San Francisco – If you’re not on one, get on a bike today.

If you live in San Francisco, you get it. You’ve seen the massive rush of bikes riding past your uber on your way to work. You see the cyclists parking their bikes at the Civic Center farmer’s market. You’ve been asked to go on a bike ride and probably heard “Wait.. you don’t have a bike? But this is San Francisco! Ok, it’s fine, you can borrow one of mine.”

San Francisco is a city built for easy commuting, moreover cyclists. As you’ve undoubtedly noticed, a given SF resident is much more likely to own a bike than a car. The SF topography is not always bike friendly, but you can thank eBikes for helping you get up those big hills.

If you’re not on a bike already, we have some extremely valid reasons that being a bike owner in SF is essential.

The Culture.

The force is strong with this one. The defining characteristic of SF bike lovers is their commitment and passion for cycling. The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, for example, pushes for bike-friendly infrastructure and city policy that supports cyclists. The bike shops and rental places around the city boast about the importance of using bikes to see the sights of the city. Which brings us to our next point…

 

The Views.

San Francisco is stunning. You know it, if you’re not working on a tech startup (and even if you are), that’s probably one of the reasons you moved here. Every hill you climb leads to another breathtaking view. Climbing some of these hills on bikes are tough, so we are lucky to see eBikes become more economical and popping up to get up those hills without breaking a sweat. Since parking is more challenging that not, do what you can’t do in a car, be a part of the vibrant city around you. Catch sight of Alcatraz or the Golden Gate Bridge. Stop at the top of Lombard Street and look out over the iconic curving road. Check out the ridiculously overpriced housing and get lost in your own neighborhood.

Parking.

Yes you can stop and walk around if you have a car, but then you have to consider what SF drivers dread the most – parking. Let’s not forget what comes with that….parking tickets! Parking in the city is a nightmare. If you’re lucky you can find a garage to park your car in for $200-$300 a month. And that’s not even including the cost of parking your car somewhere downtown for the day. A special for $39.99? No thank you.

 

With a bike, you have the convenience of parking virtually anywhere (with a good lock of course). Many SF offices are bike friendly and let you bring your transportation indoors. So cycling is a hop on, hop off adventure around a city that is convenient and will get you moving.

 

Exercise.

Have you ever heard that a bike is a free gym on wheels? On average, bicycle commuters lose 13 pounds in their first year of cycling alone. Bicycle commuters move much more than car commuters, and can save money on the gym as well. It’s a non-impactful cardio workout that will get you to work faster than you can say uber pool. Let’s not forget the environment that you’re saving while you’re expending physical energy rather than contributing to air pollution.

Traffic.
An average walk in the city takes 30-45 minutes whereas that same bike ride would take 10-15. If there isn’t a direct Bart path, cycling is the best way to beat traffic and get to your destination. Uber Pools, Lyft Lines, and car services are all useful, but they are also subject to the anxiety-inducing SF traffic. And if you have an ESPIN eBike, you’ll not only be able to avoid the traffic, but you can zip to work even more quickly!

Bike Paths.

Have you heard of the wiggle? No it’s not a dance. The wiggle is one of SF’s many fantastic bike paths. It is a one-mile zig-zagging bicycling route from Market Street to Golden Gate Park that minimize inclines, just for cyclists. It’s one example of a city that has infrastructure built specifically for cycling.

Honestly, the best reason of all, it’s damn fun. If you want to give it a shot yourself, email us at hello@espinbikes.com and test out one of our ESPIN eBikes for free. We’ll give you some pointers about where to cycle in the city too and may have to join you for a ride!