Bicycles

Using a bicycle to get around in the city is an ambitious yet rewarding activity; though traffic, hills and the weather can slow you down, you're exercising while saving money and the environment! Over 30,000 residents use a bicycle as their primary mode of transportation, according to a 2006 David Binder Poll.

Lots of bikes locked to a bike rack in the Mission (July 2008) An informational website is available to bicyclists thanks to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. The site offers maps, safety information, and even help with choosing a bike.

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is a popular organization that advocates for safer streets for cyclists and many other things. Their website, sfbike.org is a awesome resource and includes a map of bike-friendly routes and landmarks. This map is free for new members and can be purchased for about $4 online and in various stores, such as Rainbow Grocery — which offers a 10% discount on groceries for SF Bike Coalition members.

See the Bicycle shops page for information about where to buy and maintain bikes in the city.

Also make sure to check out the Wiggle when riding downtown.

Though the city offers several bike trails, cyclists and motorists interact often. They share the road and follow many of the same rules as cars, such as following the flow of traffic and staying on the pavement, unless the sidewalk is specifically designated as a bike path. Many streets have bike lanes, but only the intersection of Fell and Masonic has a bike traffic signal!

On the last Friday of every month, thousands of bicyclists participate in Critical Mass in order to demonstrate the need for safer streets in San Francisco (and on 5 other continents!). Those involved meet and take to the streets en masse.

Bikes can be taken onto BART (with some restrictions) and Caltrain for traveling throughout the city and beyond. Muni doesn't allow bikes aboard its trains, but buses can hold up to two bikes on the front.

In July 2008, the city launched a program designed to help drivers — that may ultimately hurt cyclists — by replacing more than 6,000 bike-friendly parking meters with electronic pay stations. The Superior Court has placed an injunction on the city forbidding the placement of new bike racks until after the San Francisco Bike Plan is reviewed and as a result the possibility of losing valuable bike parking is very real, even in a city that actively promotes bicycling. Upon criticism, city officials are considering simply replacing the parking meter tops with sculptures. More information about the program can be found in a Chronicle article here.

The SFMTA released for public review a draft of an environmental impact report for an update to the San Francisco Bike Plan. No changes to San Francisco's roads (including the addition of lanes, sharrows or parking areas) can be made until any and all effects have been considered in the EIR, of which the draft can be found here.