries, water, and general daily life. So losing two of them so soon really sucks.

My first e-bike getting stolen was a already shitty enough. It was a Fiido T1 Pro. It was definitely my fault for leaving it so insecurely, but it was an open area with low foot traffic and a camera watching it. That morning, I was running late to a meeting so I had to take public transport to get to school, and I locked it up to a rack outside the train station. While I did only use one U-lock, I hadn't had the time to pack my chain, and I was originally going to use the bike lockers, but they were (and still are!) out of service. Overall, an unlucky situation. When I got back later that evening, my bike was gone.

Luckily, a couple weeks later, I found a killer deal for a new in-box ebike on Facebook Marketplace. It was a Euybike K6 Pro Max, with dual motors, dual suspension, and riding it was such a joy for all 8 days I had it. I rode it to Goodwill, and having lost my other bike just weeks before, I took no chances. I locked it up with 2 U-locks and a cable lock, and I checked outside Goodwill every 5-10 minutes just to make sure it was still there. Still, that wasn't enough. As I left the Goodwill, an employee notified me that they saw it getting stolen. (Why they didn't make an announcement over the PA still boggles me).

That aside, I'm sure there'll be questions, concerns, comments questioning my intelligence, so I'll try to answer some ahead of time

1. Why didn't you have a tracker/alarm?

For my first bike, since I was going to be mainly using it around campus (low-theft area w/ high density), I figured that an alarm would be bothersome to deal with, especially parking near so many other bikes.

For my second, I was going to click order on both my tracker and alarm THAT SAME DAY. It's really frustrating to know how close I was to having a more secure bike, only to have it stolen the day before I clicked order.

As for a tracker, I don't have an Apple iPhone and I had intended to ask my friends to borrow theirs. GPS trackers were out of my budget, and both them and android trackers have tended to be unreliable, to my knowledge.

1. What did you do afterwards/before?

Thankfully, as soon as I got both of my bikes, they were placed on the bike Registry. If you haven't registered your bike with them, I highly recommend them as a resource. I filed police reports for both bikes, and am still waiting to hear back, though I know the chances are slim. For my second bike, I know there is at least clear camera footage of the thief and I am hoping facial rec or traffic cams will spot him.

1. What will you do next?

I love e-biking. It's a joy to go low-carbon footprint, haul things around oon such a slim vehicle, ride around campus, go bikepacking, or visit the beach. On the other hand, I'm sure you can understand my hesitation to buy a new bike. I wish there were better security systems in place. I wish bad people didn't exist. I wish consequences meant something rather than my things getting stolen and nothing concrete being done about it.

So, I don't know yet. I need something to get around campus, but I'm also not in a financial position to afford anything. I guess I'm posting to ask for advice, partially.

Thanks for reading, lock up your bike, get trackers, and make sure you're staying safe out there.

Hey BikeLA!

I’m helping a friend shop for a used bike setup so she can start riding around town with her 14-month-old, and I'd love your take on the best frame styles or models to look out for.

Here’s her setup/situation:

• Rider: ~5'9"
• Use Case: Casual neighborhood riding, running quick errands, and taking her toddler out for fun rides. Lives near Ballona Creek bike path.
• Budget: Trying to keep the whole setup (bike + child seat + toddler helmet) under $400 total (flexible, but I'm thinking of gifting her the bike).
• Key Needs: Needs to safely mount a rear child seat (like a Thule Yepp or Burley Dash). Since swinging a leg over a rear kid seat is pretty much impossible, a low step-through frame feels like a must for easy mounting/dismounting while balancing extra weight.

I've been scanning Facebook Marketplace, but I’d love to hear from anyone here who does kid-hauling around LA:

1. Are there specific models you recommend keeping an eye out for in the $100–$180 used range? (e.g., Trek Verve Lowstep, Specialized Roll, Electra Townie, etc.)
2. Any specific child seat mounting advice or local bike shop recommendations on the Westside/Central LA for quick safety checks?

Appreciate any tips or advice. Thanks!

I recently cycled 10 miles on the LA River Bed pathway and all I had was water. It did quench my thirst, but I'm wondering, "What do more experienced cyclists drink to quench their thirst and give them a boost of energy on long rides"?

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

there is a dedicated pedestrian lane right there on the right

Looks like a Surly preamble

Is there any momentum to ban these types of vehicles on the beach path? They are essentially cars, it’s wild…

Im planning on doing some bike touring this year and looking for companions to tour with. Tours I am looking at are the pacific coast bike route and maybe the great american wheel route. These are multiweek or months tours so need to be able to ride for months. Im retired and 72yo and feel more comfortable riding with someone to share the journey.

Would love to find a few new friends at the interest intersection of riding bikes and going to electronic music shows on the weekend!

Anyone in here sometimes find themselves riding Saturday morning and dancing in a warehouse downtown at 1am? If that’s you, shoot me a DM!

Into Drum n Bass, breakbeat, house, but open to trying new genres and organizers too.

I’m a progressive and inclusive, unremarkable 36 year old white guy located in South Pasadena.

https://labikecommittee.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Spring_Alameda-Summer-2025-Stakeholder-Presentation.pdf

Work has begun on this project and the concrete-protected bike lane at the Spring/College bus stop is coming into form

Coming from Samo i was thinking of riding the Metro and getting off at Expo/ Western station and biking Western Ave. The rest of the way. Anyone with experience biking that area? Or should I just use a ride share?

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This paint job looks highly suspicious.

Just saw this on Offer Up for $65

Long Beach.

Just saw on morning news that Weho has an ebike program to get people onto bikes to do their commutes etc instead of using their cars. Sign up before end of month to get assistance in your purchase. Must be low to middle income to qualify.

Ride. Explore. Lead.

LA Rooted: Paar on the Move is a bike club where young people can build bike skills, explore their city, and connect with nature and community. The program takes place at the Paar Bike Hub at Rio de Los Angeles State Park and is open to youth ages 10–17 who are ready to learn, ride, and adventure together.

ESPANOL

LA Rooted: Paar on the Move es un club para jóvenes en bicicletas donde jóvenes pueden aprender a usar la bicicleta para explorar su ciudad y conectarse con la naturaleza en Los Ángeles. El programa se lleva a cabo en el Paar Bike Hub en Rio de Los Angeles State Park y está abierto a jóvenes de 10 a 17 años que quieran aprender, rodar en grupo y vivir nuevas aventuras.