Where can you rent bikes in Central Park?

Renting bikes in central park

There are so many things to do in Central Park. New York’s biggest park offers activities for people of all ages and everyone can find an interesting activity for themselves in the park.  Those of you who like to be active in the nature will be interested to know where we can rent bikes in Central Park.

Renting bikes in central park

There are so many things to do in Central Park. New York’s biggest park offers activities for people of all ages and everyone can find an interesting activity for themselves in the park.  Those of you who like to be active in the nature will be interested to know where we can rent bikes in Central Park.

When it comes to cycling, Central Park is the real Mecca in New York City. It’s a 800-acre natural heaven right in the heart of one of the world’s biggest cities – New York. Central Park has 20 million visitors per year which makes it one of New York’s biggest tourist attractions.

Central Park is a great place to get exercise in the outside and enjoy splendid natural sites in the same time. It’s a perfect place for riding a bike since it’s free of cars during the weekends and on specific weekdays.

Policy of renting and returning bikes in Central Park

Central Park offers a total of 20 stations which are easy to find and you can quickly pick up your chosen bike for your tour.  After renting a bike we can dock our bike at any other station when we want to walk and then take another bike from another station, if we want to continue our trip on a bike.

We can take a public-guided Central Park bike tour up to 4 times per day. It’s good to book more than one bike in a large bike rental group in advance. Don’t forget to check the rental hours of your bike and also be informed about the closing times of the attractions you are planning to see in the park.

Central Park offers so many options for having fun no matter if you are adult or a kid. No matter what is your goal and taste: to relax or be active, Central Park is an enjoyable place for everyone in New York.

If you are into biking in the nature, Central Park bike tours are exactly for you. Cycling is one of the best ways to learn about the park’s rich historical past, ecology, explore its unique design and discover all its hidden natural gems like bridges, fountains and waterfalls. You can find also an ice rink in the winter. Plus you get plenty of physical exercise in the same time.

Central Park has also a zoo, castle, amusement summer park, an abundance of lakes, streams, rivulets. For those of you who love food travel, the park offers a variety of snack bars and restaurants. They are suitable for those who are gastronomy fans and as well as those who just want to grab something on the go.

While there are also self-guided audio tours of Central Park, bike tours provide us with the opportunity to see the park’s most famous landmarks and natural spots more quickly than on foot. You reach all the must-see places on your list while getting a good dose of exercise in the nature.

While walking tours are also a good option to get moving and explore the beauty of the park, when it comes to speed cycling tours definitely win. By riding a bike you can reach quicker Central Park’s main attractions than on foot and get 100% enjoyment by your Central Park tour.

The organized bike tours in Central Park have a casual pace so that you can manage to see all the amazing places you are interested in. Because everyone likes to see different spots, the guides allow the cyclists plenty of time and don’t rush them through the attractions.

For those of you who want to explore not only Central Park but also the entire New York city, Citi Bike is an amazing option with its more than 600 stations across the city. With the help of Citi Bike you can see one of the most popular places in New York such as Empire State Building, Times Square, the shows of Broadway, statue of  Liberty, Rockfeller Center, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Theatre District.

What are the prices of Central Park’s rental bikes?

Standard prices for  Central Park bikes on rent

• The average price for an adult bike for 1-hour drive is $10.50 and for 3 hours – 17.50$.
• The bike for kids usually costs 8.40$ for 1 hour and 15.40$ for 3 hours.
• The cost for 1 hour on a tandem bike is 21.00$ and 35.00$ for 3 hours.
• A one-hour tour with a road bike costs 30$ and 50$ for 3 hours.
• The cost for a mountain bike for 1 hour is 30$ and 40$ for 3 hours.
• There are also bike seats for kids which you can rent. The average price for a toddler seat is 5$ for one hour drive and 15$ for 3 hours.
• If you want to rent a bike trailer for your kid, its price for 1 hour is 8.40$ and 15.40$ for 3 hours.

Remember that depending on the time of the year you can get different discounts for rental bikes so do your research before your trip to Central Park. Some bike rental services offer up to 50% discount if you book your bike online.

Where we can rent bikes in Central park?

Here are a few spots close to the famous park where we can rent bikes:

• Central Park Tours located at 208 W. 80th Street
• Central Park West Bike Rental
• Bike Rental Central Park
• Central Park Tours and Bike Rentals
• Central Park Bicycle Shop
• Central Park Bicycle Shop
• Central Park South Bike Rental
• Central Park Bicycles and other points.

The standard working hours for most bike rental spots are 8am – 8pm.

Let’s see what types of bikes Central Park offers

We have a rich choice of rental bikes, adult bikes, kids bikes (suitable for kids of all ages), tandem bikes (bikes that are built for two people).

