Costa Mesa bike shop gearing up for monthly ‘Donut Ride’

For the past several years, cycling enthusiasts in the know have congregated at the bicycle shop Specialized Costa Mesa for a 20-mile ride that traverses a bit of steep terrain but offers a sweet reward upon completion.

Held the first Sunday of each month, Specialized’s “Donut Ride” takes participants on a fast and rigorous trek, from the Harbor Boulevard business to vista points at Corona del Mar’s Lookout Point and Newport Coast Drive in the San Joaquin Hills, reaching an elevation of about 950 feet.

Embarking on their ride from the store at 8 a.m. and returning shortly before the two-hour mark, cyclists travel anywhere from 13 to 15 miles per hour on a moderate-level route. The ride used to be a heck of a lot tougher when the tradition began in 2017, according to assistant manager Keanu Kisa.

A smiley face doughnut from Costa Mesa’s Good Town Doughnuts, a shop at the LAB Anti-Mall.

(Courtesy of Good Town Doughnut)

“Back then it was more of a faster ride. It would rip your legs off, then you’d come back to the shop and have coffee and doughnuts,” Kisa said of the monthly tradition, halted briefly during the pandemic.

“When we came back from COVID, we revamped it because we had an entirely different crew. We had everybody coming back from COVID who were fresh on bikes, so we made it a slower, more friendly ride.”

That small concession, added to the increased interest in cycling that occurred during the pandemic, took a group that averaged about 70 riders to meet-ups that can include up to 120 participants.

While most of the cyclists who participate these days do so on road bikes, Kisa said it’s not uncommon for people with gravel bikes or, if they want an extra challenge, a fixed-gear bike to join in.

Two regroup stops along the way allow slower riders to catch up with faster ones, who sometimes take more intense sojourns along the way for what shop staff call “extra credit.”

“It’s a good base route, especially for Costa Mesa, where you can ride and put the pedal to the metal and not get stuck in lights,” Kisa said.

When the crowd returns to Specialized by around 9:50 a.m., members are treated to pastries from Good Town Doughnuts — an independent bakery in Costa Mesa’s the LAB Anti-Mall that features a variety of vegan options — and coffee from Original Barista, a stone’s throw away from the shop down Harbor Boulevard.

“It’s a little bit of fitness and, other than that, it’s a great way to test your skills, maybe test out a new bike,” Kisa said of the Sunday morning ride. “You get a free coffee and a free doughnut and get to meet your community.”

Specialized Costa Mesa’s next Donut Ride takes place Sunday at 7:45 a.m. outside the shop, 1901 Harbor Blvd., with riders leaving at 8 a.m. Helmets are required, and bike repair kits are advised. A ride waiver is available at incycle.com/pages/specialized-costa-mesa-ride-waiver. For more, call (949) 722-3530.

On the first Sunday of each month, a “Donut Ride” takes off from bike shop Specialized Costa Mesa, which has teamed up with Good Town Doughnuts and Original Barista to create a community tradition.

(Courtesy of Specialized Costa Mesa)