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Chicago Bike Adventures

Chicago Bike Adventures

Custom guided bike rides through Chicago's neighborhoods.

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Category: Map Updates

Map Updates 5 (16 Photos)

September 23, 2019September 30, 2019 SteveLeave a Comment on Map Updates 5 (16 Photos)
A tour bike leaning in front of a red copper statue of faceless igures building a barricade of wheels and planks

Sixteen photos recently added to CBA maps.

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Posted in Map Updates, PhotosTagged austin, bridgeport, bucktown, church conversions, evanston, Frank Lloyd Wright, gold coast, goose island, grant park, jefferson park, lakeshore, memorials, monuments, movable bridges, pilsen, public art, west loop

Map Updates 4 (17 photos)

June 25, 2019September 13, 2019 adminLeave a Comment on Map Updates 4 (17 photos)
Tour bike leaning on the base of an equestrian George Washington statue

Seventeen photos recently added to CBA maps

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Posted in Map Updates, PhotosTagged bridgeport, bronzeville, dearborn park, edgewater, grant park, historic schools, memorials, monuments, oak park, printchicago, public art, rogers park, roscoe village, the loop, west loop

Frank Lloyd Wright Map Update

June 17, 2019June 25, 2019 adminLeave a Comment on Frank Lloyd Wright Map Update
Tour bike leaning on a brown fence in front of a three story wooden house

Ffifteen photos recently added to CBA’s Frank Lloyd Wright Map

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Posted in Architects, Architecture, Map Updates, PhotosTagged Frank Lloyd Wright, oak park

Former Synagogues Map Update (14 Photos)

May 21, 2019June 17, 2019 adminLeave a Comment on Former Synagogues Map Update (14 Photos)
Yellow brick former synagogue now church with a large etched stone entrance and a tour bike in front.

These fourteen pictures have been added to markers on the Former Synagogues Map.

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Posted in Architecture, Map Updates, PhotosTagged african american churches, austin, brighton park, former synagogues, hispanic churches, homan square, lawndale, north lawndale, rogers park, roseland, west garfield park

Map Updates 3 (15 Photos)

May 6, 2019May 21, 2019 adminLeave a Comment on Map Updates 3 (15 Photos)
Silhouette of a tour bike in front of red brick Romanesque St. Boniface church between trees.

15 pictures that have been added to markers on previously published maps

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Posted in Map Updates, PhotosTagged church conversions, historic schools, humboldt park, irving park, lincoln park, little italy, marshall square, memorials, monuments, noble sqaure, old town, public art, uic-medical, uptown, west town

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

November Map Updates (38 Photos)

November 26, 2018April 1, 2019 SteveLeave a Comment on November Map Updates (38 Photos)

These pictures have been added to markers in the previously published maps.

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Posted in Map Updates, PhotosTagged church conversions, historic schools, memorials, monuments, public art, schools
A book cover for 100 Things to do in Illinois Before You Die with blue text that says We're in the Book!

Yelp

  •   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

  •   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 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 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

  •   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 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

  •   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

Airbnb

  •   Steve is really friendly and super knowledgeable about the neighborhoods & history in Chicago. The bike tour helps me learn more about Chicago as well I discover new places that... read more aren’t touristy. I am under 5 feet, so finding a bike that fits me is challenging, but Steve got a bike that fits perfectly for me. I have a great time biking around Chicago and 4 hours went by so fast! If you want to learn more about Chicago beyond the loop, then I highly recommend it.

    thumb Sophia
    March 28, 2022

  •   Steve är en mysig person fantastisk guide, priset är värt bara för att få hänga med Steve ett tag🙂

    thumb Fredrik
    April 4, 2024

  •   The bike trip was great! Got to see many cool locations and learn a lot about the culture and history of Chicago. Steve is very friendly and knowledgeable will make... read more your experience a great one.

    thumb Justin
    October 25, 2019

  •   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

  •   Steve was a excellent host! It was a beautiful late October fall, the sun was out for most of the ride but Chicago neighborhoods that we saw were on full... read more display! I felt very safe riding bikes around town with my group. It didn’t seem rushed at all. My bike tour was uniquely made for my boyfriend and I. We saw greenery, notorious Chicago and wonderful art murals. During the ride we got hungry and Steve took us to a great local place. On the trip my boyfriend mentioned we have to go back on this tour to see more and I couldn’t agree more. When I was biking through the neighborhoods I felt like it was a true local experience! I would recommend this trip experience for everyone visiting.

    thumb Lauren
    October 24, 2020

  •   What a great experience! The trip was personalized to our interests and Steve was super friendly, fun and attentive to safety. I highly recommend and I would definitely do again!

    thumb Cristela
    August 1, 2019

  •   Amazing way to learn about Chicago’s diverse historic neighborhoods. Steve is flexible and friendly.

    thumb Katrina
    September 20, 2018

  •   I had few expectations since I’d never done a bike tour before. And, I was a little nervous about riding in the road in downtown Chicago, but Steve put me... read more quickly at ease with his years of experience and a well thought out route which included quiet streets and some non-motorized paved paths (just gorgeous). I also learned quickly how bike friendly Chicago is with well-marked lanes and even some protective barriers.
    Not only did the short, interests survey Steve sent me help to inform our trip, but he was very flexible in adjusting to accommodate my desires along the way. The scenery, architecture, views, landscapes, gardens and stories were fantastic.
    Steve is extremely knowledgeable, easy-going and funny. Not only did I have a great time and get some exercise, but I have far deeper understanding and appreciation for Chicago’s history and changing cultural landscape.
    If I’m in the area, I’d love to ride with him again!

    thumb H
    May 23, 2021

  •   You can tell Steve puts a lot of thought and research into his rides, and I really appreciated that! I would not have felt comfortable biking around Chicago like we... read more did on my own, nor would I have known all the wealth of information Steve had to share.

    thumb Joanna
    June 23, 2019

  •   We loved this tour and really felt that we got much better sense of Chicago because of it. Steve tailored the tour to our interests and had great info about... read more the history and architecture of the areas we explored. We used Steve’s bikes and found them to be well maintained and comfortable to ride. Even our 14 and 15 year old sons gave the tour a big thumbs up. Thank you Steve!

    thumb Satara
    July 13, 2024

TripAdvisor

  • star rating  Steve was awesome! Catered the ride to my pace and showed me tons and tons of street art (just like I wanted). He was easy to talk to, very knowledgeable... read more and very down to earth.

    tripadvisor logo
    316drewr
    August 24, 2019

  • 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  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

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    avatar thumb Super8Connoisseur
    May 5, 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 after our 5+ hour tour, I felt

    tripadvisor logo
    Steven K
    October 1, 2019

  • star rating  This was a great experience! Steve was great, informative, and truly wanted us to have a great time. This is highly recommended and a great way to see the city... read more in a totally different way! His expertise in history exponentially added to the already great...More

    tripadvisor logo
    John R
    November 1, 2019

  • star rating  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...More

    tripadvisor logo
    avatar thumb Eeaags
    January 25, 2019

  • 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 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  This is a great way to see more of Chicago and develop an understanding of the communities and history of the city overall. Steve takes great pictures and shares them... read more with you after the tour. Depending on the weather make sure you dress appropriately!

    tripadvisor logo
    Shannon H
    March 1, 2021

  • star rating  Thank you Steve for an informative, detailed and unforgettable bike tour through Chicago‘s suburbs, but also for showing us Chicago from a completely different side. The ratio between riding the... read more bike and receiving information was perfect!

    tripadvisor logo
    avatar thumb Kai H
    July 19, 2018

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