A Guide on the Best Bike Rentals in Toronto and Where to Find Them
Whether you're a born-and-raised Torontonian or a tourist, getting around “The 6ix” can be tricky with the daily traffic.
Enter bike rentals! Not only is biking cheap, it’s also convenient and offers a fresh way to soak in the city.
Read on to learn about how and where to rent a bike in TO.
Where to Rent a Bike in Toronto
There are tons of bike rental options around Toronto, making it easy to navigate the city for a conventionally good price.
The bike rentals featured here were selected based on the following criteria: price, accessibility, practicality, selection, and services.
1. Toronto Bicycle Tours
Address: 275 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M5T 2W5, Canada
Operating hours: Monday – Sunday: 8:00AM – 6:00 PM
Website: https://torontobicycletours.com/
Prices:
- Hybrid bikes:
- One Day: $45
- One Week: $150
- Tandem Bikes:
- One Day: $40
What we love about Toronto Bicycle Tours is that they offer various tours to different areas of Toronto, such as Downtown Toronto and the Toronto islands. This means you will get to experience different sceneries and everyday life in the 6ix.
They offer great rentals for hybrid bikes, tandem bikes, trailer bikes, and child seats. Their pricing is also quite good: a whole day with a hybrid bike costs $45 while a week with a hybrid bike can run you $150.
Just make sure you schedule an appointment as they don’t do walk-ins.
Remember: Toronto Bicycle Tours is the best place for guided bike tours in Downtown Toronto and the Toronto islands!
How to Rent a Bike From Toronto Bicycle Tours
- Visit Toronto Bicycle Tours website at https://torontobicycletours.com/.
- Navigate to the “Rentals” section and check out the bike rental options and information.
- Select your preferred bike and enter the duration you wish to rent the bike for.
- Check for availability and reservation slots for the date and time you wish to pick up the bike. Be ready to enter personal information such as your name and contact details.
- Proceed to the payment process by selecting available payment methods the website offers, and complete the rental payment process.
- After you handle your payment, you can proceed to pick up your bike on the designated date of your reservation.
2. Zoom Leisure
Address: 431 Mississagua St, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0, Canada
Operating hours: Monday – Sunday: 9:00AM – 7:00 PM
Website: https://zoomleisure.com/
Prices:
- Regular bikes:
- Half a Day: $30
- One Day: $40
- E-Bikes and Tandem Bikes:
- Half a Day: $60
- One Day: $80
Zoom Leisure offers rentals for both cruiser and hybrid bikes. Prices range from $30 for half a day and $40 for a full day of rental.
Additionally, they charge double their standard prices for both e-bikes and tandem bikes.
Their rentals also come with free commodities such as: bells, water bottle cages, kickstands, helmets, locks, maps of the area, and emergency road assistance.
Fun fact: Zoom Leisure offers both guided and self-guided wine and beer tours!
How to Rent a Bike From Zoom Leisure
- Visit Zoom Leisure on their website at https://zoomleisure.com/
- Navigate to the “rentals” section and check out the bike rental options and information listed on the website.
- Select the “Book your bike here” option then enter select the date and how long you wish to rent the bike for.
- Select the type of bike you wish to rent and review the total bill and cost of the bike rental.
- Proceed to the payment process by selecting available payment methods the website offers, and complete the rental payment process by entering the necessary information like card detail, contact information, and your name.
- After completing the payment process, proceed to pick up your bike on the designated date of your reservation.
3. Gears Bike Shop
Address: 599 King St E, Toronto, ON M5A 0E9, Canada
Operating hours: Monday – Sunday: 10:00AM – 6:00 PM
Website: https://zoomleisure.com/
Prices:
- Hybrid Bikes:
- One day: $35
- Road Bikes and Electric Bikes:
- One day: $75
Gears Bike Shop is a well-known retailer with several stores. They rent out electric bikes and road bikes for $75 a day, while they charge around $35 per day for hybrid bikes.
The bikes available for rental are fairly expensive, ranging from $500-$700 for hybrids, $1500 for road bikes, and $3000 for electric bikes. That being said, you can expect a great riding experience!
