Monterey Bike Rental

[justinrchan]

I will be in Monterey for a couple of days next week - can anyone recommend a good place to rent a nice road bike?

[Ken Robb]

I can't help with bike rentals but I've had some good moderately priced fish dinners at both locations of "The Fishwife". They are popular with many locals.

[stackie]

Bay Bikes rents road bikes. I think another forumite rented from them previously and had good experience.

When are you coming? I live here. This week is terrible due to “car week” aka pebble beach concours.

I can help out with some local routes or my favorite loop if you want.

Or restaurants. Fishwife ok. There’s better. Some ridiculously overpriced.

Jon

[Ken Robb]

I need to know about any better seafood places that are moderately priced. I have had some outstanding meals on the peninsula but they cost about double The Fishwife.

[justinrchan]

I’ll be in town mid-week. I think I am missing most of the car activities which one one hand is a bummer because I am a big Porsche guy. But on the other hand, it’ll be quieter and hotels are easier to come by!

[justinrchan]

Planning on doing 17 Mile at a minimum too!

[Ken Robb]

Planning on doing 17 Mile at a minimum too!

You will come to a sign that tells cyclists to exit the coast road and go east. The road along the coast looked good to me so I kept on it. What could go wrong? Well I came to a steep pitch and a couple of turns that slowed me and the cars and RVs around me. Then the RV in front of me failed to make a tight climbing turn and backed up for another try. The RV behind me leaned on his horn as I was trying to let my bike coast slide back down the steep pitch we were all on. There was no shoulder. This was SCARY. The next time I rode the route my wife asked why we couldn't keep going on the scenic route I convinced her that "Father Knows Best". :)

[roguedog]

+1 on the Bay Bikes rec.. not sure there are any others tbh.


I love the 17 mile route. I visit friends there and we'd ride from Monterey then along 17 mile and then into Carmel Valley. Man what a gorgeous ride.

Be careful of tourist lookey-lous who are looking at views and not the road.

@stackie, pls divulge your fave places to eat! I really liked the Crown & Anchor.. I'm going back just for the curry wedges.

[stackie]

Ken,

Ah, sounds like Cypress Point. Often a **** show. I love when I take the lane and a moron in a Range Rover (redundant I know) passes me across the double yellow on the blind curve only to come face to face with an oncoming car. Why do you think I took the lane?

Restaurants. Often overpriced but what isn’t on the Monterey peninsula. Fishwife is decent for the price. I ate there a couple times when we were new to town and thought it was ok. Passionfish in PG is much better and has crazy good wine list. Phil’s in Moss Landing is great for fish. A little more expensive but great quality. Though, I usually go for sushi when I want fish. Zum, Sushi Fly, and Akaoni.

Cantinetta Luca for Italian. Go T-Th and sit at bar. Bartender takes better care of you than meh waitstaff.

Montrio for classic California cuisine. Always consistently excellent.

Liking Saltwood in Marina these days.

Overall better value for food in Santa Cruz. Laili for Persian. 515 kitchen for cocktails and apps. Dinners not bad. Soif wine bar. Gabriella’s. East End Gastropub.

I’d move to Santa Cruz in a heartbeat but for two reasons. Job there terrible blow compared to here and they are a Mecca for the homeless and addicts.

Jon

[stackie]

Justin

Pebble closes for the car week. Not sure which day they close it. I used to ask a colleague that lives there to add me to his guest list. But honestly the cars just kind of take away from it all for me.

You can try to just ride through the resident side and wave like you own the place. Works most of the time.

Jon

[roguedog]

oops..dupe

[roguedog]

Hey stackie, if I wanted to start a ride near Pacific Grove, do you have a recommendation on parking? Or do you recommend starting from Monterey somewhere do to better parking options? I was just trying to avoid the Monterey trail madness and start around Lovers Point but do need to park the car somewhere whilst I ride.

Thinking about Chase Park or the Monarch Museum.

[Saxon]

I ride that area four or five times a year. I always start in Marina (plenty of parking in the Walmart parking lot) and ride to the snack bar at Pebble beach (they make a good Ruben with a nice outside eating area). Riding though Monterey by the wharf can be a pain during high tourist season. I'm not much of a fish guy so I eat at Gianni's pizza.

[stackie]

Hmmm

I don’t really park around that area. There is a lot right at lovers point and tons of street parking you could use for free. I’d hit those first.

That’s a good place to start. Gets you out of the MUP madness and makes the Pebble beach loop about 2:20.

Jon

[justinrchan]

Adventures By The Sea is where I ended up renting a bike. They had Fuji Gran Fondos which were heavy but serviceable.

I did 17 Mile from Cannery Row, total of about 28 miles and 1350 elevation gain and took about an hour and 50 minutes. Great route, super quiet on the road given that I started at 6:30 am.