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Chicago Bike Adventures

Chicago Bike Adventures

Custom guided bike rides through Chicago's neighborhoods.

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        • 7 Most Endangered Structures of 2017
        • 7 Most Endangered Structures of 2018
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        • The Coast of Chicago (Stuart Dybeck, 1990)
        • Indemnity Only (Sara Paretsky, 1982)
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        • Native Son (Richard Wright, 1940)
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Author: admin

Looking Around 12 (13 Photos)

April 16, 2019May 21, 2019 adminLeave a Comment on Looking Around 12 (13 Photos)
A bicycle wheel next to aa mural of a little gray man with a spray can.

Thirteen photos from the early days of April.

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Posted in Looking Around, PhotosTagged bronzeville, east garfield park, heart of chicago, little village, logan square, oak park, pilsen

Map Updates 2 (11 Photos)

April 8, 2019May 16, 2019 adminLeave a Comment on Map Updates 2 (11 Photos)
A tour bike leaning on Prairie School style building with gold and brown brick

Eleven new pictures added to CBA map markers

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Posted in Map Updates, PhotosTagged Avard T. Fairbanks, church conversions, dwight h perkins, Egon Weiner, endangered, Gutzon Borglum, memorials, monuments, public art, schools, sculpture, Virginio Ferrari, walter burley griffin, William Carlson

Looking Around 11 (11 Photos)

April 1, 2019May 16, 2019 adminLeave a Comment on Looking Around 11 (11 Photos)
A tour bike leaning on a multicolored stone wall with a nature themed wooden collage.

Eleven more pictures from March bike rides in Chicago

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Posted in Looking Around, PhotosTagged churches, east garfield park, humboldt park, lincoln park, south loop, street art, west garfield park

Street Art in Warmer Times (10 Photos)

January 29, 2019February 17, 2020 adminLeave a Comment on Street Art in Warmer Times (10 Photos)
A tour bike leaning on a Felipe Pantone mural of multicolored squares.

10 shots of street art seen during warmer times.

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Posted in Photos, Street ArtTagged b_line, east garfield park, logan square, pilsen, ravenswood, west town

Looking Around 5 (19 Photos)

January 7, 2019August 21, 2019 adminLeave a Comment on Looking Around 5 (19 Photos)
A tour bike leaning on a yellow and blue painted wood block wall arrangement.

Photos taken while riding around Chicago in December

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Posted in Looking Around, PhotosTagged brighton park, cabrini-green, details, east garfield park, humboldt park, logan square, near west side, pilsen, river west, smith park, street art, uic, ukrainian village, university village, west town, wicker park

While You Were Sleeping Map

December 24, 2018January 21, 2019 adminLeave a Comment on While You Were Sleeping Map
A tour bike standing in the grassy courtyard of a red brick apartment building with limestone entrances.

A Chicago CTA worker pretends to be the fiancee of a comatose man

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Posted in Maps, MoviesTagged la grange, lake view, logan square, loop, maps, movie locations, portage park

Guided Rides

November 30, 2017September 2, 2022 adminLeave a Comment on Guided Rides

Sign up for half/full day custom bike rides through Chicago’s neighborhoods.

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Posted in The Start

The Map

November 29, 2017September 26, 2023 adminLeave a Comment on The Map

The ever expanding visualization of things to see while you ride Chicago.

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Posted in Maps, The Start

Resources

November 28, 2017February 27, 2018 adminLeave a Comment on Resources

Links for inspiration

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Posted in The Start

Posts navigation

Newer posts
A book cover for 100 Things to do in Illinois Before You Die with blue text that says We're in the Book!

Yelp

  •   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

  •   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

  •   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

  •   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 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

  •   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

  •   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

  •   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

  •   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

Airbnb

  •   Steve is a highly knowledgeable and experienced cycling tour guide, introduced lots of neat historical facts about several areas of the city making my stay much more colourful. Thanks Steve!

    thumb Rob
    April 15, 2023

  •   Amazing experience! Made for who would like to know more about Chicago than the usual landmarks. I would advise it to everybody

    thumb Riccardo
    June 13, 2022

  •   We did a lot of great tours and activities in Chicago, but the tour with Steve was easily the best. Couldn’t ask for a kinder, more fun, or more thoughtful... read more guide. The pre-tour survey hit all of the wide-ranging aspects for him to really customize the tour to not only our interests, but also our comfort level with urban biking, and getting us sized better for his selection of bikes. He was funny, informative, and great at navigating us safely around. Loved the extra thoughtful touches of taking quality candid pictures of us and sending us a map with annotations of some of the sights! All around awesome guy who’s awesome at what he does.

    thumb Sarah
    July 8, 2021

  •   It was a great day & I'd recommend it to anyone

    thumb Robb
    September 19, 2019

  •   The tour was great. It gives you a much better understanding of the city and it’s layout. The architecture portions were phenomenal. We found great views and bits of history.... read more I’d do it again.

