THE BIKE PATH
BICYCLE AND SKATE RENTALS
The Venice Boardwalk still functions as a great big beach backyard for locals and visitors. People come to the boardwalk to ride bicycles, roller skate or partake in just about any physical activity dreamed of by man. There are several bike rental shops on the boardwalk and you can rent anything from a surfboard to rollerskates.
JAY”S RENTALS Takes reservations if you call 310-392-7306. Javier is always helpful. If you just need air in your tires or a last minute repair on your own bike, he's the guy to see. J's is located on Windward and Speedway at 1301 Ocean front Walk. J's Website.
BLAZING SADDLES is up on the Santa Monica Pier. Their telephone is 310-393-9778; you can also rent from Blazing Saddles at Perry’s Café about half way between the Santa Monica Pier and The Boardwalk. Perry’s offers a 15% discount KCRW members. Perry’s web site . I can also recommend Perry’s Bike tours of Venice and Santa Monica. Check them out here.
OTHER BIKE RENTAL LOCATIONS
RENTAL ON THE BEACH
300 Ocean Front Walk
310/ 396-1959
RENTAL ON THE BEACH
2100 Ocean Front Walk
310/ 821-9338
VENICE PIER BIKE SHOP
21 Washington Blvd
310/ 301-4011
In the early 1970's Venice Beach had deteriorated into a rundown community of very poor means, but there was a resurgence on it's way. What was the catalyst for this revitalization? Surprisingly, it began with a bike path. The Venice Beach bike path was built in 1972. Then in 1973 the country had an oil crisis with gasoline rationing, and biking became a fad, as a necessity for some residents and as a sport for others. But the end result was the bike path brought more 2 and 4 wheel traffic to Venice Beach than it had seen in years. Local skateboarders and cyclists began using the bike path as a sort of Beachfront Fwy.
It wasn't long before a culture was born. Locals began leaving the car at home by choice, not because the gas stations were out of gas. And apparently Venice looked a lot better from the beach side than it ever did from the street side because the traffic on the bike path grew every year. By 1977 roller skating took
the Boardwalk by storm and media coverage put Venice Beach over the top as the "Skating Capital of the World".
In the years since then the bike path has become the most popular attraction of the entire Venice beach area and has expanded to become the longest beach bike path in the world, stretching 22 miles from Malibu to Torrance. And over the years the different means and modes of transport have evolved from skateboards and bikes to every type of 2,
3 and 4 wheeled vehicle imaginable. Two wheeled skateboards, electric skateboards, bicycles built for three, tricycles, rollerblades, skate wheels built into tennis shoes. Add unicycles, recumbant bikes, and Segways and it seems that everything on wheels gets a try out on the bike path.
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There are bike and skate rental shops on practically every block along the boardwalk and if you
can't rent it here it's not rideable. At the bottom of the page are just some pof the possibilitiesThe bike path starts at Sunset Blvd and runs south along the beach through Santa Monica, Ocean Park and Venice. At Washingon Blvd the path turns east and you are forced to work your way around Marina del Rey in order to avoid the main channel entrance. Once you cross the bride over Ballona Creek your in
Playa del Rey and the path takes a direct shot south all the way to Redono Beach. The total length of the bike path is 22 miles. Over the years traffic continues to grow and now the bike path is parrelled by a pedestrian walkway to ease the traffic and accidents. So pick a transportation mode, get out there, and get your heart pumping, it's a great workout!
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