Bike around Buenos Aires

An excellent way to see Buenos Aires is by bicycle. Be it La Boca, Recoleta, Puerto Madero or Palermo; many of the city’s neighborhoods are perfectly suited for bike riding. It’s a big, flat, pretty city, so peddle power is a great option.  There’s a good reason that so many food deliverers and couriers get around by bike — it’s often the fastest mode of transport in a sometimes cluttered city.  Although we don’t recommend mimicking the deliver boys’ behavior such as hopping up onto sidewalks to avoid traffic congestion and sending pedestrians scurrying out of the way, or riding nonchalantly down a one-way street… the wrong way, we do agree that more bikes means less traffic and less pollution, and that’s good for everybody.

If you’re only in town for a short while and don’t plan to buy your own bike, or if you’re just sick of other the other modes of transport and want to check out the city on two wheels, companies such as Biking Buenos Aires give bike tours in English or Spanish, as well as hiring out bicycles to those wishing to head off on their own.  As well as having some cool looking “cruiser” bicycles, Biking Buenos Aires offers customers a range of options, including two basic tours known as La Bocatelmadero and Palerbarrioleta.  The former covers the areas closer to downtown such as San Telmo, La Boca and Puerto Madero, while the later meanders through the leafy northern neighborhoods.  Both are pretty easy going, last from three to four hours and cost US $20.  Other, slightly more expensive tours cater to the more adventurous riders, and offer perks such as unlimited distances and a photographer to take care of your happy snaps for you.

Founder of Biking Buenos Aires, William Whittle, explains how he came up with the idea. “Coming to Buenos Aires and not having the luxury of driving my own car, I got back in touch with my youth when I purchased a BMX, similar to the one I had years ago. After riding through the city for almost a year, I realized how perfect the landscape was for bike rides. The creation of the new Buenos Aires Bike Path was the last catalyst for me to put all my efforts toward Biking Buenos Aires.com and sharing this beautiful city with everyone who feels the urge to explore Buenos Aires limit-free.”

If biking in Buenos Aires seems a little dangerous with all the crazy taxi drivers and buses trying to keep on schedule, it is— but not if you know what you are doing, says Whittle. “There will always be a danger factor no matter which form of transport you choose, which sometimes makes the experience that much more exciting, but is biking in Buenos Aires unsafe? Absolutely not.”

“Our trails are specifically designed to keep you away from hectic traffic and much of the time follow the newly created, cement-divided bike path strictly designed for cyclists,” he says. In addition, our fully equipped guides are professionally trained to constantly uphold a safe environment.”

Buenos Aires Bike Tour
Starting Point: Coronel Diaz 1736
Palermo
Cell: 11-6208 2176
Email: william@bikingbuenosaires.com

• Cost: US$20
•Reservations recommended

Related posts: