Northern California - Moving to San Jose

I'm considering a job in San Jose. I've lived in Philadelphia for the past 10 years, and I have spent almost no time in California. Can anyone give me an idea of what the cycling is like there? Is downtown SJ bike friendly, or is it better to live in one of the nearby towns instead?

I'm into utility cycling (commuting, going to the grocery store), road bike riding, and occasionally touring.

Thanks.

If you can afford to live here, the area around Silicon Valley probably is the best riding close to a major population center in the country. You'd better like hills because nearly all the flat areas are already developed.

Can't give you much help on cycling in downtown SJ. I imagine it's better than Philly.

You would probably be landing yourself in 'cycling central' :). SteveE's sentiment is right about SJ especially downtown. Southbay is fairly large and Silicon Valley pretty spread out so you might want to consider the neighboring communities that are closer to the mountains where you will find most of the cyclist routes. I would say perhaps Mountain View, Los Altos, Sunnyvale and the general area even up to San Mateo depending on where you would be working. On the other side of the valley you would have Fremont, Milpitas and North San Jose itself. Probably a really good resource for you is to talk to some of the club officers in the area namely:

Western Wheelers http://www.westernwheelers.org/main/index.htm
Fremont Freewheelers (http://www.fremontfreewheelers.org/index.html)
Almaden Cycling Touring Club (http://www.actc.org/)
Webcor Alto Velo (http://www.altovelo.org/)

You'll also find cycling routes in these pages that you could look over.

I live smack downtown san jose. It's fairly bike friendly, some bike lanes, wide streets, pretty easy to get to places. the surrounding areas are pretty good too. the train and light rails will get you to anywhere around the area.

I started commuting on my bike a week ago, and so far, the drivers have been nice to me, then again, it's only been a week.

I guess it all depends on how much you want to pay.

Thanks for the list of resources. If you happen to know of any non-cycling resources for moving San Jose, that would be nice too. I don't know anything about the area, so I'm having a hard time figuring out what apartments are in desirable (or, rather, non-ghetto) locations. I looked on craigslist and it seems like $1k is the minimum I'd have to pay to live in San Jose proper. I'm used to living downtown, and I think I'd like to continue that if I move to SJ.

San Jose is not nearly as exciting as San Francisco. San Jose is mostly sprawling suburbs with a small downtown area.

Thanks for the list of resources. If you happen to know of any non-cycling resources for moving San Jose, that would be nice too. I don't know anything about the area, so I'm having a hard time figuring out what apartments are in desirable (or, rather, non-ghetto) locations. I looked on craigslist and it seems like $1k is the minimum I'd have to pay to live in San Jose proper. I'm used to living downtown, and I think I'd like to continue that if I move to SJ.


If you let me know where you want to live I can assist ya. There are alot of nicer areas a short ride from downtown. Id suggest Willow Glen if ya wanna be close to downtown. Its a bit nicer, has a great community feel, and is very bike friendly. If you PM LostinSanJose he is here for the summer and goes to school in Philly. I rode with him a couple weeks ago and he said he will be considering moving here after school.;)

Thanks for the list of resources. If you happen to know of any non-cycling resources for moving San Jose, that would be nice too. I don't know anything about the area, so I'm having a hard time figuring out what apartments are in desirable (or, rather, non-ghetto) locations. I looked on craigslist and it seems like $1k is the minimum I'd have to pay to live in San Jose proper. I'm used to living downtown, and I think I'd like to continue that if I move to SJ.

haha, non-ghetto. Well, I'm across the street from San Jose State, on the Santa Clara side, pretty ghetto here. homeless people, ghetto ass neighbors, drive by shooting right outside my apt a few years ago. But if you walk 4-5 blocks in either direction, you'll hit nice, new apt complexes, and nice areas. A lot of students around here. Anyway, Willow Glen is pretty nice.

Be sure to post some areas you areconsidering and we'll give you the low down. And I have to agree with Johnny99, Having lived in San Francisco most of my life, it's nice up there. But it'sa long train ride down, and you have to deal with the Hipsters up there.

haha, non-ghetto. Well, I'm across the street from San Jose State, on the Santa Clara side, pretty ghetto here. homeless people, ghetto ass neighbors, drive by shooting right outside my apt a few years ago. But if you walk 4-5 blocks in either direction, you'll hit nice, new apt complexes, and nice areas. A lot of students around here. Anyway, Willow Glen is pretty nice.

Be sure to post some areas you areconsidering and we'll give you the low down. And I have to agree with Johnny99, Having lived in San Francisco most of my life, it's nice up there. But it'sa long train ride down, and you have to deal with the Hipsters up there.


