Bike the Sites Blog

Now there is an even easier way to get to our Alexandria shop! Capital Bikeshare broke ground this week on eight new bikeshare stations for downtown Alexandria. Visitors to Alexandria can now take a Capital Bikeshare bike from Braddock Road or King Street metro down to Old Town, dock the bike, then hop on a Bike and Roll hyrbid to explore the Mount Vernon trail! Excellent for short trips, Capital Bikeshare bikes are perfect for getting from one location to another. Bikeshare in Alexandria is anticipated to be finished by the end of September.

The free King Street Trolley is still a great alternative, though the trolley has limited hours (11:30am to 10:15pm). 

Cultural Tourism DC's Walkingtown/Bikingtown is back! September 24th-October 1, take advantage of the walking and biking tours available for free through CTDC. This year there will be 5 tracks of tours, including African American Heritage, Neighborhood Heritage, Eye on the Arts, Green DC, and Washington in conflict. Bike and Roll is three free Monuements tours, as well as discounted bike rentals ($15 for the day) for those who are participating on the other Bikingtown tours. 

To reserve your spot on a free Bike and Roll tour, keep an eye on the CTDC website for schedule postings. To book your discounted bike rental, please call our National Mall location at 202-842-2453 and use the coupon code "Bikingtown."

Hope to see you there!

CarFree DC Day is just around the corner! Leave your car at home on Saturday, September 22nd for the chance to win a host of fantastic prizes including an Amazon Kindle, $500 in groceries from Arganica, and free Bike and Roll rentals! For your chance to win, pledge on GoDCGO and tell them how you get around the city!

Feet in the Street coincides perfectly this year with Car Free DC day! Fort Dupont Park will be closed to cars from 10am to 4pm on September 22nd for the fourth year in a row! Come walk, bike, skate, and hike in Fort Dupont Park. Bike and Roll will even bring the bikes to you, offering free day rentals right from the park. Spend the day biking around, participate in a guided nature walk, rock climbing, or participate in the 5K kick off run/walk. 

Last night the Washington Area Concierge Association (WACA) held it's annual Gala fundraiser at The Hamilton, Clyde's new restaurant and bar. Concierge, affilliates, family and friends all came together to celebrate a successful 2012 year, and to give money to multiple local charities. Guests enjoyed entertainment by locally born country singer Amy Wilcox, sushi, cheese, and other delicious appetizers compliments of The Hamilton, and baked goods by Paul French Family Bakery. Raffle prizes and silent auction items included Madonna tickets, weekend stays at many of DC's top hotels, museum tickets, and a Trek FX hybrid bicycle, compliments of Bike and Roll DC.

The "Sunglasses at Night" theme was a big hit with the Bike and Roll team, who will likely continue to wear these shades (donated by the National Aquarium) for days to come. Thanks to everyone who helped organize and to all who donated! 

                                                             Bike and Roll's Alison Kelman and Stephen Marks 

Sunday, September 9th will mark the 7th annual Nation's Triathalon, which benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Participants will swim 1.5K, bike 40K, and run a 10K, starting in the Potomac River and ending with the Finish Line Festival. The speedy bike loop will wind along the Potomac River, the White House, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, the Kennedy Center, and over the Memorial Bridge.  Streets will be entirely blocked off, so cyclists will have two lanes of traffic all to themselves. This year's race will kick off at 7:00 on Sunday, September 9 from West Potomac Park.

Bike and Roll will be offering discounted road bike rentals ($75 for a two day rental) to all participants.  Both the Gary Fischer Rail and Trek 1.2 will be available. To reserve a bike, please call our downtown location at #202-842-2453.

"The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) funds research to  help find better treatments and cures for blood cancer. Over its 60 year  history, LLS has contributed to the discovery of innovative treatments for blood cancers, many of which are used to treat a wide variety of other cancers  and diseases. To learn more about LLS, or to donate, visit www.LLS.org/donate."

After weeks of plotting and scheming, the Bike and Roll marketing department finally made the trip up to Brookville, MD to visit the litter of puppies of the Warrior Canine Connection, a therapeutic service dog training program that teaches service members with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) the skill of training mobility service dogs to be partnered with veterans with mobility impairments. The six golden retriever pups gained massive popularity this year through their live puppy cam on Explore.org (which may or may not be book marked by everyone in the Bike and Roll DC office). 

