Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - SF bay bridges

does the san mateo bridge have a path for cycling? what about the rest of the bay bridges? will be in sf next month but would like to explore the bay area on my bike.

San Mateo bridge http://www.mtc.ca.gov/images/bridges/san_mateo_hayward.jpg

My limited knowledge, as I've never used any bridge other than these:

Golden Gate bridge (SF<->Marin) has a bike path all the way. Really nice riding though gets hilly in Marin.

Bay Bridge (Oakland<->SF) does not have a bike path. Can take BART (subway) or the Bay Bridge Bike Shuttle to get a bike to the other side. BART has weird rules about when you can take a bike on, but pretty much out side of rush hour is ok.

I'd look into Caltrain and BART as a way of getting around with your bike - even if its just to get to the start of a nice ride. Most busses have bike racks, but you need to keep an eye on your bike in certain parts of the Bay Area.

I don't know if you have transportation out towards the Napa/Petaluma area, but Chileno Valley is a beautiful ride...doable on a fixed although there's one hill going up to Tomales that's a bit tough (for me)...mostly rolling hills and very little to no traffic along the route and incredibly scenic.

Start around downtown Petaluma, have lunch in Tomales...


http://www.petalumawheelmen.org/25-40MileRoadRoutes.html

fixedpip is correct about each of the bridges. caltrain has a bike car, too. the san mateo bridge doesn't have a bikelane, but the dunbarton does.

The new Bay Bridge will have an encapsulated bike lane, separated from traffic, if what I hear is correct. And, if the bridge is ever completed!!

The new Bay Bridge will have an encapsulated bike lane, separated from traffic, if what I hear is correct. And, if the bridge is ever completed!!

Last I heard that was only the eastern span. So you can cruise around oakland, over to treasure island, then gaze wantonly at the city from afar before you pedal your butt back to the east bay.

This guy seemed to have a good rundown... don't know how accurate it is now though:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=2286910&postcount=42

thats what i heard too. its idiotic. if they put the bike path in all the way i be on that all the time

http://www.sfbike.org/?baybridge

I'm not a huge fan of SF Bike Org, but they are organizing an effort to get the western span approved.

hop bart for a short ride man it is faster and safer

im so sick of the bart. eeeeevery damn day. if i could just ride to work i would.

hop bart for a short ride man it is faster and safer

Not very practical when you can't take your bike on BART when you need to most... to & from work.

...or if you work very early in the morning before bart even runs. i work anywhere from 2am-6am in the east bay and though the 6am is doable, it's more often the earlier times that aren't doable since I'm about a 20 minute ride from the nearest bart station to work.

oh well, it was either drive to work from sf or live in east oakland close to work. :p

bart.

Or, you could become Jesus on a bike... On another note, did you know the Bay has an average depth of ~12 feet... and that includes something like 350 feet at the GG Bridge, meanind there are probably some spots that are ankle deep.

Last I heard that was only the eastern span. So you can cruise around oakland, over to treasure island, then gaze wantonly at the city from afar before you pedal your butt back to the east bay.

This guy seemed to have a good rundown... don't know how accurate it is now though:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=2286910&postcount=42

Damn, it took $2 Mil to even make the study to prove it was feasible? I need to get into engineering studies.