Biking in Ottawa, Eastern Ontario and the Outaouais: The complete guide

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Itching to go cycling in Ottawa, Kingston, Gatineau or elsewhere in Eastern Ontario and West Quebec, but not sure where to start? Maybe you want to buy a bicycle, get your bike repaired, find a great new trail or join a cycling club? This comprehensive list covers everything you need, from Ottawa bike shops and Ontario bike trails to Gatineau bike rentals and a Lanark County cycling festival. (I’ve even included tips on Montreal, the Eastern Townships and points beyond.) If it relates to biking in our region, you’ll find it here—or, if you don’t, please send me your question and I’ll do my best to add it.

And before you head out, don’t forget to review the City of Ottawa’s excellent guide to cycling safety and rules.

Bike shops

First things first: To head out on a cycling road trip, you need a bike. The following bike shops and sports stores sell bikes and cycling accessories; many also do bike repairs and some sell e-bikes. For the stores in Ottawa and Gatineau, I’ve added the neighbourhood in parentheses, to help you narrow down your search.

Bike stores in Ottawa

• Bushtukah, 203 Richmond Road (Westboro), 5607 Hazeldean Road (Stittsville), 2016 Tenth Line Road, Unit 1 (Orleans)
• Cycle Power, 1574 Carling Avenue (Westboro)
• Cyco’s, 25 Hawthorne Avenue (Old Ottawa East)
• The Cyclery, 1115 Bank Street (Old Ottawa South)
• Dinardo’s Skis and Wheels, 44 Northside Road (Bells Corners)
• Euro-Sports, 13 Bullman Street (Hintonburg)
• Foster’s Sports Centre, 437 Cooper Street (Centretown)
• Fresh Air Experience, 1291 Wellington Street West (Wellington Village)
• Full Cycle, 401 St. Laurent Boulevard (Ottawa East), 7 Hamilton Avenue North (Hintonburg)
• Giant Orleans, 2404 St. Laurent Boulevard (Orleans)
• Giant Ottawa, 1162 Bank Street (Old Ottawa South)
• Joe Mamma Cycles, 767 Bank Street (Glebe)
• Kunstadt Sports, 462 Hazeldean Road (Kanata), 680 Bank Street (Glebe), 1583 Bank Street (Alta Vista)
• McCrank’s Cycles, 1B McCormick Street (Hintonburg)
• Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC), 366 Richmond Road (Westboro)
• Phat Moose Cycles, 98 Hawthorne Avenue (Old Ottawa East)
• Rebec and Kroes Cycle & Sport, 2639B Alta Vista Drive (Heron Park)
• re-Cycles, 445 Catherine Street, Unit 1 (Centretown)
• Recyclore, 985 Pinecrest Road (Queensway Terrace North)
• Scooteretti, 85 Murray Street (ByWard Market)
• Sport Chek, seven locations in the Ottawa area
• Sporting Life, 125 Marché Way at Lansdowne Park (Glebe)
• Tall Tree Cycles, 281 Sunnyside Avenue (Old Ottawa South)

Outaouais bike stores

This list includes bike shops in Gatineau, Chelsea, Wakefield, Montebello and elsewhere in West Quebec.

• Les Bicyclettes de Hull, 675 Saint Joseph Street, Gatineau (Mont-Bleu)
• E-Cycliste, 138 Principale, Gatineau (Aylmer)
• Expeditions Wakefield, 721 Riverside, Wakefield
• Greg Christie’s Ski and Cycle, 148 Old Chelsea (Chelsea)
• Kunstadt Sports, 58 Old Chelsea (Chelsea)
• La Shop, 139 de l’Hôpital, Gatineau (Templeton-Ouest)
• Polo Vélo, 400 Main, Gatineau (Lac-Beauchamp), 193 Old Chelsea (Chelsea)
• Sports Experts, multiple locations in Gatineau

Kingston, Ontario, bike shops

• Frontenac Cycle and Sport, 336 Barrie Street
• Gear Up! Recycled Bicycles, 559 Bagot Street
• i-Cycle Electric Bike Company, 25 Fort Henry Drive
• J&J Cycle, 1690 Bath Road
• Rick’s Bike Repair, 400 Elliott Avenue, Unit 8
• Sport Chek, 945 Gardiners Road (Cataraqui Centre)
• Trek Bicycle Kingston, 710 Front Road
• Yellow Bike Action, 303 York Street (refurbished bikes)

