Need to procure a bike for a 3 day stay downtown San Francisco. Rental options?

[Wayne77]

Hello,

I'll be in San Francisco for the entire next week. I'd like to keep some training momentum going for a race I have coming up and do some rides when I'm there. For those of you familiar with the area are there any shops that rent road bikes you'd recommend downtown? I don't need anything super high end...105 or Rival level is fine, just need something that works...56-58cm. I'm staying near Union Square (O'Farrell st), so ideally something within a few miles. A found a place through my phone maps app "Big Swingin Cycles" a mile away...any others you'd recommend? Just need something for 3 days.

Thanks!!

[bward1028]

We rented a tandem through spinlister.com and it was great. Very smooth pick up and drop off, and way cheaper than renting through a shop.
Sports Basement is supposed to be good too.
SF is only 7 miles square, so I wouldn’t worry too much about finding a shop that is super close.

[FlashUNC]

Not far from Union Square, good eggs.

https://huckleberrybicycles.myshopify.com/collections/demo-bikes

[weaponsgrade]

Sports Basement

[homagesilkhope]

Mike's Bikes (Spec.) is downtown, too. On Howard Street. City Cycle (Trek) is a bit less convenient. In Cow Hollow.

[cgolvin]

Apologies for the thread drift, but if I'm ever that close I do not miss the opportunity to get pizza at Tommaso's, on O'Farrell just below Broadway.

Go for the clam & garlic.

[crankles]

Hello,

I'll be in San Francisco for the entire next week. I'd like to keep some training momentum going for a race I have coming up and do some rides when I'm there. For those of you familiar with the area are there any shops that rent road bikes you'd recommend downtown? I don't need anything super high end...105 or Rival level is fine, just need something that works...56-58cm. I'm staying near Union Square (O'Farrell st), so ideally something within a few miles. A found a place through my phone maps app "Big Swingin Cycles" a mile away...any others you'd recommend? Just need something for 3 days.

Thanks!!

if you can ride a 57, You can borrow a CX or Road. I'm in Oakland but we can probably work out a BART swap. Just bring some pedals and don't leave it unattended...EVR ;-)

[Wayne77]

if you can ride a 57, I can hook you up with a CX or Road. I'm in Oakland but we can probably work out a BART swap. Just bring some pedals

Wow, super generous offer. Thanks! I may take you up on that. I’ll look at the various options first and let you know.

Everyone else who responded (including the pizza rec) - very helpful, thanks!

[crankles]

Wow, super generous offer. Thanks! I may take you up on that. I’ll look at the various options first and let you know.

Everyone else who responded (including the pizza rec) - very helpful, thanks!

Your Choices are an Alliance All-Road ( fenders still on ), a speedvagen CX, an Alliace Ti CX SS, or a Breadwinner B-Road...again with the fenders.

if you don't want to fred around town, I can pull the fenders off ;-)

[jtakeda]

Wow, super generous offer. Thanks! I may take you up on that. I’ll look at the various options first and let you know.

Everyone else who responded (including the pizza rec) - very helpful, thanks!

I can’t help with a 57cm bike but I take offense to the pizza rec. golden boy for clam & garlic.

[cgolvin]

I can’t help with a 57cm bike but I take offense to the pizza rec. golden boy for clam & garlic.


Take all the offense you like, but only if you've been there, first wood burning oven west of St. Louis, also delicious marinated vegetables.

That said I'm willing to try another's clam & garlic

[jtakeda]

Take all the offense you like, but only if you've been there, first wood burning oven west of St. Louis, also delicious marinated vegetables.

That said I'm willing to try another's clam & garlic

I was kidding of course and I’d like to think I’ve had every slice of pizza in SF. But there’s always new ones. Golden boy has the history and I’ve been going there for 20+ years but —not best slice but best clam garlic


And if OP needs some suggestions or gets lost in the trip just look for the guy on the rainbow landshark and flag me down. I’ll be in your zone 9-5

[cgolvin]

I was kidding of course and I’d like to think I’ve had every slice of pizza in SF. But there’s always new ones. Golden boy has the history and I’ve been going there for 20+ years but —not best slice but best clam garlic


Fair enough, I'm not a resident and cannot claim an encyclopedic knowledge, so I guess I'll have to sample Golden Boy's clam & garlic. Thanks for the rec.

[Yoshi]

I used to go to SFO several times a month for work and these guys were right near our hotel.

https://www.blazingsaddles.com/san-francisco/bikes-and-rates

They were easy to deal with and gave us a nice discount.

[Wayne77]

Thanks for the replies everyone...very helpful. I have a bike now...staying downtown on O’ Farrel street. What’s the best route to egress from downtown to a more bike friendly area on the perimeter...closer to Presidio or thereabouts. A friend is taking me on a long ride Thurs across the bridge to the Marin headlands, but I’d like to get a couple early morning 1 hr rides in...but it seems like it’ll take 15-20 min just getting through the downtown area with small blocks, traffic lights, unexpected one way streets, etc.

So, just wondering what’s the best street to take to the perimeter?

[FlashUNC]

The Wiggle ain't terrible:

https://www.spinlister.com/blog/the-wiggle-san-francisco-biking-market-street-golden-gate-park/

[weaponsgrade]

Market is busy but at least it has a bike lane. You can get on Market, head east towards the Ferry Building, and there's a path you can ride along the bay. Alternatively, to get away from the crowds, head the opposite direction on Market and take the wiggle (https://localwiki.org/sf/The_Wiggle) into Golden Gate Park.

