[Dalis12]

So I haven't ridden in a little over a year. I used to live in Santa Rosa and rode Annadel atleast once a week. However I have since moved to Daly City and I am really unfamiliar with where to ride in the Peninsula.

Also, I have convinced my gf to get a bike and ride with me. I am picking her up a Trek 3900 (as her entry level bike, hoping to get here on something better in the future) tomorrow and she is really excited to get started.

Since I don't know the trails around here I am unsure where to take her to introduce her to the sport.

If anyone has any suggestions of trails in the area I could really used the help.

 

[bnd steve]

Arastradero Reserve west of Palo Alto is a great beginner/mellow place to ride. enough elevation change to be interesting and get a workout, but not so much to be intimidating. The trails are in good shape right now too.

This is a pretty nice review of it:
http://www.chainreactionbicycles.com/arastradero.htm

 

[Ryan G.]

Skeggs and Waterdog.

Skeggs has lots of singletrack like Annadel but much more climbing.

 

[jhill]

I would recommend Waterdog in Belmont....great set of trails you could ride fireroad or there is some somewhat technical single track....climbing isnt nearly as brutal as skeggs and tons of bail out points...check out passion trail bikes in belmont off ralston for some good advice too

 

[tburger]

I've taken beginners out to Waterdog, and it was way too challenging for them. I wouldn't do it again unless you know for sure they won't get freaked out by narrow singletrack. Even though it's not a hard ride, the potential for falling down a ravine or off a bridge is very daunting to newbies.

I would highly recommend Russian Ridge OSP. No killer climbs, fun swooping singletrack, spectacular views. With more conditioning, venture on down to Montebello OSP and Saratoga Gap.

 

[Dalis12]

after talking to her she definately agrees that the potential for falling down a revine or off a bridge is very daunting.

I figure i will find some nice fire road or wider trail that we can tool around on and get her used to and comfortable with the bike. she knows some places from hiking the area.

ended up getting her a Kona Fire Mountain this evening,

 

[Dalis12]

ended up at Arastradero this morning and rode for a couple of hrs. I think it was a really good spot for her to start out, I have a bit too much bike for those trails but it gave me a good workout. LOTS of closed trails, but still enough to get her used to climbing and descending and all that good stuff. gonna go back there probably tomorrow morning...

thanks for all the suggestions !

 

[Entrenador]

Not the Peninsula, but I'd recommend crossing the GGB and heading to China Camp State Park. Great fun trails for beginners, with some fun enough for experienced riders. Well worth the drive IMHO.

 

[pimpbot]

second that...

Not the Peninsula, but I'd recommend crossing the GGB and heading to China Camp State Park. Great fun trails for beginners, with some fun enough for experienced riders. Well worth the drive IMHO.

CHina Camp is a good beginner ride on the lower trails. The Ranger hut to the fishing village is around 5 miles each way.

 

[Dalis12]

I was thinking about China Camp. Had always meant to make the trek down from Santa Rosa but never did... maybe we will check it out next week!

 

[vaelin]

I'd rank, in diffculty: arastradero, china camp, waterdog, skeggs.

Arastradero is where my buddies at work and I go for lunch rides as it's only about 10 mins away from the office. 10 mins there, 1 hour ride time, 10 mins back, duck back in sheepishly.

 

[lacordes]

i know this thread isn't new.....but i wanted to thank you for the good suggestions on some more beginner trails. i too am getting back into mtn biking and was looking for some trails to do during the day to get my endurance back...weather permitting, i hope to check out some of these soon! :thumbsup:

 

[cohenfive]

even china camp can be a bit intimidating once you get away from the bay...i took my wife in there a couple of times but as you climb you end up with some "don't miss right" sorts of trails. staying lower down, doing the out and back along the bay, that's one of the best places for a beginner to really get a feel for what mtn biking is about--without getting nervous about falling down a sharp slope.

 

[redmr2_man]

^virus? wtf clicked it and got popups like mad

 

[Big Daddio]

North County Riding

So I haven't ridden in a little over a year. I used to live in Santa Rosa and rode Annadel atleast once a week. However I have since moved to Daly City and I am really unfamiliar with where to ride in the Peninsula.

If you're coming from Daly City and our looking for something less intimidating you might want to try Mori Point (quarry) in Pacifica. It's not real big but for a beginner it's a good place to start and it's close. The other one I'd recommend it Arastadero but that's a much longer drive. Have fun :thumbsup:

 

[omanwurmi]

+1 for Arastradero for beginners. Also look at Russian Ridge, which is in your area.

 

[MrCrash]

i know this thread isn't new.....but i wanted to thank you for the good suggestions on some more beginner trails. i too am getting back into mtn biking and was looking for some trails to do during the day to get my endurance back...weather permitting, i hope to check out some of these soon! :thumbsup:

HI LINDZ!



Another vote for China Camp. That's where I did the newb rides with Roxy, Sonny, Cody, and several others back in the day. I don't know how many tens of thousands of dollars in high end mountain bikes we've collectively gone through since then

Like cohenfive, I've taken people who struggled on the climbs on the out-and-back that parallels the shore. Eventually, when they get their legs, up we go - the flowy descent is what gets people hooked!

 

[lacordes]

HI LINDZ!

omgeee! MIKE! why am i not surprised to find you on here!!

 

[Dalis12]

If you're coming from Daly City and our looking for something less intimidating you might want to try Mori Point (quarry) in Pacifica. It's not real big but for a beginner it's a good place to start and it's close. The other one I'd recommend it Arastadero but that's a much longer drive. Have fun :thumbsup:

we actually have been to Mori point a couple times and its been a good place for her to get comfortable on the bike. She is advancing quickly (more so if it wasnt raining so much I think).

thanks for all the input everyone.

 

[goin' medium]

I like riding Montara Mountain in Pacifica from the ocean side with beginners. It's an old fire road climb, from the beach. Mellow climb all the way up to "the wall" where it gets steeper. It has a nice ocean view. It also has the key feature I look for in the a beginner ride; all downhill on the way back. It is mainly fire road, but has some nice singletrack options. I recommend that you scout it by yourself first. It's hard to find the lot, and you can drop down the back side if you take a wrong turn, leaving you with a LONG ride back to the car.