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cycling san francisco/californaia

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  • 24-01-2008 12:07am
    #1
    E@gle.
    Registered Users Posts: 1,516 ✭✭✭


    ok, im heading out to san francisco on the J1 for the summer and im interested in doing a bit of cycling when im out there. so im stuck on a situation i dont know whether to bring my bike out there or buy one over there.

    Is there really much savings to be made in the USA??

    im not really keen on bringing out my expensive carbon bike.


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    #2
    kona
    Registered Users Posts: 7,525 ✭✭✭kona


    buy one there and bring it bak and sell it for profit tbh:D:D
    yes its THAT cheap


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    #3
    E@gle.
    Registered Users Posts: 1,516 ✭✭✭E@gle.


    kona wrote: »
    buy one there and bring it bak and sell it for profit tbh:D:D
    yes its THAT cheap

    i think im better off buying a bike using it for the 3 months while im out there and try and sell it when i get back.

    I hear Trek and specialized bikes are cheap out there cos there an american brand.


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    #4
    kona
    Registered Users Posts: 7,525 ✭✭✭kona


    E@gle. wrote: »
    i think im better off buying a bike using it for the 3 months while im out there and try and sell it when i get back.

    I hear Trek and specialized bikes are cheap out there cos there an american brand.

    everything is cheaper, i know kona are miles cheaper at the high end.
    i was in a bike shop in NY last summer and trek and GT(both yank brands)
    were a bit cheaper, it was say the exchange rate in difference.
    sales tax is different in different states, not sure what it is in california, in NY it was 11%.

    but yes buy it over there, as if your going j1 you dont want to be lugging around a bike box and the rest of the crap you need.
    sure you could sell it there and still make a profit with the exchange rate. but youd make more here.
    but is it worth the effort and extra baggage charges??
    or you could get a freight company to sort it out, cheaper if you are heading with a big bunch of lads


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    #5
    E@gle.
    Registered Users Posts: 1,516 ✭✭✭E@gle.


    kona wrote: »
    everything is cheaper, i know kona are miles cheaper at the high end.
    i was in a bike shop in NY last summer and trek and GT(both yank brands)
    were a bit cheaper, it was say the exchange rate in difference.
    sales tax is different in different states, not sure what it is in california, in NY it was 11%
    but yes buy it over there, as if your going j1 you dont want to be lugging around a bike box and the rest of the crap you need.
    sure you could sell it there and still make a profit with the exchange rate. but youd make more here.
    but is it worth the effort and extra baggage charges??
    or you could get a freight company to sort it out, cheaper if you are heading with a big bunch of lads
      my biggest worry is lugging the bike around for 3 months, i want to do a bit of cycling while im there. bah i dont really know what to do.


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    #6
    paddylast
    Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭paddylast


    E@gle if you plan on cycling around San Fran i hope you have the power in the legs for all the hills! was there on my J1 also.
    i had a friend working in a bike shop called Blazing Saddles on Pier 41 down at Fishermans wharf so got to cycle around good bit of the city.
    (just dont try the massive hill at fillmore and broadway, its the steepest thing ive ever seen in my life!)

    what you must do it the cyle over the golden gate and down to Sausalito and on to Tiburon. its an amzing cyle with great views. you often see large groups of people doing this trip as the bike rental companies in san fran heavily promote this. once you get to Tiburon you bring your bike back on the ferry to Pier 41. ferry is only about 8 dollars back.

    another good one is to get the ferry from Pier 41 over to angel island beside Alcatraz. you could spend few hours cylcling around that island. the island does a few trips each day but literally no cars so you can rip around the island at good speeds without worrying about traffic! (bring plenty of water around with you for this as only one shop on the island)


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    #7
    E@gle.
    Registered Users Posts: 1,516 ✭✭✭E@gle.


    i take your advice on boards paddy. it should make a change to cycling in the rain the whole time


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    #8
    daymobrew
    Registered Users Posts: 6,508 ✭✭✭daymobrew


    paddylast wrote: »
    (just dont try the massive hill at fillmore and broadway, its the steepest thing ive ever seen in my life!)
    Some footpaths have steps because the road is so steep!
    You can get maps that show the gradient of each road, so you can cycle around the hills.

    I found Sports Basement to have the best prices for stuff, though I was only buying gear (e.g. shorts, computers etc).
    paddylast wrote: »
    what you must do it the cyle over the golden gate and down to Sausalito and on to Tiburon. its an amzing cyle with great views. you often see large groups of people doing this trip as the bike rental companies in san fran heavily promote this.
    I rented from Blazing Saddles on Columbus Ave and cycled to Golden Gate Bridge, through Presidio to Seal Rocks, down Highway 1 toward the zoo, across to Twin Peaks and then back to North Beach.
    I love the views throughout SF. You should enjoy it.


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