[scoobydrew]

Take the Wiggle to Golden Gate Park. Exit the park onto Arguello Blvd, which will take you straight into the Presidio. Don't forget to stop by Arsicault along Arguello for some delicious croissants (get there early)!

[slowpoke]

staying downtown on O’ Farrel street. What’s the best route to egress from downtown to a more bike friendly area on the perimeter...closer to Presidio or thereabouts. A friend is taking me on a long ride Thurs across the bridge to the Marin headlands, but I’d like to get a couple early morning 1 hr rides in...but it seems like it’ll take 15-20 min just getting through the downtown area with small blocks, traffic lights, unexpected one way streets, etc.

So, just wondering what’s the best street to take to the perimeter?

Sutter and Post are halfway decent streets to traverse the eastern portion of the city (east of Van Ness).

From Union Square, I'd take:
- Sutter westbound until Polk (at the bottom of the downhill)
- right on Polk (north)
- left on Francisco (west) until it deadends
- right on Laguna
- follow the road, end up on the bikepath

From there, you can do a short version of the Butterlap, or head to the Marin Headlands for some climbing.

Butterlap from/to Union Square - http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7369679
Headlands from Union Square - http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7369678

Also, when going west to east (let's say back from the Headlands), the safest way to get from the Marina neighborhood bikepath is through Fort Mason like this: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7369680

From there, you can either take North Point, Polk, Bay depending if you need to head east, south, or if you're in a rush.

btw, if you find yourself on the other side of the Headlands (e.g. on Bunker Road), you might not have reception, so make sure you have some offline maps.

[Wayne77]

Awesome, thanks guys!

[jtakeda]

From where you are id go the other way. Go through the Stockton tunnel and take it to north point st. Turn left on north point. Go up. Left on van ness and right on bay. There’s a bike path about 7 blocks down bay that will shoot you towards the bridge.

For a shorter ride just take Lincoln out and do a loop thru the aves.

[Heisenberg]

spotted?

https://i.imgur.com/shjbIzS.png

[Wayne77]

Wow. Yup that’s me...on my loaner bike. Was this from sort of bike path cam? The angle is kinda weird. Never saw anyone lying down with a camera ;-) Big brother is watching.

Anyway, for those wondering, all the advice was applied...I was able to navigate in and out of the city pain free. One day I rode out to the Marin Headlands, down last the old Nike Missile site, then climbed back to the top (instead of the tunnel). Amazing views. The second day I rode out and did the China Camp loop with a local friend. Another awesome ride. I love the cycling down here. A highlight was dinner at Izzy’s. Oh my.

I’ll post pics in a separate thread.


spotted?

https://i.imgur.com/shjbIzS.png

[Heisenberg]

Wow. Yup that’s me...on my loaner bike. Was this from sort of bike path cam? The angle is kinda weird. Never saw anyone lying down with a camera ;-) Big brother is watching.

Anyway, for those wondering, all the advice was applied...I was able to navigate in and out of the city pain free. One day I rode out to the Marin Headlands, down last the old Nike Missile site, then climbed back to the top (instead of the tunnel). Amazing views. The second day I rode out and did the China Camp loop with a local friend. Another awesome ride. I love the cycling down here. A highlight was dinner at Izzy’s. Oh my.

I’ll post pics in a separate thread.

ha, no, it's from the dashcam on my bike! i came around the corner and saw a capable-looking road cyclist stopped in a spot where most don't, figured you were from out of town, met you in the zanc kit at a road race in utah...put 2 and 2 together, but i was already about 200m away. heh.

if you're still here, get up tam! right now would be a glorious time to do it.

[FlashUNC]

ha, no, it's from the dashcam on my bike! i came around the corner and saw a capable-looking road cyclist stopped in a spot where most don't, figured you were from out of town, met you in the zanc kit at a road race in utah...put 2 and 2 together, but i was already about 200m away. heh.

tl;dr: Heisenberg is a creeper.

[Heisenberg]

tl;dr: Heisenberg is a creeper.

https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/205/251/hansenlol.jpg

[joosttx]

Not far from Union Square, good eggs.

https://huckleberrybicycles.myshopify.com/collections/demo-bikes

Must read entire read bf commenting

[Wayne77]

ha, no, it's from the dashcam on my bike! i came around the corner and saw a capable-looking road cyclist stopped in a spot where most don't, figured you were from out of town, met you in the zanc kit at a road race in utah...put 2 and 2 together, but i was already about 200m away. heh.

if you're still here, get up tam! right now would be a glorious time to do it.

Cool! Yeah if that’s where I think it is, I overshot a turn off coming off the bridge and un-clipped to get my self turned around in that narrow area.

Flying home today so I won’t make it up Tam, but the same friend took me up and then back down Eldridge last year on a bottled FS bike. Also, an absolutely amazing experience. Mtb Mecca. The only downer was I crashed coming in too hot on a lower corner (I think it was called “Fish”?). Gashed my knee open but now I have a cool scar - badge of honor that reminds me of that Tam experience.

[cgolvin]

tl;dr: Heisenberg is a creeper.

While I originally interpreted the location in his profile ("everywhere and nowhere") as an uncertainty principle reference, now I'm afraid that he really is everywhere.

Heisenberg was here!

[stackie]

He was there. But you moved him when you looked at him.

Jon

[cgolvin]

Well played