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Im off to San Francisco for a holiday in a month.
Anyone know where to find some decent on info on Marin County and Bike hire. I was wondering if it was possible to go out there for just a day and hire an MTB?
cheers
you can hire a bike from pier 39 i seem to remember .ride across the gg bridge but try not to do what i did .wife went down to sausalito while i rode up to mount tam.i got carried away forgot the time and nearly missed the ferry back !she was waiting all in a panic i thought i was going to have to leap from the pier !!!
oh and the hire bikes are marin's as well !
with just a day you have to decide where you want to go as the place is so big you only have time to do one thing properly .ie marin headlands or mt tam .
Try Sunshine bikes in Fairfax for trail info. I'd also go and check out Black Mountain Cycles in Point Reyes Station. A great wee bike shop with an amazing collection of Cunninghams, Breezers and Potts frames. Eat cake and coffee at the Bovine Bakery and stay at the Bear Valley Inn in Olema. I'm just back and love it there.
You can catch the ferry to Larkspur, the bus to San Raphael and the Marin Stagecoach to Fairfax - Olema - Point Reyes Station for about $10 single.
http://www.blackmtncycles.com/Black_Mountain_Cycles.html
http://www.bearvinn.com/
http://www.savorcalifornia.com/template1.php?id=196&img=2
http://www.sunshinebicycle.com/new/
I was thinking it should be possible if you got up early enough to combine a ride on say the Tamarancho Trail near Fairfax, maybe even a bit on Mt Tam, ride the road up past Bontempi Lake and ride Bolinas Ridge to Olema and catch the Stage back. They have bike racks on the front of the buses. That would be an epic day's riding.
Just watch out for Rangers with radar guns. I understand they can and do fine riders for breaking speed limits on trails around Marin. They don't seem to like mountain bikers much...
This may have changed, but from reading Bike magazine over the years, I don't think so.
Just had a quick google, and this site might be handy;
[url] http://www.marintrails.com/biking/ [/url]
there's downloadable PDF maps of routes. Couldn't find anything about radar guns, maybe they've got enlightened. 😉
Repack Rider may be along shortly with more advice.
Try these:
[url= http://www.doubleknot.com/openrosters/ViewOrgPageLink.asp?LinkKey=4023 ]clicky[/url]
[url= http://forums.mtbr.com/forumdisplay.php?f=67 ]clicky[/url]
[url= http://www.sunshinebicycle.com/new/ ]clicky[/url]
Have fun!
personally i thought it was bobbins but i have to admit there's nowt better than riding with a local for finding the good stuff.
don't try and find stuff yourself.
Talk with Josh at Caesar's Cycler in San Anselmo http://www.marinbikeshop.com/ he'll sort out a bike and mark-up a map with "local trails". Used them for the last couple of years, bikes have been good (Titus moto light / Trance x).
You can ride from there upto Taramancho - you'll need a day pass - or up Mt Tam via the Eldridge Grade. Plenty to do.
Go to Roaring Mouse in SF:
[url= http://www.roaringmousecycles.com/ ]mouse link[/url]
Its run by a guy named Chris who is from Newcastle but you would never know from his accent!
The rest of the crew are really friendly as well.
Id love to show you around but Im coming back to the UK next week - but have a great time anyway & enjoy the Sun 8)