General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Need Advice--Stopover at SFO with Bike in Tow! Rss Feed  
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2017-05-22 3:53 AM

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Master
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Subject: Need Advice--Stopover at SFO with Bike in Tow!
Hoping someone has done this who can offer some insight....

I'm planning my trip to IM 70.3 World Championships in Tennessee this fall. As many know, I live/work in Vietnam during the school year, so it's quite a trip. Owing to a national holiday, I'm actually able to leave here a week before the race, and am planning to stop in San Francisco for three days to spend some time with Mom (who's flying in from wherever home will be at that point--crazy family situation). Anyhow, there's the issue of what to do with the bike at that time. She would really like to stay downtown, but I can see that getting difficult with a bike. Any idea on the relative cost/feasibility of:

1. Putting bike into some kind of storage at the airport (for three days) and picking it up before the flight. Does a "left luggage" area still exist? Or has that all disappeared since 9/11? Have not tried it in my own country; I have noticed it has become less common in Europe and even in Asia.

2. Taking bike on a shuttle or van taxi (would they accept it?) to a hotel close to the city centre.

3. Staying out by the airport, leaving bike in the hotel, and taking BART or other public transport to the city centre during the day. (This would probably be my last choice, both due to the time involved and chance of picking up some bug on a crowded train when already tired from the trip.) But I guess I would do it if nothing else is affordable.

Flying back, I will also be planning a one-night stop in SFO, both because of the way the flights line up and to allow me another night after the race to sleep (not on a plane) and put my feet up. Otherwise just not sure I can physically endure the trip back! Hoping this way is less complicated--just book a hotel near the airport and take the bike to/from there on the shuttle. Or is there something I'm not considering? (I know in Singapore, shuttles won't take the bike....)


2017-05-22 3:04 PM
in reply to: Hot Runner

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Champion
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Subject: RE: Need Advice--Stopover at SFO with Bike in Tow!

You may have already done this, but I found this on the SFO web site:

Baggage storage is exclusively available at the Airport Travel Agency, located on the Departures/Ticketing Level of the International Terminal, near the entrance to Gates G91-G102. The Airport Travel Agency is open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. No reservations are required for baggage storage. All baggage is x-rayed prior to storage. Rates are assessed per each 24 hour period that an article is in storage (articles in storage for less than 24 hours will be subject to the 24 hour rate), and vary according to the size of the object. Please contact the Airport Travel Agency at 650.877.0422 or [email protected] for additional information.

Considering how difficult it is to get around in SFO and San Fran, I would do this just to be rid of it.  Sounds reasonable. 

2017-05-22 5:34 PM
in reply to: BikerGrrrl

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Master
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Subject: RE: Need Advice--Stopover at SFO with Bike in Tow!
Awesome--thank you so much! That would save us a lot of trouble and probably let us get public transport or some kind of shuttle to the central area. We weren't planning to rent a car, as far as I know (realized that was obviously what was missing from my last post!). Parking is just too crazy expensive.
2017-05-23 9:23 AM
in reply to: Hot Runner


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Subject: RE: Need Advice--Stopover at SFO with Bike in Tow!
Not sure what your intentions are. I'm assuming you're gonna wanna spend time with family, instead of riding.
However, SF and their various mass transit is quite friendly to bikes.
https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/bicycling/bikes-muni

My brother lives there and is an avid cyclist.

And their buses are easy to use. When I visited my brother when he lived in Manhattan, my wife and I visited and we stuck out like rubes from Iowa....which we were at the time. Everybody was always coming up to us to help us get on the right train/bus. SF, the first time I visited I was heading from our hotel nearish the wharf to his place in the Marina District. I was originally going to walk, but I realized I was on the same route as the bus...and I had just read that the fares had gone up to $.50. As I saw a bus in the distance, I stopped at a bus stop. Some local came up to wait as well and asked if today was the day the fare went up. I knowingly said "Yep, $.50"....like I lived there. I didn't feel like a rube from St. Louis.

My brother in the Marina District and now sorta near Coit Tower.
He rides from there across the bridge to the Headlands all the time. Not sure how much he uses the transport, but I know he used to take his bike on the train to work so he could ride on his trainer at lunch. I've got another friend that lives over near San Anselmo. He doesn't own a car. He takes his bike on the privately run buses that run across the bridge and the ferry all the time so he can get to work on his bike/etc.

Also, it's always colder in San Francisco than you think. My brother says you can easily pick out the visitors as they're all sporting brand new San Francsco fleece's they sell down at the shops by the Wharf.
2017-05-23 5:15 PM
in reply to: jhaack39

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Master
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Subject: RE: Need Advice--Stopover at SFO with Bike in Tow!
No, don't want to ride. I might do an easy run or two. I will be in serious taper mode at that point. Plus my Cervelo isn't the best tool for the job when it comes to hilly sightseeing. Just want to visit old favorites with Mom (they lived near the Bay Area before I was born). Have been to San Francisco many times (Oregon is home in the US) and know how cold/foggy it can get even at height of summer. Just have never visited on a stopover with my bike in tow.
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