Driving in San Francisco sucks. Let’s just all agree to that. When we first moved here and looked at a map, I remember thinking how accessible the city looked. Our new apartment was only going to be 2.5 miles from my husband’s new office. Great! Just a quick 15 minute bus ride.
We were in for a rude awakening when it came to San Francisco traffic. We’ve since moved farther from my husband’s office, and now his 4.5 mile commute on the bus takes almost an hour. He would get home stressed, sweaty, and just generally pissed.
Aside from commuting, we tend to do a lot of driving because we have two toddlers. I’ve never managed to navigate public transit with them, and there’s only so much we can walk to in our neighborhood, so we end up driving. In fact, we couldn’t even find a daycare within walking distance, so we have to drive the twins to Pacific Heights three days per week.
We knew there had to be a better way. A way to get around the city that was more fun and more enjoyable and gasp faster than driving.
Enter the family cargo e-bike! It doesn’t get much more San Francisco than this. We finally bit the bullet and joined the e-bike club.
Our Tern GSD arrived a few weeks ago, and it’s been love at first sight. The first ride (for me) was a little nerve-wracking as this thing is heavy, but once I got used to it, it was so fun! My husband now takes the kids to daycare on it and really enjoys the ride. Then he continues his journey to SoMa. I’m excited to use the bike to get to the Cal Academy and Golden Gate Park as well as other spots around the city where it’s a pain to park.
What We Love
- The Tern GSD has smaller wheels so the bike itself didn’t feel super bulky and unstable.
- It’s the same length as a standard adult bike so it fits on car bike racks.
- The compact design makes it easy to navigate the city.
- Having the kids in seats on the back felt more stable and secure for us as the riders.
- If we want, we can take the Yepp seats off the back, and I can ride on it!
- The bike is powerful and can easily carry the weight of an adult rider, 2 kids, and any gear.
Now that we have one, I notice other family e-bikes everywhere. They are becoming so popular and hopefully, the city will continue to accommodate bikers by creating more bike lanes. If you’re a less experienced rider, my best tip is to use Google maps (select the bike icon) to plan your route so you can ride on less trafficked roads.
If you’re looking to get into family biking, there’s a great group you can join on Facebook.
Do you have an e-bike?
