After a much anticipated few months wait, our Cycletes were finally built and ready to pick-up yesterday in Marin, CA. No need to have them shipped when we live just a two-hour drive away – plus, Marin offers some truly exceptional tail opportunities – perfect for a first ride!
So off we went…..Steven Ascher (Cyclete inventor/builder/designer/owner) greeted us at Cyclete Cottage and introduced us to our brand new SUBs. What beautiful machines!
After a quick social cruise to the local juicery, we soon said our goodbyes and headed off to the nearby Marin Headlands in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Having spent many a day on the trails in the Headlands/Mount Tamalpais area, trail running, hiking and biking, we were more than excited to experience the trails on our brand new rides, and put the Cyclete through its paces!
Spoiler alert: We had a great day of Cycleting!
One thing about the headlands is you’re either going up or down, no matter the trail you choose, all the while the scenery is magical! We discovered quickly that our 1×12 SRAM gearing could more than handle anything we threw at it – the only limitation being our own fitness! Note to self: There is no shame in walking! (especially up the Miwok Trail).
Most of the bike (or rather, Cyclet!e) legal trails in Marin County (and the Headlands) are of the fire road variety – which were a whole lot of fun on our 29-inch knobbies. We even cruised down some more technical bits, including those with some railroad tie “steps” and water bars (Miwok and Old Spring Trails, we’re looking at you). A blast!
Late in the day we took our Cycletes for an urban-riding detour to grab a late lunch and breather at Good Earth Natural Foods, in Mill Valley – a favorite of ours, given their great healthy/vegan options!
Re-energized, we headed back into the headlands, up and down (and repeat!) and eventually made it back to our car as the sun was just setting.
Conclusion: We had a perfect day on the trail – and couldn’t be happier with the performance (and comfort!) of our new rides!
Post-ride eats: Marin County has more than its fair share of great vegan eats – unfortunately, we realized almost too late, that they all close by 9:00 pm – including another local favorite, the Veggie Grill (100% vegan dining, 100% delicious!). It’s a small chain, so if you have one near you, you’ll want to check it out (You’re welcome!). We called ahead to order, and wasted no time getting there – as befitting our perfect day…. we arrived just before closing, gathered our takeout, and enjoyed our post-ride meal in the shadow of Mount Tamalpais. Bliss!
Here’s a short video of the day’s highlights.
And of course, if it’s not captured on Strava – does it really count?