I'm signed up for the whiskey tango fondo century next spring - any training ideas? It's pretty sandy but not super technical (I think?). Hoping for some route inspiration. I have a car so should be able to start wherever, though my preference is starting in SF. I've done some of the routes up in Marin but the singletrack is out of my ability range on my gravel bike.

Any tire suggestions also welcome from anybody who's done it; I'm currently on pathfinder pro 42s.

Any gear recc’s or safety recc’s. Biking is my main commute to work

Any tips are appreciated, especially with busy sf streets and very cloudy mornings <3

Was planning on riding from Daly City to Tunitas Road and up to Colma BART following this route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18475932 leaving at 9/10.

Is it too rainy today? I’m an intermediate rider but don’t do much descending or climbing since I live in flat Sacramento.

Has this always been the policy? I use it as part of my commute home and I'm not thrilled to find out my route becomes illegal in the winter months. Does anyone know the reason for the closed hours? I've already written to the Mountain View Parks department asking about this and I encourage anyone else affect by the closed hours to do the same.

I'm planning a weekend tour of North Bay/Marin County and would LOVE y'alls advice. Never ridden Mt. Tam or much of Marin County outside of some of the Headlands, so I'm very excited to explore. Planning on 3-4 days, starting in Santa Cruz, on my lightly-loaded gravel rig (will be staying in motels/hotels). Here's my tentative plan, open to all suggestions and advice on route, scenic stops, good food/drink, etc.:

Day 1: Santa Cruz -> SF

Take highway 1 up through Pescadero and San Gregorio, climb up Tunitas Creek, then Canada Rd and Sawyer Camp up to the city. Stay the night in SF.

Day 2: SF -> Point Reyes/Inverness

Loosely follow this route. As much as I'd love to do Bolinas Ridge, I've read about how miserable it can be on a gravel bike. So instead, take Fairfax-Bolinas Rd to Highway 1 and then up to Point Reyes? Stay the night in Point Reyes/Inverness.

Day 3: Point Reyes/Inverness -> Berkeley/Oakland?

Ride up to Marshall? Or what should I check out in the area? Then take Sir Francis Drake to Fairfax for lunch, then down into San Rafael. Loop around China Camp, then take the Richmond Bridge into Berkeley/Oakland potentially. Haven't done any East Bay riding so would love y'alls help here.

Day 4: Berkeley/Oakland -> South Bay?

Ride to Treasure Island, take the ferry to the city, then head down south.

Now that it gets dark so early, almost all of my commute and errand rides are in the dark. I have a fluorescent yellow jacket, but then whenever I get where I'm going I stick out like a sore thumb.

I'd love something that has lots of retro-reflective elements, but when you're just standing around (not in someone's headlights) people wouldn't realize you're wearing something incredibly bright, only that you're wearing something vaguely “sporty.”

Do you have any recommended pieces or brands that fit this bill? Or else: any favorite hi-viz commuting gear?

I'm curious what people think about the new diverging diamond intersection at Hwy 37 and Fairgrounds. https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/new-intersection-project-first-kind-bay-area-19901199.php I've only driven through one of these a handful of times, but in a car they seem pretty good. The advantage is you can get on the highway with less cross-traffic turns. They're designed for maximum car flow and speed.

The bike lane looks terrifying. Squeezing a bike lane between two wide lanes of through traffic and a high speed freeway onramp... Even the little biker guy in the animation at 1:52 looks like he almost got hit!

Sorry I hope this isn't too off topic.

I found some earbuds on the ground near the ship at Lincoln Square Park in Oakland Chinatown at East Bay Bike Party last night.

Are they yours? Do they belong to your friend? Reach out so I can get them back to you! Thanks!

Marin bike map (PDF warning) has a path from Sky Oaks to Meadow Club road, which ends very close to fairfax-bolinas road, but not quite all the way there

I see some routes on the internet that go through there like this one, but I always thought the road through the golf course was private?

if not, what is the most efficient route from five corners to pine mountain? concrete pipe road?

I'm looking to try a new route - was thinking about going up Old La Honda (from Portola), then cross Skyline and go down Old La Honda to 84, then up 84 to Alices and down 84 to Canada.

