Biking and Bikesharing
With an excellent regional network of bike lanes and separated bike trails, plus relatively flat terrain, Minneapolis-St. Paul is one of the country’s best metro areas for recreational biking and bike commuting.
Thanks to Nice Ride Minnesota, the local bikesharing program, you don’t have to bring your own bike to navigate the Twin Cities on two wheels. Nice Ride Minnesota has more than 1,500 bikes and nearly 200 stations in its network, which focuses on the two core cities and some inner suburbs.
Compared to some other bikesharing programs, Nice Ride is relatively inexpensive. If you’re an à la carte user, the first 30 minutes of each ride is free. After that, you pay $3 for each additional half hour. If you hold a 24-hour ($6) or 30-day ($18) pass, the first 60 minutes of each ride is free, with the same $3-per-half-hour structure after that. You can reduce or eliminate your bikesharing costs by planning routes that hit a new station before the free portion of the ride ends, then switching bikes and starting the clock over again.
Keep in mind that Nice Ride shuts down during the cold months, so winter biking enthusiasts need to bring their own wheels or rent a bike at a local shop.