Bay Area Bike Rides

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bay Area Bike Rides
The 2023 storms have seriously damaged many of the roads featured here, including Redwood, Wildcat Canyon, and Palomares. Many of the others are encroached on by mud, rocks, and fallen trees, and a lot of new potholes have appeared. Bikes can usually get through the road closures, but if a repair crew is active, check with them before going through. And be careful on the descents.

See the Alameda County Public Works Agency web site for updates on most of the East Bay roads.

The Bay Area is a perfect place for cycling. We have rideable weather all year, a vast array of terrain and scenery, and great cycling roads all over the place.  We also have a transit system that allows bikes; the combination of BART and bike can get you to all of the best places to ride, car-free.

These routes are designed for riders of different backgrounds, ranging from serious racing cyclists to people doing fun rides for the first time in their adult lives. Each of the rides listed here starts and ends at a BART station, focused on Oakland, Berkeley, and San Francisco, with rides going through the East Bay, Marin County, and the Peninsula. Most have options for beginning, intermediate, and advanced cyclists, and the routes start off together, so groups can ride together and peel off for their own ride when appropriate. You can do them in the order presented here, which is a good training ride series, or just pick the ones that look fun. Ride Bike!

RouteStart atDistanceClimbComments
RouteStart atDistanceClimbComments
Happy ValleyOrinda10.5km/ 17km/ 39.5km100m/ 240m/ 620mFeatures Papa Bear and the long Pumphouse Hill descent
Moraga, Canyon, PinehurstOrinda17km/ 28km/ 50km100m/ 360m/ 550mPinehurst is one of the signature East Bay biking roads
Sunol, PalomaresWest Dublin/ Pleasanton29km/ 43km/ 77km50m/ 360m/ 980mPalomares is a beautiful ride; there are a couple of wineries with tasting rooms
The Three BearsOrinda15km/ 46km/ 56km100m/ 530m/ 881mProbably the most popular East Bay road for serious cyclists
Tour of OaklandRockridge23km/ 61km/ 64km34m/ 576m/ 874mA route highlighting everything that Oakland has to offer.
Mount DiabloCastro Valley32km/ 55km/ 70km220m/ 740m/ 1240mAlmost 20km straight uphill, with a descent to match
Morgan TerritoryConcord67km/ 109km800m/ 1160mHard to beat this one; spectacular rural riding east of Diablo
The Tiburon LoopDaly City27km/ 48km/ 89km150m/ 500m/ 770mOne of the most popular loops in the Bay Area, this route adds a couple of fun roads in the Marin Headlands
Mount TamalpaisDaly City27km/ 48km/ 105km150m/ 500m/ 1400mBeautiful riding through Marin County and San Francisco. Advanced riders can skip the Marin Headlands if they want something a bit easier
The Cheese Factory CenturyDaly City27km/ 78km/ 171km150m/ 488m/ 1120mA nice tour of east and central Marin, with a picnic option at the Marin French Cheese Company
The Berkeley Hills Death RideBerkeley55km/ 55km1570m/ 1550mThe stats are the same but the rides aren't; the Death Ride goes up a series of ridiculously steep climbs
Tunitas Creek RoadColma99.5km1210mTunitas Creek Road is one of the best cycling roads anywhere, and Highway 1 is fun in its own way
The East Bay Dead End TourCastro Valley26km/ 68km/ 120km180m/ 520m/ 1360mA tour of six different dead end roads in the East Bay; unusual riding with very little traffic
Mount HamiltonEast Dublin/ Pleasanton131km/ 175km1750m/ 2230mNot really intermediate/ advanced; more like advanced/ masochistic. A one-of-a-kind ride in the middle of nowhere