    thumb Philip
    October 17, 2019

  •   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

  •   What a great trip! We biked to all kinds of neighborhoods I never would have seen. And Steve sensed my love for murals, and we viewed so much... read more of beautiful urban artwork in the city. His knowledge of the art, architecture and history of Chicago was fantastic. I highly recommend this experience!

    thumb Paul
    September 2, 2018

  •   Our tour with Steve was better than expected. He personalized the trip based on our asks/desired experiences. Very leisurely and safe bike trip through many parts of Chicago. Steve is... read more very knowledgeable about the area and it’s history. Also very friendly and easy to talk with. I’d recommend this experience to anyone visiting Chicago.

    thumb Chris
    September 5, 2021

  •   Really great experience, so glad I did it. Steve provides a form to help customize the tour to your interests and riding ability. It was a fantastic opportunity... read more to see local neighborhoods outside the loop and a fun alternative to traditional tours. I felt safe and comfortable at all times. Dress appropriately for the weather though, especially if it's cold.

    thumb Jesstine
    March 22, 2019

  •   This is an excellent way to get to know Chicago. Steve uses a survey to learn what you want to see, so put some thought into it. Steve knows... read more SO MUCH about the area! Ask him questions and be amazed. Bring lots of water, 2 water bottles, and easy to eat snacks for quick energy during the bike breaks. Don’t hesitate to ask for something specific, Steve adjusted on the fly when I asked for something. Traveling bike bike was so much fun!

    thumb Shayla
    August 23, 2021

TripAdvisor

  • 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 after our 5+ hour tour, I felt

    tripadvisor logo
    Steven K
    October 1, 2019

  • star rating  Steve did a great job of showing our small group around Chicago. Went to parts of Chicago I would never have found on my own and got a taste of... read more what it is like to be a bicycle commuter in Chicago. I had a different...More

    tripadvisor logo
    avatar thumb Super8Connoisseur
    May 5, 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 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 1, 2021

  • 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  This is a great way to see more of Chicago and develop an understanding of the communities and... read more

    tripadvisor logo
    D2057BUshannonh
    March 22, 2021

  • star rating  Had a wonderful tour around town with Steve. He showed me places where I never ever would have been on my own. Well maintained bikes and a beautiful city! I... read more would definitely recommend Chicago Bike Adventures.

    tripadvisor logo
    avatar thumb Nadinevd
    September 28, 2018

  • 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
    ChicagoUrban
    July 5, 2020

  • star rating  Steve was a great tour guide as we biked through Chicago. His pre-ride survey allowed him to tailor... read more

    tripadvisor logo
    amyek-6
    March 21, 2021

  • star rating  A must if you come to Chicago. You’ll see a different side to the city and Steve will customize the experience for you. See different neighborhoods, learn about the history,... read more take great photos and enjoy a drink!

    tripadvisor logo
    ana_rg123
    March 18, 2020

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Categories

  • Home
  • Guided Rides
    • CBA Calendar
    • Gift Certificates
  • CBA Maps
    • The Map
    • The Map on the Road
    • Architecture/Engineering
      • Adapted Synagogues
      • Bank Buildings
      • Christian Scientist Churches
      • Church Conversions
      • Disused Firehouses
      • Frank Lloyd Wright
      • Green & White Brick
      • Historic Public Schools
      • Movie Theaters
      • Movable Bridges
      • Preservation Chicago
        • 7 Most Endangered Structures of 2017
        • 7 Most Endangered Structures of 2018
      • Southern Exposure (Lee Bey, 2019)
      • Worthmann & Steinbach
    • The Arts
      • Literature
        • The Coast of Chicago (Stuart Dybeck, 1990)
        • Indemnity Only (Sara Paretsky, 1982)
        • The Jungle (Upton Sinclair, 1906)
        • Native Son (Richard Wright, 1940)
        • Print Chicago
        • Sister Carrie (Theodore Dreiser, 1900)
        • So Big (Edna Ferber, 1924)
        • The Spook Who Sat by the Door (Sam Greenlee, 1969)
      • Movies
        • The Blues Brothers (1980)
        • The Dark Knight (2008)
        • Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
        • The Fugitive (1993)
        • V.I. Warshawski (1991)
        • Stranger than Fiction (2006)
        • While You Were Sleeping (1995)
      • Public Art
        • Art Sculpture
        • Monuments and Memorials
    • Chicagoland Breweries
    • History/Geography
      • 1895 Boulevard Bike Ride
      • Chicago River and Water System
      • Division Street (Studs Terkel, 1967)
      • Eastland Disaster Victims
      • Notorious Chicago
      • A People’s History of Chicago (Kevin Coval, 2017)
  • Blog
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