CYCLING IN SAN MARCOS
The San Marcos biking community just celebrated National Bike Month. From the ever-evolving infrastructure to the biking communities and clubs, the cyclist culture is thriving in the 78666. Within the past few years, new bike lanes have been popping up through downtown and extending into neighborhoods. Although the city is investing in safer travel infrastructure for cyclists, the town’s bike paths still have room for improvement with local cyclists encouraging the development of more bike specific lanes and increased education for drivers sharing the road with those on two wheels. “The city is actively making progress on the community’s goals for bike infrastructure as outlined in the adopted plans and policies. This includes construction of a two-way cycle track on Guadalupe Street that provides a key bike connection through Downtown and a Shared Use Path along the San Marcos River and Hopkins Street,” said Andrea Villalobos, San Marcos Planning assistant director. “The city actively reviews existing streets for opportunities to install bike facilities such as installing bike lanes on Cheatham Street in 2021 and Chuck Nash Loop and Riverwalk Drive in 2024. In recent years, buffered bike lanes were installed as part of roadway improvements on Craddock Avenue, Sessom Drive, and Academy Street, N LBJ Drive, and Hunter Road and provide bicyclists with additional separation from adjacent vehicles. In total, the city has 121 miles of bike facilities including on-street bike lanes, shared use paths, and natural trails.”
San Marcos has been designated a Bronze Level Bicycle Friendly Community for the second time through the League of American Bicyclists.
“The few bike lanes to be found in town are a huge boon for me personally, and I would think also to the students and other citizens of the city,” local cyclist Hunter Wilk said. “They make traversing the area that they cover much easier, more comfortable and moderately safer, and I wish there were many more. From riding clear across town to stopping to patronize the businesses that line the roads, I fully support making the city more traversable for people instead of filling up our streets with more and more motor vehicles.”
The city of San Marcos has an interactive webpage where the community can learn about existing bike facilities, plan a route using the Bike Map feature and review plans and policies that affect cyclists such as the Transportation Master Plan, which will be getting an update in 2025 and will be a guide for future transportation facility upgrades in San Marcos.
“Community input will be a foundational part of the planning process and information on opportunities to participate will be shared once details are available,” Villalobos said.
There is also the SMTX Go Map which provides real-time, multi-modal traveler information with traffic conditions, road closures and locations of Spin scooters and bikes for rent.
There are multiple thriving cyclists clubs for social butterflies on wheels or for those looking to build community through biking. The Native Bike Club is an all inclusive cycling group open to all skill levels that meets every Sunday at 1 p.m. at The Native Blends located at 309 North Edward Gary Street. They usually ride an eight-mile loop depending on the group size and experience levels.
“Our motive is to advocate for health and wellness all while bringing people together. Unlike run clubs, bikes make it more fun and less strenuous on our bodies; although it is less accessible than running,” owner of The Native Blends Elmer Moreno said. “All in all, it is a subculture of the shop and it is a tool to bring health-minded individuals together in our health conscious shop.”
Texas State University has a cycling club open to students, which competes in the South Central Collegiate Cycling Conference, as well as hosts their own mountain bike and road bike races in town.
“My experience with biking in San Marcos has been mostly positive, from joining up with other locals who attend group rides at the many shops around town to just passing by other people riding and waving. I feel the culture with cycling here too is pretty good compared to other cities as a good chunk of the roads here allow bikes to use the main lanes if there’s not a bicycle lane already,” TXST Cycling Club team member Luke Ortegon said. TXST also offers students access to The Bike Cave, which is a shop that aids in repairing bikes and educating students on how to safely cycle in San Marcos. The Bike Cave also sells used bicycles and has a free self-service station with tools and workspace that students can use to fix up their bikes.
The San Marcos Pedal Department is another community organization that organizes social rides such as the famous Hell Ride every October. Formerly CRC, the club has also organized scavenger hunts and Heaven Ride, which mixes bike riding with live music performances.
“I’ve participated in Hell Ride for two years running and desperately hope it continues. I was new to cycling in San Marcos the first year I went, and I met a ton of great people and had an amazing time. I can see why the people who coordinate it are very proud of what they’ve created; it reflects well on the culture and the people of the city,” Wilk said.
Outside of clubs there are locals using biking to bring people together. Naomi Lovato has been organizing Gallery Rides that align with The San Marcos Studio Tour every April. She creates routes that stop at multiple studios that are on the tour so riders can engage in the art community while on two wheels. With the tour being two weekends this year, she was able to organize a relaxed, family friendly ride down San Antonio Street the first weekend and a more fast paced, uphill ride the second weekend. Lovato even organized a free bike repair workshop at Galaxy Bicycles prior to the rides to help cyclists tune up their ride.
San Marcos has two cyclist stores, Galaxy Bicycles and Trek Bicycles, which offer bicycles and gear for purchase as well as servicing and tune ups.
“So far, my experience has been extremely fun and heartwarming! I’ve been in San Marcos for about eight years and in the cycling community for about 5, and I’ve made so many friends that I would’ve never made without cycling,” said John Petrus, a Trek Bicycle employee. Trek hosts road-specific rides Tuesdays and Thursdays and are working on a Wednesday ride focused on uplifting female riders.
A big critique on the cyclist culture in town is the relationship between bikers and motorists.
“I spent nearly a year and a half cycling throughout San Marcos to and from work, for groceries and postal deliveries, and for exercise and socialization,” Wilk said. “In terms of my interactions with drivers, there have been a few occasions I was mocked for cycling but even fewer in which the driver “seemingly” intentionally veered much closer to me than they needed for safe driving. These things happened exclusively in areas that lack any amount of bicycling infrastructure. I’ve asked motorists why, and the response is generally that they expect roadways to be exclusively for motor vehicles. My response is some form of, ‘I wouldn’t be in the roadway if I had another choice.’” Jeffrey Dell is a professor at TXST and has been using an electric assist bicycle to commute daily to the campus and around town.
“I don’t think very many people realize how functional, fun and liberating an electric assist bicycle is,” Dell said. “One place I’d like to see greater space for bikes is North LBJ, from Sessom to the west (up the hill). Bottom line, we need to create ways that people can try bicycles and learn that they’re not as dangerous as they fear.”
Lexi Jones has been biking as her main mode of transportation.
“I’ve had a few not great biking experiences, but I’ve been biking everyday for two years, and the majority of people are very kind towards me. I try not to let a couple of people with road rage ruin the whole experience,” Jones said.
Villalobos recommended that drivers be more aware of bicyclists, especially at intersections or in places where bike lanes do not exist.
“San Marcos’ Safe Passing Ordinance requires that motorists give three to six feet of space when passing a cyclist,” Villalobos said. “Drivers are encouraged to make eye contact with bicyclists at intersections and to be cautious when making right turns as cyclists may be approaching from the left or may be traveling in a bike lane.”
The city has a website that overviews information for cyclists at sanmar costx.gov/317/bicycling. There is an interactive city bike map and another website dedicated to biking resources at arcg. is/1PqyjP. There is a tab to share one’s bike experience where citizens can upload photos and their testimonies to add to the conversation of improving and uplifting the cyclist community.
“Cruising around town with a few friends, stopping for drinks or a dip in the river, makes for a great afternoon,” Wilk said. “To all the motorists and all the cyclists, be cool and enjoy the ride; we’re all in this together.”
Photos courtesy of Native Bike Club