Its just personal preference, cause I hate San Francisco. Its just tooo busy for me.

But if you walk 4-5 blocks in either direction, you'll hit nice, new apt complexes, and nice areas.


Philly is like that too, and it always amazes me.



Be sure to post some areas you areconsidering and we'll give you the low down. And I have to agree with Johnny99, Having lived in San Francisco most of my life, it's nice up there. But it'sa long train ride down, and you have to deal with the Hipsters up there.

I haven't considered anywhere in particular yet, I just skimmed over the craigslist postings to get an idea of what to expect. I need to figure out what I can afford before I look more seriously. Are there any areas that should generally be avoided?

And I don't want to live in SF; I hate long commutes. Also, I don't have a fixed gear, all the music I listen to is at least 10 years old, and am an all around not-hip guy. So, I don't think I'd fit in there. :)

Philly is like that too, and it always amazes me.



I haven't considered anywhere in particular yet, I just skimmed over the craigslist postings to get an idea of what to expect. I need to figure out what I can afford before I look more seriously. Are there any areas that should generally be avoided?

And I don't want to live in SF; I hate long commutes. Also, I don't have a fixed gear, all the music I listen to is at least 10 years old, and am an all around not-hip guy. So, I don't think I'd fit in there. :)


Yeah, there aer a few areas to avoid, but its really a pretty clean and quiet city compared to others this size. For working downtown and living in a nice area Willow Glen or the Rose Garden areas would be really nice.

If you plan on riding your bike a lot for fun and you don't want to have to ride long distances on congested roads to get to the fun stuff, then I recommend living outside the Hwy 280/680 belt and preferably outside Hwy 85 as well. Outside the freeways, the roads are wider and you are closer to the hills. Inside is flat and congested and full of endless office parks and the resulting weekday traffic.

I live smack downtown san jose. It's fairly bike friendly, some bike lanes, wide streets, pretty easy to get to places. the surrounding areas are pretty good too. the train and light rails will get you to anywhere around the area.

I started commuting on my bike a week ago, and so far, the drivers have been nice to me, then again, it's only been a week.

I guess it all depends on how much you want to pay.


I live very close to downtown, right in back of the SJ Train Station and a few blocks from the arena. I commute everyday to work along the Guadalupe River Trail. Downtown seems biker-friendly but at 5:00 down First Street can be a little crazy. Like Sean said, Willow Glen is great. I ride down the main street often. I've lived here all my life (51 years) and it's biker heaven especially when you get around the hills of Los Gatos, Saratoga, Cupertino.

I live very close to downtown, right in back of the SJ Train Station and a few blocks from the arena. I commute everyday to work along the Guadalupe River Trail. Downtown seems biker-friendly but at 5:00 down First Street can be a little crazy. Like Sean said, Willow Glen is great. I ride down the main street often. I've lived here all my life (51 years) and it's biker heaven especially when you get around the hills of Los Gatos, Saratoga, Cupertino.

hey, we're pretty close to each other. I commute to Santa Clara, too bad the River trail isn't complete near the airport yet. It would take me off of Coleman which can be a little sketchy sometimes. But yea, I've been on 1st street once, never again. scared the crap out of me.

Depending on how far you feel like commuting, Cupertino's not that bad. and certain parts of Campbell is ok too.

I live very close to downtown, right in back of the SJ Train Station and a few blocks from the arena. I commute everyday to work along the Guadalupe River Trail. Downtown seems biker-friendly but at 5:00 down First Street can be a little crazy. Like Sean said, Willow Glen is great. I ride down the main street often. I've lived here all my life (51 years) and it's biker heaven especially when you get around the hills of Los Gatos, Saratoga, Cupertino.

Is it an easy bike ride from your home to the hills of Los Gatos, Saratoga, and Cupertino?

Is it an easy bike ride from your home to the hills of Los Gatos, Saratoga, and Cupertino?


The Los Gatos Creek trail is a great connector from downtown to the Los Gatos area.

I live in the Willow Glen neighborhood, and yes there's good routes in pretty much every direction - either MUPs or bike lanes on streets, or expressways with wide shoulders. Los Gatos Creek, as mentioned southbound, and Campbell Ave gets you northwest to the Saratoga hills, or toward that peninsula cycling mecca, Foothill Expressway and the hills above Palo Alto.

Finally someone mentions Campbell :)
I commute a few days a week (carpool the others) from Campbell to Milpitas via the Los Gatos creek trail to the Guadalupe River Trail. Not sure what you mean by completing the trail jinws, I take it all the way up to Brokaw and cut over to First to get to work. Sure it turns to dirt once it hits the airport, but I ride my road bike on it and it's hardpack. That's the other side of the airport from Coleman, so I guess it depends where you're going... Anyhow, Campbell is great for biking and has lots of new housing going up, not exactly a busy city downtown, but then neither is downtown SJ. Easy ride to the mountains via the Los Gatos creek trial and a nice commute to downtown if that's your thing.