Typically when I climb OLH I just take skyline from top of OLH to Alices, then down 84 to Canada, and I hate hate hate that section on Skyline. Too many fancy cars buzzing past me while I do the last bit of climb on 6" of shoulder. And even on the skyline descent people are in a hurry - I was going 35-40MPH last time and was still getting passed. Ugh.

I assume OLH to 84 is going to be quiet - but what about 84 North to Alice's? It looks to have minimal shoulders and is decently steep. Is this a bad idea?

Thank you!

I recently moved to Foster City and am looking for recommendations for a club/group that does about ~60 mile rides early on Sunday. Desired pacing is similar to Old LaHonda in 27-33 minutes. Thanks.

Hi all! I am just recently getting into biking in SF and have only done rides through down Valencia, into GGP, and down to Lake Merced. I don't have any problem with the idea of climbing or distance riding (I am pretty fit) but I am TERRIFIED of going downhill! I have worked on getting comfortable picking up some speed in GGP, but descending Twin Peaks, Lincoln, or Point Lobos scare me. Any milder hills you recommend or just tips to get over the fear??

(I flipped over my handle bars when my brakes gave out while bombing a hill in middle school and broke my wrist and have some residual fear from that)

I’ve got some funky feet and I can feel my bunions getting worse over the years, I’ve tried all sorts of heat molded shoes and insoles, would love a podiatrist that is also knowledgable about cycling and doing orthotics and such in cycling shoes to help.

Would love any recommendations.

What’s the earliest you’ll go for a ride? I’ve been riding the headlands at like 5-5:30am. Anyone else going out that early? Feel like it’s been safe but wondering if anyone else has had negative experiences riding in the early hours.

A lot of speeding cars on this road, and lots of students commute on Prospect. Anyone know who we can call to get this removed?

https://preview.redd.it/x1nynjhh10zd1.jpg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f36fa63da7eb203b94c53987bdfc052bed6824b9

Going to sign up for the truckee gravel medium race this June. The race is a 4,400ft climb over 66mi. Have never done a bike race so I will be learning and training a lot over the next 6 months or so.

For anyone that has done this race, do you have any tips?

Also any general advice or things you wished you knew before your first race would be super helpful!

Will be riding a cannondale topstone 4. It's currently all stock but I'm sure I will need to make some changes.

I want to do at least one supported century next year, I've done the marin century and the grizzly peak century before, and enjoyed both. Personally enjoyed Marin more, but that's because I almost exclusively ride in the East Bay, so Marin was new to me... Anything within ~an hours drive of Berkeley/El certito is fine but the closer the better.

What would you recommend?

bonus points if you have solo century route recommendations!

Silly question but I’m in a debate with a friend on which side of Twin Peaks is which and I can’t find any answers on the World Wide Web.

I’ve always thought the South side is the frontside of twin peaks and the North side is the backside and my amigo thinks the opposite.

I’m prepared to be wrong but I don’t think I am. Am I?

I am a road rider and have no off road experience. I grew up in the east bay and am very familiar with the Wildcat/Tilden fire roads from walking them, so I know what that terrain is like - lots of ruts. 

I am interested in getting a gravel bike to ride on those fire roads/double track, but I have no idea how wide a tire and what kind of bike setup I need. At first I was imagining something like a Kona Libre, but now I am wondering if I should get a bike that can accommodate 50mm+ tires to deal with the terrain, more like a Salsa Cutthroat. Or should I just go all the way and get a MTB? I wasn’t planning to get a MTB and ride single track, I was imagining riding out my door and doing long-ish rides on the fire roads. My inner roadie fears getting something too heavy and slow. What are you all riding out here?

Hi all! I'm planning a multi-day bike trip for me and my friends. Please see below for the trip:

Day 1 - Berryessa BART to New Brighton State Park

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48951960

Day 2 - New Brighton State Park to Castle Rock State Park

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48951819

Day 3 - Castle Rock State Park to Berryessa BART

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48951889

Have any of you done a similar trip? Let me know if you have any advice for these routes. I'm trying to stick to paved roads as much as possible, since most of us will be on road bikes with 25mm tires.

Also, please send any food, drink or sightseeing recommendations along the route! Thank you!

Which is these support