Renting a bike in Barcelona: should I use bikesharing or a rental company? 

If you get bored walking around barcelona and at the same time you don't want to move by public transport, I recommend using a bicycle to move around the city. 

The bicycle is especially great for rides along the beaches

On a bicycle in Barcelona you can easily deliver to most monuments, you can take a nice walk around harbor and beaches, you might have a little problem with more distant attractions and sights, more hills than you need Park Guell. 

Barcelona as a city is easily accessible by bike. Center of city it is relatively flat, you won't sweat much while riding. 

In addition, city traffic is used to cyclists – you'll find plenty of lanes reserved specifically for cyclists, and likewise car drivers know to watch out for cyclists. 

My self-portrait while driving around the sea in Parc del Forum (map)

Personally, I recommend trying this option of transportation in the city - I like to drive around the beaches myself, where there are beautiful roads and a minimum of cars. 

What are the options for renting a bike? 

Red shared bikes from bikesharing can be found all over the city Bicing. 

Bikes from bikesharing Bicing in Barcelona - unfortunately you can't rent them!

When I saw it for the first time, I was surprised how many bikes are available here 

Unfortunately, I later learned that the bikes are intended for locals only. As a tourist, you cannot rent a bike from the Bicing network. Don't really try. It just doesn't work. 

Bikesharing Donkey Republic

Fortunately, there is another bike sharing in the city. His name is Donkey Republic and their wheels are orange. 

Borrowed bike from Donkey Republic before Sagrada Família in Barcelona

Renting a bike works with them via a mobile app. It is available for both iOS and i Android. You simply download the application and you can see bikes in the area on the map. In Barcelona, ​​Donkey Republic has several hundred bikes scattered around the city. 

How much does it cost to rent a bike from Donkey Republic? 

The price for renting a bike from Donkey Republic depends on how long you want to rent it. In general, you can pay around €15 for a 1,5-minute ride. In the case of a longer loan, for example for a day, you can reach a price of around €12. 

The easiest way is to download the app and find out the price right there. 

Unfortunately, there are no other bike sharing apps and services of this type in Barcelona. In the future, this may change and Bird, Bolt or Uber will be added with their bicycles. 

Bicycle rentals in Barcelona

In addition to bikesharing you can use one of the classic rental companies, which are in all city ​​districts in the centre. 

The advantage is that you you can choose a bike according to your preferences and habits, get some protective equipment such as a helmet or get expert advice or tips on where to go. 

You can recognize bike rental shops for tourists from afar...

There are several rental shops where you can rent a bike right in Barcelona. It can be for just a few hours or even a few days (for multi-day rentals, keep in mind that you'll have to store the bike somewhere overnight, which can be a problem for a lot of people; definitely don't leave it on the street, because as I'm sure you know, in Barcelona a lot of theft, etc.). 

Here are some of my tips for rental companies:

• A-Bike – rental near Pl. Catalunya, a wide range of classic and electric bikes (also in a version for children), online booking option
• Born Bike – rental office in the district the born
• Barcelona Holiday Bike - right in the center, not far from Pl. Catalunya 
• Barcelona Rent a Bike - right in the center, not far from Pl. Catalunya, children's bikes are also available
• Barcelona Bike Rental - a short distance from La Rambla, near the port
• Green Bikes Barcelona – rental office in the Old Town (Gothic quarter)

You can tell Green Bikes from competitors by the green color that all their bikes have

How much does a rental bike cost in Barcelona?

As in the case of bikesharing, the price depends on the length of the rental period. 

The shortest time offered is usually 2 hours. You will pay around 5 euros for them. 

In the case of borrowing for a longer period, for example for a day, you can get a more interesting price / performance ratio: the price for renting a bike for the day is about €15 in Barcelona. 

Where to park a bicycle in Barcelona?

Most bikes from rental shops are equipped with locks, which you can use to protect the bike from theft. But where to park it? For example, in the Old Town it can be a little difficult to find a suitable parking space. Fortunately, there is a solution: the Barcelona municipality has on the website map showing suitable parking spaces for your bicycle. 

Map of where you can park a rented bicycle in Barcelona

What bikes are available for rent? 

Rentals mainly offer classic city bikes with a lowered center tube and a high seat. Most of them have a derailleur, so you don't have to sweat around town on one gear. Some bikes have a rack or basket in the front or back, which can be practical if you want to store your backpack there while wandering around the city. 

Most rental companies offer city bikes in a similar style

In some rental companies you can also rent other bikes: road, trek or mountain. However, from my experience, if you only plan to drive downtown, it's completely unnecessary. It would make sense if you wanted somewhere outside of the city where you could make better use of such a bike. (Which most tourists won't do because they don't have the time). 

Recently, it also has more and more rental companies electric bikes or scooters on offer. An electric bike can be great in Barcelona if you want to facilitate transport to places in the hills such as Park Guell, Montjuic or Tibidabo. 

City tour by bike with a guide

Photo source: GaudiBikeTours

If you don't feel like driving around the city by yourself, try one of the organized city tours. Many rental companies also offer guided tours, where you complete an interesting route on your bike under the supervision of a local. 

View this offer >>>

My tips and experiences for renting a bike from a rental company in Barcelona

• avoid the big tourist rental shops, where the quality of the bikes fluctuates quite a bit
• ask in advance how much the loan will cost you and how much you will pay if, for example, you do not have time to return the bike at the agreed house
• ask if you're paying for extra equipment you can't do without on your bike: for example, a lock or a helmet; some have it automatically included in the price (eg Green Bikes), others charge an additional fee for it
• where possible, book online (see for example A-Bikes); it doesn't necessarily have to be a specific bike, but its type - you certainly don't want to come to the rental shop and find out that they don't have what you wanted available
• the advantage of smaller rental shops is also a personal approach, where you can have the bike adjusted and adjusted according to your needs (e.g. saddle height)