Part 2: Rincon Avenue

This is part two of a five-part series introducing beginner riders and families to safe, calm and family-friendly routes through Campbell and into surrounding cities. The series will also highlight some connections and resources that intermediate riders could use to replace more and more car trips. The author is a journalist and bicycle commuter who loves living car-free in Silicon Valley.

Check out a video introduction to the route in the attached images, and see a Google Map of the route here.

This bike boulevard runs east-west on Rincon Avenue and Bucknall Road, just south of Campbell Avenue. It's a great place for beginning riders and children to get used to riding with traffic and negotiating intersections. While Campbell is a fine road for bike commuting, Rincon/Bucknall might be more attractive to beginners and those riding with young children.

The route itself follows very peaceful, tree-shaded streets with few cars, like giant bike lanes. It will get you to Westgate Shopping Center with all its services, allowing you to run some errands or go to the movies without having to drive. And you'll roll past , and .

Finally, this is a city of Campbell official bike route that can bring you to downtown Campbell for coffee, lunch or the on the weekend. It connects, via Virginia and Hacienda avenues or via East Campbell Avenue, with the. That trail extends all the way to Vasona Lake County Park and Old Town Los Gatos in the south.

One way to think of the routes in Campbell is in terms of our experience in the saddle. Hamilton is for advanced riders, Campbell for intermediate riders and Rincon for novice and beginning riders. Similarly, San Tomas Expressway (yes, you can bike on it—I do) is for advanced riders, Winchester and Bascom are for intermediate riders, and the Los Gatos Creek Trail, Central and Virginia are for beginners.

Thanks for checking out Bikeable Campbell—ride safe, and have fun!

1. Always stop at stop signs and stop lights.
2. Always wear lights and a helmet when you ride.
3. Never ride on the sidewalk—it's far more dangerous than riding in the street, because cars can't see you, you can hit pedestrians and driveways are major hazards.
4. Avoid the dangerous five-foot "door zone" of parked cars, or you may be knocked out by an opening car door.
5. Ride as closely as you safely can to the right side of the road, but don't be afraid to "take the lane." California law allows us to take the lane to avoid the "door zone," skirt debris on the roadway or pass other bicyclists.

• Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition—our excellent local bicycle advocacy organization.
• League of American Bicyclists—longtime organization for cycling advocacy and resources.
• Street Films—great films about bikeable, walkable and livable streets around the world.
• Valley Transportation Authority countywide bike map—for trips beyond Campbell's borders.
• City of Campbell Bike Facilities Map—for trips within Campbell's borders.
• Almaden Cycle Touring Club Academy—offers a six-week training for beginning bicycle riders.
• Google Maps bicycling directions—just enter your start and end, click the bicycle symbol (not the car), and Google Maps will give you pretty good options for bike routes. It shows you the best nearby routes, and highlights streets with bike lanes.

Download the movie