MIN 

I'm going to SF for a short vacation this week. Taking my fixed gear bike.

First - I'd appreciate suggestions on local watering holes, cheap-eat restaurants and others things to do. How about some cool cofffee shops for my morning fix?

I hope to not drive my car at all while I'm down there. (So I bought some fly Rapha gear for the occasion, but that's neither here nor there.)

I'm staying on Haight & Ashbury with a friend.

Second - should I gear my 48t x 18t down to something better for the hills?

eskachig

I think that you'll be fine with your 48 x 18, because the worst hills can usually be ridden around.

macka_fat

go to the zeitgeist on valencia and 14th for beers. go to el metate on 22nd and bryant for the best f ucking burritos in the world. go to phil's coffee on 24th and folsom for the best f ucking coffee in the world. go to amoeba for the best f ucking record store in the world. watch out for muni rail gaps, you'll die if you hit them parallel. have fun, i miss this city hella mucho.

Retem

gestalt on 16th between valencia and guerrero is a good place sausage and beer bar with a bike rack right inside the door
there is poncho vila right down the street good burritos and the big lantern across the street has cheap dim sum

polarcreamsoda

ride down market to the wharf and find the bushman.

MIN 

I heard the bushman were awesome.

kit

rainbow grocery (www.rainbowgrocery.org) in the mission has a lot of cool weird stuff. tons of murals around there too (go to clarion alley if you like murals). also in the mission: ridiculously gorgeous bicycles everywhere that you wish were your own. and golden gate park (near amoeba records) is very chill and nice.

MIN 

I am worrying about getting my bike stolen or getting parts picked off. Is this concern justified or is the theft rate no more than say, Portland?

Considering uglyfying my bike prior to the trip. (Stock parts, black tape over decals and TT, etc.)

el twe

Ehh, you should be fine as is. Bring a good lock, stay locked in well trafficked areas, and don't stay away from it for too long. Bike theft is bad in the city, but like anywhere else it's a crime of opportunity.

brianappleby

sf is #2 for bike theft after NY. I'll put my vote in for a restauruant called Home on Church & Market. Gourmet comfort food....

lemondzurich

check out the restaurants around 9th and Irving just a tad west of haight/ashbury. One of my favorites is Yummas mediterranean on irving at 8th. Get the falafel deluxe. If you want Chinese, get San Tung on Irving and around 11th? South side of Irving. Sushi is rarely cheap (if you don't want to get sick) but there's Ebisu on 9th between Irving and Lincoln. There's starbucks and other misc coffee places in the neighborhood too, but Canvas cafe on 9th and lincoln is good. Although I think I heard that they were closing down to be replaced by some brewery. Oh one more... Naan and Curry on Irving at 7th is good for Indian food.

pazzmore

i say Truly Med on 16th and Valencia for the best Falafel Deluxe you'll find on the west coast. extra hot sauce.

MIN 

Great suggestions guys. I am stoked for my trip.


One more thing: there is a chance that my friend may flake on housing me. In this case, any suggestions on hotel/motels/hostels? Just trying to cover my bases.

deathhare

Tommy's!

Retem

there are three hostels in town just search for sf hostels I don't remember the website

ken cummings

Soko Hardware in Japan Town is worth a visit. From glazed cats to take back for friends to a Five foot knife for cutting open tuna. Many signed bike routes in the City and elsewhere. Check out https://bicycling.511.org and look in the biking section.

the Didey

the best thing about san francisco...is that you can see oakland from there.

just kidding.

I like Puerto Alegre on Valencia across from cable car pizza (i think...beer memory). there some bar's around there too...but good? dunno.
Also your friend would surely know this....but you can take your bike on the BART (and maybe some of the muni buses/trains) so even if you want to go to berkeley and ride around or something like that...you still won't need the car....

have fun.

sfcrossrider

Ride over the bridge and do the headlands ride. It may not be SOMA, but you'll see how strong your legs are.

MIN 

Thanks I'm actually planning to goto Berkeley since I am checking out the graduate school program in Business.

What bridge, the Golden Gate?

Any suggestions on places to park my car for 3 days? I'm guessing by your s/n that you are a SF native. I hope to not drive at all. I'd rather walk, ride and take the BART.

Mtbnomore

For Chinese: House of Nanking on Columbus
For beer: Jack's Bar next to the Argonaut on the wharf

Also, check out the ferry terminal and take a boat to Larkspur.

furiousbob

Middle to High priced Chinese - R & G Lounge

Anybody heard?

seaneee

join sf.fixed

If your staying in the Haight, hit up squat and gobble, good food for not so much cash. Go down a few blocks and checkout the Freewheel on Hayes. Take a ride through the park on Sunday (closed to cars). Breakfast at the St. Francis in the mission, dinner at Chow in the castro. Umm, theirs lots more I can't think of....

el twe

www.sffixed.com

rduenas

+1 Gestalt and Zeitgeist


Coffee shop? Ritual on Valencia/21st

MIN 

So is Gestalt & Zeitgeist popular only with the bikers? I keep hearing about them.

And I joined sffixed earlier today.