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Chicago Bike Adventures

Chicago Bike Adventures

Custom guided bike rides through Chicago's neighborhoods.

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Month: May 2020

1895 Boulevard Bike Ride Map

May 26, 2020June 15, 2020 SteveLeave a Comment on 1895 Boulevard Bike Ride Map
A tour bike standing in the foreground with a two story 1890s two story building with corner towers on the center mass and a collonade veranda around the first.

Recreate the 1895 route ridden by a Chicago Tribune writer/rider

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Posted in Historical Routes, MapsTagged boulevard system, cba rides, rides

Looking Around 23 (10 Photos)

May 18, 2020June 30, 2020 SteveLeave a Comment on Looking Around 23 (10 Photos)
A tour bike standing on the road in fornt of a typeface installation that reads You are beautiful with park trees and a deep blue sky behind.

10 views of Chicago while getting exercise during Covid-19 times.

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Posted in Looking Around, PhotosTagged 1870s, 1960s, art deco, back of the yards, brick work, closed schools, douglas, dwight white, englewood, ghost signs, grand boulevard, italianate, justus roe, loop, midcentury modern, pocket town, revisecmw, schools, south shore, street art, west town, you are beautiful

Former Synagogues 1 (5 Photos)

May 12, 2020November 19, 2021 Steve2 Comments on Former Synagogues 1 (5 Photos)
A tour bike standing in front of double pitched roof tan brick former synagogue

Five photos from CBA’s Former Synagogues Map.

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Posted in Former Synagogues, PhotosTagged bronzeville, former synagogues, jackson park highlands, little italy, west garfield park

Looking Around 22 (10 Photos)

May 4, 2020May 18, 2020 SteveLeave a Comment on Looking Around 22 (10 Photos)
A tour bike standing below a modern structure, solid brown on bottom and paintedf yellow steel vertical slats and windows on top.

Views of neighborhood Chicago before the Covid-19 shelter-in-place

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Posted in Looking Around, PhotosTagged asend, avondale, churches, east pilsen, jas petersen, jc rivera, juan gabriel moreno, lincoln yards, logan square, movietheaters, pilsen, sickfisher, street art, the lie, west humboldt park, west town
A book cover for 100 Things to do in Illinois Before You Die with blue text that says We're in the Book!

Yelp

  •   This was by far the best day of my vacation in Chicago. A bike tour is the best way to see a city, and Steve's street art bike tour was... read more such a great experience. We saw great popular murals and tons of never seen or known about before. Steve knew the answers to all my questions about the artists, the collaborations, the backgrounds of the pieces and more. On top of that I felt very safe the whole and trusted his urban biking skills. It was truly a memorable experience and I can't wait to take my friends with me next time I go!

    thumb Naima B.
    10/29/2019

  •   I found Steve of Chicago Bike Adventures on Trip Advisor. They also have a website: https://chicagobikeadventures.com/about/

    I wanted to enhance a four day holiday in Chicago... read more with something more interesting than the usual Red Bus or Architectural River Tours which, while worth doing, are things I had done before. Steve's tours involve riding cycles around the northern neighborhoods of the city for 5 hours while he explained the sights. Before the tour, you are sent a questionnaire which asks about your size, bike riding expertise, and interests: History, architecture, sports, churches, etc.

    I chose a cold day in December and was the only person on the tour which meant I got Steve all to myself. When I arrived a the beginning of the tour, Steve was waiting with a helmet and a well tuned bicycle adjusted for my size and ready to go.

    We started with a tour of the immediate neighborhood. As we rode He explained the local history and pointed out landmarks. The pace was just right, we kept moving to stay warm, it was about 30 degrees F, with stops at various points of interest. Steve teaches in the Chicago schools when he is not giving bicycle tours and we got along famously. As the tour went open we explored the University of Illinois, street art, the trendy new neighborhoods that are attracting tech workers and historical sights going back 100 years.

    One of the best things about a small group tour is the ability to get to know a local, ask questions and get a sense of what it is like to live in the city you are visiting. This is much better than hearing a recording of the points of interest as you drive by on a bus filled with other tourists.

    Later Steve took me to a local taco place for lunch. The food was very tasty and we continued our discussion of Chicago, one of the most interesting cities I know.

