I've been using the Bike Barns services since I started biking to state back in 2006. They're open…read moreduring normal class hours and there's always somebody there to check you in/out. It's located underneath the gym next to the entrance to the soccer field. I've NEVER had any problems here but there have been a few employees I feel wouldn't have done a great job protecting my baby which worried me a little. For example: One time I was picking up my bike and the attendant was playing Guitar Hero. I walked up with my bike to the window and turned in my 2 matching tickets and signed out on the book. He didn't even look up. So, I stood there for a while until he said: "Hey Dude, I know I'm playing guitar hero but if you're trying to steal a bike right now, I will F*%$ YOU UP!!!!" I laughed and he said that there were camera's down there. I haven't seen him there since. Just as an added precaution, I lock my bike up now.

Best place to lock up your bike on campus! It is located near the track field, inside the parking…read morestructure. If you're trying to find it from the bookstore, just go toward the Burk Hall building, and make a right in between the Gymnasium and the Ethnic Studies & Psychology building. You will see an outdoor bike rack, just go through the parking structure ground floor and you will see it to your left. The staff are usually friendly every time I go. They have a little clock on the counter when you sign in/out now so you don't have to guess what time it is. Have peace of mind knowing that an actual person is always behind the counter, keeping an eye on the bikes. I always lock mine up (better safe than sorry) but if you don't have a lock, that's ok too (but at your own risk, of course). Bonuses: they also have a bike tire pump, just in case you happen to need it. No more wet bike because of the rain/mist/fog/whatever, yay! So glad I found this place!

Awesome service from Lily, Barry, and Jason at the 2157 Lombard St. location. They set us up on our…read morebikes, made sure my family and I were comfortable and knowledgeable about how to use the bike's features, and answered all of our questions. All equipment was in great condition. They made it super easy to pick up and return bikes at that location at the end of the day. They helped make our family bike ride day a wonderful and memorable adventure together!

Very fun to ride. Worker was very nice and helpful. Highly Recommend going here. Worth it.read more

Since I have time to reminisce about the good 'ol travel days, I figured I might as well pump out…read moresome of these reviews! Basically Free Bike Rentals is exactly that! Basically free! F-R-E-E! Now who would turn down something that is almost free?! LOCATION: Located near Fisherman's Wharf, it's easy to spot since it's at the corner and their building is lime green! The store is loaded with lots of different kinds of bikes and the workers are very friendly! Immediately upon entering the store, they will request that you sign in and fill out a waiver. BIKES: They have an abundant stock of different kinds of bikes. From comfort hybrid to electric to tandem bikes, they've got most of it! Now the prices of course vary depending on which bike you decide to bike. The group I was with were experienced bikers so it was road bikes for them, but I haven't hopped on a bike in years so I was debating between the comfort hybrid (a traditional bike) or an electric bike. After hearing that there is a slight elevation gain on the route to Golden Gate Bridge, I opted for the electric bike and was NOT disappointed whatsoever. In fact, if I had a regular bike, I probably wouldn't have enjoyed the bike ride as much because I would have had to walk the bike up the several hills we encountered. If I walked up, I would have been left behind by the group or they would have had to just wait for me at the top. I know for sure I would not have had a fun experience. Prices do vary depending on the bike you rent and how long you choose to rent it. The electric bike was $65 and the road bike was $45 for full days. They have clip pedals if you need it, but I needed just regular pedals. Once you have rented your bikes, you're on your way! You have the value of the rental in store credit to use at Sports Basement (which is like an REI.) So for example, we paid $110 to rent the bikes. We got store credit for $110 to buy ANYTHING in the store. We opted for something small since we had to be able to pack it back with us home. They do ship your items for free IF you are a part of the 48 mainland US States. Since we are not, we had to lug it home ourselves. BIKE RIDE: You have the freedom to ride wherever you choose to, but don't miss out on the bridge! You can ride across it too! Keep in mind that the bridge is fairly narrow and experienced bikers ride rather quickly past you. If you're still getting accustomed to the bike, I recommend taking a short ride to get your bearings first. Fisherman's Wharf to the Golden Gate Bridge is a decent trip by itself, but I still felt a little shaky going over several bumps. Definitely something I would recommend when visiting San Francisco. Not only do you get to see and experience the bridge, you also get in some exercise! Happy biking! Would love to hear your stories of riding across the bridge!

