Norcal Flow Expeditions Mountain bike Tours Downieville, San Francisco & Santa Cruz - San Francisco, California

Matteo Ferrando

I recently had the pleasure of embarking on a two-day mountain biking adventure with Marcel, and it was truly an unforgettable experience. The first day we rode traditional mountain bikes, which was a great warm-up for the epic e-bike journey on day two.

Marcel expertly paced the ride, taking us through the stunning Tahoe National Forest and down to some breathtaking lakes. He explained every section of the trail, ensuring we felt comfortable and confident even on challenging terrain. The e-bikes made it possible to cover a lot of ground and still enjoy the incredible scenery without feeling exhausted.

Riding through Tahoe National Forest was a highlight. The views were simply awe-inspiring, and the sense of accomplishment after conquering those hills was incredible. I highly recommend this trip to anyone looking for a unique and challenging mountain biking experience.

Kathryn Anderson

Marcel led our 14 yr old son and his friend on the Downieville Downhill and Flume rides. He was so patient, encouraging and took an extra hour for them to do jumps over and over. They were in heaven! Marcel organized everything-and provided bikes, helmets and protective equipment. Both boys have ridden quite a bit-but had no experience on rides like Downieville or as long as the flume. We felt very comfortable sending them off with Marcel and his wife Sandy. Great people and amazing guides! If you have the opportunity to ride with them-go and enjoy!

Tan Zhang

I went 2 trips with Marcell at Downieville and had a blast in both. Marcell is a very knowledgeable guide and an amazing rider. Despite the short time (2 days), he was able to organize the riding very well and made sure we hit all the popular trails in Downieville area and even Lake Basin! The views are spectacular and the riding is one of the best in the US I've done! I'll definitely come back for more.

JJ Yore

If you want a great experience riding trails in the Bay Area or around Downieville in the Sierra Nevada, Marcel is your guy. He knows all kinds of routes, is personable, and figures out what kind of rider you are and then adapts to what you need. Plus he has a great bike shop on Polk in SF. I’ve been riding for many years, in many places, with many guides and Marcel is the best ever!!!

Daniel Gwilt

If you are looking for a ride in and around San Fran then look no further. Marcel has a wealth of knowledge of all local trails and the experience to tailor your ride to your riding style. Couldn't of asked for a better ride in Marin. If any technical features arised then Marcel always pre warned you and talked you through what to expect. Amazing and will hopefully get the opportunity to do this again in the future! Thank you

mark dear

There are few experiences that EXCEED our expectations. Our ride with Marcel was one of them. To celebrate my wife Mimi's 50th birthday, I arranged a trip to San Francisco, with a repositioning cruise back to our home in Vancouver BC. As Mimi is an avid rider (me not so much), I wanted to add a mountain bike day to our vacation. I found NorCal Flow online, and made contact with Marcel. We made all the necessary arrangements, including his recommendations of the local restaurants to consider (Tony's Pizza in North Beach was awesome!).

Marcel picked us up at the hotel with the bikes already tuned to our size and skill. We headed north to the Muir Woods region. After our introduction to the full suspension e-bikes, we were off on our climb. Choosing the e-bike option was pivotal in fully enjoying the day. The climb was work, but very manageable. Once out of the woods when we reached the height of our climb, we were rewarded with views second to none. Then the real fun of the downhill begun. Marcel matched the terrain to my skill level perfectly. The ride down the hill was exhilarating, the views spectacular, and the weather was perfect. Once at the bottom, we regrouped after a snack and began the second route of the day, equally as good as the first.

Providing reviews is not common for me. That said, the experience we had with Marcel's guidance was worth sharing.
We plan to fly to the Bay area again for another bike adventure with NorCal Flow who we 100% recommend if you are considering a mountain bike adventure!

T W

My son wanted a rugged, outdoor adventure with a couple of buddies for his 16th birthday. Marcel took the teens on the Muir Woods trip, and they had a great time! They rode 11 miles and climbed 1,900 feet in elevation. Marcel showed up in a new Grand Toyota Highlander with four high-end mountain bikes. The seats moved up and down on the seat posts to absorb the shock of the ride, which is something I’d never seen before. Marcel provided helmets, gloves, water bottles, and plentiful and varied snacks for the crew. Pick-up and drop-off from home was a definite plus. The kids came back exhausted and thrilled, and Marcel taught them lots of new mountain biking skills. The boys really warmed up to Marcel and enjoyed his company for the day. Marcel also provided lots of great photos from the trip. 10/10 for a rugged, outdoor birthday party. Thank you, Marcel!

Lee Henderson

5 years ago, Marcel and Norcal flow helped me start mountain biking. I had been interested for years, but I didn't know where to start. I did a few tours with Marcel, bought a bike from High Trails, and I've been riding ever since.

Mountain biking has transformed many aspects my life. I'm more fit than I've been since high school, and I've built of a community of riders. I've conquered extremely challenging terrain and had some mild success racing here and there.

But I can trace the origins of all these positive developments back to those first few rides with Norcal Flow in 2020 when I was a nervous beginner and had very little idea what I was doing. They opened the door to a hobby that I deeply appreciate being a part of my life.

Whether you do one ride to try something fun and different, or you end up riding for years like I have, you should give mountain biking a shot. Going on a tour with Norcal Flow is hands down the best way to do it.