I hope that this is an appropriate topic for the board…
Basically I’m trying to get the opinion of triathletes on where you think the best place to live within about 30-45 minutes driving distance (without traffic) of San Francisco city would be. This could be the place you live now, or the place you would live if you could, etc.
I’m looking for access to good cycling roads, a public lap pool, and availability of apartments or rooms for rent. I am a single male, mid twenties, who works from home, so I can choose where to live regardless of a lot of factors people normally consider. What I mean by good cycling roads is long stretches without lights or stop signs, safe shoulders or bike lanes, and a selection of flats or hills.
Main critera
-30-45 minutes to SF by car
-Nice weather
-Good cycling roads available
Bonus criteria (obviously can’t have all of these, as some directly conflict):
-Close to the ocean
-Good town center with things to do
-Shortest drive to Tahoe area for winter
-Regional public transportation available
I’m in Truckee (up near Lake Tahoe) now but I really want to be closer to some family in San Francisco, and also be able to go there to do and see cultural things that I miss up here in the mountains. I also get tired of the weather even though there is so much to do here when it snows. I’d rather it be 50’s and 60’s right now than the 23 degrees it is.
Also, anyone who’s lurking this thread and wants to convince me to move to anywhere else on the California coast is welcome to try. I have family in San Diego too.
Well, I live in Walnut Creek which I have found to be a great place to live, work, and train. It’s like 3 hours (no traffic) from Tahoe, BART to SF is like 30-35 minutes, although you could drive but that may not be as fun… Walnut Creek has a great downtown area called Broadway Plaza, lots of folks in the East Bay come here to shop and eat at the restaurants. The Masters Swim program at Clarke Memorial Swim center is one of the best in the country I believe. You have plenty of running and cycling at your disposal, including Mt. Diablo which a lot of folks use as a training ground for the Death Ride…
The weather is pretty great, although it does get pretty hot a few weeks in the summer time…
however I’m quite certain that as far as training is concerned San Diego is pretty tough to beat.
I suspect you’ll get some good responses though as there are a lot of regulars on this forum who live in the SF Bay.
X2 for Walnut Creek. I have lived here for 8 years and love it. Lots of fantastic roads to ride, trails to run and beautiful people to watch downtown. One of the best masters swim programs in the area is at Heather Farm Park. We have one of the premier hospitals in the entire West Coast (John Muir) that is getting a huge face lift and addition right now. Yes, it gets oppresively hot fo a few weeks in the summer but not as shitty of air quality as you get in Sacramento on hot days. I have live in Fremont, San Leandro and Walnut Creek since moving here in 1997 and Walnut creek is defiinitely home for me now. It would take a lot to get me to leave. We have several great cycling and triathlon clubs and one of the premier health clubs in the East Bay, Club Sport. The crown jewel is Mount Diablo State Park. Endless opportunities for mountain biking, hiking, awesome hill climbing on the road bike and hiking galore. the East Bay regional PArks system is second to none when it comes to open space access in a metropolitan area. It was one of the reasons I left southern CA and I don’t think I’ll ever return down there after living here.
Easy - Marin county, probably Mill Valley to as far north as San Rafael area. 30 min bus commute to work, 40-50 mins home, depending on which city and the day. There are no better cycling options anywhere. Mt Tam is 0 mins from MV. The roads that open up to the coast are after 20 mins of nice suburban backroads. You can ride from MV and be over the hill and to the beach in 30 mins…
What about South SF? It’s sunnier and although potentially ghetto it’s still closer to the sunnyvale/palo alto areas which have great roads for cycling.
Berkeley, or the north side of Oakland (Rockridge/Piedmont/Montclair/Temescal neighborhoods)
Do a search on this forum for “Oakland”
I have 4 lap pools and two tracks within walking distance, multiple town centers, very bike-friendly town (multitude of designated bike streets/lanes, and all errands can be done on bike/by foot), 7 minutes from a BART station that goes directly to downtown SF, can ride right up into the hills towards Three Bears/Pinehurst/Redwood/Carquinez Shoreline, etc., massive open-space areas with virtually no stoplights/suburbia, endless running trails and parks, mild weather (not as foggy as SF nor as hot in the summer as towns further east), lots of rooms for rent/culture to take in/stuff for young people.
This place is made for self-employed, active people in their mid-20s!
seriously, listen to what this person says about the fog. It’s awful. And that on top of the nasty cold weather that is the same, overcast stuff everyday, will totally ruin your training.
seriously, listen to what this person says about the fog. It’s awful. And that on top of the nasty cold weather that is the same, overcast stuff everyday, will totally ruin your training.
Are you talking about for SF city, or for Berkeley/Oakland, all of the above, what? And also, look up the weather for Truckee, CA in the winter some time. I can deal with 50 and fog. Even when it does get that warm up here in the winter, I don’t ride, because the roads are covered in ice, snow, salt, and huge amounts of road grime from the plows.
And, as an added bonus, you can have RIOTS on a regular basis!
To the OPer: Do you have a job? That would color my opinion of where to live. Most of the places listed are great, but a hellacious commute would kill it.