Had an awesome experience with Basically Free Bikes so needed to write this review. Used the $25…read morevoucher to pick up water, Peets coffee, protein bars, stroopwafles and still had extra available for more. Bike, helmet, lock all included. Thank you for quickly setting up and allowing us to drop off at Sports Basement. Will be back!

This company is open and thriving! new employee, very…read morefriendly and helpful, Great vibe, good conversation and the best prices around! Ask for Mark:)

We probably started a little too late to bike but Nick helped us out and let us return the bikes at…read morea nearby hotel since they closed at 5pm. We really wanted to bike around the city and to the bridge since we were only there for 3 days. Nick gave us a map and directed us on how to get to the bridge. They gave complimentary water and he walked us over to show us where to drop off the bikes. The bikes are basic and come with a little fanny pack in front so you can put small items in. The key to lock the bike is also in there if you decide to park it. Play with the gears before you take off and definitely before you go up a hill. Only thing I wished for was a bell. There wasn't a bell so we could ring for pedestrians to hear us. Pedestrians would be in the bike lane and not notice we were behind them. Also, it's a little dangerous with pedestrians walking down a hill and you're going at such a fast pace. You can request helmets which we opted out of and then decided we should have got them. All in all the service was great and the bikes did their job. Would definitely come back to them when I'm in San Fransico.

Go get fitted! ...should have got fitted by Craig sooner! Awesome!…read more Do it sooner than later! Highly recommend get fitted sooner than later! Craig's Bike fitting changed the sport for me. Easy, fun, educational and the bike is just so dialed in and nice! Makes it a whole new experience. Great guy too - Thank you! Thank you! ;)

A couple months back I had a lactate test with Craig, and then went for a bike fitting, both were…read morebrilliant. Came out of both sessions feeling a lot more knowledgeable than when I went in. Looking forward now to getting out riding and seeing how everything feels!

Been wanting to do this ride for a number of years and finally made time for it! Although the…read moreweather started off cloudy it was still a picturesque view of the Bay. I started my ride at the Albany beach and was able to find descent parking. The trail begins here in all reality vs Emeryville across from IKEA. There is quite a bit of construction in Albany/Berkeley area which causes a few cones off detours but doesn't really take you off the trail much. Nice smooth ride with not too much interaction with cars until you get to Emeryville and Treasure Island. Best to do on a sunny day for the benefit of the views and it is a bit windy so dress appropriately. If you go down to TI there is a major hill to go down on the street to get there so this may not be everyone's cup of tea because you also have to climb that big hill to get back across the bridge ( food for thought)! Not much on TI to see besides the views, a museum, 1 or 2 food spots ( didn't eat there just explored the island) and some residential areas. Great ride overall for the location to get too. About 25 miles from Albany to TI round trip in case you're wondering.

I wouldn't say that the Bay Bridge Pedestrian path is as scenic or as exciting as the Golden Gate…read moreBridge, but it does offer a nice view of the surrounding bay. I recently walked the bridge with my hiking group a month or so ago on a rainy Saturday morning around 8:30. We all met at IKEA and most of us parked there since the store wasn't open yet. The path begins across the street from Ikea and takes you near a rural area next to the bridge. It takes about a mile and a half to actually make your way onto the bridge path. The bridge path extends about 3.5 miles until its' end at the beginning of Treasure Island. There, you will find a few benches and a beautiful view of the structure of the bridge as well as the beautiful bay. It's about a total of 10 miles there and back round trip. The actual walk up is fairly easy with a slight gradual incline. It's a nice walk or run for pretty much anyone to enjoy. Many people frequent this path and it was pretty busy even at 8:30 in the morning when we all decided to go. You should definitely dress in layers and bring a coat because it gets cold! The high winds are super strong and at times you may sway in one direction. Since it was a rainy day when my group and I went, it was probably even windier than usual. The path is currently only open on the weekends and only extends to Treasure Island. I think it will be nice once they finally make it available to walk during the week too. I hope that they will be extending the path to San Francisco in the near future. When we got back to Ikea, some of us received a nasty letter on our windshield because we parked in Ikea's parking lot. I'm not sure if there's an actual parking lot associated with this path, but I wouldn't recommend parking at Ikea. In closing, the Bay Bridge Path is a decent place for a nice brisk walk and a great view of the San Francisco Bay!

