Enjoy Biking In Atlanta

Biking is a great way for visitors to see the city of Atlanta and enjoy its area parks and greenways. The weather is mild much of the year, and biking provides an opportunity for outdoor recreation and exercise. Visitors who are in town without their bikes will find several shops around the metro area that rent bikes, and one company that specializes in bicycle tours.

Bicycle Tours of Atlanta offers a guided Heart of the City Tour that covers approximately ten miles in three hours. Riders will see many of Atlantas historic sites and intown neighborhoods. The tour is recommended for riders age 16 and older who lead an active lifestyle. Safety is a priority and tours are led by experienced urban cyclists. The route leads along Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta, past Underground Atlanta, and through the Martin Luther King Historic District, where the Civil Rights movement was centered. Riders will pass Grant Park, home of Zoo Atlanta and the Cyclorama, and historic Oakland Cemetery. The tour continues through Inman Park, Atlantas first planned suburb, and into Little Five Points, one of Atlantas most offbeat neighborhoods. The tours leave from Studiplex Lofts, Suite 19G, located east of downtown at 659 Auburn Avenue. Parking is free. Tours leave at 9am. The cost is $49 and includes bikes, helmets, and water.

The Silver Comet Trail, which begins in the northwest metro area, is a popular place to ride bikes. The paved multi-use National Recreation Trail runs over an abandoned rail line. It begins in the town of Smyrna and goes 61 miles west to the Georgia-Alabama border. It connects to the Chief Ladiga Trail, which goes another 35 miles to Anniston, Alabama.

Two bicycle shops located along the Silver Comet Trail offer bike rentals. Silver Comet Depot Cycles has a good selection of rentals that are available hourly on weekends and holidays and full or half days at other times. There is a required $50 deposit and helmets are included. The shop is located at 4342 Floyd Road in Mableton, Georgia, and is open year round. Smyrna Bicycles is also located just off the Silver Comet Trail at 4624 Camp Highland Road SE in Smyrna. This is a full service shop that also rents bikes hourly and daily.

Roswell Bicycles at 670 Houze Way in Roswell, Georgia, has bikes for rent. They are located a short drive from the Big Creek Greenway, a paved multi-use trail in the northern suburb of Alpharetta. Roswell Bicycles is open daily and rents hybrids and road bikes.
Skate Escape, located at 1086 Piedmont Avenue in midtown, rents bikes as well as skates. Their location is very convenient for those who want to ride bikes in Atlantas Piedmont Park. Skate Escape rents childrens bikes, 3 speeds, tandems, and recumbent bikes. They offer hourly and daily rentals.

Atlantas parks, greenways, and the Silver Comet Trail are popular places for bike riding. Visitors who enjoy the sport should try one of these bike rental shops and join local residents for some fun and exercise.