Remember those 'choose your own adventure' books? That's what life in Los Angeles is like when it comes to outdoor activities. The possibilities are virtually endless and with nearly 300 sunny days a year, there's ample opportunity to get out and explore. What follows is a list of some of our collective personal favorites when it comes to hikes and rides around Los Angeles. Whether you're local or planning an LA getaway, we thought you might enjoy seeing what we like to enjoy when it's time to go play.The Staircases of Los Angeles  Highlights from the Painted Stairways Tour. Staircases are hiding in plain (and not so plain) sight all over Los Angeles, many of which were built as neighborhood shortcuts around the...

A member of the swrve team recently picked up an electric cargo bike and is now convinced that e-bikes are the future.

There are three things that will lure me out of bed before dawn on a Sunday morning: the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, and a first ride on a new bike.  This year I’ll be getting all three out of the way on consecutive Sundays.  For the first ride on the new-to-me Colnago Tecnos, (you can catch up on its journey here, here, and here) I took it out for an early morning spin on what's become my go-to loop.  With the specialness of New Bike Day, I came to a new appreciation of how fortunate I am to have a perfect 22 mile ride that starts out the front door of swrve HQ.  Here’s how it shakes down.  It starts...

(See part one here.) The bicycle wheel and the pizza are two of the greatest round things ever invented. To break them down into simple terms, they both start with common ingredients and how they end up all depends on the wheelbuilder or chef.   After mulling enough wheel options to fill an Excel spreadsheet, Matt decided to stick to the familiar and try the new, while entering a deeper realm of bike geekery. “I enjoy comparative research, apparently,” says Matt. “I generally start with products (or companies) I’ve heard good things about, something I think looks really good, or someone that’s maybe pushing a new direction while leaning towards smaller companies. In the end, I try to strike the best...