Northern California - new to Bay Area -- Presidio question

Hi, I'm new to the Bay Area and would appreciate any help you regulars could offer. I'm moving to Petaluma in August and will be commuting to work in the city (Pacific Heights, specifically). Luckily, my job starts really early in the morning and ends a little before rush hour, so I won't usually experience the very worst of the North Bay commute traffic. For the most part, I'm planning on riding Golden Gate Transit to the transfer point in the Presidio, just after the GGB, and then cycling through the Presidio and over to my workplace on Pacific Ave. I have a couple questions, though:

1) Have any of you used the luggage bay bike racks on the GGT buses? How easy/hard are they to maneuver? I've only used the exterior kind of rack before and I'm not really sure what to expect.

2) Do you have any suggestions for the most efficient route through the Presidio? To be honest, I'm kind of a bad map-reader, and I'm having trouble figuring out how best to get from the bus stop to my job. Since I'm new to SF and used to riding on nice, flat roads, I want to try and avoid massively steep hills, if at all possible. :)

3) Also, what's traffic like on the Presidio roads? I'm a little concerned about my morning ride, since in the winter it will probably happen before dawn.

Thank you for your help!
-Skepticat

Hi, I'm new to the Bay Area and would appreciate any help you regulars could offer. I'm moving to Petaluma in August and will be commuting to work in the city (Pacific Heights, specifically). Luckily, my job starts really early in the morning and ends a little before rush hour, so I won't usually experience the very worst of the North Bay commute traffic. For the most part, I'm planning on riding Golden Gate Transit to the transfer point in the Presidio, just after the GGB, and then cycling through the Presidio and over to my workplace on Pacific Ave. I have a couple questions, though:

1) Have any of you used the luggage bay bike racks on the GGT buses? How easy/hard are they to maneuver? I've only used the exterior kind of rack before and I'm not really sure what to expect.

2) Do you have any suggestions for the most efficient route through the Presidio? To be honest, I'm kind of a bad map-reader, and I'm having trouble figuring out how best to get from the bus stop to my job. Since I'm new to SF and used to riding on nice, flat roads, I want to try and avoid massively steep hills, if at all possible. :)

3) Also, what's traffic like on the Presidio roads? I'm a little concerned about my morning ride, since in the winter it will probably happen before dawn.

Thank you for your help!
-Skepticat

Don't know about the bike racks, but Golden Gate Transit does their best to accomodate bikes. I ride through the Presidio 3 days a week. I am unsure of the names of the streets - but its easy - you'll figure it out. Very few hills.

1. When you get off the bus, turn right and go back under the freeway and through the tunnel. This road will veer to the right and come to a stop sign. Go through that stop sign. At the next stop sign, make a left hand turn (be careful - traffic comes quick here). If you stay on this road - it winds around and puts you very close to Pac Heights.

2. Mornings have some traffic - but not too many cars. I roll through around 8 AM and maybe see 4 or 5 cars - mostly by the bridge. Most people who ride early have good lights.

Mike

All the exits from the Presidio have some sort of uphill to them. Taking Lincoln down to Park, Arguello, or Presidio. You could take Lincoln all the way to 25th ave which is a lot less steep but it's in the wrong direction to the west.

Thank you for your replies. It sounds like this'll be a very do-able commute!