Home > Get Involved > Events > Go Greenbelt! > Training Rides

Training Rides

Come join your fellow Go Greenbelt! riders for some spring training. These rides are also a great way to introduce prospective riders to the group.

Check with the ride leader before the ride, especially if rain is in the forecast or if you have questions about the route and difficulty.

Bring water, frame pump, patch kit (and know how to use it), snack/power food, and money for lunch.

Unlike Go Greenbelt!, training rides are NOT supported (you carry your own stuff) — but they’re still a lot of fun. Route maps will be provided and riders can complete the routes at their own training pace. To get a sense of them, you can see last year's calendar of training rides here. (You will need Adobe Acrobat to view this file.)

The training rides of 2007 are here!

Thursday, May 17: Bike to Work Day

Thursday, May 17 marks the San Francisco Bay Area's 13th annual Bike to Work Day, a celebration that promotes bicycling as a healthy, fun and viable form of transportation. The month of May is also National Bike Month.

Throughout the Bay Area, dozens of local events will be taking place with an expected 50,000 to 100,000 participants. To find out more about this campaign and for events near you please go to the Bike to Work Day website.

Saturday, May 19: Tiburon Loop

Meet at St. Francis Yacht Club for a taste of Go Greenbelt!. Have a stretch, safety discussion, and fun ride in fabulous spring weather! We will ride the Tiburon loop clockwise, have lunch at Tiburon, and continue along the waterfront back to San Francisco. Based on riders' desire, we can climb Fort Baker on the way to GGB. Ride leader Joe will bring routing sheets.

Where: St. Francis Yacht Club.
When: Saturday, May 19th, 2007; meet at 8:20am and ride out at 9:00am.
Distance: 35 - 40miles.
Degree of Challenge: Moderate to difficult.
Elevation Gain: ?
Reservations: None required.
For more information, email the Go Greenbelt! ride coordinator or the training ride leader.

Saturday, May 19: Nevada County's Gold Country

Join the California Wilderness Coalition's Ride for the Wild! scenic bike ride to support California's last wild places. Ride the scenic backroads of Nevada County's gold country and help protect California wilderness. This beautiful ride will begin and end at Suncrest Vineyards in Penn Valley. You will wind through the rolling Sierra Nevada foothills with a stop in historic downtown Nevada City.

Ride the scenic backroads of Nevada County's gold country and help protect California wilderness. This beautiful ride will begin and end at Suncrest Vineyards in Penn Valley. You will wind through the rolling Sierra Nevada foothills with a stop in historic downtown Nevada City.

Where: Suncrest Vineyards in Penn Valley.
When: Saturday, May 19th, 2007 (check-In Begins at 9 a.m.; ride Begins at 10 a.m.)
Distance: 35 miles.
Degree of Challenge: Moderate to difficult with rolling terrain and some hills.
Elevation Gain: ?
Reservations: REQUIRED.
Register by Wednesday, May 16. $100 tax-deductible registration fee ($50 for Go Greenbelt! riders). Bring three+ friends and receive the "Party of 4" reduced rate of $75 each. Fee includes an afternoon bbq reception with food and local wine at Suncrest Vineyards in Penn Valley.

For more information, visit www.calwild.org or call (510) 451-1450. To register, print & mail the online registration and liability forms with payment to CWC, 1212 Broadway, Suite 1700, Oakland, CA 94612.

Every Wednesday at 9:00 am: SF to Marin

Every Wednesday before the ride, Go Greenbelt! participant Joe Steiner will be riding from sponsor Sports Basement Presidio location to Marin. Routes include the Tiberon loop up Mount Tamalpais. The average speed is 10 - 12. In addition to the routes listed below, Joe is interested in leading riders up Mt. Diablo, Mt. Hamilton , and San Bruno mountain.

When: Every Wednesday, 9:00am start
Distance: ALPINE DAM LOOP 50 miles; TIBURON LOOP 36 miles; NICASIO VALLEY 69 miles; WOODACRE 42 miles.
Degree of Challenge: ALPINE DAM LOOP will be the most challenging; TIBURON LOOP moderate; NICASIO VALLEY moderate; WOODACRE moderate.
Elevation Gain: ALPINE DAM LOOP elevation 5000; TIBURON LOOP elevation 1500; NICASIO VALLEY elevation less than 1000; WOODACRE elevation less than 1000.
Reservations: REQUIRED; contact Joe Steiner.

Click here for directions to Sports Basement at the Presidio.

For more information please contact Joe Steiner.

Training Tips: Save your knees—train in measured steps (don't ride 80 hilly miles if your previous longest ride was 40 miles). Train in a variety of weather conditions including wind and light rain—find out if you have adequate clothing for all riding conditions. Ride at least two days consecutively to get your legs and butt ready for touring. Get your bike tuned up before you start your heavy training, when you’ll use your bike frequently.

Photo by Mike Kahn, www.kahncious.net