Finally someone mentions Campbell :)
Easy ride to the mountains via the Los Gatos creek trial and a nice commute to downtown if that's your thing.

As a past inhabitant of Campbell, I really miss how that trail took you to all the nice off-road rides by Lexington Reservoir. As others have said in this thread, I would look toward the west and north for some nice riding along and up into the Santa Cruz mountains.

Finally someone mentions Campbell :)
I commute a few days a week (carpool the others) from Campbell to Milpitas via the Los Gatos creek trail to the Guadalupe River Trail. Not sure what you mean by completing the trail jinws, I take it all the way up to Brokaw and cut over to First to get to work. Sure it turns to dirt once it hits the airport, but I ride my road bike on it and it's hardpack. That's the other side of the airport from Coleman, so I guess it depends where you're going... Anyhow, Campbell is great for biking and has lots of new housing going up, not exactly a busy city downtown, but then neither is downtown SJ. Easy ride to the mountains via the Los Gatos creek trial and a nice commute to downtown if that's your thing.

I take the same route as you 5 days a week. I work off of Zanker and River Oaks by the old Sony building. HMMMM!

Get a Track Bike !!!! http://www.ridethetrack.com/ ...

One more Willow Glen resident here. I commute 14.6mi round-trip daily and have recently started road biking recreationally. I'll second that San Jose isn't too hard to get around by bike, and drivers are more courteous to bikers than most places in the country.

Also second that the best riding is in the hills, and the most popular routes are further up the peninsula, between San Mateo and Los Altos. But I can bicycle to Saratoga from my house and be climbing hills in 30 minutes. I've got a century coming up and one day a week I ride from home to Saratoga, climb to Skyline Road, then back down the hill and to work in Santa Clara. That gives me 34+ miles and 2800+ feet of climbing (depending how far I go once I get to Skyline) without using a car. On weekends I still haul the bike to Palo Alto to be closer to the more popular routes.

Also second that the best riding is in the hills, and the most popular routes are further up the peninsula, between San Mateo and Los Altos. But I can bicycle to Saratoga from my house and be climbing hills in 30 minutes. I've got a century coming up and one day a week I ride from home to Saratoga, climb to Skyline Road, then back down the hill and to work in Santa Clara. That gives me 34+ miles and 2800+ feet of climbing (depending how far I go once I get to Skyline) without using a car. On weekends I still haul the bike to Palo Alto to be closer to the more popular routes.

There are a few good hills in the south bay, e.g., Bohlman and Hicks in the west and Sierra and Hamilton and Metcalf in the east. But everything inside the 237-85-101-680 circle is really really boring (bicycle-wise).

too bad the River trail isn't complete near the airport yet. It would take me off of Coleman which can be a little sketchy sometimes.
Tell me about it! It is supposed to be completed by the end of the year (I hope so).

I work on Market & Santa Clara downtown SJ.

I have to use Coleman/De la Cruz to connect to Central Expy, on the days I ride all the way home (San Mateo). It's the only part of the ride I would change.

I live in Willow Glen and it's a nice area.It's a bike friendly area. I used to commute everyday between Milpitas at Calaveras to the IBM site at Cottle Road.The route was easy going through Monterey road and side streets. Downtown is fairly bike friendly and the lightrail will accept bikes. As for ghetto,I lived in the Tenderloin in San Francisco for a few years.Nothing in San Jose compares to that place. I did have someone take a swing at me while I rode down 1st street but he missed and tripped.Ha ha.
I commuted from the Tamian train station to my old job at Good Samaritan hospital for a couple of years.That was a good,short commute.
I also commuted between Alum Rock avenue up to Winchester blvd and all the way to Los Gatos.I did it on a real track bike too. These days,traffic has gotten heavier along Alum Rock,which turns into Santa Clara street,which goes through downtown.
Most drivers are courteous but expect some bung-hole drivers.
If you move to downtown,you're right in the middle of everything.Los Gatos has Kennedy and Lexington reservoir,The east side has Alum Rock Park and Mt Hamilton Road that leads up to the James Lick Observatory and that's a nice long climb. For me, the Quicksilver trail is only 12 miles from my home in Willow Glen.
The Los Gatos Creek trail begins at Meridian Avenue near Willow street.That will take you to downtown Los Gatos and to Lexington.
So all in all,you'll find you'll find a lot of places to ride in San Jose. Good luck.