Different Spokes San Francisco

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Different Spokes San Francisco

Different Spokes is the San Francisco Bay Area’s recreational bicycling club for the Le***an, Gay,

Founded in 1982, the club is open to all members of the LGBTQ community and its friends who have a shared interest in bicycling. We offer a variety of cycling rides and social events throughout the year. We also have a Facebook group here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/dssf.org/

06/03/2026

From the ChainLetter blog: You Only Have So Many Meals Left in Life

"The eating club with a riding disorder

Alas I’m not clever enough to have coined that caption. The credit goes to Fast and Fabulous NYC, a somewhat moribund LGBTQ+ cycling club. Apropos of Roger’s and my rides I’ve stolen their motto. I don’t think that when Lance said “It’s not about the bike” that he meant it was really about the food. But maybe it is. Over many years of cycling my focus has shifted lower and lower and I’m not sure if I’ve hit bottom yet but I’m eager to find out. Over many years of cycling experiencially what I’m seeking has shifted, from PowerBars to…

I used to ride like a demon: lots of miles was never enough, fast was never fast enough, and hill intervals and big mountains were fun. Then I discovered cycle touring and it all fell apart..."

Full read here (link to ChainLetter blog also in bio):
https://dssf.home.blog/2026/05/28/you-only-have-so-many-meals-left-in-life/

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06/01/2026

DIFFERENT SPOKES Pride Ride 2026

Time for a party!

And not just any party but a rolling party...with donuts and coffee! Come celebrate Pride 2026 with a bicycle tour of San Francisco! Our all-inclusive Pride Ride starts at the Marx Meadow in Golden Gate Park. We'll head out to the Great Highway, then circle Lake Merced, before heading back to GGP. Don't forget--the Great Highway is car-free! That's a flat 15-mile ride. What? You want more riding? Well, rise and shine a bit earlier, and we'll do a parade through the Castro and then up Twin Peaks to greet the Pink Triangle before heading back to the start to join the party people on the all-inclusive ride. That's about another 12 miles with about 1,000 ft. of climbing.

Details and register for either or both rides here:
https://dssf.org/content.aspx?page_id=4091&club_id=17789&item_id=2977325

Link in bio too.

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05/23/2026

Ride Recap: Katsu Got Your Tongue?

"Can you sink any lower when your motivation to do a ride is just to get a great meal? Or, is it the other way around: an exquisite meal can elevate any ride? Such was the case with David’s joint desire to go to Treasure Island by bike and to get another meal at Jungdon Katsu in Emeryville. When David broached the idea of this ride with me, he admitted as much: the tonkatsu at Jungdon is ‘omigawd good and I wanna go there again’. Since David hadn’t ridden his bike to Treasure Island heretofore, that became the cover for our chow-down.

I had never heard of Jungdon Katsu but I’ve eaten my share of tonkatsu. Tonkatsu is everywhere in Japan although originally it was an importation from Europe. It’s an adaptation of a breaded veal cutlet or schnitzel given a Japanese twist and using pork instead. We don’t give a second thought about adopted foods because almost all American food dishes originate from somewhere else. But Japan has a long, autochthonous culinary history that has choosily but warmly accepted some imports from India, China, and now Europe and the Americas. Karē raisu (curry rice) is now a Japanese food even though it came from India; gyoza are nothing more than a Japanese version of potstickers; Japanese milk bread or pan is derived from Portuguese bread. What makes tonkatsu Japanese is the use of panko breading for an exquisitely crunchy crust."

Full read here (link to ChainLetter blog also in bio):
https://dssf.home.blog/2026/05/07/ride-recap-katsu-got-your-tongue/

📸: David Goldsmith

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05/21/2026

ANNOUNCING: Join Ramping Up Red Ribbon Ride Saturday, May 23rd!

Come and join in for this fun little ride celebrating a great training season! Whether or not you've been on a Ramping Up ride before, have a red dress, red jersey, or nothing red at all, we want to see you as we make our way through San Francisco looking like a red ribbon! ??

Ramping Up is a progressive series of rides from Jan through May to prepare for multiple day rides (such as "Cycle to Zero" or "NorCal AIDS Cycle"). We start off with a 17 mile ride and build each week until we are doing a 100 mile ride. If you consistently take part in this series, you will be ready for just about any ride! Not only are the rides epic, but the scenery and the people are too. We are a warm and welcoming inclusive group of cyclist of all ages and shapes.

