From beginner to expert: The best places to bike in and around Vancouver (PHOTOS)

Whether your bike is a hipster’s dream, salvaged cycle, or a day rental, it’s time to get those feet pedalling free and easy in Vancouver as spring is approaching.

Our gorgeous city and the surrounding area offer a huge range of bike routes for you to tackle, from easy ambles to technical trails.

To get you back in the saddle, here are some of the best recreational bike routes in Vancouver. Happy riding!

Easy

Stanley Park Seawall

The jewel in Vancouver’s biking crown, this is the route everyone can ride – and everyone usually does. Take in the stunning views of the ocean and mountains as you bike along one of the city’s most beautiful spots.

Hastings Park Greenways

 

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With more than six hectares of land in Hastings Park, the City of Vancouver has integrated a network of pedestrian and cycling trails.

Traboulay PoCo Trail, Port Coquitlam

The foundation for Port Coquitlam’s trail network is the Traboulay PoCo Trail, a 25.3 km flat route that encircles the community. The trail traverses a varied landscape that includes forest and creek, meadow and marsh, riverfront and urban development.

Fraser Foreshore Park

 

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If you’re looking for a place for a bike alongside the water, be sure to check out the Burnaby Fraser Foreshore Park. This 15 km route follows the Fraser River shoreline with views of tugboats, barges and log booms. Don’t forget to bring a picnic lunch!

Harder

UBC Loop

 

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A challenging, but beautiful uphill ride, the UBC Loop takes you along NW Marine Drive, with gorgeous beach views, then up through the university’s endowment lands. Stop at Wreck Beach for a break, then continue along SW Marine Drive through Pacific Spirit Park.

Ridgeway Greenway

 

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This 12 km bike route starting at Central Park in Burnaby takes you through a multitude of community parks and past public artworks to end at Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver, where you can enjoy some of the best views and gardens in the city.

Ontario Bikeway

 

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The Ontario Bikeway takes you from False Creek to 69th Avenue and the Fraser River, and starts with one hell of a climb.

Central Valley Greenway

 

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The Central Valley Greenway is a 25 km route linking Vancouver, Burnaby, and New Westminster. It’s perfect for slightly more adventurous city cyclists – part separated urban greenway, part rural recreational trail.

BC Parkway

 

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The BC Parkway is a 26 km, multi-use path that roughly parallels the Expo SkyTrain Line, connecting Surrey City Centre, New Westminster, South Burnaby, and Vancouver. Look out for murals and mosaics along the way, then finish up with a beer on Commercial Drive.

Lions Gate Bridge

Sure, this is an uphill haul on the way back, but what awaits you on the North Shore makes it well worth it. Head to Horseshoe Bay for some relaxation in the sunshine and a picnic by the water. Then brace yourself for the challenging climb back into the city.

West Dyke and Middle Arm

 

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The 25 km trails around the shores of Richmond and Steveston offer spectacular mountain, estuary, and ocean views. As you head through Terra Nova Park, you’ll be able to spot herons, hawks, and turtles, and in Steveston, reward yourself with some fish and chips.

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• Port Coquitlam’s Traboulay Poco Trail. (Joanna Szypulska/Shutterstock)

Biking in Vancouver

For a map of all the bike lanes and cycling streets in Vancouver, visit this Vancouver Cycling Map.

For tips on cycling in Vancouver, check out HUB Cycling, a charitable non-profit organization that aims to make cycling better through education, action and events.

Editor’s note: The original version of this article was written by Jenni Sheppard and published in June 2017 and has been updated to include the latest information.