One of the wildest situations in San Francisco is a bike shop that has historically opposed bike lanes on a the major shopping/eating/drinking street it is named for because of parking fears.
Replies
That's peak "avid cyclist" behavior
aug 28, 2025, 4:08 pm • 8 0 • view
Where will all the people driving to the shop for the group ride park?????????
aug 28, 2025, 4:10 pm • 7 0 • view
A sad realization I have had is that one reason my Thursday night gravel group ride is so popular is that there is tons of free parking at the shop. Of course, the shop is literally right on a wonderful rail trail that I use to ride to the shop. But many prefer to drive.
aug 28, 2025, 4:28 pm • 1 0 • view
it's so funny to me how there are commute cyclists and recreational/fitness/competitive whatever cyclists. I know people who bike commute and never just ride for fun.
aug 28, 2025, 4:33 pm • 3 0 • view
I am someone who crosses over and I have many friends who do too, but I also know just as many people who will only ride for recreation. Which is fine, and those people also deserve safety! But "avid cyclist" is a meme for a reason, because I see a lot of vehicular cycling/victim blaming.
aug 28, 2025, 4:39 pm • 5 0 • view
I will say, I've absolutely met folks who started riding as commuters, maybe got a nice bike, and then got more into the recreational side of things, which is really cool!
aug 28, 2025, 4:39 pm • 4 0 • view
yeah for sure. everyone has a mix that works for them. sometimes people are weirdly apologetic to me about being afraid to ride through the city for transportation and I'm like wanting to avoid dying is valid.
aug 28, 2025, 4:52 pm • 2 0 • view
Exactly this. I have had people apologize to me for not biking. And I'm like, why are you apologizing? If you're afraid, that means we have work to do to ensure that you are not afraid!
aug 28, 2025, 4:54 pm • 2 0 • view
And bike couriers who do it for work and hate it! It's a weird world. As someone who bikes for fun, to exercise, to commute, and to run errands, I don't understand it.
aug 28, 2025, 4:37 pm • 2 0 • view
Someone introduced me to an avid cyclist at a party this weekend. He proceeded to talk my ear off about all the rides he drives to. It was so maddening. And of course included a number of trails and routes there is no other way to get to unless you want to do a multi-day ride & camp. Sigh.
aug 28, 2025, 4:32 pm • 2 0 • view
Yeah, and listen, I get why people do it, but it's also behavior that fundamentally changes how you view bike infrastructure. only really get mad when those types of folks are arguing against bike lanes, or start victim blaming cyclists.
aug 28, 2025, 4:37 pm • 2 0 • view
It's kind of become a running joke about my riding friends where they'll want to drive somewhere to do a Saturday ride and I'll steadfastly refuse to drive to ride haha. I try to save my driving for special events or races.
aug 28, 2025, 4:37 pm • 2 0 • view
My line is that if all or most of your rides start with a drive, we are probably not going to be friends or ride together. Of course exceptions apply for special events or destinations. But I am also lucky to live in a place where trains open up tons of options.
aug 28, 2025, 4:50 pm • 5 0 • view
I would say that I have self-selected a friend group where that is generally true. Since I won't drive to ride, I usually end up riding most with people who don't want to do that.
aug 28, 2025, 4:53 pm • 1 0 • view
IIRC part of the story was that elite cyclists drove their elite bikes to the shop because it does elite tuneups or some shit. it's all incoherent. most impressive was that he had no fuckin shame about advertising his opposition to the fuckin bike lane on the fuckin windows of his fuckin bike shop
aug 28, 2025, 4:15 pm • 2 0 • view
That's a bike shop I would never patronize. Reminds me of how there were some bike shops opposed to the launch of bike share years back, too.
aug 28, 2025, 4:16 pm • 3 0 • view
I haven't been back since that happened. I mean look at this fuckin thumbhead prune telling his sob story to the chronicle. Of course, the chronicle.
aug 28, 2025, 4:22 pm • 1 0 • view
Yeah, in my early years in SF, that was my go-to shop.
aug 28, 2025, 4:24 pm • 2 0 • view
I bought maybe 3 bikes there.
aug 28, 2025, 4:24 pm • 2 0 • view
Two here. Plus parts/tuneup for the one that I refurbed and donated to a homeless org in town. Plus accessories. Plus referrals.
aug 28, 2025, 4:27 pm • 0 0 • view
Part of me wants to walk in occasionally w/ someone, mid-sentence, so they hear one of us say "... and it's so AAMAAAAZZZEEE that this bike shop is right here on the BIKE LANE. Like omigod. You guys were so smart to open up right here on the BIKE LANE... no, just looking"
aug 28, 2025, 4:26 pm • 2 0 • view
Look I'm just celebrating that Valencia has been relatively unfucked after the center lane fuckery. The left turn situations and connections with other streets are still an issue. Someday it will be pedestrianized or at least made a slow street and this will all seem so stupid in retrospect.
aug 28, 2025, 4:31 pm • 1 0 • view
The thought of Valencia pedestrianized is sort of salivating. That would be very very cool.
aug 28, 2025, 4:33 pm • 1 0 • view
Everyone would win. Especially the shops and restaurants.
aug 28, 2025, 4:37 pm • 1 0 • view
it's already stupid in retrospect as much as it was prospectively stupid, especially the "we had an idea" center lane dalliance that cost so many years and some injuries. Every time we're there (often) and see packed sidewalks and busy shops, someone says "OMG It's dead. Bike lane killed it."
aug 28, 2025, 4:39 pm • 1 0 • view
FUCK THAT GUY I spent a ton of money there before he came out as a shitfuck. A fuckin bike shop w/ bike lane out front w/ people on bikes who need bikes & bike repairs & bike shit & he fought it. Why does anyone shop there now? Woke Boston has bike and snack shops on the Minuteman Trail.
aug 28, 2025, 4:13 pm • 1 0 • view