DETAILS:
Miles: 13.1
Elevation: 1003
Terrain: Rolling Hills
When: Saturday, May 23rd
Meetup time: 9:00 AM
Ride out time: 9:30 AM
Rain Policy: Heavy Rain Cancels
Location: McLaren Lodge, Golden Gate Park

Event Contact(s)
Reilly Andrews, Leader
Chris Starr, Co-Lead
Alex Unger, Co-Lead

Register:
https://dssf.org/red-ribbon-2026
Or go to the DSSF link in bio.

05/05/2026

From the ChainLetter blog: The Russian River Weekend [4/28/26 update]

"I wrote the following article some years ago after attempting at least two frustrating efforts to revive the club’s Russian River Weekend. After reaching the same impass–the difficulty of finding a suitable venue–I shelved the project. After some thought I’ve come to the conclusion that not only is the Russian River not a great place to host a getaway weekend but that the concept of a getaway weekend is dated. Why isn’t Guerneville a good site? It’s très gay and has city amenities like bars and clubs. But like the Bay Area everything in G-town is expensive now. Of course ‘expensive’ is relative. If you don’t mind forking over $300 a night for a place to stay, then it’s not expensive. Members are no longer interested in camping and even camping isn’t that cheap anymore. At this point in history reviving the Guerneville/Russian River Weekend is a losing cause and like a bad high school reunion would be a feeble effort to relive past memories to everyone’s disappointment. The economics just don’t make sense anymore. Also members aren’t interested in collectively creating a shared weekend other than to Venmo the cost and expect someone else to do everything: organize, sag, cook, clean. Although the riding may be just as beautiful as it was 40 years ago, the population of the club has changed and with it the expectations. With Cycle to Zero literally decamping to the Russian River for its fundraiser there is little interest in our community for ‘replicating’ the event. Wait…who’s replicating who?"

Full read here (link to ChainLetter blog also in bio):
https://dssf.home.blog/2026/04/28/the-russian-river-weekend-4-28-26-update/

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05/03/2026

Ride Recap: April Happy Hour in the East Bay

“After the summer-like weather in March, this month’s Happy Hour returned to normal spring temperatures much to Roger S’s disappointment. Hoping to escape another typical day in San Francisco, he scooted over to join our East Bay fun group for another short ride on the Lamorinda MUP with a concluding dinner at El Talpense in Lafayette. He wasn’t the only member from afar: Peter, who resides in San Jose, endured the commute traffic to join us! That’s the “problem” for the Happy Hour ride: unless you live in the East Bay, you are probably in for some hellish traffic to get to Lafayette and you will need that ride and the food coma afterwards to reset your mood and blood pressure.

Roger S dealt with the commuter crush by (a) coming over early, and (b) using BART. The latter is not Roger’s usual means of transport but on a weekday at commute time, the bridge is a hopeless mess. BART was the wiser choice. Plus, he was able to get in a longer ride and then met us at Moraga Common. So it was a win-win. This was also not Peter’s first rodeo. He knew the routine: head out way earlier than you think you’ll need to get somewhere at commute time. He got to Lafayette with time to spare and indulged his other interest by going into the flyfishing store next door to El Talpense to kill time.”

Full read here (link to ChainLetter blog also in bio):
https://dssf.home.blog/2026/05/01/ride-recap-april-happy-hour-in-the-east-bay/

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04/26/2026

Happy Hour in the East Bay reschedule for Wednesday, April 29th!

Distance: about 10 miles
Pace: A/B (easy to moderate, occasional stops)
Terrain: 1 (mostly flat, easy grades, suitable for beginners)

A short, easy 10-mile ride on the Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail starting at El Talpense Restaurant in downtown Lafayette just a couple of blocks away from the BART station. This multi-use regional trail for pedestrians and cyclists runs between Lafayette and Moraga. Since this was originally a railroad right-of-way the average grade is less than 2%. We’ll take the trail to Moraga Common before turning back to the El Talpense where you’re welcome to have some post-ride refreshment. This will be an easy paced ride. You don’t even need to be in bike drag! Like all the local multi-use paths e-bikes are allowed but please respect the speed limit of 15 MPH. Did I mention that the trail is for cyclists and pedestrians only? Yes, no cars except at the street crossings!

Meet in front of the El Talpense at 5:15 PM with a 5:30 PM departure. We should be back a little after 6:30 PM.

If you’re coming by car, parking in the area can be busy. But there is no fee after 7 PM on weekdays. Or, you can park in the nearby BART parking lot as there is no fee after 3 PM.

Please bring a lock but we'll be able to keep our bikes close by.

