Things You'll Need:
- Sturdy bicycle
- Safety gear
- Map
- Water
- Windbreaker
-
Step 1
Ensure you are completely prepared. San Francisco has beautiful streets for biking on, but you have to have all the right tools, safety gear and know-how to get through it safely. There are plenty of hills, so make sure your gears are intact and all functioning. There can be long stretches of road where you won't have a chance to stop for water so bring some. And San Francisco can get very, very windy no matter what time of year it is. Make sure you have a windbreaker that covers all the way to your wrist.
-
Step 2
Protests and rebel bikers are not uncommon in San Francisco. There is a history of local bicycle associations taking protest towards rude motorists in San Francisco. Sometimes they plan "bike-ins" where they all take a special day to fill the streets with bicycles. If you are just planning on a leisurely peddle down the streets, find out what days they are "biking to work" and avoid those days.You also need to take heed to any special protests. San Francisco seems to host one every week. Should you see a large phalanx of police lining a particular road, stop and ask one when the upcoming march is taking place and where it is headed. Avoid that road.
-
Step 3
Figure out which part of the city you want to see before you take off. There are many working parts to San Francisco that are more bike friendly than others. Pull out your map and take a gander before peddling. The Mission district is pretty easy to get around on bikes with its wide sidewalks. Market Street and the Embarcadero have bike lanes. However, as many bicycles as there are in Chinatown, it isn't the easiest of places to peddle around with its narrow roads and seemingly millions of pedestrians. And anything west of Chinatown (Lombard Street, Van Ness Avenue) is subject to extreme inclines and declines depending on which way you are going. If you want your own personal rollercoaster, Lombard Street is for you.If you want to play it safe, stick to the parks and landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge or Buena Vista Park. There is plenty to see by bicycle that way.
