Bike Rentals in the Twin Cities

The Minneapolis/Saint Paul metro is loaded with bike trails, and there are many options for bike rentals for both residents and visitors.

The Twin Cities has extensive bike trails (on and off-road) that many people are unaware of. Many locals are missing out on beautiful scenery that is practically in their own backyards.

When I first began biking, I was amazed at how much I had been missing in my home town, state and county parks, and even downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis.

I was able to enjoy views and have experiences I never knew existed. Biking allowed me to cover a much larger area than on foot.

Many people entertain the idea of biking, but either don’t own a bike or have other reasons that prevent them from having the experience. Maybe physical limitation or lack of endurance.

Renting a bike (whether manual or electric) can be a great option if you don’t own a bike, or have a limitation that prevents you from biking alone or keeping up with a group. Or maybe you have a bike, but would like to try a different style bike or biking experience?

Rental Bike Options

The right size bike—whether manual or electric—determines the comfort and quality of your ride. Your height and inseam need to match the size of the bike to enjoy a comfortable ride.

There are many style bikes to pick from to enhance your experience. You can bike year round if you choose the right bike.

Manual bikes rent for $7-9/hour and electric bikes for $35-45/hour. Each option provides it’s own benefits. Rental outfitters rent by the hour, day or month and some are even willing to transport bikes to a desired location. These open up a larger variety of riding options.

NOTE: Whether you rent a manual or electric bike, beware of leaves, loose gravel, sand, dirt, wetness or standing water. Slow down in these conditions so you don’t end up with unnecessary medical expenses!

There are several different types of bikes to choose from:

Cruiser/City Bike

Cruiser bikes are heavy and bulky, but super comfortable! The rider sits upright and is best used for flat routes, like much of the city of Minneapolis.

Road Bike

Road bikes have skinny tires meant for faster speeds and covering more ground with less effort. They’re designed for smooth, paved roads and trails and aren’t stable on dirt or other natural-surfaces.

Mountain Bike

Mountain bikes have a heavy-duty frame, but are lighter in weight than a cruiser bike. They usually have wide tires and ideal for narrow trails and very rugged terrain.

Hybrid Bike

A hybrid is a cross between a road bike and a mountain bike. They usually allow the rider to sit more upright and on a a larger seat than the typical road bike, for more comfort. They have medium-width tires, which allows you to ride on a paved surface, but also has the option to explore unpaved wide paths. They’re not meant for narrow rugged trails.

Fat Tire Bike

Fat tire bikes demand more physical effort, but can be ridden on uneven terrain, sand, grass and snow. This is a great option for packed snow terrain or a beautiful scenic, sandy shoreline.

Electric Bike

Electric bikes have a battery that last for about 100 miles, give or take. They have various levels of assist to help the rider with hills, distance, etc. Most bike types are becoming available in an electric model.

More About Electric Bikes

Minnesota law states a rider has to be 15+ years old to ride an electric Class II bike. The law also allows only Class I and II bikes on the state trails, with a max speed of 20 mph. Most local regional and city trails have the same rules.

Most of the local electric bike rental outfitters require riders to be 16+ AND accompanied by an adult to rent a Class II electric bike. Riders must have a valid ID and will need to sign a waiver to ride.

Electric bikes typically have these gauges:

• Battery level
• Pedal assist—adds power to each pedal rotation, determined by the rider
• Regular bike gears
• Throttle—aids in starting up from a dead stop, or provides power up a hill

Electric bikes are versatile. You can get an incredible workout by limiting the electric assist, or you can allow the bike to do all the work. The battery will wear down accordingly to the load requested, meaning the battery will last longer with less “demand.”

If you’re not looking for a workout, but rather an experience outdoors with friends or family, you can allow the bike to do more of the work. That way you can do your sight-seeing or stop to shop and dine without worrying about sweating.

Electric bikes weigh around 50-60 pounds and require a heavier-duty bike rack to transport. They can be slightly more cumbersome to start up from a dead stop…but that’s when the throttle comes in handy! I got the hang of it pretty quickly.

Outfitters say, “If you can ride a ‘normal’ bike, you can ride an electric bike.” Riding either style bike just requires balance, a proper fit and an understanding of the bike itself.

