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Chicago Bike Adventures

Chicago Bike Adventures

Custom guided bike rides through Chicago's neighborhoods.

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Tag: the lie

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

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

  •   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

  •   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

  •   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

  •   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

  •   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

  •   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

Airbnb

  •   Had a great time riding with Steve touring the city. I felt safe 100% of the time. He is very knowledgable about the city's history, culture, and route. Once you... read more book a session a survey will be sent to you to determine what location you want to see. As a side note doing a bike tour as the best way to get to know the city in my opinion.

    thumb Torrance
    April 15, 2022

  •   It was a great tour and Steve an amazing hosts. He knows a lot about Chicago and it is truly a must-try if you visit Chicago and want to better... read more understand the city culture, visit places like a local. The plus: he sent us our route on a map after the tour and pictures.

    thumb Flo
    September 5, 2022

  •   This was amazing! We would happily do it again the next time we come to Chicago. We really enjoyed seeing the city. He has a wealth of... read more knowledge about Chicago. He is a true history buff! I was a bit nervous about the miles it would take to travel around the city. We went 20 miles but they were slow and at my pace. He will adjust the miles and pace based upon your needs/wants. He was willing to stop anytime throughout our experience to take pictures. He sent us a survey to ask what we were interested in and then tailored the tour to our wants. This would be a great introduction to the city if you have recently moved there or are tourists. He was also knowledgeable about other attractions in town. This was one of our favorite things we did while visiting Chicago!

    thumb Lisa
    July 16, 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

  •   Great way see part of Chicago ...Being active bonus too...also accomodated my schedule so can join awesome bike ride...Steve personilization of journey adds special touch!

    thumb Olga
    September 13, 2024

  •   Steve is very friendly and extremely easy to get a long with; as a solo, female traveler I felt safe with him and trusted him to safely guide me via... read more bike around the streets of Chicago. He showed me unique parts of Chicago that I would have never explored if it weren't for the biking tour. I learned many, many things about the city including its complex historical culture, street art and brewing companies. He even took photos of me at the stops I found most enjoyable (great for the gram!). I definitely recommend this biking tour to anyone who wishes to experience the personal side of Chicago!

    thumb Gaby
    September 11, 2020

  •   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

  •   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

  •   My boyfriend and I came to visit Chicago for a couple of days and thought it would be best to have a native Chicago dweller give us an introductory tour... read more of the city. Steve was an excellent tour guide and took us to neighborhoods that we never would have explored otherwise. He sent us a (Hidden by Airbnb) survey before the tour, and tailored it to what we indicated we were interested in. In our particular case, we were interested to see the street art around the city, and he showed us some really amazing murals and was able to talk about the pieces and the artists in depth. You can tell he is really passionate about it! The tour ended up just being the 3 of us (Steve, my boyfriend, and me) and it was great because we got a really personalized tour and we were able to do it at our own pace. I'd highly recommend doing this if you're going to Chicago!

    thumb Jen
    November 10, 2020

  •   Steve did an amazing job making sure that we were safe and got the most of what we wanted to see in Chicago. It was a great experience for myself... read more and my son. I would highly recommend.

    thumb Estrella
    August 23, 2019

TripAdvisor

  • 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  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  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  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  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  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  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

    tripadvisor logo
    ana_rg123
    March 1, 2020

  • 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

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