Just as Oregon’s early settlers relied on their horses, so we now have our bikes — sturdy, faithful companions that are ready and willing to accompany us on every one of our adventures around the state. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a lean, mean road warrior; a low-key city cruiser; a laid-back stump jumper; or an elbow-to-elbow cyclocrosser; Oregon has something awesome for you to do while perched on top of two wheels. Here’s a crash course (well, not a literal *crash*) in everything you need to know to get pedaling.

### Urban Cruising

With 1,000 eye-catching orange bikes spread out over 100 bike stations, the Nike-sponsored **BIKETOWN** bike-share program is one of most accessible ways to explore Portland’s scenic biking routes, such as the **Eastbank Esplanade**. Sign up and pay per ride, day or month on BIKETOWN’s website, app or kiosk; hop on a bike; then hop off and leave the bike at a kiosk when you’re done.

If you’re new to cycling or new to Portland (or both!), Portland’s Bureau of Transportation offers free guided tours of Portland neighborhoods on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. Check **Portland By Cycle** for exact dates and times. Or if you’d like to explore specific neighborhoods with everyone who lives there, look up the schedule for the popular **Sunday Parkways** neighborhood rides.

Bike shops like **River City Bicycles** rent bikes and hold weekly rides, as do many of Portland’s diverse cycling clubs like **Friends on Bikes**, **Mujeres en Movimiento** or **Black Girls Do Bike**. If you prefer the thrill of competition to camaraderie, the **Oregon Bicycle Racing Association** holds a series of bike races open to all ages, genders and skill levels.

Of course, Portland isn’t the only city with an abundance of city trails. **Eugene’s extensive urban trail network** consists of 187 miles of on-street bicycle lanes, 71 miles of signed bikeways, and five shared bicycle-and-pedestrian bridges that span the Willamette River. Salem’s **Riverfront Park** offers a few beautiful, activity-filled miles of riding. And **Bend and Sisters** have urban bike trails that pop in and out of the light-filled woods.

If you have a specific city-centered hobby or interest — like, oh, say, beer — odds are that someone in every city has started a bike tour based on it, like **Cycle Pub** in Bend and **BrewCycle** in Portland. And if your hobby is something as simple as being naked (no judgment here!), Portland’s famous **World Naked Bike Ride** (stay posted for 2022 date) is one of the best places to practice it.

### Mountain Biking

Anywhere there are trails, you can find mountain bikers — but their main hub is **Oakridge,** nestled in the lush, green Willamette National Forest. Check in at **Oregon Adventures** shuttle service or **Oakridge Bike Shop** to take your pick of single-track alpine downhill or breathtakingly beautiful, mellow, creekside cruises. Afterward, stop for a cask-conditioned ale at **3 Legged Crane Pub and Brewhouse** to boast of your exploits. Or come to Oakridge’s **Mountain Bike Oregon** each July, considered one of the nation’s top mountain-bike events.

Bend is also known as a mountain biker’s paradise in the high desert, and in particular, the **Phil’s Trail** complex. Phil’s is located just a few minutes’ drive outside of the city limits and offers a diverse array of extremely entertaining, easy to intermediate loop options. Check out **Pine Mountain Sports** or **Hutch’s Bicycles** for gear and tips, or sign up for a tour with **Cog Wild**. If you’d rather forgo all that tedious and tiring pedaling, **Mt. Bachelor’s Bike Park** offers lifts for beginners through hardcore riders looking to bomb through technical, lava-sculpted terrain.

**Ashland** and **Mt. Hood** also have more than their fair share of single-track trails, whether they run cross-country or downhill at ski resorts like Mt. Hood Skibowl’s **Freeride Bike Park** (open July-October). The Columbia River Gorge is also a top spot for bikers, especially the dense network of trails at **Post Canyon** near Hood River. But what if you’re visiting for a short trip and don’t have time to make it out of the city? Rent a bike at Portland’s **Lumberyard Indoor Bike Park**, with courses and obstacles ranging from beginner pump courses to technical tracks and even an outdoor vertical ramp.

