Short Bike Rides in and Around San Francisco [Paperback]

Henry Kingman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1996

Park your car, put on your helmet, fill your water bottle, and discover the best way to see the sights in San Francisco--on two wheels. Whether you're a dedicated cyclist or just want to have some fun with the kids on the weekend, a bike and a couple of hours are all you need to enjoy the carefully selected routes in this well-researched guide.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

This book is for you if: (a) you¦re new in town and want to discover the most popular rides in the area; (b) you¦re a tourist who wants to see a different side of America¦s most visited city, a side you can view only from the seat of a bicycle; or (c) you¦re a Bay Area resident who wants to learn some extremely cool, tucked-away little bicycle routes that might otherwise take you years of exploring to discover. You will not need a car to do any of the 24 rides in this book. All routes were researched and recorded using 100 percent human power. (Well, that and public transportation!) Most rides start right in San Francisco, while others can be accessed through connections with other rides that start in town or via public transportation. About half the routes are inside the city limits. The other half go through nearby open space and rural areas. San Francisco is truly blessed by large areas of open space where a cyclist can ride with the illusion of being miles and miles from civilization. Included are precise written directions, excellent route maps, safety tips, availability of food and facilities and vivid descriptions of points of interest. Each ride is given a level of difficulty, which includes mileage.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Globe Pequot Pr; 1st edition (April 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564406539
• ISBN-13: 978-1564406538
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,040,817 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fantastic SF guide, February 9, 2004

By 

Daniel J. Connelly "djconnel" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Short Bike Rides in and around San Francisco, 2nd (Short Bike Rides Series) (Paperback)

To describe "Short Bike Rides in and around San Francisco" as a cycling book does it injustice. Sure, it succeeds in describing ways around and out of San Francisco, but does so much more. Even for someone who's never been on two wheels, the descriptions of the neighborhoods, their attractions and history, is worth the investment. I strongly recommend it, the best cycling guide book of its type I've read.

The one weakness is a lack of an index. You might read an excellent review, for example, of a burrito shop, but recalling on which ride that review occurred may turn into a serial search operation. Nevertheless, it still ranks as a 5-star on this rating scale. Virtually a must-read for all cyclists in SF.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book for cyclists without cars..., March 17, 2001

By 

"highenergydog" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Short Bike Rides in and around San Francisco, 2nd (Short Bike Rides Series) (Paperback)

San Francisco is a very "livable" city, especially without a car to worry or pay for. "Short Bike Rides..." suggests two dozen fun routes in and around the city that allow you to make the most of living here without a car. From the fastest way to get across town, to a wonderful rides in Marin and the East Bay I have ridden nearly all of these rides, and enjoyed them immensely. Not only are the directions and maps clear, but Kingman's comments are often very entertaining. There is also a handy supplement in the back listing public transportation contacts for taking your bike on BART, CalTrain etc.. Absolutely essential for any SF cyclist - commuter, weekend warrior, out of towner, tourist entertainer. And for less than $10 I have used this book 10x as much as any of the other rides books I have.

One note: I would assume Kingman is one hell of climber, since he does tend to downplay the physical effort required to climb the "hilly terrain" of some the rides.

5.0 out of 5 stars great help, February 5, 2011

By 

Deano "Deano" (Brea, Ca. USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Short Bike Rides in and around San Francisco, 2nd (Short Bike Rides Series) (Paperback)

I got this for my son who just moved to SF. He told me it was a great help getting around for anybody that does not know the city well.