From CSGSA

The city of Berkeley's Office of Transportation has a lot of great information regarding public transportation, safety, and theft. The Marin County Bicycle Coalition also has a nice article on bike etiquette. Some basics:

• Safety: Always wear a helmet. Ride with the flow of traffic. Use front and rear lights / reflectors.
• Theft: High quality U-locks are among the most theft resistant. Make sure to actually lock the bike, not just a wheel.
• Transit: Bikes are allowed on the BART, except for the lead car. There are some restrictions during rush hour; see BART's bike info webpage or a paper schedule. All AC Transit buses that run through Berkeley have bike racks.

Here is a map of bike boulevards in the city of Berkeley (more detailed version), and here is a map of where you can and cannot bike on UC Berkeley campus. Note that biking on Sather Road during work hours is not allowed.

Biking to Soda Hall by way of Hearst Avenue is generally very challenging, as the hill is steep and the road is not very bike friendly. It's generally easier to bike up Virginia to Leroy (if you're coming from the north), or through campus (if you're coming from the south). You may find it useful to consider elevation levels when planning your route, using a map such as this or you can map your route on this site.

If you're looking to purchase a bike, there are many shops in the UCB area. Popular shops include: Mike's Bikes, Missing Link, and Velo-Sport Bicycles. If you're looking for a used bike, craigslist is a decent choice. Keep in mind that many used bikes sold on craigslist were stolen from Cal students, which is why many sellers seems shady and unattached to their bikes. Do not buy bikes that you believe to be stolen. If you're looking for the cheapest *new* bike available, you can head over to Target.