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Chicago Bike Adventures

Chicago Bike Adventures

Custom guided bike rides through Chicago's neighborhoods.

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Category: Photos

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

CBA Rides 2 (11 Photos)

December 17, 2018January 14, 2019 SteveLeave a Comment on CBA Rides 2 (11 Photos)
A CBA bike tour ride looking at a 1890s riugh graystone Queen Anne style corner building with a long diagonal fire escape.

Another week of looking back at the CBA rides from this summer and fall.

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Posted in Photos, Tours in ActionTagged b_line, bridgeport, bucktown, hubbard street, pilsen, street art, wicker park, wrigleyville

CBA Rides (11 Photos)

December 10, 2018December 17, 2018 SteveLeave a Comment on CBA Rides (11 Photos)
Two CBA bike tour riders posing in front of a mural of a dark skinned woman with blue pain across her face, butterfly wings in her hair, an eye in her neck, and a hanging key

Looking back at CBA rides from earlier this year.

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Posted in Photos, Tours in ActionTagged architecture, bridgeport, caught in action, chinatown, logan square, near west side, pilsen, street art, uptown, urban greenery, west town

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

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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

  •   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

  •   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 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

  •   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

  •   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

  •   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

Airbnb

  •   Steve was an amazing host, very knowledgeable. 10/10 would recommend

    thumb Sebastien
    October 25, 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

  •   We booked on to the tour for our first day in Chicago (borrowing two of Steve's lovely bikes), and what a fantastic way to start the trip and blow off... read more the cobwebs of any jetlag! We saw so much of the wonderful city of Chicago and Steve really brought all of the amazing areas we visited to life with his informative, interesting, and personable storytelling. Steve took our requests into account and we had an amazing time visiting some super cool neighbourhoods, seeing some amazing architecture, and checking out plenty of beautiful street art murals. We couldn't recommend Steve and his tour more. It's early days, but we've no doubt this will be one of the highlights of our trip.

    thumb Annabel
    April 19, 2023

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

    thumb Robert
    September 19, 2019

  •   Had a great time riding through Chicago neighborhoods and downtown with Steve. Learned a lot of history on the place and enjoyed all of the street art!

    thumb Bill
    April 15, 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

  •   Great guide. Tailors to what is most important to you.

    thumb Judy
    September 16, 2022

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

    thumb Robb
    September 19, 2019

  •   I've been to Chicago many times but really wanted to get to know the neighborhoods more. Riding around on a bike with Steve was great! Steve's knowledge of... read more history and historical events around the Chicago neighborhoods made this experience exactly what I was looking for. It helped that it was a beautiful day! I felt safe the entire time following Steve on the bike, and he was really good about checking in with me about what I wanted to do, how much I wanted to do, and if the pace was good. I especially appreciated Steve's passion for all the street art and the significance behind a lot of the artists' stories. I will recommend Steve to others and may very well take another tour with him when I bring family back to Chicago.

    thumb Kelly
    May 15, 2019

  •   Although I haven’t rode a bike in years, I was able to keep up! Steve really personalized the tour and was very thoughtful. It was educational, a great workout and... read more value. I highly recommend.

    thumb Dwayne
    August 26, 2022

TripAdvisor

  • 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

  • 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  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 you on the bike and I felt very safe

    tripadvisor logo
    dazelr
    September 1, 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

    tripadvisor logo
    philip_goodman
    June 14, 2019

  • 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  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

  • star rating  Steve was a great tour guide as we biked through Chicago. His pre-ride survey allowed him to tailor the ride to some of our interests. We were super confident navigating... read more the streets with Steve in the front. The street art was amazing as was the ride along the old L tracks and along the lake. Highly recommend. We will be back.

    tripadvisor logo
    amyek-6
    March 21, 2021

  • 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  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  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

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