They also offer free helmets and assistance in choosing the right bike size. This may be a deal breaker to some but don’t worry we got more options for you below.
With over 30 years of business, Gears Bike Shop continues to support the growing bike culture with accessible bike rentals and promoting the e-bike movement!
How to Rent a Bike From Gears Bike Shop
- Visit Gears Bike Shop’s website at https://gearsbikeshop.com/
- Navigate to the “rentals” and check out the bike selection. Since the pandemic, booking rentals online has been suspended so we suggest contacting them via email at [email protected] or phone via 416-855-4327.
- Once you make contact with Gears Bike Shop via email or phone, inquire about bikes that are available for rent, rates, rental durations, and rental rules.
- After deciding upon an available bike, inquire about booking and available dates for you to rent the bike.
- Proceed to pay for the bike rental by coordinating with an employee and choosing a valid payment method. Provide payment information, card details, and valid identification if required.
- Once you handle paying for the bike rental, you can proceed to pick up and ride your bike on the scheduled date of rent.
4. Oxygen Bike Co.
Address: 599 King St E, Toronto, ON M5A 0E9, Canada
Operating hours: Monday – Saturday: 11:00AM – 7:00 PM
Website: https://zoomleisure.com/
Prices:
- Hybrid Road Bikes:
- One day: $39
- One Week: $150
Oxygen Bike Co. offers bikes for all types of situations you can think of. If you ever find yourself doing some obscure activity like tandem biking on a mountain, they probably have a bike for it.
The majority of what they rent out are affordable hybrid city bikes, which go for $150 per week or $39 per day. They do provide road and fat bikes, but they are generally more expensive than the normal bikes they offer.
Better bikes and better services at an affordable price for the cyclists by the cyclists, is everything that encompasses Oxygen Bike Co.!
How to Rent a Bike From Oxygen Bike Co.
- Despite not having the service to rent bikes online, we suggest visiting Oxygen Bike Co. on their website at https://www.oxygenbikes.com/
- Once on their website navigate to their contact information to inquire about bike rentals. You can contact them via email at [email protected] or by phone via 416-259-2453.
- After establishing contact, inquire about bike rental rules, available bikes, rates, rental duration, and also rental conditions.
- Inquire about scheduling an available date to rent a bike after choosing a bike that is currently up for rent and understanding their bike rental rules.
- Proceed to pay for the bike rental by arranging a payment option with a staff member. Provide payment and credit card information as well as proper identification.
- You can pick up and ride your bike on the designated rental date after you complete the rental bike payment.
5. Sweet Pete’s
Address: 1204 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M6H 1N2, Canada
Operating hours: Monday – Friday: 11:00AM – 7:00 PM, Saturday: 10:00AM – 6:00 PM, Sunday: 12:00AM – 5:00 PM
Website: https://www.sweetpetes.com/
Prices:
- Hybrid Bikes:
- One day: $35
- One week: $350
In 1997 Pete Lily opened a shop and sold recreational mountain bikes, road bikes, and BMX models. This store would be later known as Sweet Pete’s in the early 2000’s, which to this day offers fleets of different types of high quality bikes and even e-bikes.
Bike rental prices at Sweet Pete’s vary, considering the wide ranges of bikes they have that you can choose from. You can rent out bikes for half a day, a whole day, and even a week.
Sweet Pete’s staff is also known to be really friendly and helpful, sometimes offering information and advice about local routes, as well as providing helmets and locks too.
Sweet Pete’s not only offers a huge selection of bikes to rent but they also give expert information about the best trails in Toronto, pretty sweet huh?
How to Rent a Bike From Sweet Pete’s
- Hop on Sweet Pete’s website to book and rent a bike, you find them here at https://www.sweetpetes.com/
- As of the moment, booking a bike rental online is not available. Which is why we suggest contacting the bike shop via phone number at (416) 533-4481.
- Call up Sweet Pete’s and inquire about the policies, bikes offered, available units, prices of rentals, rental duration, and other rental terms.
- After selecting a bike that is currently available for rent and hearing their bike rental policies, inquire about scheduling an available date to rent a bike.