Meet in front of the l Talpense, 3576 Mount Diablo Boulevard, Lafayette, CA 94549

Please check the weather forecast and dress accordingly. Note that sunset is around 7:19 PM. Bring bike lights if you're going to eat with us and then bike home.

Note: You must preregister to join this ride. If you do not plan to ride but want to attend the post-ride happy hour, email us instead. (See below, please.)

If you'd like to come to hang out and have dinner but not ride, please RSVP by sending us an email so we know the number attending.

Date and Time
Wednesday, April 29, 2026, 5:15 PM until 7:30 PM

Event Contact:
Anthony Moy

Register here:
https://dssf.org/content.aspx?page_id=4091&club_id=17789&item_id=2943031

04/20/2026

Happy Hour in the East Bay continues on Wednesday, April 22nd!

Distance: about 10 miles
Pace: A/B (easy to moderate, occasional stops)
Terrain: 1 (mostly flat, easy grades, suitable for beginners)

A short, easy 10-mile ride on the Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail starting at El Talpense Restaurant in downtown Lafayette just a couple of blocks away from the BART station. This multi-use regional trail for pedestrians and cyclists runs between Lafayette and Moraga. Since this was originally a railroad right-of-way the average grade is less than 2%. We’ll take the trail to Moraga Common before turning back to the El Talpense where you’re welcome to have some post-ride refreshment. This will be an easy paced ride. You don’t even need to be in bike drag! Like all the local multi-use paths e-bikes are allowed but please respect the speed limit of 15 MPH. Did I mention that the trail is for cyclists and pedestrians only? Yes, no cars except at the street crossings!

Meet in front of the El Talpense at 5:15 PM with a 5:30 PM departure. We should be back a little after 6:30 PM.

If you’re coming by car, parking in the area can be busy. But there is no fee after 7 PM on weekdays. Or, you can park in the nearby BART parking lot as there is no fee after 3 PM.

Please bring a lock but we'll be able to keep our bikes close by.

Meet in front of the l Talpense, 3576 Mount Diablo Boulevard, Lafayette, CA 94549

Please check the weather forecast and dress accordingly. Note that sunset is around 7:19 PM. Bring bike lights if you're going to eat with us and then bike home.

Note: You must preregister to join this ride. If you do not plan to ride but want to attend the post-ride happy hour, email us instead. (See below, please.)

If you'd like to come to hang out and have dinner but not ride, please RSVP by sending us an email so we know the number attending.

Date and Time
Wednesday, March 22, 2026, 5:15 PM until 7:30 PM

Event Contact:
Anthony Moy

Register here:
https://dssf.org/content.aspx?page_id=4091&club_id=17789&item_id=2943031

04/13/2026

And She Lived Happily Ever After…

"It wasn’t a fairytale ending. Today marked the 50th anniversary of the Cinderella Classic by the Valley Spokesmen Bicycle Club. It was also the last one as I just found out this morning at registration. Roger and I have worked the Cinderella for about 25 years. We aren’t exactly in the core of VSBC and in fact we rarely join their rides. But when we have we always have had a good time and enjoyed the company. Clearly the club has been planning the end of the venerable century for some time because the next club project was announced today too: a cycling fundraiser next year in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity East Bay to raise money to build low income housing.

But back to the Cinderella. A big storm was threatening to spoil the party. This has happened several times at the Cinderella because it’s an early spring ride, always a bit of a gamble for a club."

Full read here (link to ChainLetter blog also in bio):
https://dssf.home.blog/2026/04/11/and-she-lived-happily-ever-after/
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04/12/2026

Ride Recap: Pedaling Paths to Independence 2026

Get on down
I wanna get on the good foot
Ho! Good foot
I got to get on the good foot
—James Brown

"February 28 I got up at the crack of dawn to drive to Linden, CA for the Pedaling Paths to Independence metric century. This was a major accomplishment for me because just a week before Christmas I had surgery to remove a femoral bone tumor. I hadn’t been able to cycle much since July and had mostly been physically inert as the tumor made even walking painful."

"No one in the club that I know of other than David Go., Jeff M., and Stephanie C. has manifested any interest in going out to Linden, CA for this lovely ride. The fact that about every third or fourth year it gets rained on doesn’t help its allure. Sometime ago, maybe around 2015, Pedaling Paths caught my eye and I’ve been hooked."

Full read here (link to ChainLetter blog also in bio):
https://dssf.home.blog/2026/04/08/ride-recap-pedaling-paths-to-independence-2026/

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Address

San Francisco, CA
94114

Website

https://linktr.ee/differentspokessanfrancisco

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