Transported: Biking for Newbies
Welcome to "Transported," our new weekly series about getting places in San Francisco, whether you take the bus or the BART, bike or drive. Come here to find the skinny on secret parking spots, the new bike lanes and how to get across town on Muni without losing your mind.
So, you've finally caved, ditched Muni for good and gotten yourself a bicycle. You want to learn to bike the city without getting killed, right? First tip: Wear a helmet. Here are some more to get you started.
Easy bike routes to practice your skills:
The world-famous Wiggle is a gradually-climbing route that zig zags through the city and has long been used (on foot and on horseback) as an easy way to navigate San Francisco. It starts at the Ferry Building and takes you through major neighborhoods like downtown, the Castro, Panhandle, the Haight and Golden Gate Park. Use Market Street's new green bike lanes until you hit the Castro and Lower Haight. You'll be on Fell Street, a high speed, one-way road, for only one block before you hit the Panhandle, which will take you to Golden Gate Park. Once you're in the park, relax and enjoy the scenery.
Golden Gate Park is a pretty and safe place to learn the ropes. Wind through the Panhandle to get there if you don't want to brave Fell Street. Bike paths run parallel to John F. Kennedy Drive and go through most of the park. On Saturdays from April to September, Kennedy Drive does not allow cars from Transverse Drive to Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive. On Sundays year round, even more streets are closed to all cars. There is also free bike parking and ample places to rent bikes for a day.
The Embarcadero is especially bike friendly with dedicated bike lanes and ultra flatness. Stretch your legs by starting at AT&T Park and biking along the waterfront, well past the Ferry Building and hulking piers until you hit the roads below Coit Tower.
For more salty sea air, blaze through Fisherman's Wharf to Hyde Street Pier, where a bike path takes you through the Aquatic Park, past Fort Mason, and along and around Crissy Field. On a sunny day, it won't get more beautiful than this route. The Presidio, vast and woodsy, is a slightly more hilly way to practice, but cars are pretty mindful of bikes here and there is plenty to see.
Streets to avoid: Van Ness Avenue, Oak Street, Divisadero, Geary, and Mission Streets. None are wide enough for cars, buses and bikes to coexist harmoniously, and they lack bike lanes. Vehicles go fast, and cyclists run the risk of slamming into the open doors of parked cars.
Don't get your bike stolen: Try to park your bike alongside others, in well-populated areas. Carry around two locks if you want to be extra safe, and lock up your front tire (especially if it's quick-release) as well as the frame itself. Look into seat locks, because bike saddle theft is on the rise. Get more tips here.
Bike repair shops:
Some bike repair shops give you more attitude than assistance. Valencia Cyclery, in existence for 25 years, gives you down-to-earth mechanics. They'll explain stuff to you without snobbery, help you convert a mountain bike to a single speed, pump your tires with free air, or anything else you might need.
Mojo Bicycle Cafe on Divisadero serves Ritual coffee and fixes bikes. Obviously, it's a match made in heaven. They've got low prices, are open seven days a week, serve every type of cyclist, and stock a carefully-curated selection of bikes and parts. Grab some coffee, read the newspaper, and by the time you're done you might just have that tire all patched up.
Pedal Revolution is a non-profit bike shop that provides job training for troubled teens. They do repairs on vintage and new bikes, and give 30-day guarantees on their work. They also sell new and used bikes, as well as do custom builds. It's an amazing shop that supports a great cause.
The Bike Kitchen is a cooperative that is all about DIY. They run countless classes (some women and transgender only!) to teach anyone--young, old, inexperienced or advanced--how to build and repair your own bike. It's an excellent resource in the Mission that will teach you stuff you'll never forget. Check out their classes here.
Sfbike.org, which is an amazing resource for bike maps, also hosts affordable bike learning and repair classes in conjunction with Box Dog Bikes, a cooperative that caters to all kinds of cyclists and offers low rates on repairs and new bikes.
Finally, there's the hotly-debated Critical Mass. Taking place on the last Friday of every month, it draws thousands of bike riders. People wear costumes, drink beers, and generally take over San Francisco for a few hours to prove the point that bikes may one day rule the world.
If you're new to biking, it's a great way to feel safe riding through the city, and to meet future riding buddies. It has also been the cause of dangerous confrontations between motorists and cyclists, making it necessary for police escorts to ensure the entire event is safe for all. Try it out for yourself and decide.
Photo via Mission Bicycle on Flickr.com
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By on March 07, 2012
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By on February 12, 2012
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By on February 02, 2012
Biking is fun but it is good to follow safety rules like wearing a helmet and always check the condition of your bike.
