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FAQ Page

FREQUENTLY ASKED 
QUESTIONS

English Bay

BOOKING

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How do I book a tour? 

  • You can book a bike tour using our secure online booking system. We have two daily tours. Our morning tour "Stanley Park Discovery" starts at 9:30AM and our afternoon tour "Heroes of Van City" starts at 2:00PM. 

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How do I book a private or family tour?

  • You can book a private or family tour by contacting us directly using the contact form. Private bookings require more advance notice than our daily tours. 

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Do I need to rent a bike as well?

  • Each booking comes standard with a bike rental and a helmet.

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What is your cancellation policy?

  • We offer full refunds on cancellations up to 24 hours in advance of your tour departure.  

 

What if it rains on the day of the tour?

  • We ride in the rain. If, on the day of your tour, you feel like the weather will affect your enjoyment of the experience, we can always attempt to reschedule your ride, space permitting. 

BOOKING

SAFETY

 

Are helmets offered and are they mandatory?

  • Yes to both. Every rider will receive a helmet. It is the law in British Columbia to wear a helmet while operating a bicycle, no matter your age. 

 

How large are the average tour groups?

  • Our average group size is between 4 - 8 riders. Smaller group sizes create a safer riding environment and provide adequate space for social distancing. 

 

Are there safe bike paths in Vancouver for novice riders?

  • Yes. Our tours utilize a combination of city bike lanes, the Vancouver seawall and calmed traffic streets. Our afternoon tour includes some street riding. For novice and younger riders, we suggest ‘Stanley Park Discovery' or a private tour where riding is limited to the seawall. 

 

How are bike riders treated by motorists in Vancouver?

  • Vancouver motorists are very accustomed to sharing the road with cyclists. Our city also has one of the most expansive network of bike paths in North America. 

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Is there a safety demonstration at the start of the ride?

  • Yes. Each tour starts with a quick orientation of safety procedures and basic riding mechanics.

SAFETY

BIKES

 

What kind of bikes are provided for the tours?

  • We use Specialized Sirrus X 3.0 hybrid bikes for our tours. These bikes have a wide range of gears, disc brakes and an extremely light frame. The Sirrus is a perfect bike for light city touring. 

  • For riders with mobility concerns, we also have the option to use Specialized Roll cruiser bikes, for those riders seeking a step-through frame and a wider seat. 

 

Do you have trailers for smaller children?

  • Yes. We have trailers and tag-along attachments for our bikes. If you require either of these, please email us about a private family tour. We also have a dog trailer, if you want to bring your four-legged friends along. 

 

Do you have child size bikes?

  • Yes. We have 20” and 24” inch frames for younger riders. Families with children who require these frames will need to book a private tour. 

 

Can I bring my own bike?

  • Riders are always welcome to bring their own bikes.

 

Can I use a Mobi bike (public bike share) for the tour?

  • We strongly discourage this for two reasons: 1) The Mobi bikes are meant for short commutes, not touring. 2) The Mobi bikes have a very limited range of gears and are not always reliable. 

BIKES

DIFFICULTY

 

What sort of physical shape do I need to be in to take a bicycle tour?

  • Our tours are curated to feature routes and lengths that are appropriate for all riders.

 

What is the total distance covered on your tours?

  • All three of our tours are roughly 18 km (11 miles).

 

Are there hills on the tour?

  • There is a small hill at the start of our ‘Stanley Park Discovery’ tour but the majority of the route is on flat terrain. Our ‘Heroes of Van City’ tour is almost completely flat. Our ‘Murals off Main St.’ tour includes a larger elevation gain, but we take our time on all the hills. 

 

What ages are the bicycle tours appropriate for?

  • The recommended minimum age for our daily mixed tours is 13. Families with younger riders are encouraged to book private family tours. Our oldest rider to date was 85.

DIFFICULTY

LOCATION

 

Where do the tours start and finish?

  • All of our tours start and finish at English Bay Bicycle Rentals at 1754 Davie Street, in Vancouver’s West End. This location is only a few blocks from Stanley Park.

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Is there parking close to the bike shop?

  • There is limited street vehicle parking in downtown Vancouver. There is a small underground parking lot behind JJ Bean (coffee shop) at the corner of Davie and Bidwell. There are larger parking lots around the perimeter of Stanley Park. It is a 15-20 minute walk from these lots to the bike shop.  

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How do you recommend travelling to English Bay Bike Rentals from our hotel?

  • We recommend walking, public transit or UBER to get to the bike shop.

    • Our location is a 15-40 minute walk from most of the larger downtown hotels. 

    • The number 6 Downtown bus stops 5 feet from our front door. For transit schedules and routes, please use the the ‘Trip Planner’ tool provided by TransLink on their easy to use website. 

    • The taxi fare from most hotels downtown is $8-12 and takes 5-15 minutes. Fares can be paid by cash, debit or credit card.

    • UBER and Lyft now operate in Vancouver. 

LOCATION

 

What should I wear on the day of my ride?

  • We suggest athletic clothing with layers that can be removed or added. We also suggest close-toed shoes, sunglasses in the summer months, gloves during the shoulder and winter seasons and sunscreen all year round, no matter the conditions.  

APPROPRIATE ATTIRE

ATTIRE

WATER & WASHROOMS

 

Do you provide water?

  • Yes. We provide a 750ml water bottle for all our riders. 

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Are there washrooms on site?

  • No. There are no public washrooms on site. There is a Starbucks across the street for last minute bathroom needs.

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Are there bathroom breaks?

  • Yes. All our tours stop at locations with washrooms. If an emergency stop is required, please notify the guide and we will find the closest coffee shop. ​

WASHROOMS

GRATUITIES & REVIEWS

 

Is it appropriate to tip your bicycle guide?

  • If you feel that you received outstanding service, a cash tip is very appropriate. Tipping is very much appreciated by those working in the North American service sector, but it is by no means mandatory. Canada does not offer a Venmo option at this time.

 

How can I read or review one of your bicycle tours?

  • Our tours have been reviewed on TripAdivor, Yelp and Google. We are proud to stay we have a perfect 5-star rating on all three of these platforms. You can find links to these sites at our review section. 

  • We strongly encourage our guests to review our tours, as it helps us grow and refine our product.

GRATUITIES

 

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us directly and we will get back to you as quick as possible. Email, at info@biketourvancouver.com, is the best method of communication. We look forward to hearing from you.

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