Got as a Christmas present. I guess I’m going to be biking about now. 🙂
I haven’t had a bike since 10th grade I think. Any tips for San Francisco?
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Matt on Not-WordPress, mostly photos 
Cool bike! But the question is, Will you get free time to ride it? 😉
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You need a giant lock for that if you want to ride it in SF.
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Here’s two tips to start with:
* The Wiggle
* SFBC
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Nice! I have a Trek just like it.
Only tip I have is location neutral: get yourself a bike computer. The odometer is great motivation.
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Not specific for SF, but:
– Wear a helmet and gloves. Ride long enuff and you WILL wipe out. (knee pads and more would be good, but I don’t wear anything else)
– If you ride on the sidewalk, do so ONLY on the right side of the street, and watch every driveway, alley and side street. People zip up all the way to the street right-of-way without concern for what may be in the sidewalk. If you’re on the LEFT side, they look only toward on-coming traffic, and you’ll be coming from the other way.
Just sayin…
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* Helmet for any commuting downtown
* Follow traffic rules for your own safety (biker maimed in LA this past week, running a light)
* Join SF Bike Coalition to support other bikers in SF, and get some cool freebies
* Smile, bikes rule!
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SF is great on a bike! Valencia St.’s lights are timed so you can make all the green ones. Either that or I’m just really slow.
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http://commutebybike.com/2006/04/05/san-francisco-bicycle-commuter-video/
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Nice, I just got a Marin 29er. Been riding a lot. For sure look up local bike meetups, makes it more fun an exiting!
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Wow a really Raleigh. 🙂 Now try RunKeeper on your iPhone so you keep biking. Thanks for all the Automattic products by the way.
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Cool, congrats !
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You should connect with Termie, I remember him getting right into commuter cycling. And he has a cycling posse!
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Excited that you will finally be able to join me in those long 70 mile bike rides!
Wishing you a wonderful birthday! I have a special delivered present that awaits you in California.
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It’ll take a while to “map out” the hills in the areas that you ride regularly, generally so that you can avoid them 🙂 I know for me, Bush St and Polk St are 2 major ones that are relatively flat and good for connecting through to different neighborhoods. It’s worth riding a few blocks out of your way to get the flatter streets, it just makes the ride more fun 😉
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Get a bike computer ( ie a speedometer and odometer combo ) and have fun! You’ll find yourself building a topographic map in your head and figuring out how to get across town while avoiding most of the hills. You’ll also find that biking is as fast as driving in a traffic-choked city, and definitely easier as far as parking goes…!
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Has anyone suggested ‘lessons’?
I teach ‘returnees’ (please google me for affirmation of this lofty pronouncement.
Another thought, upon seeing a bike leaning on a (gasp!) white couch: “SCARY!”
I suppose a spanking new bike won’t press black chainring tattoo onto that fine white fabric, leather, what ever…but take it out of a ride and bring back half the forest…or the gutter crud.
Yrs with pump & circumstance
Her Royal Mudjesty the Queen of fat tires
alice b. toeclips
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I don’t have San Francisco specific tips as I’ve never ridden there. I did go inline skating along the water front and up onto the bridge once which was a really nice trip though.
I recommend pulling the reflectors off the wheels. They’re extra weight on the worst part of your bike for having extra weight. Put reflectors on yourself instead of the wheels.
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