Bicycling in San Francisco....this review actually centers more on the Richmond District where I…read moreused to call home. Cycling here offers major, major benefits. If you go do a little shopping on Clement St or the Citibank on Geary or Charlie, the barber on Balboa, you don't have to fight all those cars for parking spaces. Seriously when I drive to Clement St., it takes 5 minutes to get there and 10 minutes to find a space on avg. This is a even bigger deal if you have to park at a meter, which is hwy robbery in SF these days. When you ride back home, again you don't have to hunt for parking spaces on your home turf. So realistically I can ride my bike to Clement and it would take roughly the same time to get my errand done, but with less stress and zero gas fumes. And the Richmond doesn't have too many hills. There are always some way to avoid the really steep ones. For fun, there's riding through Golden Gate Park or take Cabrillo all the way down to the beach. They put a bike lane on that street, but it is so wide and so quiet, it didn't really need one. Anza and Lake St and all the numbered avenues are super safe to ride on. Just stay off Fulton St, that st. is plain dangerous. So if you have a bike and live in the Richmond, try this out. Using the bike as transportation really isn't as weird as you think.

This was my first trail run... big mistake. This course kicked my butt!…read more The race consists of a 5k and a half marathon; you can sign up on active.com beforehand (very reasonable fee-- $35 early registration for the half) with a quick bib pick up on site right before the 8am start. I knew the course was hilly-- I grew up in CV-- but I didn't know that the majority of the race was on hills, and not flat. Whoops, I guess my normal road running did not train me properly. Organization: Fairly well organized, quick bib pick up, start near the marina with the 5k and half marathon running separate directions. Several water stops (cold water and Gatorade, and super nice volunteers), but no mile markers until mile 9. Course: long uphills mostly in the first half of the half (before 6.7mi); consider walking a few of these! Many shaded areas-- and was thankful that it was foggy today but could potentially see heat-stroke potential in normal June weather. Paved in the first mile and last couple miles for a strong finish. Dirt roads in the middle 75% of the course. Would suggest bringing your own water. Also many people with dogs, bikers, and some pedestrians. No timing markers; time yourself. Time limit: 3 hours. It seemed that most finished around the 2 hour mark (impressive!). Parking: free on the street (Lake Chabot road), or $5 park entrance fee. Post-race: plenty of lawn areas to lay out and stretch. Bountiful free bagels, cream cheese, chunky pb, bananas, apples, water, and oranges. You could plan on bbq'ing here afterwards (although I personally went home to shower!). Well-- I'm sure sore now, so I consider this race a success!

This year, the 26th annual Lake Chabot Trail Challenge is presented by the Castro Valley Track…read moreClub. The past 25 years, Golden Bay Runners organized this race. I don't know the reason for this switch but just wanted to point it out. The race consists of a 5k and Half Marathon. I registered for the Half Marathon and didn't know what to expect as I've never been to Lake Chabot before. Only description from their website is, "A very challenging, hilly loop on mostly dirt fire roads 3-hour time limit. Three aid stations." I arrived early and there was still free parking on Lake Chabot Road. Lake Chabot also has their own parking lot which requires a $5 parking fee. I also noticed there is a $2 dog fee. Like most race events, the starting area was active. Runners were picking up their bibs as well as their goodie bag. There was also boxes of donuts, coffee, and water. This was probably my most grueling race of the year. There are several steep inclines and never-ending rolling hills. Flat terrain were few and far between. Besides the race runners, there were also random bikers, hikers, and dogs on the trail. I actually ran with a little dog for awhile till he beat me up a hill. :( This race was nicely organized and included post-race food at the end such as bagels, cream cheese, apples, bananas, oranges, water, and soda. They also had a raffle so even if you didn't win a trophy, you still have a chance to win something. Somehow I won a Castro Valley Track Club runners bag. Other folks won a $50 gift certificate to Fleetsports, cherry and apricot pies, water bottle, and running caps. Overall a nice scenic race, just be prepared to run up challenging hills.