Other Eastern Ontario bike shops

• Almonte Bicycle Works, 101 Bridge Street, Almonte
• Bicycle World, 24 9th Street East, Cornwall
• Bloomfield Bicycle Company, 225 Bloomfield Main Street, Bloomfield
• GearHeads, 3067 Petawawa Boulevard, Petawawa
• Joe Mamma Cycles, 66 Moore Street, Carleton Place
• Pedego Electric Bikes Canada, 39 Stanley Street, Unit C, Bloomfield
• Sport Chek, 390 North Front Street (Quinte Mall), Belleville
• Sport Chek, 220 Crocker Crescent (Brockville Power Centre), Brockville
• Sport Chek, 501 Tollgate Road West (Brookdale Square), Cornwall
• Sports Experts, 454 County Road 17, Hawkesbury
• Total Cyclery, 100 Pitt Street, Cornwall
• Wheels in Motion, 7454 Fourth Line Road, Kemptville
• VéloXpress, 671A, rue Notre-Dame, Embrun
• Yantha Cycle, 499 TV Tower Road, Pembroke

Montreal bike shops

• Allo Vélo, 141 Shannon
• Bicycle McW, 6010 Sherbrooke West
• Bicycles Eddy, 6341 Monk
• Bicycles Quilicot, multiple locations in Quebec
• C&L Cycle, 978 Rachel East and 75 Villeneuve West
• Cycles Gervais Rioux, 4646 Park
• Cycle Néron, multiple locations in Quebec
• Cycle Technique, 788 Atwater
• Giant Montréal, 5252 Sherbrooke West
• Le Grand Cycle, 901 Cherrier East
• Mécanocycle, 1619 William
• Vélo iBike, 2101 Rachel East

Bike repairs in the Ottawa area and beyond

While many of the bike shops listed above repair bikes as well as sell them, the services below focus primarily on bike repairs (although, just to confuse the issue, some also sell bikes).

• Beacon Bike & Brew, 188 Picton Main Street, Picton (repairs, café)
• Bikemobile, Ottawa (mobile repair service)
• The Brake Room, 34 Dundas Street, Belleville (repairs, bike sales, café)
• CAA Bike Assist, nationwide (roadside assistance for bikes, for CAA members)
• Dave the Bike Mechanic, Smiths Falls
• Dr. Cycle Service, Ottawa (picks up and delivers bikes for repair)
• Pedego Electric Bikes Canada, 39 Stanley Street, Unit C, Bloomfield
• Rick’s Bike Repair, 400 Elliott Avenue, Unit 8, Kingston (also sells bikes and does fittings)
• Ron’s Classic Cycle Repair, 3756 Maple Avenue, Prescott (also sells refurbished bikes)
• velofix (mobile repair service; international chain with franchises in Ottawa and Gatineau)

Where to rent bikes in Ottawa, Eastern Ontario, the Outaouais and Montreal

Don’t want to buy a bike, don’t want to store a bike, or don’t want to cart your bike on a rack or trailer to your road trip destination? Renting a bike is the easy solution. Here are some places to start your search for an Ottawa bike rental, or rental bikes in Gatineau, Kingston, Perth, Wakefield and other communities in our region.

• Ahoy Rentals, 21 Ontario Street, Kingston
• BIXI, Montreal bike-sharing program for traditional and electronic bikes
• Cyco’s, 25 Hawthorne Avenue, Ottawa
• Ecorécréo, Montreal (Old Port of Montreal,Parc Jean-Drapeau, Parc Maisonneuve)
• Escape Tours and Rentals, 65 Sparks Street, Ottawa
• Expeditions Wakefield, 721 Riverside, Wakefield
• i-Cycle Electric Bike Company, 25 Fort Henry Drive, Kingston
• Marina 200, 200 Water Street East, Cornwall
• Ma Bicyclette, 2985 Saint Patrick, Montreal
• Montreal on Wheels, 27 de la Commune East, Montreal
• Nomades du Park, 10 Scott, Chelsea
• Pedego Electric Bikes Canada, 39 Stanley Street, Unit C, Bloomfield
• RentABike, 2 Rideau Street below the Plaza Bridge over the Rideau Canal (ByWard Market) (also offers repairs and tours)
• Relic Outfitters, 15010 Colonial Drive, Ingleside
• Smiths Falls Pedal and Paddle (mobile rental of bikes, kayaks, canoes and paddleboards)

Cycling trails and bike routes in Ontario, Quebec and beyond

Now that you have your wheels, where can you go? As more and more communities become bike friendly and more aware of the popularity of cycling among locals and visitors alike, the quantity of bike-related information online has skyrocketed. You’ll find maps of cycling trails, information on cyclist-friendly accommodations, suggested biking itineraries and lots more. Check out the following for inspiration. (I plan to keep expanding this section, so check back often for the latest updates.)

