How to Start Biking in Los Angeles

If you are reading this page, I want to first say good for you for being open minded and for even considering experiencing your city in a different way. Biking in LA is about getting around physical barriers, but also about mental barriers.

I created this site to (hopefully) show people that biking in Los Angeles is not an extreme sport and you can bike safely to where you want to go. You do need to do some homework and be prepared. Don't expect to open Google Maps and follow its directions blindly.

This guide is all about biking safely in the city. It's not about mountain biking, gravel biking, road racing or anything else. It's about using a bike as a mode of transportation.

1. Find a Good Route

The first and most important step is to find a good route, or at least a good enough route to get you started before you can fine-tune it later. Use this site to see if someone already recommended a route that works for you. Open Google Maps and study your neighborhood streets.

A good route should be safe and calm.

Some general tips:

• Do not use major streets unless there is at least a bike lane. Avoid the 35+ MPH boulevards that you are used to driving on. Do not share a lane with cars if the speed limit is above 25 MPH.
• Residential neighborhood streets with a lot of stop signs are (usually) very bikeable. Remember, being courteous at stop signs goes a long way for your safety and mental health.
• Use the sidewalk if necessary (and where legal). A good route should minimize or avoid sidewalks to make the trip more straightforward.

2. Get Essential Gears

These are the essentials:

• Helmet.
• Front and rear bike lights. They help drivers see you.
• Lock.

These are optional but I recommend them:

• Gloves. Helps with grip and comfort, but also protects your hands in case of a fall.
• First-aid kit. This can be pretty simple, e.g. a ziploc bag with some band-aids and antiseptic wipes.
• Rear-view mirror.
• Bell.
• Bike rack and pannier bag, once you start biking more often. A backpack is fine, but getting the weight off your back helps a lot with comfort and makes biking more enjoyable.

3. Get on the Road

Start small. You don't have to commit to biking every day or all the way. Try out the route on a weekend. Stop halfway, take a break and/or turn around. Combine biking with public transit. It does take some getting used to but I promise it gets easier.

Get some help with your route planning. Ask a coworker. Try it out with a friend.

4. Stay Safe

Ideally the route minimizes your exposure to cars. There are best practices for sharing the road (e.g. being assertive and taking over the lane), but the best way to stay safe is to avoid sharing the road with cars altogether. When the speed limit is below 25 MPH, it's generally safe to ride in traffic as long as you exercise common sense safety precautions.

Learn the basic hand signals (really just extending the left arm to indicate a left turn).