Como Street
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Como Street is the name of a group bicycle ride which starts in Tustin, California on Sunday Mornings. The ride is composed of competitive cyclists and sometimes more that 100 riders take part. This ride is not recommended for recreational riders. The pace is fast and close quarter riding can be dangerous.
[edit] Importance
The ride is famous among cyclists and many elite level cyclists have participated, including Floyd Landis, who is reported to have compared the Como street ride to a climb during the Tour De France. This is according to Orange County local rider Richard 'TC' Valentine.
There are two groups, which start at 7:45AM and 8:00AM. The 7:45AM group is also called "Old Man Como" and started because the 8:00AM group is made up mostly of younger and more fit riders.
The 7:45AM group rides approximately 32 miles. Most of the ride is in Santiago Canyon.
The 8:00AM group rides is longer and encompasses approximately 40 miles. The ride add's to its length by passing through the town of Rancho Santa Marguarita, O'Neill and Live Oak Canyon and continuing on through Santiago Canyon. This routes adds one minor and one significant climb to the shorter "Old Man route" - including a climb called "The Wall" at the top of Live Oak Canyon.
The ride is called Como Street because it used to start on a street in Irvine, California near Culver Bl and Warner Street. Due to residential development, the ride was moved to the Tustin Market Place in the early 1990s.
The start location is at the Tustin Market Place at Jamboree Road and Camino Real in the parking lot Northeast of that intersection, near the Red Robin restaurant.
[edit] History
The ride has been held every Sunday since the 1960s. It originally started on Como Street in Irvine near the old Tustin Marine Base. Long time riders tell us it was near a cement factory at the current intersection of Jamboree and Warner. Some research about the City of Irvine says Harvard Ave. in Irvine was originally straight and called Como Rd. There is also a former train stop on the Santa Fe Railroad tracts named Como. This was near the current Culver Blvd north of Walnut Avenue. In the mid or late 1980s residential and commercial development in Irvine caused the ride to move to the Tustin Market Place.