Ottawa bike maps and routes

If you live in Ottawa, you more than likely have a paved cycling trail or on-road bike path not far from your home. Here are some tips for discovering and exploring them.

• Ottawa Tourism’s cycling guide: Lots of good, practical information here, from routes to rental companies.
• City of Ottawa self-guided bicycle routes: The City has put together more than a dozen bike route suggestions covering a wide swath of the city, from a downtown route featuring Little Italy and the Rideau Canal to rural routes in Cumberland, Munster and Carp. Several routes also extend into Gatineau and the Outaouais. Feeling ambitious? Check out the 100-kilometre route through Kinburn, Fitzroy Harbour and Dunrobin (Out a Way route). There’s a downloadable PDF map of each route.
• Cycling in the Greenbelt: A few suggested routes from the National Capital Commission (NCC).
• Queen Elizabeth Driveway Active Use Program: See this website for the dates when the Queen Elizabeth Driveway in downtown Ottawa will be closed to vehicles but open to cyclists, pedestrians and other non-motorized users.
• Ontario by Bike Ottawa guide: A variety of on- and off-road routes in the Ottawa area.
• Bike Ottawa’s route planner: An interactive map that lets you input your start and end points, then create a customized route.

• Bikemap Ottawa routes: Bikemap is a huge collection of user-generated cycling itineraries; here’s the Ottawa page.
• Escape Tours and Rentals self-guided routes: The local bike rental and tour company has a great page of suggested routes, including itineraries along the Rideau Canal, through the Experimental Farm and along both shores of the Ottawa River.
• NCC’s guide to cycling in Ottawa-Gatineau: Basic tips on using the pathways and lots of suggested itineraries on both sides of the Ottawa River.
• NCC Weekend Bikedays: This summer program closes various scenic parkways in Ottawa-Gatineau to vehicles on Sunday mornings, so cyclists, pedestrians and other non-motorized travellers can enjoy them car free.
• OC Transpo bike infrastructure: This webpage has tips for bringing your bike on the O Train; information on secure parking and bicycle repair stations at Transitway and O Train stations; and details on the Ottawa transit company’s Rack & Roll program, which allows you to transport your bike on certain OC Transpo buses equipped with bike racks.
• NCC cycling map: This downloadable PDF shows the large NCC trail network in both Ottawa and Gatineau.

Outaouais cycling ideas

Outaouais biking ideas range from urban routes in Gatineau to woodsy itineraries in Gatineau Park and long-distance trips through rural areas.

• Tourisme Outaouais cycling routes: The Outaouais tourism board has created five cycling itineraries covering large stretches of the far-flung region. Most are fairly ambitious—including a 164-kilometre behemoth through the Pontiac—but there is a gentle 12-kilometre urban route, too.
• City of Gatineau cycling information: Basic tips on cycling in Gatineau (in French).
• Cycling in Gatineau Park: Useful information from the NCC. Check the Gatineau Park Parkways Schedule page for dates when parkways are closed to motorized vehicles.
• NCC’s guide to cycling in Ottawa-Gatineau: Basic tips on using the pathways and lots of suggested itineraries on both sides of the Ottawa River.
• NCC Weekend Bikedays: This summer program closes various scenic parkways in Ottawa-Gatineau to vehicles on Sunday mornings, so cyclists, pedestrians and other non-motorized travellers can enjoy them car free.
• Escape Tours and Rentals self-guided routes: The local bike rental and tour company has created routes to Lac Leamy and along both shores of the Ottawa River.
• Official Outaouais cycling map (downloadable PDF).
• NCC cycling map: This downloadable PDF shows the large NCC trail network in both Ottawa and Gatineau.
• STO bike infrastructure: This page has information from the Société de Transport de l’Outaouais (STO) for cyclists, including details on the Rapibus bike path and station bicycle racks.
• The City of Ottawa self-guided routes also have several Gatineau/Outaouais suggestions.

Eastern Ontario cycling itineraries and information

Whether you want to try a flat rural route, a challenging hilly itinerary or a laid-back pedal through a small town, these sites have you covered.

