Race Weekend · Travel
Traveling to the Berkeley Omnium: where to stay, how to get here and race weekend tips
Race the weekend. We'll help with the rest.
Two races. Two very different courses. One weekend in the East Bay. Whether you're driving in from elsewhere in Northern California, bringing a collegiate team from another state, or flying with a bike, this is the practical side of getting to the Berkeley Omnium.
Berkeley Omnium travel at a glance
- Saturday: Berkeley Hills Road Race
- Race HQ: Orinda BART, north end parking lot, 11 Camino Pablo, Orinda, CA 94563Race HQ in Google Maps
- Saturday's start
- Not at HQ: racers roll out together to San Pablo Dam Road and Bear Creek RoadBHRR start & staging guide
- Sunday: Berkeley Streets Criterium
- Registration at Hearst Avenue and McGee Avenue, beside Ohlone Park, BerkeleyRegistration in Google Maps
- Between the venues
- The Berkeley Hills: Highway 24 through the Caldecott Tunnel, or BART
- BART hours
- Saturday from 6 a.m.. Sunday from 8 a.m., after the first crit fields start.
- Parking
- Free at Orinda BART on weekends. Very limited near the criterium.
The short answer
The Berkeley Omnium is a two-day bike racing event in California's East Bay. Saturday's Berkeley Hills Road Race uses race headquarters and staging at Orinda BART before a neutral rollout to the road race start, while Sunday's Berkeley Streets Criterium takes place on a closed circuit beside Ohlone Park in Berkeley. Racers doing both days should plan for two venues on either side of the Berkeley Hills, and for BART not running until 8 a.m. on Sunday.
The two races aren't at the same venue
Don't assume everything happens in downtown Berkeley. The Berkeley Omnium is Saturday's Berkeley Hills Road Race, run out of Orinda on the far side of the Berkeley Hills, and Sunday's Berkeley Streets Criterium, in Berkeley itself.
Saturday
- Orinda BART: Race HQRegistration, staging, results and medical support.
- Neutral rollout, about 2.3 miles
- Race start: San Pablo Dam Road and Bear Creek RoadThen the Three Bears loop. The finish is on Papa Bear, on Bear Creek Road.
Sunday
- Berkeley Streets CriteriumRegistration at Hearst Avenue and McGee Avenue, beside Ohlone Park.
Saturday morning starts at Orinda BART, not at the start line. Here's how staging and the rollout work:
BHRR start, staging and rollout guide →
And Sunday's race, from the course to the schedule:
Where should I stay?
For most racers doing the full Omnium, start in Downtown Berkeley. Sunday's criterium is in Berkeley, and so are the restaurants, coffee, groceries, BART and bike shops, so after Saturday's road race you come back, recover and wake up close to Sunday's race. If the road race is your priority, look east of the hills in Lafayette or Walnut Creek; Orinda itself, where Race HQ is, has little lodging. Race headquarters and hotel headquarters don't have to be the same place.
Where to stay for the Berkeley Omnium →
Traveling with an expensive bike? Before booking, ask the hotel whether bikes are allowed in guest rooms and whether there's secure bike storage. Policies vary, and we don't assume them.
Which airport should I fly into?
For most racers heading to Berkeley and the East Bay, Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK) is the closest major airport. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) often has more flights, depending on where you're coming from, but it's across the bay. San José Mineta International Airport (SJC) is farther south and makes sense mainly if the flights work much better for you. Driving times depend heavily on traffic, so check them for your travel times.
- OAK: BART connects the airport to the rest of the system, with a transfer at Coliseum station.
- SFO: BART leaves from the International Terminal, reached by the AirTrain from every terminal.
- SJC: no direct BART connection to the airport.
- Rental cars: available at all three; bike cases need a car with room for them.
BART's airport connections:
BART at SFO, including weekend airport hours:
Your bike has a travel plan too
Flying
- Pack it in a proper bike case, and protect the derailleur and brakes.
- Check your airline's bike and baggage policy before you book: fees and size limits vary and change.
- Bring the tools you need to rebuild it: pedals, bars, seatpost, maybe the rear derailleur.
- Rebuild it the day you arrive, and test-ride it before race morning.
Driving
- Secure bikes properly on the rack or inside the vehicle.
- Don't leave expensive bikes visible in an unattended car.
- Bring tools, a pump and spares.
Shipping
Bike shipping services exist, but we don't recommend a particular one. If you ship, allow plenty of time and confirm where and when the bike will arrive.
Do you need a rental car?
Maybe not, but probably yes for a team. Orinda and Berkeley both have BART stations, so parts of the weekend are possible by transit. A solo racer packing light can make Saturday work on BART. But a race weekend also means a bike, wheels, a bag, maybe a trainer, food, teammates or family, and BART's Sunday service starts at 8 a.m., after early criterium fields have checked in. For a team with several bikes, or anyone racing early on Sunday, a vehicle is much easier.
