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Chicago Bike Adventures

Chicago Bike Adventures

Custom guided bike rides through Chicago's neighborhoods.

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Tag: revisecmw

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

Looking Around 20 (10 Photos)

February 3, 2020March 4, 2020 SteveLeave a Comment on Looking Around 20 (10 Photos)
A tour bicycle leaning on a mural of a knot, two fists, a man;s face and a pink and orange circle with the American eagle inside

10 views from the recent cold months’ rides

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Posted in Looking Around, PhotosTagged art deco, cesar perez, charles utero the 3rd, east garfield park, east humboldt park, jeff zimmerman, jim bachor, logan square, movable bridges, near north, old town triangle, pilsen, pre-1870s, revisecmw, uic-medical

CBA Rides 8 (10 Photos)

November 4, 2019December 16, 2019 SteveLeave a Comment on CBA Rides 8 (10 Photos)
A CBA bike tour rider looking up at a stucco covered church with a wooden bell tower cap.

It’s cooler but we’re still riding.

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Posted in Photos, Tours in ActionTagged bloomingdale trail, churches, east humboldt park, east pilsen, former synagogues, homes, juame plensa, logan square, max sansing, mijos, millennium park, my dog sighs, noble square, parks, rachel slotnick, revisecmw, street art, the 606, the lie, ukrainian village, wicker park
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

  •   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

  •   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

  •   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

  •   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

  •   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 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

  •   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

  •   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

  •   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

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

    thumb Anita P.
    September 26, 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

  •   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

  •   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

  •   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

  •   Awesome trip! Super safe and care-free. Steve knows what's up! Totally confident guide with great knowledge and people skills!

    thumb Amanda
    May 5, 2019

  •   if you are interested in a super personalized experience on bikes, Steve is the way to go. we were interested in experiencing neighborhoods and the mural scene and Steve was... read more extremely knowledgeable about what routes to take, where the murals were & the history of both the neighborhoods and the murals. The pace was very comfortable.

    thumb Todd
    July 31, 2023

  •   Steve was great. The tour was very complete, he took us to all the cool neighborhoods of Chicago. We saw lots of street art, architecture, and many more things. I... read more have been living in Chicago for 5 years, and still managed to see a lot of new things. Had a lot of fun. Thanks Steve!

    thumb Maria
    October 9, 2020

TripAdvisor

  • 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  Excellent experience and would highly recommend. Steve, the owner and guide, was incredibly knowledgeable, kind, and tailored the tour to our interests.

    tripadvisor logo
    avatar thumb SLC3333
    May 28, 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  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  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  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
    D2057BUshannonh
    March 22, 2021

  • 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  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

  • 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
    ColinKnightMD
    August 17, 2021

  • 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

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