Grand Rapids has earned national recognition for its biking environment. The League of American Bicyclists named us a top "Bicycle-Friendly Community" in 2009 and Outside Magazine named us the "Best Town for Mountain Biking" in 2010. Even our buses are bike-friendly - every one is equipped with a bike rack, so you can access local trails without riding through traffic.

Road Biking

Bicycling is a great way to get around Grand Rapids - especially downtown. Download the GR Bike Map for preferred and secondary street routes, bike parking locations, safety tips and more.

Mountain Biking

Grand Rapids offers everything from easy-to-ride family trails to expert single-tracks. A downtown mountain bike park features a pump track and 3.5 miles of single-track trail. Dozens of trailheads are accessible within minutes of downtown, taking you through all types of terrain - orchards, ski areas, woodlands and more. Check out area trails.

Trail Biking

Hundreds of miles of paved biking trails traverse Grand Rapids and West Michigan. Our favorites include:

• Grand River Edges Trail links downtown Grand Rapids to Kent Trails and Millennium Park, an urban greenspace twice the size of New York's Central Park.

• Kent Trails is a 15-mile trek across bridges, through tunnels and along some very scenic stretches of urban, suburban and rural land. You can enter it at John Ball Zoo, five minutes from downtown.

• Reeds Lake Trail is a 4.5-mile circle around a picturesque lake just steps away from the charming shopping and dining district of East Grand Rapids.

• Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park stretches 93 miles from just outside downtown GR to "north country." You'll travel through trailside parks, quaint villages, sprawling farms and vast expanses of unspoiled nature.

Bike Races

Feeling competitive? Test your skills at these racing events:

• West Michigan Stage Race is a two-day, three-stage event including a time trial, criterium, and road race. May 19-20, 2012.
• Memorial Day Time Trial - USCF-sanctioned road race features a 15-mile course route. May 28, 2012.
• Celebration! Cinema Criterium - Thirteen racing categories including kids tackle a 0.9-mile loop with 2 sharp corners and one narrow one-lane section. June 17, 2012.
• Grand Cycling Classic Downtown GR is the site of an array of non-competitive, kids', amateur and pro bike races. July 28, 2012.
• GR Urban Adventure Race - Four- and eight-hour team adventure races include biking, running, canoeing, and orienteering. July 14, 2012.
• West Michigan Stage Race - Three-day USA Cycling event includes time trial, criterium and road race. July 2012.
• Battle at the Burg, an all-day fat tire festival featuring a great cross-country mountain bike race?, downhill race, kid's race and more.

For a full calendar of biking events, visit the League of Michigan Bicyclists.

Bike Rentals

Downtown's JW Marriott Hotel offers bike rentals for registered guests. You can rent bikes by the day at Freewheeler Bike Shop, Grand Rapids Bicycle Company and Powers Outdoors north of the city. New to downtown Grand Rapids, Central District Cyclery will rent their bikes to you or help to repair yours.

Bike Shops

Bike shops in every corner of the city can get you back on the trail with close, convenient parts and service.

Bike Groups

PedalGR leads regular bike tours around the city. The Greater Grand Rapids Bicycle Coalition serves up information and advocacy. The Western Michigan Mountain Biking Association provides off-road guidance.