Using BART
Saturday
Race HQ is at Orinda BART, which is unusual: you can step off the train at registration. Orinda is on the Yellow Line, and from Berkeley you'll usually transfer at MacArthur. BART's Saturday service starts at 6 a.m., and BHRR registration has opened at 7:00 a.m., so check the trip planner against your staging time, especially if you're registering on race day.
Sunday
Downtown Berkeley BART is about half a mile from the criterium's start/finish, and North Berkeley BART is also within walking distance. But Sunday service doesn't start until 8 a.m., and criterium check-in has opened at 6:50 a.m. with the first fields racing soon after. BART works for later fields and for spectators; plan another way in for an early race.
Bikes on BART
- Bikes are allowed on all trains, but never on crowded cars.
- Bikes are never allowed in the first car.
- Use the wide accessible fare gates with a bike.
- Yield to other passengers, and don't block doors or aisles.
BART's full bike rules:
Saturday morning: getting to BHRR
Drive to Race HQ: Orinda BART, north end parking lot, 11 Camino Pablo, Orinda, CA 94563. The race information says there's plenty of free parking in both the north and south lots, that areas marked as fee parking don't charge on weekends, and that arriving by BART is encouraged. BART confirms its parking is free on weekends.
Everything about race morning, from registration to the rollout:
Sunday morning: getting to Berkeley Streets
A criterium runs on closed streets, so you can't drive through the course: plan to park outside it and walk or ride in. Street parking near the course is free on Sundays but extremely limited, and the race information strongly encourages carpooling or transit. Registration is at Hearst Avenue and McGee Avenue, beside Ohlone Park.
Parking options, BART and arriving by bike:
If you arrive Friday
- Check in to your lodging.
- Build and check the bike.
- Make sure the shifting and brakes work.
- Charge electronic shifting and lights.
- Buy anything you forgot.
- Get bottles and race food ready.
- Review Saturday's BHRR logistics: HQ, your staging time, parking or BART.
- Go to bed.
Forgot something? Bike not shifting?
- Trek Bicycle Berkeley, 1045 Ashby Avenue, Berkeley. Hosted the Berkeley Streets kids clinic.
- Mike's Bikes of Berkeley, 1824 University Avenue, Berkeley. Near downtown Berkeley and the UC Berkeley campus.
Call ahead: race weekends can be busy, and same-day service isn't guaranteed.
Near downtown Berkeley:
Eating during race weekend
- Friday dinner: familiar food, plenty of carbohydrate, some protein, easy to digest. Friday night before a bike race is probably not the time to test your digestive system's sense of adventure.
- Saturday breakfast: plan it around an early start and the drive or train to Orinda.
- After BHRR: eat, drink and recover. You may have another race tomorrow.
- Sunday: time your meal around your criterium start.
Race HQ at Orinda has had a food truck after the racing:
In Berkeley on Sunday? Coffee, food and things to do before and after the criterium:
Remember: you race again tomorrow
- Cool down.
- Eat and drink.
- Change into dry clothes.
- Check the bike over.
- Charge your electronics.
- Check Sunday's schedule.
- Get numbers and equipment ready.
- Get off your feet.
Racing the Omnium? See what Saturday means for Sunday.
Sunday morning
- Wake up and eat
- Travel to Berkeley
- Park or arrive, then registerCheck-in closes 15 minutes before each race.
- Course and warm-up
- Beginner Race Program, if you're eligible7:10 a.m., for Junior and Novice entries, including collegiate Novice.
- Stage
- Race
Racing your first crit? Ride the course before your race:
Bringing a team to Berkeley?
Visiting teams make the weekend: Coalition Cycling brought five P/1/2 riders down from the Pacific Northwest and reached the podium in both races and the Omnium overall. If you're bringing a team, plan for:
Coalition Cycling at the Berkeley Omnium →
- Lodging that works for both venues.
- Getting bikes and wheels to both races.
- Shared vehicles, and who drives when.
- Equipment: pumps, tools, spares, a trainer if you warm up on one.
- Team tents only where the race allows them.
- Arrival times for several fields with different start times.
- Food for everyone, before and after each race.
- Junior and collegiate needs, from waivers to school kit.
Give one person the weekend's logistics document. The bigger the team, the more expensive "we'll figure it out when we get there" becomes.
Bringing family?
Family members don't have to spend the weekend standing next to registration. On Saturday, the best place to watch is the finish line.
On Sunday, the criterium is easy to watch and close to food and the park.
Berkeley Streets spectator guide →
Bringing kids? Sunday has a free kids skills clinic at 11:00 a.m. and a free kids race at 11:45 a.m., with check-in before 11:30 a.m.