Make sure you can read the gauges on the bike, which I learned the hard way! I forgot my sunglasses with readers, and had to wear my readers (no sunglasses) the entire way. The more you ride, the less this may be an issue. (Walmart is a great option for affordable sunglasses with readers.)

Dress in appropriate layers for the weather or bring extra layers with you. This may include a hat and gloves in cooler weather. If you allow the bike to do most of the work, your heart rate will not increase much and you may get cold.

Where You Can Rent an Electric Bike

A quality rental company will provide:

• Proper maintenance of their bikes
• Bike safety instruction and orientation, and will confirm the rider is knowledgeable and capable of operating the bike
• Bike sizing according to each rider—size, style, set adjustment for height and inseam
• Helmet, a lock and maybe a map of the local area (either print of by app)
• Assistance if a malfunction happens and the rider becomes stranded

Stillwater Area Electric Bike Rentals

PEDEGO—Opened July/Aug 2021. I met Carl and Justin, who manage this location. They were very friendly and knowledgeable, and provide all the necessities and local maps for trails and destinations. 1650 Market Dr. Stillwater • 651-342-0310 • www.pedegoelectricbikes.com

HERMAN ELECTRIC BIKE RENTAL—Bike rentals and coffee shop. 209 Main St. Stillwater • Reservations by phone only: 651-342-1914 • hermanelectricbikes.com

“We rented e-bikes from Mike Herman in Stillwater last fall and he was awesome. I would rent from him again in a heartbeat!” ~ Kathy O., (Twin Cities Outdoors Reader)

GATEWAY TRAILSIDE—Not a rental, but a food truck at mile marker 15 on the Gateway State Trail. At the intersection of Lansing and Hwy 96 in Stillwater/Grant Township • 651-242-4415 • gatewaytrailside.com

Mendota/Lilydale Area

LEE BIKE TOUR RENTALS—In a prime location just one block off the Great River Trail near Lucky 13 Restaurant and Axels in Mendota Heights. Riders can easily access trails to The Great River Trail, Harriet Island, Minnehaha Falls/Park, Ford Parkway and Hidden Falls. 651-925-7328 • leetours.us

Hastings Area

PORT OF HASTINGS OUTFITTERS—Has direct access to the 10-mile loop trail encircling the beautiful and historic river town of Hastings. You can also access the Simon-Ravine Newport Trail, Prescott and Spring Lake Park. They may be open to transporting bikes to an offsite location per prior arrangement. 651-219-0422 • mypoho.com

Bloomington, MN.

BLOOMINGTON REI—Reserve a bike and pick it up at the Bloomington location, then self-transport to your destination. 952-884-4315 • rei.com/rentals (Scroll to Find rental location by state, click on Minnesota, click on Reserve Online, enter “bikes” in the search window.)

Where You Can Rent a “Regular” Bike

If you’re not interested in an electric bike, you can still opt to rent a non-battery-powered “regular” bike. Here are some options I’ve gathered:

NICE RIDE MN—A brand of Lyft (similar to Uber) that has cars, bikes etc. 877-551-6423 • find a local station at niceridemn.com

TONKA CYCLE AND SKI—They current don’t have electric bikes due to Covid-19, but will be building inventory in the next few years. 952-938-8336 • www.tonkacycleandski.com

TANGLETOWN BIKE SHOP—Year-round bike rentals including fat tire bikes. Explore Minnehaha Parkway, Grand Rounds Bike Trail and the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes. 612-259-8180 • www.tangletownbikeshop.com

DIRO OUTDOORS—A self-rental station in downtown Stillwater. It can only be accessed via a smart phone device • www.dirooutdoors.com

VELO DU NORD—They no longer rent bikes for general use, however, they do rent to serious potential buyers. Sara & Bjorn are well connected in the cycling world and are known internationally. Their bike/waffle/coffee shop is included in the Northern Tier Route of the United States for serious bikers. They specialize in proper bike fitting, coaching and repair of all bike types—new, old, manual and electric. This is a unique specialty! So if you want to try an electric bike and want to know more, they’re a great resource. info@velodunord.com • 651-300-4214 • velodunord.com

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