    After 5 hours and 12 miles of bike riding I was tired and very happy to have taken the tour. I suspect you will be just as satisfied if you take one of Steve's bike tours. Although the route is chosen carefully to minimize congested streets, you will be riding in a big city for hours so you should be comfortable riding a bicycle in traffic.
    John Kelly

    thumb John K.
    12/28/2018

  •   If you want to get to know Chicago more personally, try this out. This was one of my favorite experiences during my three day stay at Chicago. I did all... read more the tourist must-dos but it was nice to bike around neighborhoods and to feel what exactly the locals see everyday. Steve was great with everything from picking out/adjusting a bike for my size to explaining fun little details of Chicago. If you love being active and want a new experience while traveling, this would be great for you.

    thumb Somang L.
    8/28/2019

  •   I spent an amazing 4.5 hours riding 15 miles on a totally customized bike tour with Steve. He knows so much about the art, architecture, and history along the way... read more (he is a retired teacher so it's not surprising.) After I got home he even provided me with a detailed map of the ride that included photos of me along the way with informational links about the scene shown. A+ experience.

    thumb Colin K.
    8/17/2021

  •   A fantastic bike tour, personally tailored to your interests. We did a 3-hour ride with a group of four who signed up together, but you can also sign up alone... read more and be paired with others.

    Steve is a friendly and knowledgeable guide. We had a rider who hadn't ridden a bicycle in years and Steve's loaner bike and helmet worked out great.

    Highly recommend the "bike the boulevards" route and on through Pilsen and Chinatown. Great history and architecture.

    Thanks, Steve!

    thumb Alex H.
    7/12/2019

  •   My friend from out of town wanted to visit me in Chicago for my birthday. Instead of going out to a fancy dinner, we decided to go on an... read more adventure with Chicago Bike Adventures. It was a great! I live in Chicago and love to bike. I wasn't sure if I would see anything new or unexpected on my trip because I live here, but I certainly did! Steve is extremely knowledgeable and knows about all the hidden gems! He customized the tour for just me and my friend and one other woman that joined us that day. It was great to be able to see all of the things I wanted to see (like street art, history, and planning stuff) and not get into the things I didn't care as much about. I'm sure there are many more customized adventures that he is prepared to give!

    We saw a lot of really fantastic street art. We also stopped by a brewery in Pilsen, Lo Rez. I highly recommend it! Steve was extremely knowledgeable about all of the things and places we visited. He was also very approachable and fun to ride with. He even lent someone a pair of socks so she could be a little warmer on the ride. Great guy.

    It was great how Steve knew which route to take. He clearly did a lot of research in finding the best way to get around. I ride my bike in Chicago so I know how difficult it can be getting around if you don't find a bike lane, or a less busy street. The ride that day was very pleasant and stress free.

    Oh! I should mention that it was 33 degrees when we did this trip and I still loved it! We bundled up and kept warm by moving.

    I would definitely recommend this for a visitor or a local!

    thumb Emily E.
    1/25/2019

  •   Steve is great and love the tours. My wife took me on one a couple years ago and we went again while some friends were in town last week. Great... read more way to see the city and each tour is customized based on what you are interested in learning about and how far you want to go. Highly recommend!

    thumb Jason K.
    8/16/2022

  •   Absolutely loved this bike tour with Steve. Our tour was customized to what we wanted to see. Steve included stops in between our requested stops so we could learn and... read more enjoy more about this beautiful city. Steve was patient with us and accommodating to our level of bike riding, making sure we were following behind and letting us know our route ahead. Steve took pictures and put them together on a map showing where we had been. He also included photos from the movie sites we stopped at so we could compare our pictures with the movie. It was awesome! I will recommend Steve to friends and book again!!!

    thumb Stacie A.
    9/25/2023

  •   Steve created a wonderful memory for us while on a short trip to Chicago. Our group of girls had a mix of biking experience and he went out of his... read more way to ensure we all felt comfortable. This tour was a comfortable pace filled with local art and history of each space. The ability to ride through the city made us feel like a local even though my riding skills may have indicated otherwise. Thank you Steve for making us feel like a priority to you and your city. Would love to come and do this again.

    thumb Amy H.
    4/29/2021

Airbnb

  •   Take the bike tour, you won’t regret it! Steve was very knowledgeable and shared some of Chicago’s history as we biked and made stops at different locations. He knew all... read more the street art stops, beer stops and the beautiful homes.

    thumb Ligia
    August 14, 2022

  •   It was a great experience! Highly recommend to anyone, including Chicago’s residents! Great way to see the city and learn curiosities outside the mainstream turistic sights. Steve was very knowledgeable,... read more friendly and accommodating. If you still considering, just do it!

    thumb Pedro
    September 4, 2020

  •   Great experience and nice way to experience the city. The gps maps and geo tagged photos at the end of the experience were amazing.