Traveling with juniors
Competitive junior racing, in the age-group fields at both races, is different from the kids skills clinic and kids race. For junior racers, a parent or legal guardian must be present at registration to sign the waivers, so plan who's traveling with them.
Junior registration and waivers →
Junior development in Berkeley, including Berkeley Bike Club Juniors:
Traveling with a collegiate team
Collegiate teams have raced Berkeley as part of the WCCC road season, with collegiate fields alongside the open ones. Coordinate registration under your school, shared lodging and vehicles, and equipment, and note that collegiate Novice racers get the Beginner Race Program on Sunday.
How to start collegiate bike racing in California →
How the conference and its scoring work:
What weather should I prepare for?
Check the forecast right before you travel, and again each morning: temperature, wind and rain, morning and afternoon. Conditions in downtown Berkeley and out on the road race course in the hills can differ, so pack layers you can add or shed.
Berkeley Omnium travel packing list
Racing
- Bike.
- Helmet.
- Shoes.
- Race clothing.
- Glasses and gloves, if you use them.
- Bottles.
- Race food.
Bike equipment
- Pump.
- Tools.
- Tubes or repair kit.
- Spare parts for your bike.
- Charging cables, including your electronic shifting charger.
Race paperwork
- Registration details.
- USA Cycling license.
- Identification.
- A parent or legal guardian, for racers under 18.
Travel
- Bike case, if you're flying.
- Regular and recovery clothing.
- Layers for the weather.
- Sunscreen.
Two-race weekend
- A kit for each race.
- Recovery food.
- Extra bottles.
- Sunday's gear packed separately from Saturday's.
Two races means you don't want to discover on Saturday night that Sunday's clean kit is still at home.
Berkeley Omnium weekend map
Saturday: Orinda BART, Race HQ and staging.
Orinda BART Race HQ in Google Maps →
Saturday: the rollout from HQ to the race start at San Pablo Dam Road and Bear Creek Road.
Rollout route in Google Maps →
Saturday: the road race course and the finish, on Papa Bear, on Bear Creek Road.
Official course route on Strava →
Sunday: Berkeley Streets registration, Hearst Avenue and McGee Avenue.
BART stations for the weekend: Orinda on Saturday, Downtown Berkeley or North Berkeley on Sunday.
Questions
Traveling to the Berkeley Omnium: where to stay, how to get here and race weekend tips: FAQ
Where should I stay for the Berkeley Omnium?
For most racers doing both days, Downtown Berkeley: Sunday's criterium is in Berkeley, with food, transit and bike shops nearby. Racers focused on Saturday's road race may prefer Lafayette or Walnut Creek, east of the Berkeley Hills.
Where to stay for the Berkeley Omnium →Is the Berkeley Hills Road Race actually in Berkeley?
Not downtown. Its race headquarters and staging are at Orinda BART, and the racing is on roads in the hills beyond, after a neutral rollout from HQ.
Are both Berkeley Omnium races in the same place?
No. Saturday's road race is run from Orinda; Sunday's criterium is in Berkeley, beside Ohlone Park.
Which airport is closest to the Berkeley Omnium?
Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK) is the closest major airport to Berkeley and the East Bay. SFO may have more flights, depending on where you're coming from.
Can I take BART to the Berkeley Omnium?
Yes for Saturday: Race HQ is at Orinda BART, and Saturday service starts at 6 a.m.. On Sunday, BART doesn't start until 8 a.m., too late for early criterium fields, though Downtown Berkeley BART is about half a mile from the course.
BART trip planner →Do I need a rental car for the Berkeley Omnium?
A solo racer packing light can use BART on Saturday, but a team with bikes and gear, or anyone racing early on Sunday, will find a vehicle much easier.
Can I bring my bike on BART?
Yes, on all trains, but never on crowded cars or in the first car. Use the wide fare gates.
Bikes on BART →Where should I stay if I'm racing both days?
Start in Downtown Berkeley: make Saturday a short trip to Orinda rather than turning Sunday morning into another travel day.
Where can I get my bike repaired during race weekend?
Trek Bicycle Berkeley (1045 Ashby Avenue, Berkeley) and Mike's Bikes of Berkeley (1824 University Avenue, Berkeley). Call ahead, since same-day service isn't guaranteed.
Is there parking at the Berkeley Hills Road Race?
Yes. The race information says there's plenty of free parking in the north and south lots at Orinda BART, and BART parking is free on weekends.
What should I do after BHRR if I'm racing the criterium Sunday?
Cool down, eat and drink, check the bike, charge your electronics, check Sunday's schedule and get off your feet. Racing the Omnium? See what your road race result means with the points calculator.
Omnium points calculator →