San Francisco held the annual Bicycle Exposition on Saturday at the Cow Palace, opening the floor to bicycle enthusiasts, vendors and volunteer groups.

Amidst bicycle industry vendors, the expo provided a forum for many cycle-savvy community organizers.

SF Urban Riders, a city off-road cycling organization, debuted their plans to turn San Francisco's Golden Gate Park into a haven for off-road cyclists, said Dan Schneider, the organization's president.

"We pride ourselves in community ownership," Schneider said of how much he wants the community to integrate themselves into the project at the park. "It's about putting our effort where our ideas are."

The plan, already submitted to the city's Department of Parks and Recreation, is currently under review. It calls for more than six miles of off-road bike paths to be cleared along with added infrastructure such as bridges and signs, said Schneider.

The plan's current price tag is slated around $175,000 and plans to be paid for by Community Challenge grants from the city along with bicycle industry money that comes from various Bay Area cycle businesses, said Schneider.

He said his main opponents are environmental groups concerned about the displacement of native plants and wildlife.

If the plan is approved by the department, Schneider said he could see planning come to fruition as early as fall 2010.

Another volunteer group, Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship, which helps in the clearing of hiking and bicycling trails in California's Sierra Nevada, was also at the bike expo.

Greg Carter, who represents Sierra Buttes, said he and his volunteers have cleared miles of trails for bicycling near the towns Downieville and Greagle in the California Sierra.

"It costs us $8 to $13 per foot to build these community bike paths," Carter said.

Renovo, a bicycle company that specializes in all-wooden bikes, was showcasing their latest models.

"We're the only ones in the world making hallow-wooden bicycles," said Ken Wheeler, Renovo's president. "They're smoother and quieter than metal bicycles."

Wheeler worked as an aircraft engineer and plane designer for years before switching to building bicycles.

He claims the bamboo and jatoba wood he uses to comprise the bicycle frames are pound-for-pound as safe as the typical metal composite used for most bikes.

The Portland, Oregon-based company currently has six models, with the cheapest running for $1,450 and the most expense frame selling for $2,650, Wheeler said.