Scenic Route

A panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean, a close-up of sloops bobbing in Channel Islands Harbor and a scenic tree-lined path through the woods are just some of the sights that can be seen while cycling in Ventura County.

And owning a two-wheeler isn’t mandatory.

Several businesses throughout the county offer bicycle rentals by the hour, day and week.

Street bikes and mountain bikes, beach cruisers and surreys, which can carry several people, are available.

“It’s not only good exercise, you can enjoy scenery and spend time with your family and friends,” said Daniel Shibla, manager of Beach Rentals, which has shops in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

For those interested in group riding, there are several recreational and competitive cycling clubs in the county. The Conejo Valley Cyclists have a comprehensive Web site that includes links to other club sites at https://www.cvcbike.org/.

One East County business that offers rentals is Newbury Park Bicycle Shop (498-7714).

Information on bike routes in the county is detailed in the online Los Angeles Times biking guide at https://www.latimes.com.

The guide offers exact locations of and directions to routes, detailed descriptions of scenery, and levels of difficulty and distances.

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One of the most picturesque and popular rides is the Ojai Valley Trail--a 9-mile paved path built in 1989 and running parallel to California 33 between Foster Park in Ventura and Libbey Park in Ojai.

“Usually people who come here want to ride on the bike path,” said Bob Coble, owner of Bicycles of Ojai. “It’s really famous.”

The scenic path is marked by wood railings and dotted with oak trees. A 4-mile stretch winds through woods and riverbeds away from traffic, Coble said, adding that there are no big hills.

At his 12-year-old store at 108 Canada Road, Coble sells and services bikes and rents for both men and women. He has sizes ranging from extra small adult to extra large adult. The shop does not have child-size.

Maps detailing several rides for a variety of fitness levels are available.

The cost of renting a bike is $6 per hour with a $9 minimum or $26 for 24 hours. Weekly rates are $50 for one week, $75 for two weeks. Trailers are $3 an hour. Helmets and locks are free.

Reservations are accepted for school groups and people wanting a guide. Bike renters must have a major credit card. Store hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

For more information, call Coble at 646-7736.

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For those who want to start the path in Ventura, you can rent a bike from Cycles-4-Rent at 239 W. Main St. The business, open since 1995, is about 4 1/2 miles from the start of the Ojai Valley Trail at Foster Park.

Cycles-4-Rent has a large variety of mountain bikes with varying speeds, suspensions and tires for all types of riding, as well as three types of tandem bicycles. Mountain and tandem bikes range from $7 to $10 an hour with an one-hour minimum. Cyclists renting for three hours get a fourth hour free. Rentals are also available by the day and week.

Helmets, locks and leg bands are free.

Cycles-4-Rent also offers many types of equipment for beach cruising and long rides along the coastline. Rentals include single and double quadricycles and several three-wheelers such as the Sidewinder, a recumbent six-speed, and the Banana Peel, a small yellow single-speed. Trailers, child carriers, baskets, bike racks and maps are all available.

The business handles group tours and delivers rental bicycles just about anywhere, including offices. Cycles-4-Rent also has fully stocked rental concessions at Lake Casitas and the Doubletree Hotel in Ventura. Call 652-0462 for more information, or access the Web site at https://www.cycles4rent.com.

Cycles-4-Rent has locations in Santa Barbara, with varying hours of operation.

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The 3-year-old Beach Rentals has shops in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn at 450 E. Harbor Blvd. in Ventura and at the Embassy Suites Hotel at 2101 Mandalay Beach Road in Oxnard.

In Ventura, riders can cruise along the Ventura Promenade past waterfront businesses, the Ventura Pier and Surfers Point Park. In Oxnard, people can bike around the harbor to shops, restaurants and nearby beaches. The shops offer several bike types, including beach cruisers, three-wheelers operated from a sitting position and BMX bikes.

“We have some with training wheels too,” Shibla said. “If they (young children) are able to reach the pedals, they can ride” one of the shop’s bikes.

Also for kids, the shops carry push scooters--a cross between a skateboard and a bicycle that is powered by pushing with one foot.

The most popular rentals are the canopied surreys, which come in two sizes. The smaller model seats two or three adults and two children; the larger has room for as many as six adults and two children.

A small surrey is powered by two pedalers. The larger, called a “double limo,” takes the legwork of four adults. “Most people haven’t ever seen them or been on them, and families like them because you can all be together,” Shibla said.

Mountain bikes and 21-speed road bikes for groups can be reserved, and Shibla said bikes can be delivered to prearranged locations.

Individuals should also make reservations for mountain or road bikes. Bikes can be taken to other locations as long as a renter has a way to transport them. Costs range from $6 per hour for a BMX bike to $22 an hour for the double limo. The minimum rental time is one hour. Safety gear is free.

The shop requires renters to sign a release and leave a driver’s license during the rental period. Shop hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Between May 1 and Oct. 1, closing time is 8 p.m.

Beach Rentals also has shops in Carpinteria and Santa Barbara.