Though we haven't quite figured out how to incorporate puppies into our business model, after a bit of googling we think we may have found the answer:

This week a member of the Bike and Roll DC marketing team made a trip out to the west coast, making sure to stop at Bike and Roll San Francisco along the way! The always friendly staff set us up on the familiar comfort hybrid bikes, and we were ready to hit the city. Per usual, biking was the way to go! We pedaled around Fisherman's Warf, across the Golden Gate Bridge, grabbed some lunch in Sausalito, and meandered back to town through the old forts in Presidio, a beautiful park on the north side of the city. 

After 20 plus miles of biking, we finished the day with a well deserved Nob Hill Ghiradelli milkshake.  It was lovely to take a break from DC's humid summer. Thanks Bike and Roll San Fran! We'll be back!

The heat is no reason to put your DC plans on hold! Bike and Roll guided tours are still the best way to see the sites and monuments, no matter the temperature. Here are the top 5 reasons to hop on a bike tour this summer:

1. Early Birds: Hop on our 9:30am Monuments tour (offered Friday to Monday, June 22 - August 20) and experience Washington DC before the sun is high in the sky. Our 10am Capital Sites tour leaves daily from our National Mall location. 

2. Catch a Breeze: Enjoy a cool breeze as you pedal along the flat sidewalks of the National Mall. Biking is much easier then walking, bringing you from site to site in a fraction of the time it takes to walk. That means less time standing under the sun and more time enjoying the sites.

3. Made in the Shade: Our tour guides know the National Mall inside and out, and so are familiar with all of the shady spots. Tours will take every chance to stop under a shady tree. The stone ceilings of many of the monuments also provide cool shelter.

4. Quick Trip: Rent a Bike and Roll bike by the hour instead of the full day ($7/hr, 2 hour minimum). Take the bike for a couple hours in the morning or the evening. Avoid the sun and crowds by taking advantage of our off-peak hours (open 9am to 9pm throughout the summer). 

5. Sweet Treat: Finish your tour with a refreshing "Icee" Pop! New this season, cruise back to the Bike and Roll shop and slurp on a frozen treat before going on your merry way.

"Soo glad we rented bikes!"

"It was like 100 degrees outside and instead of hiking all over the mall, we were able to quickly ride from site to site... We were able to see all of the monuments and memorials in two hours! Plus, the breeze while riding was great. Jeff provided great service and I'd recommend this experience for everyone. I actually wish I could just rent a bike for the week and ride from museum to museum. It would sure beat walking in this heat. . ." - Alison, Austin TX, July 2012 (TripAdvisor.com)

Washington DC's first ever Tour de Fat bicycling and beer festival was a monumental success, raising $15,000 for the Washington Area Bicycle Association. Bike and Roll's bike blender was a hit, as was our Penny Farthing Wheel of Fortune! DC residents flocked to the Navy Yard, decked out in some fantastic costumes. We took turns manning the booth to take a spin on the shoe bike, side by side tandem, and compete on the giant connect four board and life size jenga. 

Tour de Fat, a traveling bike and beer festival put on by Colorado's New Belgium Brewery, encourages participants to trade their cars in for bicycles. One lucky winner who hands over their keys will be supplied with a heafty credit to a local bike shop to purchase the ultimate commuter bike of their choice. Hip hip hooray for Tour de Fat! 

Click here for more Tour de Fat photos!

On June 9th, over 200,000 girl scouts are expected to attend the Girl Scout's 100th anniversary event, Girl Scouts Rock the Mall, where they will partcipate in the world's largest sing-along. Scouts of all ages will gather at the base of the Washington Monument to particpate in a variety of traditional and new songs, before exploring the many sites of our nation's capitol.

Bike and Roll is especially excited to welcome the girl scouts to Washington DC! Known for their love of outdoor activities, we can't think of a better way of seeing the city than by bike! During the week of the event (June 2 - 11th), all girl scouts can take 30% off our guided tours and rentals. Private tours are also available. Tours are broken up into groups of 15 people or smaller, though groups of 100 or more can be accommodated with multiple guides.  

When booking online, please use the coupon code GIRLSCOUTS on the payment page. Discount cannot be applied for rentals less than two hours, or for our Bike and Boat package. 

After just a couple of weeks into our first season, the Bike and Roll Segway tours are collecting rave reviews! Locals and visitors alike appreciate our detailed training sessions, knowledgeable tour guides, and speedy new wheels. Tours are already filling up, so grab a spot on one of our 9:30am, 1:30pm or 6pm daily tours. 