By on February 02, 2012
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By on February 02, 2012
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By on February 01, 2012
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By on February 01, 2012
I bought a mountain bike when i was in college but it was stole by someone else :(
By on February 01, 2012
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By on January 22, 2012
If you are in the “just giving it a TRI” stage, than I suggest you look for a used road bike. ( i.e., classifieds, tri mags, Internet etc. ) and do not spend more than a few hundred bucks. My first bike was a steel Giant for which I paid $200. I spent a year racing and training on that bike and she performed just fine. If you do purchase a used road bike you can always buy the necessary components to convert her to a tri bike such as a forward seat post and aerobars. Commercial mortgage rate to buy a bike
By on January 20, 2012
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By on January 09, 2012
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By on December 28, 2011
Hey dude, I love biking amazingly. last week I was participated county biking content. It was very challenging though I won first prize. thanks!
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By on December 23, 2011
Biking is fun but I like to go biking only on safe places. Thanks for the tips!
By on December 07, 2011
A great deal depends upon the terrain in which you will be training and racing. For those living in a hilly or mountainous region, a triathlon bike may not be to the best choice. However, for flatter terrain, a triathlon bike will be fine.
By on December 06, 2011
For those just taking up cycling again or for the first time comes “The Urban Biking Handbook” by bicycle mechanic Charles Haine.Its publisher describes it as “a hardworking, illustrated guide to the cycling lifestyle. Not only does it fully cover repair and maintenance techniques, it focuses on the health benefits and community aspects of riding while teaching noncompetitive bike-lovers how to integrate their hobby into everyday life.
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By on November 23, 2011
wow great i have read many articles about this topic and everytime i learn something new i dont think it will ever stop always new info , Thanks for all of your hard work!
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By on November 08, 2011
As a better alternative to Critical Mass, check out SF Bike Party. It is a much more fun and harmonious way to bike on the city's streets- if you love to bike or get a good work out, party, and socialize then google SF Bike Party and come out.
By on October 17, 2011
To the point of "commuter," bicycling on the sidewalk on the Embarcadero is not only illegal, it is dangerous. There is a constant stream of tourists and joggers and it makes no sense to endanger your safety and theirs. For more info, read the SF Bike Coalition's stance on sidewalks: http://www.sfbike.org/?sidewalks
By on September 28, 2011
Its publisher describes it as a hardworking, illustrated guide to the cycling lifestyle. Not only does it fully cover repair and maintenance techniques, it focuses on the health benefits and community aspects of riding while teaching noncompetitive bike-lovers how to integrate their hobby into everyday life. Whether they’re looking to commute to work, ride on the weekends, venture off-road, or trek down city streets, ‘The Urban Biking Handbook’ will prepare them for the journey.
By on September 22, 2011
Earlier than departing downhill a tail, don’t fail to retain information to ask the limited park for rules, rules, and rout.
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By on September 21, 2011
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By on September 21, 2011
Beware of bicycling on the Embarcadero, especially headed north bound. Cars are constantly double parking in the bike lane around the Ferry Building, forcing you to jockey with speeding traffic. Biking on the sidewalk is supposedly legal, but that opens up a whole different set of safety issues.
Same goes for biking around Fisherman's Wharf. Most bicyclists take Northpoint from the Embarcadero to Fort Mason to avoid the zoo around Fisherman's Wharf.
By on September 19, 2011
Cycling delivers the fastest door-to-door journeying in cityfied areas in every peer sovereign papers, as average motor traffic speeds in our towns & cities discharge to fewer than half the mediocre round travel and the delays of walking to and from car parks, bus stops and procession devotion add non-productive moment to your loco-mote. Exclusive close is 100% underspent, but cycling runs a juxtaposed endorsement as the property where you expend fit over 90% of the loco-mote experience making advancement from A to B.Cycling eliminates waiting at the constraint.
By on September 11, 2011
Mountain biking locations For this sport, it’s best to bike on surfaces that are unpaved. Specific locations designed for mountain biking can be found throughout North America. Before going down a trail, don’t forget to ask the local park for rules, regulations, and routes.
By on August 28, 2011
Its publisher describes it as “a hardworking, illustrated guide to the cycling lifestyle. Not only does it fully cover repair and maintenance techniques, it focuses on the health benefits and community aspects of riding while teaching noncompetitive bike-lovers how to integrate their hobby into everyday life. Whether they’re looking to commute to work, ride on the weekends, venture off-road, or trek down city streets, ‘The Urban Biking Handbook’ will prepare them for the journey.”
By on August 06, 2011
And for the extended Golden Gate Park ride, head south once you hit the beach, there is a bike path all the way to the zoo (and another 1/2 mile, another looping around Lake Merced. All away from traffic.
By on April 27, 2011
Great tips on biking. I would also like to add that those are noobs in biking should not overdo it themselves. Try to be moderate in your workout so you will not grow tired of it.
By on April 13, 2011
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