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Urban AdvenTours
Rating Details »
Categories: Tours, Bike Rentals, Bikes
Neighborhood: North End103 Atlantic Avenue
(between Richmond St & Cross St)
Boston, MA 02110
(617) 233-7595
- Nearest Transit:
-
Aquarium (Blue)
Haymarket (Orange)
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
9 reviews for Urban AdvenTours
Solid group of guys running a good business, based off of a good idea. Good time, a great route planned out, and great to have more bikes on the road in Boston!
A bit costly ($50), but being one who has lived here for a few years, I still learned new things and it was a good ride.
Props, AdvenTours
I hit up Urban AdvenTours for the Yelp Elite Event: Down to Ride...Take 1. It seems that I was one of the two people who did not get Leighann's memo to abort mission until later in the day. The weather, though suspect at times, did cooperate and we had a great City View Tour.
I'd count this as one of my top 3 Elite events. Why? UA was an awesome departure from the typical and I loved it. It was nice to finally be doing something to counteract the guzzling of wine, inhalation of chocolate and nomming of cheese that is the usual Elite event. Don't get me wrong, I love complimentary wine and cheese as much as the next girl, but my pants, most certainly, don't and my arteries might oppose to an extent.
A few of the reasons this tour was awesome:
** The guides were easy on the eyes.
This helps when you're required to fix gaze on one and navigate fearlessly, following their lead, through Boston traffic.
** The guides were knowledgeable with regard to Boston's history.
We got some great narratives about the history of Boston that your average Duck Tour doesn't cover.
** We used the machine between our legs to harness the power within our legs.
Enough talk about carbon offsets, do something about it!
** I felt like I was part of an important movement.
As a bike commuter I often feel QUITE defenseless in the presence of less than mindful drivers. In a bike mob it's more difficult for drivers to pretend that a. you're not there and b. you're not supposed to be there.
**The bikes were well tuned and easy to ride
I want my own Specialized hybrid.
**You learn about new places you can access with your bike.
I had no idea that there was a way to get from the North End to the TD Garden without confronting any cars.
** Tours like this raise the awareness of the general public
It was neat to see the reactions of a number of people register as we rode by. The tour elicited a range of responses from 'what a great idea' to 'f*&@*$ bikes!!!' but people saw us and know that while Boston might *not* be bike friendly it *is* bike accessible to a large extent.
** The tour was suitable for the whole family.
Child and grandma alike can enjoy this tour. The ride was relatively leisurely.
**Did I say the guides were easy on the eyes? I guess I could add that they were quite helpful when people were having a hard time riding and that they were concerned about our general well being, yelling at cars and buses to keep an eye out.
This is definitely an activity I'd recommend to people vacationing in the area. You really get a very unique view of the city that you'd never get on a bus or Duck Tour. It's something I'd recommend you do at least once if you live in the area. The $50 price tag on the tour might seem a touch prohibitive, but it's worth it.
Fantastic service, great bikes - decent hybrids rahter than the "city bikes" really sturdy specialized globes, great price of $35 during hte week for 24 hour hire, helmet and lock.
Only thing - the saddles are particulary uncomfortable, so wear padded shorts if you have them (or maybe im just a big wimp!)
Great chat from the guys and useful info too. Think it would be great to go for a tour at somepoint.
We went on the city view tour during our weekend in Boston and it was the highlight of our trip. We were in a very large group with mixed riding levels and the guides were great at meeting the needs of strong riders as well as those who haven't been on bikes much.
Two cons: a very large group was sometimes challenging, as people struggled to find their riding spot in the pack and guides had to watch to make sure we all got through lights, etc. A smaller group may have been an easier ride with more info from the guides. Second, the seats aren't very comfortable - we're a bit saddle sore!
Pros: awesome (very friendly, easy going, familiar with the city) staff and guides, really nice bikes (aside from seats), a great route and distance to ride.
I'd definitely recommend the tour!
My wife and I rented bikes (no tour) about a week ago so we could ride around the city and head up to Arlington to ride the Minuteman Trail. Urban Adventures made the rental process hassle-free and put us on easy to use hybrids that made our day a lot of fun.
The PROS
We got in, got set up, and got going in less than 15 minutes. They were very organized, their bikes and equipment were all well-mainted and ready to go, and their staff immediately made us feel very comfortable. We rented Globe hybrids, which were very easy to use for anyone with even a small amount of bike riding experience. The $35 daily rental fee per bike included a helmet (yahoo - safety!) and a bike lock which were both handy.
The CONS
This may be a nit, but I didn't like having to pre-pay the reservation fee. My wife and I had considered renting for a second day, but their pre-pay requirement nixed that idea pretty quickly.
The SKINNY
There are some great places to bike in Boston and Urban Adventours is a wonderful place to get going quickly. And, their helpful and friendly staff should be able to make inexperienced riders quickly feel confident.
As an inexperienced rider, I was a little nervous that I had signed up for a 150 mile bike ride weekend event. I had gone to Urban Adventours to rent a bike for both my training and the actual event. I found the staff to be knowledgeable and friendly; they were very patient and willing to answer my many questions. If you need a road bike for a tri or a long distance ride, I would highly recommended renting from Urban Adventours. They have a great selection of high quality bikes, their prices are reasonable, the pick up/drop off was easy, and they even offer package deals if you plan to rent multiple times. My bike was a perfect fit and made for an enjoyable 150 mile ride.
I went during Boston's bicycle week for a free mini-tour. This was one of the best bike rides I've ever been on! It wasn't "touristy" at all, and I was able to learn some interesting facts about the city. I recommend Urban AdvenTours to locals and residents who enjoy bike riding.
If you're looking for an alternative way to see a city, you may want to consider a bike tour. Urban AdvenTours offers a 2.5 bike tour of Boston. What a great way to get an overview of the city. With a bike they provide, you get to stop at landmarks such as Fenway Park and also ride through some of their neighborhoods...something you can't do on a touristy bus. It's great for all levels. In my case, I had trouble getting used to the gears. While the group went ahead with the lead guide, Andrew stayed behind to help. It was a beautiful day, and I had a great time. I highly recommend this tour!
A great way to see Boston and a great intro to urban riding. I typically ride my bike on bike paths or wide streets with bike lanes at home, so riding through downtown Boston was a new challenge and something I never would have done on my own. But our guides (Sam and Patrick) helped us feel confident, even when we encountered people who seemed to have never seen a bike before. We had three kids on our group, boys ranging from 9 to 12?, who seemed to have a lot of cycling experience--so I rated this "good for kids." More timid kids who aren't used to riding around cars might not like the city tour--they might be better suited to something that stays on the Esplanade or in the parks. Sam and Patrick were knowledgeable about the city and seemed to know how to interact with everyone, including the various people who came in contact with our group---drunk (?) dudes outside Fenway, an older gentleman who listened to Sam describe the Christian Science center and then corrected him, various hecklers. I admire people who seem to know the right, laid-back thing to say to anyone. My only regret about this tour is that I left my camera in my purse, in a locker at the bike shop--so no pictures. Be sure to keep a camera in a pocket or something you can easily carry on you during the tour.