Beat the heat with our newly added 9:30ams tours! Check availability on our Reservations page. 

"Even though I've lived in DC for a few years, we learned lots of great fun facts that I didn't know before (and even saw some things on the Capitol grounds that I didn't even know were there!)" says DC local Matthewsnn (via TripAdvisor)

"Segway was definitely the way to go. My girlfriend was nervous about trying it for the first time, but they trained us carefully and I always felt safe. Boy was zooming around on that thing so cool!" says Jake S from Massachusetts (via TripAdvisor). 

Whether you're new to bike commuting or it's old hat, it's not too late to register for Bike to Work Day! Join over 10,000 fellow bikers on May 18th at one of 58 rest stops in and around Washington. Registered participants have the chance to receive a free t-shirt, food, drinks, and raffle prizes. 

Put on by the Washington Area Bicycle Association (WABA) and Commuter Connections, this year's Bike to Work Day promises to be even bigger than the last. 

Don't have a  bike? Bike and Roll Washington DC is offering free bike rentals for the day. Please call ahead to reserve your bike, which can be picked up between 5pm and 7pm on May 17th, or starting at 7:30am on May 18th (202-842-2453). 

Register here for Bike to Work Day 2012! Registration is free and open until the day of the event.

The annual Bike DC ride is a fantastic way to celebrate Mother's Day while exploring the off-the-mall-sites of Washington DC and Arlington. Participants can pick either the 24-mile ride or the 11-mile family friendly ride. The entire route will be car free, and for the first year ever the National Park Service is permitting riders onto a car free Rock Creek Parkway!

Kick off will start on Capital Hill on Sunday, May 13th, and will pedal past the White House, Arlington National Cemetary, the Airforce Memorial, and over the George Washington Parkway. Proceeds will go to benefit the Washington Area Bicycle Association, a non-profit dedicated to promoting safe bike riding around the Washington DC area.

In it's third year participating, Bike and Roll Washington DC will offer Trek hybrid, performance and kids bike rentals for Bike DC. Bikes are available for pick-up the day before the ride at no extra charge. Reserve online by clicking here or by calling 202-842-2453.

Bicycle pick-up times for Bike DC are Saturday, May 12th between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 13th starting at 7 a.m.

Equipment should be returned to our Downtown DC location (11th and Pennsylvania NW, by the Federal Triangle Metro station) by 5:45 p.m. on Sunday, May 13th.

Segways are coming to Bike and Roll Washington DC! Our brand new tour, Sites by Segway, brings you around the National Mall from the Capitol to WWII, including the north side of the White House, some fun off-the-Mall spots, and a ride down Pennsylvania Avenue. Tours run for approximately 2 1/2 hours (segway training included). After running bike tours for the past 10 years, we are confident our experienced guides will provide the best segway tours around. Educational and fun, our Segway tours are yet another way to see the sites of the National Mall on two wheels! 

Starting on May 4th, Sites by Segway will start at our downtown location at the Old Post Office, departing at 1:30pm and 6:00pm everyday.  We can accommodate groups up to 8 people. Must be at least 16 years old to participate. For more information please call our downtown location at 202-842-2453. ($59/person)

Reserve Here!

In honor of International Cultural Awareness Month and Passport DC, Bike and Roll Washington DC and DC Metro Food Tours bring you International Bites by Bike! Similar to our Blossoms Bites by Bike tour, this biking and food tour visits three of DC's most historic neighborhoods. Enjoy specially created international dishes from critically acclaimed local eateries as you pedal from one restaurant to another in the Logan Circle, U Street, and Dupont Circle neighborhoods. Each tour will have a knowledgeable tour guide to share interesting facts about these historical areas, point out the various embassies along the way, and elaborate on the unique culinary aspects of each eatery.

Tours depart from our downtown DC location on Saturday and Sunday evenings from 4pm to 7pm. Recommended for riders age 12 and up ($89/person, includes bike rental, guide, and food). 

In it's 5th year running, Passport DC has already become renowned itnernationally for its exciting embassy events, open houses, festivals and performances which continue throughout the month of May. We recommend you rent a bike to get around to the 40 embassies hosting open houses on May 5th!  

Reserve today!