- Set up a payment method with a staff member and then proceed to pay for the bike rental. Give your credit card number, payment information and an I.D if needed.
- After completing the rental bike payment, you can pick up and ride your bike on the scheduled rental day.
Website: https://bikesharetoronto.com
Prices:
- Pay As You Go Pass: $1
- Day Pass: $15
- Annual Membership Pass: $30 – $105.
Perhaps the most popular bike rental in Toronto, Bike Share has hundreds of stations in every corner of Toronto. This makes it extremely convenient and easily accessible for both tourists and the average Torontonian alike.
You can easily get a “Pay As You Go Pass” with just $1 or you can even purchase a Day pass for $15, which gives you unlimited 90 minute rides for a day. Bike Share also offers an annual membership which will run you 30 – $105.
There are tons of ways to pay for Bike Share’s services, offering a convenient and seamless rental experience. Credit cards and even e-payment apps are accepted by Bike Share.
Bike Share is a convenient, affordable, and accessible way for commuters and hardcore cyclists alike to enjoy bikes while building the cycling culture at the same time.
- Visit BikeShare Toronto’s website at https://bikesharetoronto.com, or download their mobile app on the app store to start renting bikes.
- Log in or sign up for an account if you don’t already have one. When signing up for an account make sure to provide basic information like your name, contact details, and payment method.
- After signing up or singing in, choose a membership plan for you to start renting a bike. You can choose a one day pass or an annual membership.
- After choosing a membership plan or a one day pass, you now have access to a map with all the stations in Toronto where you can rent a bike. Select the closest station to you to find an available bike.
- Once you arrive at the bike station, look for an available bike to rent. To unlock a bike for rent, you must enter a 5-digit code sent to you via BikeShare app or website upon choosing a bike, into the bikes dock.
- After entering the 5 digit code, you can now freely ride your rented bike around the city.
7. Wheel Excitement
Address: 249 Queens Quay W #106, Toronto, ON M5J 2N5, Canada
Operating hours: Monday – Sunday: 10:00AM – 5:00 PM
Website: https://wheelexcitement.ca/
Prices:
- Normal Bikes:
- One Hour: $15
- 1 Day: $40
- 2 Days: $70
- E-Bikes:
- One Hour: $35
- 1 Day: $85
- 2 Days: $150
Wheel Excitement carries a massive selection of great quality bikes, these bikes are available for rent at $15 per hour, which you can pay an extra $5 for every additional hour thereafter, or $40 for a whole day.
They also offer rentals for e-bikes at a rate of $35 an hour and even family bike rentals which start at $30 an hour.
Like their standard bikes, the same rules apply for family bikes with an increment of $5 for every additional hour and a $55 day rate, whereas e-bikes have an increment of $10 for every additional hour and a day rate of about $85.
Wheel Excitement makes sure its customers are always taken care of, from choosing the right bike to suggesting the most scenic routes on the harbour to cruise down.
How to Rent a Bike From Wheel Excitement
- Visit Wheel Excitement’s website at https://wheelexcitement.ca/
- Navigate to the “rentals” section and check out the bikes they offer up for rent, make sure to read their rental service rules too.
- After browsing the available bikes for rent on their website, select one and proceed to schedule a bike rental on their website.
- Find out if there are any reservations available for the day and time you want to pick up the bike. Select the date and time you want to rent a bike.
- After selecting the date and time of your rental, proceed to enter personal information like your name, contact number, email, and your phone number. You can also specify how long you will rent the bike and how many bikes you will rent.
- After finishing up the reservation, head to Wheel Excitement on the day of the rental and finish up by paying for the bike rental fee in person.
- After you finish paying for the bike rental fee of your reserved bike, you can now use your bike freely.
What Type of Bike Is Best?
Remember that each bike serves a different purpose and wouldn’t perform as well in doing certain activities that it wasn’t built for.
Here’s a quick primer on the different types of bikes you can rent out:
Road Bikes
As the name suggests, road bikes are designed to be ridden on the road, meaning they wouldn’t give the best performance on a mountain dirt track.
