Visiting San Francisco - Bike Rentals?

[berkeley]

I searched and couldn't find anything.... so....

DH and I are planning on being in the Bay area first week of August (probably staying in Berkeley for part of the week at least). We lived out that way for several years, so am familiar generally with the area, enough to get around.

Any suggestions for road bike rentals either in the city or east bay? (and perhaps good route(s) for a visitor?)

[Trek420]

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=18004

[berkeley]

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=18004

Thanks!!!

[Grog]

It's actually hard to avoid the "Blazing Saddles" bikes in San Francisco. (That's one of the rental company. Can't remember the other one.) Of course we're talking comfort bikes here, and hundreds of tourists following the same route. Still, a lot of fun. Sort of like going up the Eiffel Tower when visiting Paris for the first time.

I took my husband (who's usually riding a lightweight racing bike) on what he thought was one of the best rides of his life I think. :) We had a blast hitting the really big hills with those 35-pound bikes!!

[msincredible]

Any suggestions for road bike rentals either in the city or east bay? (and perhaps good route(s) for a visitor?)

Are you looking for routes around Berkeley, elsewhere? How long, how much climbing?

[berkeley]

Are you looking for routes around Berkeley, elsewhere? How long, how much climbing?

Hmm, anywhere at this point! :D

We have decent hill climbing around here, averaging like 70-80ft/mi, so I think we can handle something similar. I'm not about to climb Marin Ave or anything tho. :eek: We usually go out for 30-50 miles, depending.

I was actually just looking at bike rentals in Napa/Sonoma also. I think we're going to do half the week in the city and Berkeley, and the other half in wine country. I was hoping for some cue sheets, because I'm notorious for getting lost!

[Zen]

I was going to direct you here (http://www.bicyclerental.com/) but I guess that's not really what you're looking for.

[Bike Goddess]

For Napa rides contact the Eagles bike club out of Napa. For Sonoma contact the Santa Rosa bike club.

You can also ask Maillotpois (check the Death Ride thread). She also knows great rides in the Sonoma Marin County area.

We mostly ride Solano County and Contra Costa County roads.

You shouldn't have any problem finding places to ride around here. Getting out of Berkely might require some hill climbing, but it is doable.

Let us know when you'll be here for sure and maybe we can arrange a TE ride just for you!:):):)

[msincredible]

Don't forget you can take BART out of Berkeley if you want to explore other regions. There are limitations on bicycles on BART in San Francisco during commute hours on weekdays, but otherwise there should be no issues.

[Trek420]

Don't forget you can take BART out of Berkeley if you want to explore other regions. There are limitations on bicycles on BART in San Francisco during commute hours on weekdays, but otherwise there should be no issues.

BART will get you to plenty of places. Just don't:
:o take your bike on the first car of any train.
:o primary direction on the SF lines (to SF in the morning, from in the evening)
:o don't take your bike on the escalator, use elevator or stairs

http://bicycling.511.org

[Bike Goddess]

I wouldn't recommend riding in SF-been there, done that. Plenty of great rides if you want to take BART, just don't do SF.

We can arrange a ride up Mt Diablo if you are so inclined (no pun intended). That's a BART ride to Pleasant Hill.

If you go south of Berkeley on BART, JoBob can direct you to great riding spots. Heck, she might even be able to be a personal escort! :):):):)

[maillotpois]

If you go south of Berkeley on BART, JoBob can direct you to great riding spots. Heck, she might even be able to be a personal escort! :):):):)

:confused::confused::confused: On her stationary trainer?

[jobob]

heh heh - I could give you a great tour of my living room :D

[Duck on Wheels]

In Sonoma the Sonoma Cyclery shop out on Broadway, across from the high school, has a fleet of rental bikes. If you like hills, the locals ride Lovell Valley Road past the Sebastiani Winery, up into the hills and loop around over the Napa County border and back. The road is discontiguous here and there (at ... I think East 7th) where you need to jag left a bit then right on Castle Road for a couple of yards, but just keep going as straight as possible and suddenly the signs read Lovell Valley Road again. Straight until it T's, that is. At that point, turn left, then follow it in a right turn up the hill. It was very pretty up there last Spring when the wildflowers were blooming.

There's also a place somewhere closer to the Plaza that rents out segueways.

[berkeley]

BART will get you to plenty of places. Just don't:
:o take your bike on the first car of any train.
:o primary direction on the SF lines (to SF in the morning, from in the evening)
:o don't take your bike on the escalator, use elevator or stairs

http://bicycling.511.org

I actually used to bike commute in Berkeley, so I kinda knew most of this (somehwere in my brain I'm sure it's there....)

OK, sure, I'm all for living rooms and stationary trainers. LOL

The more I think about it, the more I think we'll do the biking for the part of the trip we're not in SF - so I'll look up the Napa and Sonoma suggestions! Thanks guys!

[jobob]

LOL, just kidding, I should be biking by August. (Hopefully I'll be back on my road bike in early July. If not, I'm gonna be reaaaaly cranky. :p)

There are lots of nice places to ride down in my neck of the woods near Fremont - Calaveras Road, Sunol, Palomares Road, to name a few.

That said though, you can't go wrong with Napa/Sonoma & thereabouts. There's also very nice riding in the Russian River (Guerneville) area.