About Montreal

• WalkScore     100

• TransitScore  100

• BikeScore 84

Since the 1970's, when Toronto surpassed it in population and economic power, Montreal is now only the second largest city in Canada, but it remains the cultural epicenter of the country. Mount Royal dominates the skyline in one direction, and parks are everywhere. Downtown has a particularly old-world European look to it, with cobblestone streets and block after block of intact architecture from different periods of the 1800s. Night life in the summer is especially boisterous, likely because residents are making for up their winter hibernations. Fortunately for the would-be cyclist, the streets are laid out in a wonderfully logical grid, which allows a plaid-like system of alternating priorities to allow bikes to take priority on one street, and cars on the next parallel street. This sets everyone up to be able to get where they're going with minimal need to accommodate the different speed and size of different types of vehicles. Most of the bike infrastructure that we encountered was honest separated cycle track, as well, which makes cycle transit effortless and safe.

Maps

City Bike Map

La Route Verte - green routes outside the city

Transit Map

Culture

Montreal felt the most like the Netherlands of any city in North America, in terms of transportation balance and "non-car" normalcy. We saw more kinds of people do more kinds of things by bike at all hours of the day here than we did anywhere else on this continent. This is in keeping with Montreal's reputation as the most European city in Canada, and indeed it often looks the part as well as feeling it.

Etiquette

With so many locals also riding (and knowing better where they're going than you do, and possibly being in a hurry to get to work etc, as opposed to you and your relaxed sight seeing), you'd probably be best sticking to the right side of the cycle tracks and letting locals pass on your left.

Safety

The minimal helmet usage is a testament to how safe it feels (and is) to ride here. Even at night, there are always so many other cyclists out that you're almost always part of a highly visible stream, instead of being a lone example. The infrastructure here is so good that you'll find stress-free routes to just about everything you could want to visit by bike.

Security

As with seemingly all cities with dense ridership, there's also a healthy bike theft scene here, so bring the bike inside at night if even remotely possible. During the day, lock to an actual bike rack using a u-lock or high-quality chain, and not something flimsy with a combination lock on it, to make sure your bike is harder to steal than others on the rack... As the saying goes, you don't have to out run the bear, you just have to outrun your companions.

These routes were curated by local Montreal folk who wanted to share their #BestBikeRide with you. Print off the map for free!

If you're interested in curating your favorite bike ride, inquire as an ambassador.

Spinlister

Spinlister is like the Airbnb of bikes!  Use promo code, BIKABOUT, for $10 off

Bike Share

Bixi - $5 daily

Rentals

• Caroule Montreal - hybrid, tour, road, tandem, kids, trailer, trail-a-bike

• Dyad - $20+ daily for city and electric bikes

• Fitz & Folwell - $30+ daily ($20 half day) for Linus city, cargo, family and kids bikes includes helmet, lock, rack, lights and map

Tours

• Fitz & Folwell - $75 includes bike.  Tour themes include hidden gems, brewpubs, summer nights and yoga

• Spade & Palacio - $60+ includes their famed pink bikes. Tour themes are all off the beaten path style.

We're constantly updating this list of our favorite bike shops, coffee shops, restaurants, museums, scenic vistas, playgrounds, ice cream, microbreweries and more in Montreal!

• Foursquare List

• Pinterest Board

City Transit

stm - bikes are accommodated with some restrictions

Train

Amtrak Adirondack (Albany - New York) - folding bikes or boxed bikes

Via Rail (Jonquière - Kingston - La Tuque -Senneterre - Toronto) - $25 roll on service.  Racks accommodate 12 bikes.

Airline

• Delta- FREE for bikes under 23kg or 50lbs in a protective box or bag under 62 linear inches or 158 centimeters.

• Qatar Airways - free pending the weight of the boxed bike and ticket class

Support Local Advocates

Bikabout donates 25% of annual revenue to local advocates. You, too, can power better biking in Montreal by becoming a member of any of the Montreal Bike Coalition!

Montreal Bike Coalition