Road bikes have specific geometry, wide tires, and lightweight components that are all intended to assist bikers make the most of the road. Road bikes typically have thin tires, drop bars, light frames, high gear ratios, and more aerodynamic riding positions.
If you want to travel quickly and on a smooth surface, go with a road bike, considering these bikes are light and have smooth narrow tires. The main downside to riding road bikes on unpaved roads is that they can be really uncomfortable and unstable at times.
City Bikes
Also called “urban” or “commuter” bicycles, city bikes have several features that make it simpler to ride in normal clothes rather than cycling-specific gear.
City bikes are excellent for commuting since they are made for convenience, comfort, and safety in urban settings. Depending on what you’re doing, a city bike might be the best option to rent since it has some features that make it simpler to ride in casual attire.
Keep in mind that city bikes aren’t built for off-road riding and could struggle on difficult terrain. With that, we wouldn’t suggest taking a city bike on a dirt road when touring Toronto.
Hybrid Bikes
Hybrid bikes are a cross between road bikes and mountain bikes, allowing for a very versatile riding experience. Given its hybrid nature, hybrid bikes need to sacrifice specialty in one field, but it’s well worth it if you gain the ability to do a bit of everything.
Unlike road bikes that make use of drop handlebars, hybrid bikes feature flat handlebars, hybrid bikes feature the same comfortable riding position as mountain bikes but with slicker, narrower tires, since they are designed for comfort and versatility.
These bikes are best to rent if you will primarily be commuting or getting around Toronto, with some occasional off-road or mountain biking. Hybrid bikes can be used on both paved and unpaved roads, which makes them a versatile choice.
Cruiser Bikes
Cruiser bikes are made for casual riding, featuring an upright riding position, and a large comfortable seat, cruiser bikes. Compared to hybrid bikes, cruisers have “balloon” tires and handlebars that are more upright and swept back.
Most cruiser bikes have up to three speeds with a classic coaster brake, which requires you to pedal backwards in order to stop.
You can use cruiser bikes for short-distance commuting and errands. Given that they are made for casual riding, cruiser bicycles may also be a decent option for renting for city riding.
Tandem Bikes
Tandem bikes are bikes that are designed for two people to operate. They come in a variety of designs, including high-performance road racing tandems, off-road mountain bike tandems, and cruiser and hybrid tandems for bike lanes and boardwalks.
Tandems typically come in two seats, although there are versions with three seats or more seats built into the bike. Riding a tandem bike is simpler than riding on a solo bike, since a tandem bike’s extended wheelbase gives it a particularly secure foundation.
A tandem bike allows two riders to cycle together in a tandem without anyone falling behind, this makes it suitable for adults and kids. Tandem bikes are used to casually cruise around in the city, making it a great rental choice if you plan on casual strolls.
Electric Bikes
Electric bikes are bikes that have electrical components built into it, such as a motor and a battery. This makes them heavier than your usual bike but also makes riding more convenient with longer distances achieved while exerting less effort.
When you begin pedalling on an electric bike, the motor activates and provides you with a push that travels a significant distance. This essentially allows you to travel anywhere at a steady pace without tiring yourself.
There are several types of Electric bikes, such as hybrid electric bikes and electric mountain bikes. This means that any bike can become an electric bike as long as electrical parts are attached to it.
Women’s Bikes
Women’s bikes were designed to have smaller frame sizes and different frame geometry than other bikes.
These occasionally come built with a step-through frame, initially meant for riders wearing dresses or skirts. Women’s bikes are different from standard bikes in the sense that they are designed with smaller and lighter frames.
Women’s bikes also come with wider and shorter saddles, and narrower grips and handlebars as well. Despite the name of this type of bike, we think anyone can really use it given that they’re comfortable with its frame size.
Kids’ Bikes
Like electric bikes, kids’ bikes also come in several types like mountain bikes and cruiser bikes.
Renting a kids bike is a good idea if you have children with you and you plan on going on a long bike trip around Toronto – or even training them to ride a bike!
Most rentals offer kids bikes with training wheels on them, ensuring your kid doesn’t fall off the bike easily. This will also help steer away any worries you might have about your child’s safety.