Mountainbiking in the San Francisco area?
November 9, 2007 1:23 PM Subscribe
What's the best place in the San Francisco area to go mountainbiking if you cannot bring your own bike and helmet?
I'm flying to San Francisco tomorrow with my dad and brother and I want to plan a nice mountainbiking trip on one of our days there. The more beautiful / awe-inspiring the surroundings the better obviously but it is also important that we will be able to rent good mountainbikes and helmets close to the route 'cause we cannot bring our own. Any San Francisco area mountainbiking enthusiasts on AskMeFi that can give this European some good recommendations? We like a bit of a challenge and we are all pretty fit so it does not need to be a super easy route.
I'm flying to San Francisco tomorrow with my dad and brother and I want to plan a nice mountainbiking trip on one of our days there. The more beautiful / awe-inspiring the surroundings the better obviously but it is also important that we will be able to rent good mountainbikes and helmets close to the route 'cause we cannot bring our own. Any San Francisco area mountainbiking enthusiasts on AskMeFi that can give this European some good recommendations? We like a bit of a challenge and we are all pretty fit so it does not need to be a super easy route.
So do you need the rental to be in San Francisco? There are a number of shops that rent bikes on Stanyan, right next to Golden Gate Park. Other rental spots are at Pier 39. Both of the places are convenient to the Golden Gate Bridge which will basically drop you into the Marin Headlands and there's a lot of biking there. But I don't know so much about actual off-road trails.
As for bike-friendliness, it depends who you ask. Most non-bicyclists will claim that the bike riders rule the city. Most bike riders will claim that they are always given the short end of the stick. It's an ongoing dispute and all depends on your perspective. There are bike lanes into downtown SF and all along Market Street but it can be a bit of a melee with the bike riders, car drivers, buses, and pedestrians. See the San Francisco Bike Coalition. They publish a map of bike routes.
posted by otherwordlyglow at 1:56 PM on November 9, 2007
As for bike-friendliness, it depends who you ask. Most non-bicyclists will claim that the bike riders rule the city. Most bike riders will claim that they are always given the short end of the stick. It's an ongoing dispute and all depends on your perspective. There are bike lanes into downtown SF and all along Market Street but it can be a bit of a melee with the bike riders, car drivers, buses, and pedestrians. See the San Francisco Bike Coalition. They publish a map of bike routes.
posted by otherwordlyglow at 1:56 PM on November 9, 2007
Best answer: 1. Rent bike in any San Francisco bikeshop
2. Bike across the Golden Gate Bridge.
3. Bike in the Marin headlands!
posted by vacapinta at 2:05 PM on November 9, 2007
2. Bike across the Golden Gate Bridge.
3. Bike in the Marin headlands!
posted by vacapinta at 2:05 PM on November 9, 2007
there's a big track bike fad going on in SF, so there are a lot more bikers out on the streets than you would've seen four years ago. However, the downtown Financial District area can be pretty sketchy for cycling -- lots of angry commuters, confused tourists, red-light runners, and poorly paved streets. I regularly ride in the Oakland downtown which 'seems' much safer because there fewer cars and less complicated intersections. Realistically, it's like everywhere else: never trust your safety to someone in a car.
I wouldn't let it stop you from riding, but step up your defensive riding habits, especially if you're downtown.
posted by fishfucker at 2:05 PM on November 9, 2007
I wouldn't let it stop you from riding, but step up your defensive riding habits, especially if you're downtown.
posted by fishfucker at 2:05 PM on November 9, 2007
It depends where Downtown, and where you'll be coming from. Also the sort of bike rides you enjoy. My boyfriend really likes riding down Market Street- he says it's because there's so much going on. I am with fishfucker on the Downtown Oakland riding though, it's more soothing to me to have a few less things to pay attention to.
posted by oneirodynia at 3:47 PM on November 9, 2007
posted by oneirodynia at 3:47 PM on November 9, 2007
Best answer: Since you say "mountainbiking" I assume you're not talking about riding in the city. Will you have a car that can transport bikes? If so, the peninsula has lots of excellent single-track riding, stop at any bike store and chat. (I recommend Box Dog Bikes.)
If you will not have a car, one possibility is to take the ferry to Angel Island. There's a bike rental is on the island but you can rent elsewhere if you like and take them on the ferry. There's an excellent road that goes around the island with spectacular views -- city skyline as well as natural stuff. (No car traffic on the island, the whole thing is a state park.) There's also a trail that goes up to the top of the peak (Livermore Peak) -- even better views, obviously.
posted by phliar at 4:07 PM on November 9, 2007
If you will not have a car, one possibility is to take the ferry to Angel Island. There's a bike rental is on the island but you can rent elsewhere if you like and take them on the ferry. There's an excellent road that goes around the island with spectacular views -- city skyline as well as natural stuff. (No car traffic on the island, the whole thing is a state park.) There's also a trail that goes up to the top of the peak (Livermore Peak) -- even better views, obviously.
posted by phliar at 4:07 PM on November 9, 2007
To expand on phliar's suggestion of the peninsula, look here for the Mid-Peninsula Open space Preserves that allow cycling and maps of them.
A search like this can also be fruitful.
Have fun and please be safe and respectful in my backyard :)
posted by a_green_man at 8:24 PM on November 9, 2007
A search like this can also be fruitful.
Have fun and please be safe and respectful in my backyard :)
posted by a_green_man at 8:24 PM on November 9, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by BeaverTerror at 1:43 PM on November 9, 2007