Looking to finally get your own bike? On April 29th Bike and Roll will sell off adult hybrid bikes, cruiser bikes, kids bikes, and kids tandem attachments at our annual spring sale! Come grab a 2010 Trek 7200 comfort hybrid bicycle ($240), complete with a comfortable seat, 24 gears, and thick tires built for commuting. Our beach cruisers ($140) have high handlebars, back pedal brakes, and a trendy 50's style. Kids bikes are available in both 20" ($120) and 24" ($160) wheels. Kids tandem attachments are also available for kids who aren't quite comfortable pedaling on their own ($120).

These bikes have been tuned up every few months by our capable mechanics and are in tip-top shape! First come, first serve. Cash only. 

All bike purchases come with a 10% off coupon for bike service at our Union Station location. Locks are also available for purchase ($40).

Bike and Roll Washington DC and Virtue Feed & Grain have partnered to bring you the perfect supplement to our Bike and Boat to Mount Vernon package-- A picnic by the Potomac! Enjoy the Ploughman's Lunch picnic anywhere you'd like along the Mount Vernon Trail. Virtue Feed & Grain chef Chef Ryan Wheeler has packed this picnic with cured meats, cheese, mixed greens, homemade bread, fresh fruit and some special sweets (feeds two people, $32). Packaged in it's own reusable bag, the Ploughman's lunch is the perfect size to throw in a backpack or bike pannier. 

Picnic tables line the grassy banks of the Potomac between Old Town, Alexandria and The Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens. Make a stop at one of the many parks, or enjoy your lunch on the grass in front of the Mount Vernon Estate. 

Picnics must be reserved by 12pm the day before you tour. To book, please call our Alexandria shop at 703-548-7655.

No one knows Washington DC better then the Washington Area Concierge Association (WACA), a membership group of concierge and affiliates from the best hotels in the city. Always on the look-out for the best activities, we had the pleasure of hosting a group of WACA members who came to experience our tour for themselves. Now concierge can recommend our tours with first hand testimonials! We offer free tours to concierge throughout the year so they can learn more about Bike and Roll and brush up on their knowledge on the sites of the National Mall. 

Ask your concierge about the $5 off Guest coupons cards available in most DC hotels! 

Spring is just around the corner at Bike and Roll Washington DC! This Saturday marks the beginning of our tenth season in Washington DC, and we couldn't be more excited to get going! All three locations will open for both tours and rentals starting this Saturday, March 10th. The combination of this amazing spring weather, five weeks of Cherry Blossom festivities, and two brand new tours promise to make this season the best one yet!

Our downtown location at the Old Post Office will be open for rentals from 9:00am to 6:00pm, 7 days a week. Our location in Old Town, Alexandria will stay open from 10:00am til 6:00pm during the week, then 9:00am to 6:00pm on the weekends. Union Station is opened 7 days a week, 9:00am to 6:00pm.  

Our Capital Sites tour (10:00am) and Monuments tour (2:30pm) will leave every day of the week from our downtown location, with more tours leaving from Union Station and Old Town, Alexandria. Our Blossoms by Bike tour and Blossoms by Bike River Ride will run March 21 - April 8th, taking riders down to the Tidal Basin and the heart of cherry blossoms. 

Don't forget about our Blossom Bites by Bike tour, starting March 23rd! Enjoy specially created dishes from critically acclaimed local eateries as you bicycle from one restaurant to another, touring through the Dupont Circle, U Street, and Logan Circle neighborhoods. Each tour will have a knowledgeable tour guide to share interesting facts about these historical areas while also concentrating on the unique culinary aspects of each eatery.

To top it all off, Segway tours start May 1! 

National Park Serviec chief horticulturalist Rob DeFeo announced his predictions for Peak Bloom at the National Cherry Blossom Festival press conference held yesterday at the Newseum. Though the dates are not definite, peak bloom is expected to occur between March 24th and March 31st. The blossom are considered at their peak when 70% of blossoms have appeared. The average peak bloom generally falls around April 4th, but the unseasonably warm weather is predicted to contribute to an early bloom. 

At Bike and Roll Washington DC we have adjusted our Blossoms by Bike tour dates to better coincide with the predicted bloom. Blossoms by Bike and the Blossoms by Bike River Ride Tours will now run March 20th through April 8th, with the possibility of extending depending on the bloom period. If you miss the window to jump on a blossoms tour, we are adding plenty of additional Monuments tours throughout the Cherry Blossom Festival.