Spokes Bicycle Rental

With the ocean and the mountains on our doorstep, there’s no denying that Vancouver is a picturesque city. And one of the best ways to explore its interesting nooks and crannies is on a bike, which is where Spokes Bicycle Rentals comes in.

Located just on the border between downtown and Stanley Park, Spokes rents more than 15 types of bicycles for both adults and children.

Spokes’ boom time is the summer season, says manager Sarah Vetter, when they cater to tourists from all over the world, who are eager to explore the city. Spokes makes a particular effort to work with visitors from out of town, by cultivating relationships with hotel concierges and hiring people who speak a variety of languages.

Vancouver is well suited to bike trips, says Sarah. “We have a lot of tourists coming through and they always comment on how amazing the cityscape is with all the bike routes and how it’s nice to take a bike around the city, especially because our city is so flat. It makes it really accessible for people of all different athletic abilities.” She also says that drivers respect bike riders on bike lanes or on the road.

Both tourists and locals rent bicycles for trips around the city. “The most popular is definitely the Stanley Park seawall, but the seawall now stretches all the way around to Science World and around to Granville Island. That can be a half-day trip if you add in a couple of hours at Granville Island.” Other popular destinations include UBC and its beaches, or Horseshoe Bay for more advanced riders.