About

Nick was definitely a surprise and delight type of business owner. TOP DOWN service, well thought out route, reasonably priced, felt safe the ENTIRE time, bikes were flawless, we had a slight hiccup on a unavoidable flat and he handled it like a champ! Our tour felt so customized and the entire day made our trip. Not only did he not disappoint, he took it beyond what we would have expected.

His personality is hilarious, he’s smiling ear to ear in all of our candid pictures, he is animated, descriptive and knows all the best areas. He has the best suggestions, great stopping places and the backstory of San Fran WITH illustrations. I think we knew immediately we were going to have a blast when we saw how clean and classy his shop is, and he was a joy from the second we called in inquiring about the tour. THIS is a true business owner. Support local and support those who have passion for what they do. Nick absolutely does.

This was our best experience in San Francisco. Nick is an over the top, out of this world guide. He weaves the different neighborhoods in the city into a rideable and enjoyable day, full of unexpected surprises, with lots of insider tips and history woven throughout. Don’t miss it!

This was my favorite thing we did on our brief visit to San Francisco. I’ve been on 5 bike tours before this in other cities and can say that Nick is the best tour guide I’ve ever had. His enthusiasm and knowledge of SF’s history was impactful and enlightening. It’s a great way to get your bearings in this sprawling city if you are staying a while OR if your trip is short (like ours) it’s a great way to see all the famed neighborhoods and get a sense for their unique flavors. The biking is not arduous even though SF is very hilly and the bike lanes are all new; overall very safe experience. The length of time is appropriate for sure as there is so much to see. Also, after the tour was over, Nick spent time with each of his guests offering recommendations on where to go next–he even hand wrote out places on his already chalk-full preprinted recommendation list of where to go in various neighborhoods. Great guy, great tour! Keep it up Nick!

We had a great time on Nick’s Night Cycle Food Tour – he’s a great guide! There were a range of bikes to choose from, all of great quality which he adjusted to ensure a comfy ride for everyone. Nick brought us to parts of the city we would never have explored on our own, and his personality really gelled the group – it was great fun, a highlight of our trip.  He also gave us a print out of recommended places to explore in all the districts which was an invaluable resource in the days after the cycle – so do this activity early in your trip! Also Nick is a small-time operator who really cares about the experience you have – so support him rather than the bigger generic tour companies!

There are plenty of bike tour companies in SF, but nothing like Dandyhorse. It’s the lovingly personal creation of Nick Hormuth, who is both a bike nerd and a San Francisco nerd. Nick is California-earnest and outgoing–conceivably too much for some, but this crusty New Englander at least found him charming. (He used to be a first-grade teacher, which is easy to imagine.) The unique quirks begin with the bikes, which Nick builds himself. They’re benign mechanical Frankensteins with frames, suspensions, tires, handlebars, brakes, and gears mixed and matched from different kinds of machines to create *exactly* the right bikes for touring San Francisco. They continue with the destinations, which include some standard must-sees but also odd corners and shops you’ve never heard of but that Nick thinks (rightly) are really, really cool. I’ve probably visited San Francisco 25 times, and there was plenty on this tour that was completely new to me. While it lasts four or five hours and covers about 15 miles (San Francisco miles, at that) it’s not physically taxing. Total couch potatoes might strain, but Nick has a knack for finding the flattest route between two points and if you do any exercise at all you’ll be just fine. Highly recommended.

I loved this tour. Highly recommended for locals who want a really fun day out and to see and learn some more about the city. Nick was an excellent guide, and he’d thought of everything – from customising each bike to each person, to taking you around the best spots in San Francisco, to the best picnic spot to stop for lunch. We discovered so many places in the city I would never have found on my own, and Nick was so knowledgeable throughout the whole tour. Thanks Nick!

As they had good reviews/similar prices. They were unresponsive by email/phone; I booked on TripAdvisor and was informed their tours were booked. After experiencing Dandyhorse, I would choose him again 100 times out of 100. Nick just offered such an authentic and epic experience on so many levels: Custom built 8 speed bikes with great attention to detail (our bikes were named “Betty White” and “Barry White” and had our name on stickies already on the bike, in addition to stickers for gear switching– these details are representative of the entire experience Super easy-quick registration process on iPad in his shop Shop was amazing, all the maps, monitor for presentation, comfortable seating and just a great welcoming use of the space Multiple walking/exploration breaks at all the best spots (Dandelion Chocolate, first LGBTQ flag, lunch break at Bi-Rite Market, Alamo Square Park, Golden Gate park etc) Nick possessed so much detail about architecture, history, neighborhoods etc even locals (not on the tour) were commenting on how they learned stuff In roughly 5 hours we covered all best neighborhoods and got the ins and outs, you could never get without an experienced guide Nick did a great job about photo opportunities for the group At the end of tour, Nick offered a bunch of top notch recommendations in a booklet, along with a great map and customized recommendations for each bike rider Going with a small business, in the heart of the Mission district, especially one with such enthusiasm and experience — made the tour a huge success. We are forever indebted to him for a lifetime of memories. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience and such a grand overview in such a condensed amount of time. We fell in love with the city because of Nick. His tour was world class!!

Nick is an amazing bike tour guide. First, you will be on one of his custom-made bikes that feels like something you would have bought for yourself. No cheap mass produced bikes here. Nick has gone to extraordinary lengths to keep the tour route accessible and on designated bike infrastructure (think safety). It probably took months for him to pick such an amazing route. And then there is the route itself – through SOMA, the Mission, Castro, Lower Haight, Haight-Ashbury, and the east side of the Golden Gate Park. We had lunch in Alamo Square Park, rode by the Conservatory of Flowers, and went up the de Young Museum Tower for a panoramic view. I can’t say enough good things about this tour. It was truly a highlight of my time in SF. Thank you Nick.

As many others have commented, Nick was extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and enthusiastic. He gave lots of good info on all the neighborhoods we rode through to help us (people moving to SF soon) a great feel of the city and where we want to apartment hunt. The ride was easy enough and the bikes were awesome (and not all matching and super touristy like a lot of the other bike tours offered in the area). Nick added lots of personal touches and is clearly very passionate about what he does and about SF! An amazing experience.

I had so much fun on this tour–Nick’s animated personality and enthusiasm for the city/biking made this experience very enjoyable. He was extremely knowledgeable and taught me way more than I expected to learn– I probably know more about San Francisco now than I do my own home town! Being able to stop, walk around, and sample food allowed me to really immerse myself in the neighborhoods’ different cultures. A perfect blend of exercising and education. Great photo opportunities as well! Thank you, Nick.