Kyoto on a Sunday crowded?

Our visit to Osaka falls on 10/22-10/26. We plan to hang out Osaka Saturday then head to Kyoto Sun, Mon, Tues.

I heard Kyoto is SUPER busy on Sundays. Which neighborhoods in Kyoto would be a little LESS crowded on a sunday or should we avoid kyoto altogether?

No worry.
That period is not autumn leaves season peak.
http://www.insidekyoto.com/autumn-colors-in-kyoto
http://www.kyuhoshi.com/japan-autumn-foliage-forecast/

Forecast of travelers :
http://kyoto-fan-de.com/201610.html

I heard Kyoto is SUPER busy on Sundays. Which neighborhoods in Kyoto would be a little LESS crowded on a sunday or should we avoid kyoto altogether?

Kyoto is ever so popular, I am not surprised if it is ranked number 1 tourist destination in Japan.
It has been voted world's best city to visit by Travel + Leisure magazine a couple of times.
I have been to Kyoto many times; early June this year, considered not peak season, I found tourists were chock-a-block every places I visited. Be prepared, even not during peak season, always expect the unexpected.

On the other hand, while you are in the area around this time, you could actually go to Kyoto on Oct 22 and see the historical Jidai Matsuri Parade, one of the largest festivals in Kyoto. Yes, the streets along the route will be indeed busy, and you would need to get there early to secure a good spot, but seeing the festival is definitely worth it.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3960.html

If it is the weekend, all well known centrally located tourist destinations and shopping precincts will be busy.

Other places like Otsu and Kibune for example might be less busy due to be more outwardly positioned and not as well known.

You regulars like Arashiyama, Higshiyama district, Fishimi Inari etc will all be busy-busy-busy.

Maybe if you did Fishimi Inari at 7am before all the tourists arrived at 9am. And then headed up to Kibune, would might be safe to dodge busy periods.

Personally I like to just pick my weekends as catch up days and/or shopping days. And leave the weekdays for the touristy stuff.

Darn, we are too early to see the fall foliage :(

We were thinking of a bike tour out in Ariyashima but sounds like that won't avoid any crowds...in fact may be more hard to bike around?

Would Nara be less crowded on a Sunday?

I suppose we'll just expect huge crowds on that day if can't be avoided.

I was there in late October one year. The Arashi mountain had one in three trees with autumn colours. You are probably two or three weeks early for full coverage.

Sorry to answer your question also about Nara. Nara is a good option for busier weekends. Sights like the Bamboo Grove, Kinkajuku gardens and Fishimi Inari have walkways only 2-3 meters wide. So they have huge problems when the crowds get too big for example.