Trip to San Francisco

[Miles]

Hi all,

Am heading to California with my girlfriend to see some friends in San Francisco next Saturday for 2 weeks. Would really like to do some mountain biking while there! I actually went in 2004 and did 1 day by myself but got pretty lost.

Does anyone have any recommendations to bike hire places and the best trails to go on? My girlfriend is emphatically not up for it so I guess I can't spend the whole time riding...sadly...

Grateful for any tips!

Many thanks,

Miles

 

[zetecmk2]

just go round the bay....no plans, just see what you can find! i did
the other kool thing we do on tour, is the famous film locations...so watch bullet...and ride it! take a camera though!
in new york, we did the journey to coney island. i love the warriors soo much more now!

 

[MiniNinjaRob]

Get in touch with FairfaxPat on this very forum. He will be able to help you out and he might even show you around.

 

[lewisfoto]

I lived there for 10 years and would ride across the Golden Gate bridge to access trails in Marin. The bridge's north side walkway is only open to bikes and it offers amazing views. (when its not foggy) Directly to the west from the bridge there is a paved road (Conzelman Road) that leads up along the Marin headlands where you get more great views, like the iconic view of the bridge with city in the background. From there you can hit the Coastal Trail which pretty much leads to all of the trails in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and further on to Mt. Tam State Park. There must be a trail app or you could easily find an old fashioned map.

While you are there check out American Cyclery at Frederick and Stanyan. Two locations, one has a nice old road bike collection, the other has mountain bikes and the like. Currently they are advertising the Steve Banks collection of historical mountain bikes.

http://maps.google.com/maps?client=fire ... CAgQ_AUoAg

 

[lewisfoto]

Just remembered the GG bridge's west walkway is only open on weekends, during the week bikes have to use the east side with all of the tourists.

Also It has been 20 years since i lived there so some trails may now be close to bikes, I read on a blog that fire roads in the Golden Gate National recreation area are open to bikes.

 

[rumpfy]

China Camp or Tamarancho, just north of San Francisco.
General Tam riding is a lot of fire roads, but some cool stuff here and there and killer views.
If you head the same length of time south of SF, there is lots of riding to be had along Skyline (Hwy 35) including Skeggs and Stevens Canyon.
The PDF maps online and on trial signage is pretty good and (should) keep you from getting lost.

Skeggs:
http://www.openspace.org/preserves/maps/pr_ecdm.pdf

China Camp:
http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/466/files ... 122809.pdf

Tamarancho:
http://www.marinbike.org/Campaigns/MTB/ ... df?ID=9244


Depending on when you can ride, you can always post on the MTBR NorCal forum (sorry guys). Its one of the most active regional forums out there and there are always people getting group rides going.
http://forums.mtbr.com/california-norcal/

 

[gdb2b]

Certainly you should be able to spend all your time "riding"... both a bike and the girl. It is San Francisco, right?

 

[girlonbike]

Rumpfy's advice is spot on. You don't want to come all the way here and ride some silly fire roads do ya? Get into the redwoods and ride the amazing singletrack in the area.

Have a great time and don't forget...."the coldest winter I ever spent was the summer in San Francisco." Bring warm clothes for when the fog rolls in.

 

[captaincosmic]

lucky you that is a trip I would love to make be sure and take loads of pics to post up here you two
and whoever refered to Fairfax pat as a dude needs to apologise for being a numpty :roll:

 

[wookiee]

....oooOOOOoooh Marin County....