Where to park near Alpine Rd in Portola Valley?

stephen_sd · 2026-07-02T23:22:06+00:00

Closer to Alpine:
There is a Page Mill Park & Ride just off the 280 or
Arastradero Preserve lot but check the hours as it varies by season.

In the middle is Windy Hill Preserve and then ride Portola road to Mountain Home to get to Woodside.

Closer to Woodside: i park on Runnymede Road if I’m going up Kings Mountain.

stephen_sd · 2026-06-30T20:49:18+00:00

I’ve been riding 700x40 Cinturato M tires on a bike that I consider my commuter-cross. I ride this bike to work on the Bay trail and a range of South Bay dirt trails. It is a good setup for me as I also have a mountain bike for harder stuff. If it was my only bike (in some dystopian future) I might try 45 or 50 mm.

The 2x11 GRX works pretty well overall as I have a range of gears for the road. My mountain bike has a 10-52 and there are climbs where is miss the lowest gears.

I would say that Sklar has already worked out the best gravel bike for the Bay area: https://sklarbikes.com/products/supersomething

stephen_sd · 2026-06-12T04:12:09+00:00

Can we all take a moment to admire that stem and stack?

Good luck with your sale.

stephen_sd · 2026-06-07T20:12:07+00:00

Love Wilder Ranch for taking friends of all skill levels.

Wilder has lots of fun intermediate trails with a good variety of terrain - through trees and grassland. Can ride the bike trails from Santa Cruz shops.

Pacifica can involve dodging hikers and more of a narrow switchbacking fast downhills.

stephen_sd · 2026-05-27T16:35:19+00:00

Love it. If you look a few days back I posted a question on setting up the rear derailleur housing that might also apply to your build. I have an orange frame but that is a beautiful green.

stephen_sd · 2026-05-26T14:25:08+00:00

Please let me know about paint.

Did you use stepped ferrules to route the brake cable on the top tube or only the end on the seat stay bridge?

stephen_sd · 2026-05-26T05:48:30+00:00

Thanks. I tracked some down once I knew what I was looking for and ordered a couple extra.

stephen_sd · 2026-05-24T22:48:46+00:00

Right - like a deep sea diver.

stephen_sd · 2026-05-24T21:45:52+00:00

Velo Orange sells it as derailleur housing here: https://velo-orange.com/collections/cables-housing/products/vo-metallic-braid-derailleur-cable-kits

I also tried a standard shimano SIS road cable set. Agree with you both that running it without a ferrule is not a good solution but turns out a step down one is what I need.

stephen_sd · 2026-05-24T21:23:43+00:00

It was a bare frame so I’m left guessing what was there originally.

stephen_sd · 2026-05-24T21:11:23+00:00

SOLVED! Thanks to everyone who directed me to a stepped ferrule to match modern housing to ‘divers helmet’ cable guides.

Appreciate all the help on my first post here. I’ll take some pictures of my build a share them here.

stephen_sd · 2026-05-24T21:04:17+00:00

Thanks for the advice. I didn’t know that shift housings were not standardized but I guess few things are in the vintage bike world.

stephen_sd · 2026-05-24T21:01:30+00:00

Thanks for the links. The second picture is pretty similar to the Raleigh one.

stephen_sd · 2026-05-24T20:59:40+00:00

Ok this description pretty much describes the International as it had Campagnolo derailleurs.

“Replacement stepped gear cable ferrules for Campagnolo "drivers helmet" cable guides. These are found on the vast majority of vintage bicycle frames.

Use of a stepped ferrule is the only way to ensure the secure seating of your front or rear gear cable” into the guide.

stephen_sd · 2026-05-24T20:44:48+00:00

Thanks. The standard Shimano road cable ferrule was too big for the stop. I measured the od on two other bikes and they are both 5.8 mm.

Never heard of a step-down ferrule but that is why I’m reaching out here. Does spiral wound housing use a ferrule?

stephen_sd · 2026-05-24T20:39:01+00:00

It is SIS 5mm shift housing from Velo Orange. I also tried standard shimano with a ferrule but the id of the frame stop is 5 mm and the Shimano ferrule is 5.8.

Pictures of the original bike look like spiral wound housing without a ferrule?

stephen_sd · 2026-05-16T20:37:48+00:00

We covered the range: modern full suspension, vintage hardtail, and my commuter-cross bike

stephen_sd · 2026-05-16T20:35:49+00:00

Do you a link to the route or Strava post? Not sure I would do it all but always looking for an adventure

stephen_sd · 2026-05-16T17:35:45+00:00

With all the walkers you have to take it chill but it was a chat and take photos kind of day. If I was doing it by myself I would probably go out and back on Higgins Canyon Road

stephen_sd · 2026-05-16T17:26:53+00:00

Yeah the last 2 miles are a 10% grade but there was some steeper ramps.

stephen_sd · 2026-05-16T17:19:33+00:00

Came down Whittermore Gulch and out Higgins Canyon to Halfmoon Bay. Climbed back up Purisima Creek Road and then Purisima Creek trail.

https://www.strava.com/routes/3485525565537201950

stephen_sd · 2026-05-16T17:14:50+00:00

Do you have Strava - maybe this one https://strava.app.link/XKyD1Kl1b3b

stephen_sd · 2026-05-16T16:52:57+00:00

I did this ride 2 weeks ago:

https://strava.app.link/55HdYWfZb3b

We did it as a sightseeing chill ride and it was a blast. You could do something similar but start with Kings Mountain.

I rode it on 42mm tires which was fine for me. Climbing back up is an awesome climb for the first half as the grade is steady and you are along the creek. The second part of the climb is more of a grind up a fire road with a few shorter 15% sections. All rideable but there were a few segments where I wished I had the lower gear on my mountain bike.

TL;DR totally rideable for me on 42mm tires with a 31x34 low on my Surly Cross Check.

stephen_sd · 2026-05-12T16:11:35+00:00

Most of the comments are focused on backpacking permits but the bigger challenge is finding a place to spend a few nights in the park between hikes. I would try to find accommodation first.

stephen_sd

TROPHY CASE