The Best Places for Bike Rental in Calgary, Alberta

“We ain’t your ordinary bike rental shop,” say River Wheels, and indeed these urban cycling lovers promise to hook people up with inside tips on the best coffee shops and places to get ice cream, as well as a cool bike. Inspired by David Byrne of Talking Heads fame – who travels with a folding bike and a guitar – this shop rents folding bikes. Prices start at $12 for one hour and include helmets. It’s near the Bow River in the parking lot of the Calgary Curling Club beside Lazy Day Raft Rentals.

This environmentally sustainable, community-minded business in Victoria Park boasts a gift shop with recycled and eco-friendly products, a coffee bar, an artist’s studio and bike rentals. Urban styled, step-through bikes can be rented year-round and come with lights, a lock, a helmet and a wooden basket. There are also bike maps of Calgary’s pathway system for sale. Rentals start at $14 an hour, and there’s a tandem bike and child carriers on offer as well.

Bow Cycle may be one of the biggest bike retailers in Canada, but this local business started in 1957 and is owned by a group of long-time employees. The online booking platform lets renters peruse more than 30 options – divided up into mountain bikes, road bikes, fat bikes and electric bikes – and read up on their specifications and look at photos and even videos. Travel cases, wheel sets, car racks and even a suspension tuning system can also be rented.

The Calgary outpost of the Pedego Electric Bikes empire has four kinds of electric bikes for rent. The Interceptor, Boomerang and the stylish City Commuter all start at $50 for three hours, while a tandem option starts at $75 for three hours. Test rides are free. This shop, a relative newcomer that opened in 2018, is in the Eau Claire Market, with easy access to Prince’s Island Park, downtown and the Bow River Pathway.

From April to October, weather willing, Joe’s Garage sets up his truck near the Bow River Pathway on the south side of the river, just east of the 10th Street Bridge. This low-impact mobile business does rentals and repairs. Half the charm is texting owner and bicycle mechanic Joe Nunn (403-874-JOES (5637)) to make sure he’s working and has a vintage-style, Reid pathway cruiser available. Rentals start at $15 for an hour ($5 more for a helmet). Nunn will suggest routes, sites and eating and drinking spots.

Started by two cowboys in 1992 as a ski rental business, this Haysboro shop has since expanded to bike sales, rentals and service, and claims to be Calgary’s only year-round ski and bike shop. It vows to be “relaxed, comfortable and affordable.” Bikes (Junior, Del Sol, Haro and Tandem) can be rented by the hour from $10 to $25, or by the day for up to a week. Child trailers, strollers and trailer bikes are also on offer.