San Francisco: Where Craft Meets Core Cycling Culture

There’s a certain electricity to riding in San Francisco. The city’s hills, fog, and hidden lanes have a rhythm all their own — one part challenge, one part delight, and one part pure, unfiltered inspiration. For us, it’s the perfect stage to see what happens when meticulous craft collides with raw rider culture: when makers and riders meet in the same space, all centered around the bike.

Day One: Rolling Into the City

We kicked things off with the kind of ride that sets the tone for the weekend: anticipation, excitement, and that quietly smug grin that only comes from knowing your bike is dialed in perfectly. Ryan and I set out under warm, sunny skies, pedaling through the city’s shifting landscapes, from the iconic sweep of the Golden Gate Bridge to the forested climbs of Presidio Park. Our legs were rolling, our spirits high, and the anticipation of the weekend ahead hummed like the quiet whir of our drivetrains.

The route threaded through the Legion of Honor Art Museum — a subtle reminder that beauty isn’t always in motion — before descending toward the coast, where we snaked along the closed highway for a few miles. Golden Gate Park and the JFK promenade offered a playful urban contrast, the kind of streets that reward attentiveness with secret vistas, small moments that only a bike can reveal. By the time we rolled into PAS Normal Studios’ Haight-Ashbury shop, the day had already delivered its narrative: a seamless blend of city grit, coastal grandeur, and that pure cycling joy that only comes when the equipment works as flawlessly as the riders.

PAS Open House: Bikes, Community, and Counter-Culture Cool

That evening, we joined our friends at PAS Normal Studios for their open house — a night that felt like the city itself had slipped into the shop. Drinks flowed, pizza fueled conversations, and the energy built slowly from a post-work crowd into a packed, buzzing room. We brought a few of our own stars: the MADE Show bike with Campagnolo Super Record 13-speed, Sophia Hu’s matcha-colored RM3, Ryan’s Supernaut, and Factor Racer Matt Wiebe’s custom 1x RM3. Each bike told a story: painstaking craft layered into carbon, components, and paint that could stop any observer mid-step. Sophia’s fade and tattoo-inspired details, Matt’s ultra-slammed geometry in cobalt candy, Ryan’s effortless cool under the shop’s front-window lights — these weren’t just bikes; they were a display of what happens when obsession meets artistry.

What made the night feel distinctly San Francisco was the community itself. Clients, friends, and local icons showed up in force. Madeline Puckett, founder of Wine Folly and owner of the legendary pink RM3, was there, chatting about adventures and the peculiar joy of chasing perfection on two wheels. The shop became a playground for bike nerds, street fashion enthusiasts, and anyone who appreciates a little counter-culture authenticity. Later, Matt took us out for dinner at Stoa, where small plates, killer cocktails, and blasting metal created the perfect capstone: a room full of energy, clever design, and moments that felt like our brand philosophy had leapt off the frame and into the real world.

Saturday Group Ride: Marin’s Classic Highlights

Saturday was all about legs and landscapes. Matt curated a route that would make any roadie grin: the classic Marin Headlands, accessible but uncompromising, with climbs that demanded attention and descents that rewarded nerve. Ryan and I grabbed donuts from Bob’s on Baker, paired with coffee and Maurten gels from the PAS shop, before joining a lively crew of forty strong. Sophia and Madeline joined us, along with the local heroes from the Away Message collective — subversive, rowdy, and exactly the kind of cycling culture that reminds us why we build.

The ride itself was a symphony of effort. From the Golden Gate Bridge through Sausalito to Marin Service Course, we hit a smooth 20 miles in just over an hour before meeting Factory Racer Cassius Anderson at MSC for the climbs ahead. Mount Tam proved its reputation: long, winding, tree-covered roads that demanded both legs and focus. The reward was in the descents: fast, flowing, and thrilling on our RM3s, letting us slice through corners with precision as the cool coastal wind tugged at our jerseys.

We regrouped at Alpine Dam, a serene and almost otherworldly spot, before pushing further and letting gravity take us to Stinson Beach. Cold gusts stung the cheeks, but spirits stayed high. Every mile offered a microcosm of what makes cycling addictive: the effort, the relief, the camaraderie, and the way a perfectly built bike allows you to fully inhabit the landscape. By the time we rolled back into the city, tired but glowing, the ride had already become one of those weekends-long memories: high fives, shared sweat, and the lingering vibe of energy and connection that only a passionate crew can generate.

Sunday Salida: A Gentle Send-Off

By Sunday, we were ready for a slower, reflective cadence — the kind of ride that rewards legs already full of effort but hungering for one last flourish. Matt guided us on a San Francisco-style Salida, reminiscent of our rides in Girona, where the city itself becomes both playground and partner. Starting from the hotel, we climbed toward the clouds for a lap up to Twin Peaks. The gradient put just enough hurt into our legs to shake out soreness, but the views made it worth every pedal stroke. Descending toward the ocean, the roads slick with light rain, each turn was a reminder of why we ride: exhilaration, beauty, and a shared connection to the streets under our wheels.

At the café stop, we paused for coffee, conversation, and quiet reflection. The streets were empty, the air fresh with salt and mist, and the city felt intimate in a way only a bike can render. Returning through JFK promenade to the PAS shop, there was a sense of completion — a weekend that had been about more than rides and bikes. It was about the people, the craft, the moments of effortless flow, and the kind of energy that stays with you long after the pedals stop spinning.

The Takeaway

San Francisco gave us hills, vistas, craft, and community. It gave us the perfect collision of makers and riders — the people who obsess over details meeting those who seek the joy of experience, and the magic that happens when both come together. From the first roll through the Presidio to the last sip of coffee on Sunday, the city reminded us that bikes are never just machines; they’re the vessels for stories, for connection, and for a kind of joy that’s perfectly, unmistakably Argonaut.

We left planning our next return before even packing up the bikes, still tasting the Pacific air and imagining our next set of climbs, descents, and human moments on two wheels.