There’s something exciting happening with cycling in Mexico City and some people are calling it a revolution. Each day it becomes more common to bump into friends, family or co-workers while travelling through the city on bikes.  This trend of urban cycling is reinforced by the government with some leisure programs and specialised infrastructure in place.

Every week, a group of about 200 people go on a four-hour bike ride on a weeknight. This group is called the Bicitekas, and they are a grassroots organisation who promote cycling, safety and a reduction in motorised transport.

Cycling is a wonderful way to discover Mexico City. Here are three safe ways you can participate in cycling through the city with the locals during your travels:

1. Domingos Ciclistas (Cycling Sundays)
The official Muévete en Bici (Move by Bike) event has been going strong since 2007. It began on Reforma Avenue but recently expanded to cover 55km of Mexico City’s streets. Every Sunday, from 7am to 2pm the busy boulevards turn into a tranquil environment for cyclists. Cyclists aren’t the only ones who enjoy the open, safe, traffic and pollution free streets. Many others jog, walk or enjoy free Zumba classes, martial arts or Mexican wrestling displays.

2. Cycling Throughout the Week
Mexico City has around 150 km of dedicated bike lanes and it may be the best way to travel through the traffic filled streets. The bike lanes allow a visitor easy access to the Historic Center, Reforma Avenue, Polanco, Condesa and the Roma neighborhoods. Trendy cycling cafes and shops are popping up in Condesa and Roma, where the pace of the city is slower.

3. Special Rides
A few times per year, Mexico City’s Environment Ministry organises a Night Ride through Reforma Avenue and Chapultepec Park. The most traditional and famous night event is the Ride of Dia de Muertos. People are dressed in traditional costumes and have their faces painted with skulls. Last year, this ride broke attendance records with more than 95,000 attendees.

  

Where can you get a bike?

Ecobici

Ecobici is a bicycle-sharing program that was introduced in 2010. It is available to tourists as well as residents. All you have to do is find an Ecobici station, swipe your credit card and you can use a bike straight away. You can rent a bike for 1, 3 or 7 days straight from the station without the hassle of waiting in line at the Ecobici office. The system has 444 bike stations, more than 6,000 bikes and more than 100,000 users.

The Ecobici is located near some of iVenture Card Mexico City’s attractions such as:

• Tamayo Museum (Bike Station 194)

• Jamón J Jamón Roma (Bike station 134)

• Meeting Point of Tours: Turibus, Turitour Pirámides, Turitour Reino Animal, Turibus Nocturno and Jamón J Jamón Downtown (Bike station 89)

• Meeting Point of Tours: Turibus, Turitour Pirámides, Turitour Reino Animal (Bike stations 237 and 238)

• Meeting Point of Tours: Turibus, Turibus Cantinas, Turiluchas, Turibus Palacios (Bike stations 19, 27 or 31)

For more information: https://www.ecobici.df.gob.mx/en/



Bicigratis (Free Bikes)

Free bikes are offered at 22 locations around the city. Some of the popular locations include along Reforma Avenue, in the Polanco, Condesa, Roma and Coyoacan. Some of the locations near iVenture Card attractions include the Cathedral and the National Museum of Anthropology. You can borrow the bicycle for 3 hours and then return it to its original station. On the weekends, the stations run out of bikes early, especially on Domingos Ciclistas so be sure to get there early! You do need your passport to borrow a bike.

For more information: http://cdmxtravel.com/en/visitor-info/how-to-move/bicigratis.html

Ciclismo feliz!