San Francisco rides heading north to Marin start by crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. On the last Friday of every month, Critical Mass, which started here in 1992, leaves from Embarcadero Plaza.
How group rides work in San Francisco
Pick a ride by where it starts. A ride card shows the city where the group gathers, not the route, so read the description or ask the club for the meeting spot. If it’s heading to Marin, check which bridge sidewalk is open (below).
Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. Bikes ride the sidewalks, and which side depends on the day and time. On weekdays, bikes use the east sidewalk until 3:30 pm and the west sidewalk after that. On weekends and holidays, the west sidewalk is open to bikes, plus the east one during daylight saving time. The bike speed limit is 15 mph, and 5 mph around the towers. Check goldengate.org for current hours.
Hawk Hill. Just north of the bridge, Conzelman Road climbs 1.8 miles and 538 feet at about 5.8% to Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands.
Lights after Nov 1. When daylight saving time ends on Sunday, Nov 1, 2026, a late ride back over the bridge finishes in the dark. California law then calls for a white front light and a red rear reflector or flashing red light, and fog off the bay is one more reason to be lit up.
Drop or no-drop. A drop ride keeps rolling and won’t soft-pedal for anyone who slides off the back on the climb to Marin. A no-drop ride regroups so nobody gets left behind. The ride cards don’t say which is which, so ask the club, or start with a flatter in-city ride.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find group rides in San Francisco this week?
Right here. This page lists the next seven days of rides from San Francisco clubs, with the day, start time, start city and distance for each. It refreshes whenever a club adds, changes or cancels a ride, and at least once a day. For every SF club, including ones without a ride this week, see the San Francisco cycling clubs page.
What time do Saturday group rides start in San Francisco?
Each club sets its own, and every Saturday ride on this page shows its start time in Pacific time, plus the start city and distance. For the exact meeting spot, check the ride description or ask the club.
When is Critical Mass in San Francisco?
On the last Friday of every month, gathering around 6 pm at Embarcadero Plaza at the foot of Market Street. The first Critical Mass rolled out here on September 25, 1992. When no club ride is listed on the last Friday, this page shows a reminder.
Do I need to sign up to join a group ride in San Francisco?
No. You can see every ride without an account, and the RiderFinder app is free. Whether a ride needs an RSVP is up to the club organizing it: open the ride or club page for the details, or tap “Join the ride” in the app to let the group know you’re coming.