Nothing Like the Wheel Thing

For Kelley Angle, Orange County is the place where the rubber meets the road. From Carbon Canyon to Laguna Canyon, he and other members of the Irvine Bicycle Club log nearly 3,000 miles each year, taking advantage of O.C.’s diverse terrain and superb system of bike paths.

The county has it all over L.A. in terms of accessibility and beauty, and South County has far more bike lanes than North County, says Angle, the ride coordinator for the 525-member club.

“There’s pretty much anything you want to do available here,” he says. “Irvine and other South County sections are like open road. There’s flatlands, coasts, Santiago Canyon. . . . Between Cook’s Corner and Jamboree [are] 12 miles with little traffic. And the best part is you don’t have to stop.”

The club, like another big local group, the Orange County Wheelmen, features rides several days each week tailored to all skill levels. And the variety is enough to keep anyone interested.

“Between all our [ride] groups, there are 40 to 50 routes, but with variations they add up to 220 to 250 routes,” Angle says.

Here are three O.C. cycling tours, each with its own merits: people-watching along the coast, a great network of bike paths, and fine rural scenery with diverse terrain.