My wife and I will be up there with our own bikes next spring. I’ll be the old guy on the sleek Italian fixie with fenders–also stopping at red lights.

I LOVE SF, and will continue to remain active in the cycling community…I just hate people thinking SF is a cycling Nirvana. It’s far from it. Lots of work to be done, and I shy away from thinking our town is a good example to follow.

Thanks for the post, and hope to see you on the street next time you’re in town! I’ll be the old guy with the Chrome bag who isn’t on a fixie and stops at lights. Easy to find me. ;)

I spent a week riding in Portland, and I’ve spent the last 44 years riding in Los Angeles, and I’m also involved in the bike scene here. Believe me, I know about theft, bad roads, insane drivers, clueless droolers on bikes, and all the rest. I work downtown and ride (and often enough park) my bike there.

I’ll take SF over Portland (which has plenty of bike theft too, though much better–and fewer–drivers).

Then again, as I said, I live and ride in LA.

I’m curious. When you were visiting our fair city, did you jump on a bike? Did you try to navigate our city on wheels?

I grew up racing. Now damn near 40, and hardly a “hard-core” cyclist anymore, I still love cycling. I commute to work everyday in SF on a vintage Raleigh Professional. I love to ride, but fear for my life each and every commute.

I often think about how SF is considered one of the most “bike friendly” cities in America while swerving to avoid broken glass and shattered crack pipes in bike lanes, hop massive pot holes, and avoid crazy cab drivers while swerving around tour buses parked in “green bike lanes”. Many, very busy, three lane streets have “bike lanes” designated as the center lane. You’d have to have a death wish to take that seriously.

Beyond the extreme dangers and hazards of cycling in this city, we also have an exceptional amount of cyclists that drive me insane, and give us all a bad name. Those who blow red lights, stop signs, hop curbs, hit 20mph on sidewalks & don’t use lights after dark…

Finally, in SF, bikes and bike parts are a street commodity. Sex, drugs and bikes. Bike theft, and bike chopping out here is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The city can put up all the bike “parking lots” it wants, but I would NEVER park my bike on the street in SF. In the Mission or Downtown, in under 20 minutes (and in broad daylight), a very skilled team of thieves will steal your crappy, $5 saddle, brake cables, bar tape…anything that isn’t locked up. I swear.

Bottom line. Cycling in SF is pretty horrible. LOTS more to do to make this city even close to desirable as a cycling haven compared to Portland, Madison WI, Austin, or even SoCal.

Just saying.