    thumb Ishan
    July 24, 2021

  •   Steve was an incredible host with boundless energy and detailed knowledge of the diverse historical sites and landmarks in Chicago. We saw a beautiful cathedral, learned about the devleopment... read more of Chicago neighborhoods, biked across the serene Humboldt Park as well as checked out some street mural art, all quite a delgihtful treat!

    thumb Yvonne
    May 30, 2024

  •   Really enjoyed this bike tour - felt very different from the “normal” touristy things; in a good way! I’d happily do the exact route again even though it’s completely customisable.... read more

    thumb Joe
    July 24, 2022

  •   Steve was friendly and knowledgeable and had a good plan for the day. Great experience overall!

    thumb Lori
    July 1, 2021

  •   What an amazing Tour! Steve has so much knowledge and took us around an amazing and divers neighbourhood. Really enjoyed the whole experience!

    thumb Katrin
    May 24, 2022

  •   I loved this tour. Excellent pace and great stories, cool artwork and fun attitude. I would definitely recommend.

    thumb Anita P.
    September 26, 2019

  •   It was Fun and at the same time a workout experience.

    thumb Cris Bien
    August 29, 2018

  •   Steve is extremely knowledgeable about Chicago and could answer all of our questions. He adapted perfectly to our expectations, I had a wonderful time and hope to do another route... read more with him the next time I'm in Chicago. Also the bikes he lend us were in great shape.

    thumb Madeleine
    July 31, 2023

TripAdvisor

  • star rating  As local residents, we wanted a fun adventure over July 4th (and during the pandemic). Steve created a perfect tour! We went west for ethnic street art, and... read more south for architectural, social and Black history (Bronzeville, Jane Adams, Ida B. Wells) and musicians (Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, Thomas Dorsey, Muddy Waters). Steve is easy and spontaneous as he creates context throughout, tying many pieces together. We came away with a more intimate connection to our great hometown, Chicago! Hope to do another tour with Steve soon! …

    tripadvisor logo
    UrbanChicago
    July 1, 2020

  • star rating  I had an awesome time cruising around town with Steve. We went to places in Chicago I probably wouldn't otherwise go and learned a ton about the city. I felt... read more safe the whole time and still felt like I was in the middle of everything....More

    tripadvisor logo
    avatar thumb Saltlakemike
    July 28, 2018

  • star rating  Steve is a warm, fun-loving and very knowlegeable tour guide. He took us through several very cool neighborhoods, showed us awesome street art and shared countless interesting details. He is... read more a confident bike tour guide and knows the streets of Chicago well. He even managed to arrange good weather for the tour! :)

    I highly recommend Steve and Chicago Bike Adventures...you'll have a blast!

    tripadvisor logo
    theworldiswide
    September 30, 2019

  • star rating  Steve is a warm, fun-loving and very knowlegeable tour guide. He took us through several very cool neighborhoods, showed us awesome street art and shared countless interesting details. He is... read more a confident bike tour guide and knows the streets of Chicago well. He even managed...More

    tripadvisor logo
    theworldiswide
    September 29, 2019

  • star rating  I highly recommend this bike tour. Steve does a great job of gathering your info before hand and tailoring the ride to you. I was lucky to be the... read more only rider that day so the experience was very personal. Steve does a great job leading...More

    tripadvisor logo
    dazelr
    September 17, 2019

  • star rating  Wonderful ride, Steve is a very nice guy who knows A LOT of Chicago, you will really have a good time with him. Such a great experience!

    tripadvisor logo
    avatar thumb Julio S
    September 18, 2018

  • star rating  Very knowledgeable of the city of Chicago. Very considerate and safe lead bicyclist. Great way to explore the city! Highly recommend.

    tripadvisor logo
    Meadow C
    August 27, 2019

  • star rating  Was lucky to have a solo tour with Steve today and saw so much of the city, a lot of which I wouldn’t have had time or the prior knowledge... read more to visit on my own. He takes a lot of care over the itinerary, sending...More

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    philip_goodman
    June 14, 2019

  • star rating  I read the reviews about how awesome Steve and his Chicago bike tour is ahead of visiting Chicago...and they were all true. Steve is a super laid back guy that... read more knew every inch of incredible Chicago. This was my first visit to the city and...More

    tripadvisor logo
    Kookoocachu
    October 18, 2019

  • star rating  I spent an amazing 4.5 hours touring Chicago neighborhoods with Steve. He knows an amazing amount about the art, architecture, and history along the ride. He totally customizes the tour... read more based on your interests. After the trip he provided me with a detailed map of the route with photos of some of the stops and with informational links. A+ experience. …

    tripadvisor logo
    Colin Knight
    August 17, 2021

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