• Cycling in Cornwall: Cornwall Tourism’s cycling page has trail maps, park-and-ride locations, information on cycle-and-stay programs and more.
• Frontenac Arch Biosphere cycling: The Frontenac Arch Biosphere (FAB) stretches across a good chunk of Eastern Ontario, so this page features cycling routes in all sorts of locations, including Belleville, Gananoque, Delta, Westport, Brockville, Lyndhurst, Merrickville and many more. (The routes are shown toward the bottom of the FAB page.)
• City of Kingston cycling page: Basic information on Kingston’s cycling path network and other biking amenities.
• The Log Drivers’ Waltz: This 800-kilometre self-guided “bikepacking” route will take you through a huge swath of Eastern Ontario and the Outaouais.

• Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail: This multi-use trail stretches roughly 300 kilometres, connecting Mattawa to a point near Smiths Falls, and cutting across large swaths of Renfrew and Lanark counties.
• Rideau Canal cycling routes: On his comprehensive Rideau Canal site, Ken Watson has a good page of suggested bike routes leading through communities such as Smiths Falls, Jones Falls and Chaffeys Lock.

Other Ontario and Quebec biking routes and ideas

Seeking cycling tips for destinations further from Ottawa-Gatineau? Check out these websites.

• Bikemap: As mentioned earlier, this site compiles maps created by individual cyclists all over the world into a searchable database. Plug in the community you’re interested in exploring and you’ll likely come up with something.
• Canada Trails: Not strictly a biking website, this site includes information on cycling, hiking, skiing and multi-use trails across Canada.
• Cycling in the Eastern Townships: Lots of suggested itineraries from the local tourism board for this pretty region near the U.S. border in southern Quebec.
• Great Lakes Waterfront Trail: At 3,600 kilometres and growing, this trail runs along the shores of much of lakes Huron, Erie and Ontario, as well as Georgian Bay, the St. Lawrence River and parts of the Ottawa River.
• Cyclotourism in the Laurentians: Tourism Laurentians has an extensive list of road and mountain-biking itineraries in this scenic region just north of Montreal.
• Cycling in Mont Tremblant: There’s more to Tremblant than skiing!
• Greater Montréal Bikeways map: A free downloadable map from Vélo Québec.
• Le Pet’t Train du Nord Linear Park: This 234-kilometre cycling/hiking trail cuts across the Laurentians, with places to stay along the way.
• Montreal biking guide: You’ll find lots of links and info on this page from Tourism Montreal.
• Great bike rides for Montreal visitors: Route suggestions from Tourism Montreal.
• Bike paths in Montérégie: Explore some 635 kilometres of bike paths in the region south of Montreal.
• La Route Verte: This is a 5,300-kilometre network of cycling trails throughout the province of Quebec. The website features maps, guides and more. (French)

Bike tours near Ottawa

If you’re looking for a guided cycling tour, lots of companies—including several bike shops and bike rental firms—will happily send you out on the road with a leader. Here are a few places to try.

• Downtown Kingston by Bike Tour (affiliated with Ahoy Rentals)
• Escape Tours and Rentals, 65 Sparks Street, Ottawa, Ontario
• Fitz Montréal, Montreal
• Kingston Bike Tours (several public tours daily, all beginning at the Flora MacDonald Confederation Basin)
• Montreal on Wheels, 27 de la Commune, Montreal
• RentABike, 2 Rideau Street (below the Plaza Bridge, beside the Rideau Canal)
• Spade & Palacio, 3801 Saint-Denis, Montreal

Ontario and Quebec cycling clubs

Sure, cycling is a solo sport in the sense that there’s generally only one person on a bike at at a time (unless you have a tandem bike or you’re shuttling a child in a seat or trailer). But biking can also be a very social activity when you head out on adventures with like-minded people! The GoBiking.ca website has a detailed post about what you can expect from a bike club and why you might want to join one; it also includes a big list of local clubs.

If you’re looking to connect with other cycling enthusiasts in the Ottawa area and beyond, here are some places to start.

• Beachburg Off Road Cycling Association
• Bloomfield Bicycle Club (Prince Edward County)
• Club Vélo-Plaisirs (Gatineau)
• Cornwall Outdoor Club de plein air (cycling and other sports)
• Cross Canada Cycle Tour Society (national)
• Cyclefit Chicks (Ottawa-Gatineau)
• Kanata-Nepean Bicycle Club
• Kingston Velo Club
• Lanark County Mountain Bike Association
• Ottawa Bicycle Club
• Ottawa Mountain Bike Association/Association de vélo de montagne de l’Outaouais
• Ottawa Outdoor Club (multiple sports, such as hiking and canoeing, as well as biking)
• Peterborough Cycling Club
• Randonneurs Ontario (long-distance rides)

Biking events

Looking for a competitive bike race, a fundraising ride or a strictly recreational cycling event in Eastern Ontario or West Quebec? One of the following just might be up your two-wheeled alley.

