3. We like being tourists

(in our own city)!

Just because something is frequented by tourists doesn’t mean it’s not worth partaking in, especially considering how far people travel from all over the world to enjoy it. You can cover a lot of ground on a bike and we’ll give you some pointers on some great recreational trails and trip plans that will give you a new found appreciation for this city. It may change what you consider “local” and “authentic”.

4. We are currently training for the Tour de Nowhere.

On our rides we savor the scenery and each other’s company at an athletic pace that gives us a good workout too. We created this blog to share our experiences and tips with people who just genuinely enjoy riding bikes. Simply that.  When you see the music videos we have created on some of our trails, these are just embodiments of why we like to bike. We encourage everyone to get out and enjoy a ride.

We do recognize there are many just out to ride for speed, who will request that you watch out “On your left” and on occasion even say “Thank you” while passing. But there are those who scowl and rant to the tune of “Move or I’ll hit you!” or “You know you’re in the way don’t you?!” and feel the need to literally brush shoulders with you on the Golden Gate Bridge. . . these are who we call bike douches. The bike douche can be recognized by their multicolored “sponsored” team jersey, custom built bicycle worth as much as a car, and menacing expression that says “I hate that you share the road with me.” They sometimes travel together in a shared silent bitterness, although we’re not sure why…And at a certain point in our riding, we started to embrace the team jerseys (especially from Mike’s Bikes, no kidding, we have four or five each, most of which are matching kit), and the amazing feeling of riding a bike that cost as much as a car.  What we did not embrace was the bitterness and scowl, those will ruin even the most beautiful ride.  If we just described you, the simple cure is to just relax and enjoy the ride, no matter how many tourist cyclists try to ruin it.

The Blazing Saddles crowd, namely tourists that rent bikes from Fisherman’s Wharf and like mosquitos tend to come out when it’s hot, are considerably slower and less experienced, hence are the natural born enemy of the bike douche sharing the same trails, especially the Golden Gate Bridge. They can be recognized by their matching helmets, trail maps, heavy bikes with comfort saddles and handlebar fanny packs marked with the name of their rental company.

[If you’re interested in renting don’t be afraid to ask them if they liked who they rented from. We had mixed experiences with Bike and Roll, whose service was good (friendly and affordable) but bikes were sometimes subpar (small selection and poorly maintained).]. Find more about our rental experiences from comfort bikes to high end road bikes here.

MY POINT (and yes I really have one) is that just like the real road has bad drivers, biking is no different. There are speedy sports cars that cut you off and unpredictable student drivers that nearly crash into you. Worst of all you have pedestrians! (Which will make you ponder the question: Why don’t you know how to WALK?) But if you spend your ride concerning yourself with other people on the road you’ll fail to enjoy the exquisite connection between mind, body and bike, with the land beneath it and the air around you.