Milwaukee has over 100 miles of bike lanes and off-road bike paths for you to explore. There are few better ways to get exercise and reduce your carbon footprint than putting your feet to the pedals and visiting your favorite coffee shop, store or Urban Ecology Center on bike. Don't have your own? Don't worry! We have bikes available for you to borrow at Riverside Park and Washington Park as part of our equipment lending benefit. Simply hop on one of our Trek bicycles and explore the Oak Leaf Trail, Hank Aaron State Trail or the paths at Washington Park. We have a limited number of bikes and sizes.
A note on safety: We take the safety and security of our members and bicycles very seriously. The Urban Ecology Center requires all members using our bikes to wear a bike helmet at all times and follow all of the rules of the road related to biking. In addition, if you plan to leave the bike parked somewhere for any length of time, it is very important that you keep it locked up securely. The Urban Ecology Center has bike locks that you can borrow, but locks aren't foolproof, so use good judgment when locking up the bike outside -- especially at night.
Frequently asked questions about bikes
What kind of bikes do you have available?
Through a generous donation from the Trek Bicycle Corporation, we have a small fleet of Trek 820 bikes in sizes ranging from 13" to 21" that fit adults 4'10" - 6'4" tall. You can find more info on sizing here. We also have a Trek T900 Tandem Bicycle for two adults and Burley Bicycle Trailer for young children at our Riverside Park branch.
Are your bikes good for mountain biking?
Unfortunately, no. While the tires are thick enough to handle the occasional short stretch of dirt or gravel, these bikes are not designed for serious off-road riding and would receive too much abuse on mountain bike trails. Please stick to paved bike paths and streets when riding our bikes!
How many bikes can I borrow?
Individual members can borrow one bike for themselves and one for a guest. Family members can borrow one bike for each individual member of their family plus one guest. We would love to loan you more, but with the bikes, in such high demand, we need to make sure they're available for everybody.
Where can I go biking in Milwaukee?
All three of our branches are located in excellent areas for biking. You can explore miles of the Oak Leaf Trail, Hank Aaron State Trail, or the pathways of Washington Park right from one of our Centers. You can read our blog post about biking, or check out the city of Milwaukee bike maps and more here for more details.
Who makes sure your bikes are well-tuned and ready to ride?
The Boys and Girls Club does! We have a group of dedicated volunteers that provide their talents to the Center to help us maintain and repair the bikes in our fleet.