Just re-read your post. Work from home = good!
Then I’d pick Marin, lower peninsula or maybe even up around Healdsburg. Great riding up there.
Personally, if I have to move (rent control and landlords who love you are a beautiful thing), it will be to the peninsula someplace so I’ll be nearer the velodrome.
seriously, listen to what this person says about the fog. It’s awful. And that on top of the nasty cold weather that is the same, overcast stuff everyday, will totally ruin your training.
Are you talking about for SF city, or for Berkeley/Oakland, all of the above, what? And also, look up the weather for Truckee, CA in the winter some time. I can deal with 50 and fog. Even when it does get that warm up here in the winter, I don’t ride, because the roads are covered in ice, snow, salt, and huge amounts of road grime from the plows.
I lived in SF proper for a while and hated the 50 degree cold weather and the fog. I can’t speak for other areas with authority so I appreciate any input.
Oakland and Berkeley seemed dumpy to me so I never went there. Did I have the wrong impression?
From a cycling perspective it’s hard to beat Sonoma county (Santa Rosa and suppounding towns). Plus you’ve got easy access to the best of cycling in Napa and Marin counties as well. What sets Sonoma county apart is the sheer number of cycling options- we’ve got miles upon miles of backroads with little traffic, tremendous climbing, and great scenery (though the pavement is admittedly pretty bad in a lot of spots).
However, It’s closer to 60 minutes to the golden gate, doesn’t have nearly the variety of things to do in the town center that you would get closer to the city, and doesn’t have as great public transportation (though that is improving).
but if good road (and mountain) cycling is a primary concern, check out sonoma county.
South Bay is a great place Los Gatos is good and close to a ton of trails… Campbell is also good and not as stuffy as Los Gatos…
Tons of great riding in the hills close by. Team CSC has used this place a training camp for a few years. Also several good tri clubs if that is you thing…
Just FYI San Jose is known as Man Jose because there are always a ton of dudes out looking for chicks…!
Just FYI San Jose is known as Man Jose because there are always a ton of dudes out looking for chicks…!
Don’t like the sound of “Man Jose” but who am I kidding… with the amount I work and train, I really don’t have much time for a relationship anyway!
I used to live in Pleasanton and Dublin, and I found both to be great places to live and work. Pleasanton has a nice little downtown area with some great places to eat and places to shop. The Sunol area has some great raods for riding and a great recreation area for trail runs and the like. Check out the whole 680 corridor from Concord down to Sunol. A lot of nice areas, close proximity to parks and some great roads for riding. Far enough out of the fog, can be a bit breezy in the spring, but otherwise pretty mild weather. All are about 45 minute drive into the city (with little or no traffic).
I lived in SF proper for 10 months and it was one of the best times of my life. I lived in the Marina and everything was close by. There was a pool at the YMCA that was a 8-10 min bike ride away. Plus you can swim in Aquatic Park in the summer. There was great running out the door. You could run on the trails in the Presidio in about 5 minutes. You are also close to good cycling in Marin. From the front door of my place the ride to Mt Tam and back was 57 miles and was great. Mt Tam also has great running and you can get there in about 30 min if no traffic. In order to get out of the city you do have lights to deal with but it isn’t that bad.
The best thing about being in the Marina is that you are close to night life of SF. You are in your mid 20s, so you should be out chasing women late into the night and then getting up early and training.
If you don’t want to live in downtown SF I would look at Palo Alto or Mountain View because they both have pretty decent night life and are close to training options. I am not super familiar with the options so I will let someone else fill you in.
I was out riding Saturday, heading down Chalk Hill road when the entire BMC team and team car came heading up up the road. Lance, Levi and the rest of Astana are coming here in two weeks for pre-TOC training. LeMond used to train here back in the 1980’s. If you are looking for the best cycling area in the Bay Area, I believe the north bay is the easy choice.
The best thing about being in the Marina is that you are close to night life of SF. You are in your mid 20s, so you should be out chasing women late into the night and then getting up early and training.
LOL… Yeah, this is part of what makes me think I should just live in the city instead of half-assing it and being an old man already living in the burbs and training. My family connections live in the Richmond district and have an apartment for me if I want it… I haven’t looked too much to see what it might cost to live in other parts of SF, but I would definitely want to be near the Presidio if I chose to live in the city, so I could ride over to Marin or drive over easily, and run in the green spaces there.
So many factors to consider… not the least of which is having a life…
i moved from tahoe to napa four years ago. without traffic, i’m 45 min from sf, oak airport, walnut creek, marin, and only 2:15 to squaw. tons of great year-round riding here and good cycling population.
I was out riding Saturday, heading down Chalk Hill road when the entire BMC team and team car came heading up up the road. Lance, Levi and the rest of Astana are coming here in two weeks for pre-TOC training. LeMond used to train here back in the 1980’s. If you are looking for the best cycling area in the Bay Area, I believe the north bay is the easy choice.
North Bay = Marin County? (please excuse my bay area lingo ignorance)