### Epic Rides

Oregon’s **Scenic Bikeways** program is unique. Long or short, advanced or beginner level, one-day or multiday, locals have selected, ridden and reviewed each trail for inclusion. The routes showcase some of the most beautiful and distinctive views in the state — from Oregon’s wild and scenic **South Coast** to the historic covered bridges around **Cottage Grove**. But there are plenty of other ways to have an unforgettable biking adventure.

Consider the **Oregon Timber Trail**, a 669-mile single-track trail that runs across the entire state through four distinct sections, from the rugged wilderness of the Oregon outback to the stunning vistas of Mt. Hood. If riding the whole trail seems daunting, set your sights on one segment at a time — the Deschutes tier is the easiest.

In fact, every notable natural feature has a way to be explored by bike. See the striking blue water of America’s deepest lake from the 32-mile **Crater Lake Rim Route**, or explore the national scenic area of the Columbia River Gorge from the **Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail**, originally built to be one of the most beautiful highways in the world. (Pro tip: Take a side excursion to the **Mosier Twin Tunnels Trail** to sip craft cider and eat locally sourced burgers and snacks on the large patio at **Mosier Company**.) Got the kids in a bike trailer? Tow them along the **Banks-Vernonia State Trail**, Oregon’s first rail-to-trail route, which is an easy ride over wooden trestles and through sunny woods.

Want to get away from the summer crowds on the paved trails? Whether you call it **bikepacking** or **gravel riding**, exploring Oregon’s abundance of unpaved trails is a great way to see the Beaver State’s wild beauty. Work up your fitness on trails, like those at **L.L.** **Stub Stewart State Park**, before signing up for hardcore rides like the **Oregon Coast Gravel Epic** or the **Oregon Stampede**.

Not up to planning and executing the ride of a lifetime on your own? That’s not a problem either — not in Oregon, at least! **Guided tour events** and **biking tour companies** around the state, such as **TREO Bike Tours** in Eastern Oregon and **Good Bike Co.** in Central Oregon, will set your itinerary and arrange all of the logistics, including maps, meals, water, shuttle service and support wagons. All you have to do is bring your bike and enjoy the views. For a wine tour on two wheels, join **MountNbarreL** in Hood River. And don’t forget that wherever you choose to go, in-the-know bike shops will have rentals and information on local events, tours and group rides.

### Learn More:

- Whether you’re a newcomer or avid mountain biker, Oregon has a trail for you. Here are some of the state’s most epic trails:
**Mt. Ashland Super D**; the**Elkhorn Crest Trail**and continuing**Summit Lake Trail**near Baker City; the**Phil’s Trail**network in Bend;**Alpine Trail**in Oakridge;**Timberline Bike Park**at Mt. Hood; and the**Whiskey Run Trail System**near Coos Bay. - Fat biking is great for those who love riding through scenic areas at a leisurely pace, the feel of sand or snow underfoot. Here are some top spots not to miss: Head to
**Roads End State Recreation Site**in Lincoln City; the**John Dellenback Dunes**near Lakeside; the**Fort Stevens Fat Bike Route**in Astoria; or**Wanoga Snow Play Area Sno-Park**in the Deschutes National Forest. - Ready to crunch some gravel? The
**Oregon Timber Trail**is the perfect bike-packing destination. Here’s how to bite off a chunk: Meandering through the volcanic eastern flank of the Cascade Range, the 113-mile**Deschutes Tier**is the easiest section of the Oregon Timber Trail. It gains 8,000 feet in elevation and is expected to take 3 to 6 days for mountain bikers to complete. If you’re interested in a smaller chunk, there are a number of**shorter segments**, from 20- to 40-miles, that can be tackled in a day or two days. - Bicycle enthusiasts of all ages and abilities can enjoy a riding on a variety of trails thanks to local adaptive outfitters: Beaverton-based
**Adaptive Sports Northwest**offers handcycling clinics and partnerships with local bike shops during the summer months; and Bend-based**Oregon Adaptive Sports**offers custom adventures and adaptive equipment such as recumbent, tandem bikes and custom bikes for youth.