• BORCA events (Ottawa Valley)
• Breakaway Cycling Adventure for Kids With Cancer (nationwide)
• CN Cycle for CHEO (Ottawa)
• Discover L&A Ride (Bath, Ontario, area)
• Five Boro Bike Tour (a massive one-day ride along closed roads and freeways throughout all five boroughs of New York City)
• Friends for Life Bike Rally (Toronto to Montreal; riders can do part or all of it; fundraiser for people living with HIV)
• Go Bike Montreal Festival (a large, multi-day festival with multiple events, including a night tour)
• Grand Tour (Vélo Québec)
• Healing Cycle Ride (fundraiser for hospices across Ontario)
• Kidical Mass Ottawa (family-friendly fun ride)
• Limestone Century (Kingston area)

• Mississippi Mills Bicycle Month (Almonte, Pakenham and Ramsay, June)
• MS Bike Ride (multiple fundraising events, nationwide)
• Navy Bike Ride (military fundraiser, events in Ottawa and elsewhere)
• Paramedic Ride (multiple long-distance rides)
• PEC Annual Lilac Ride (Picton)
• Pedaling for Parkinson Canada (multiple rides, including Prince Edward County)
• Petite Aventure (Vélo Québec)
• Prince Edward County Gran Fondo
• Reggie Ramble (Warkworth)
• Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour
• Terry Fox Ride of Hope (nationwide)
• Tour de Bonnechere (Eganville; raises money for mental health)
• Tour de Mississippi Mills (Lanark County)
• Vélo Mag Challenge: Eastern Townships
• Vélo Mag Challenge: Metropolitan (Montreal)

Other cycling-related miscellany

This is where I’ve corralled all the other biking-related information that didn’t fit neatly under bike shops, bike rentals, general interest cycling websites or other sections. There’s a little bit of everything here!

• Action Vélo Outaouais (advocates for cyclists in the Outaouais)
• Bike Ottawa (an advocacy group for safe cycling)
• Cornwall BMX Club (runs racing events on one of Ontario’s longest BMX tracks)
• Frontenac Trail Tours (provides cycling info and support to guests of the Rock Hill Bed and Breakfast in Sharbot Lake)
• Ontario Cycling Association (aimed at keen sports cyclists)
• Ottawa Valley Cycling and Active Transportation Alliance (advocates for better cycling and other outdoor infrastructure in Eastern Ontario)
• Thursty Pedaler, Ottawa (multi-person bike/roving pub)
• Tri & Run Coaching, Belleville (triathlon coaching, cycling accessories)

Cycling websites and blogs

Cycling in Ontario and Quebec is a huge topic, and I’ve just scratched the surface in this post (long as it is). If you’re looking for more detailed information, please check out some of these excellent websites. You’ll find more than enough inspiration for a lifetime of two-wheeled road trips!

• GoBiking.ca: Local cycling enthusiast Michael McGoldrick runs this site covering all things bike-related in Ottawa-Gatineau and points beyond. It’s aimed primarily at beginner or intermediate touring cyclists and features route suggestions, news, links to clubs and similar info.
• Hans on the Bike: A chatty, newsy blog about cycling in Ottawa, with lots of tips on routes.
• Mississippi Mills Bicycle Movement: Everything you want to know about biking in and around Almonte, Pakenham and Ramsay, including routes, repairs, bike clubs and events.
• Ontario By Bike: Very comprehensive website covering cycling all over Ontario, with tons of information on routes and trails, bike-friendly businesses, bike events, cycling clubs, maps and lots more.
• OttawaVeloOutaouais: Not a terribly active blog, but once every couple of months there’s usually a new post suggesting a local cycling route, complete with photos.
• Vélo Québec: Like Ontario By Bike, this is a detailed, province-wide resource with links to everything from cycling clubs and cyclist-friendly accommodations to races and maps.

Looking for more ideas for things to see and do in Ottawa-Gatineau, Eastern Ontario and the Outaouais? Please subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or buy my new guidebook, Ottawa Road Trips: Your 100km-Getaway Guide.

As the owner of Ottawa Road Trips, I acknowledge that I live on, work in and travel through the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.