Bicycling is an excellent way to see the city, eliminating the worry about pesky parking, traffic, or waiting for public transportation. Since Philadelphia [1] is mostly flat, especially Center City, it’s an easy bike ride.
While somewhat limited, there is an increasing network of bike-friendly streets with wide bike-only lanes. A map of bike routes can be found at the Independence Visitor Center [2] or at www.phila.gov/streets [3]. For your safety and comfort, use these routes whenever possible.
The bike rental shops that follow are all conveniently located on or near the Schuylkill River Bike Path [4].
The Bicycle Club of Philadelphia (www.phillybikeclub.org [5]) is also a great resource for bike enthusiasts. Founded in 1979, the club sponsors recreational cycling activities open to the public for a small fee and promotes bicyclists’ rights and safe biking practices.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/philadelphia/discover-philadelphia
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/philadelphia/sights/old-city/independence-national-historical-park/independence-visitor-center
[3] http://www.phila.gov/streets
[4] http://www.moon.com/destinations/philadelphia/arts-and-leisure/recreation/trails/schuylkill-river-trail
[5] http://www.phillybikeclub.org