For those of you who are parents there are offered handy add-ons for the bikes. You can rent baby seats, baby trailers, tag alongs. The baby seats are comfortable for small children and there are also helmets included. The baby trailers are suitable for small children.

If you have toddlers this type of bike is a perfect option for you. They can handle up to 2 toddlers maximum. The tag along bikes are suitable for kids that already have some basic cycling skills and are able to pedal.

Besides bikes Central Park tours provide all their participants with a free map of the entire Central Park, bike helmet, map, bike lock. They also offer bike basket  and water.

The tours are usually organized from 8am to 8pm everyday. The size of the group: Small group tours include up to 12 people. The tour guides can speak English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Safety tips

Police

When visiting Central Park you can be sure that you and your family are safe. The entire 843-acre territory of Central Park is guarded by Central Park Precinct which is a division of the New York City Police Department.

In 2005 new safety measures were introduced in Central Park. Since then the overall safety in Central Park considerably increased. Now less than 100 crimes happen per year. This fact definitely makes Central Park’s thousands of visitors more safe.

Medical help

If you need medical help while being in Central Park, you should call immediately Central Park Medical Unit (CPMU). This is a volunteer ambulance service that is served by certified EMTs from New York state. Most of the calls that CPMU gets are usually related to bike or in-line skates accidents and also health issues such as asthma attacks.

Call box Points

When you experience a case of emergency, you should know where to find the park’s safety resources. Remember that there are several call box locations set in Central Park which are designed to be used in an emergency.

The Central Park Conservancy keeps a list of the park’s call box spots. When you call the park’s call boxes you will be connected directly to Central Park Precinct, which in some cases takes around 30 sec.

What are the road rules during the bike tours?

• You should not ride against the traffic but in its direction
• Don’t forget the 20 mph speed limit
• You should always comply with all signs, pavement markings, regulation and traffic signals in Central Park
• Try not to ride on expressways, highways or drivers’ blind spots. Cycling is banned on particular bridges and there is usually a separate path designated for bicycles at these places

• When it’s possible ride on the marked paths and bike lanes.
• You should not drive on the pedestrian paths. The only exception is for the marked shared paths at West 106th-108th and 96th Streets
• You should drive your bike in a clockwise direction and as fast as you can control it properly
• The more visible you are, the better
• You can use the right or left side of a 40-foot wide one-way road.
• Pedestrians are those who have the right to pass at all times
• Always slow down at crosswalks
• Kids that are under the age of 14 are obliged to always wear a helmet.
• Adults may choose not to wear a helmet but it’s recommended especially at night.
• Always follow one way road signs
• You should not obstruct bike lanes

• Properly working brakes are a must-have
• It is prohibited to park vehicles, stop or stand in particular places
• If you are cycling after dusk make sure to have front and rear lights, reflectors (reflective tyres or other reflective devices) and also buy yourself a horn or bell
• Be careful when driving through intersections and always slow down when the road is crowded or the weather is bad
• When driving close to parked cars, trucks or buses make sure you keep enough distance
• Make hand or arm signals or yell if you think you cannot control the bike and do this especially when you are changing lanes
• Do not exceed the number of people your bike is designated for
• Never ride under the influence of drink or drugs
• If you have become a victim of road accident caused by other driver of a motor vehicle device and this led to a death or injury to a person or damage to personal property, you must immediately report it to Police Department. You must give name, address and insurance information.
• The use of headphones is not recommended since it impedes your hearing ability and thus your road safety. A wise option is to wear just one earphone.
• Both of your hands should be on the bike’s handle bars or on the steering device depending on your transport
• If you carry some packages you should keep one hand on the handlebars
• Both of your feet should be on the pedals
• Avoid typing on your phone while driving
• The use of drones is banned in Central Park
• Cycling is banned on landscapes
• Smoking is prohibited in Central Park

What about kids?

If you want to drive together with your kid, remember that kids under 1 year are prohibited from riding a bike in the park. Kids under the age of 5 must always wear a proper bike helmet. They should be transported on a special bike carrier for kids.

What about  dogs?

Dogs should be kept on a leash. There are certain hours when dogs can be walked without a leash. From 9:00 am to 9:00 pm. all dogs must be walked on a leash. Between 6:00 am to 9:00 am and 9:00 pm to 1:00 am you can walk your dog without a leash.

There are some specific spots in the park when dogs should be kept on a leash at all times such as:

• Strawberry Fields
• Turtle Pond Lawn
• Cedar Hill
• Arthur Ross Pinetum
• the Bridle Path
• Conservatory Garden
• Shakespeare Garden
• Children’s Glade -Great Hill area
• Kerbs Boathouse Plaza
• East Green, East Meadow Oval, the North Woods and the Ravine, the Ramble and Cedar Hill.