Escape Bicycle Tours & Rentals.
Small-group guided bike tours and a full rental fleet on Ottawa's bike-path network, based on Sparks Street downtown
The brief.
Escape Bicycle Tours & Rentals is a founder-run cycling operator based at 65 Sparks Street in downtown Ottawa, offering small-group guided tours and a 13-category rental fleet on the city's bike-path network. Founded by Maria Rasouli around 2013, the business runs four scheduled tours daily from April through November — two-hour Express and Electric loops past Parliament Hill and the Rideau Canal, a 3.5-hour Highlights ride through Lansdowne, Dow's Lake, and the War Museum, and a Neighbourhoods & Nature ride along the waterfront — plus customizable private tours for groups up to 100 in English, French, Spanish, German, or Dutch. Rentals cover comfort, performance, mountain, gravel, road, electric, cargo, tandem, fat, kids' bikes, tag-alongs, child trailers, and e-scooters, with rentals available daily April–October and by appointment in the off-season.
6. ways in.
- 01
Ottawa Express Bike Tour
For: Families and all skill levelsWhen: Daily at 10:00 am and 1:30 pm, April through NovemberA two-hour, 12 km guided loop along flat Ottawa bike paths past Parliament Hill, the Rideau Canal, Rideau Falls, and Rideau Hall. Small-group format with a local guide; e-bike upgrade available. Suited to visitors with a tight schedule or mixed-ability riders who want a relaxed, fully-led introduction to the downtown landmarks. Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.
From $53 CAD ($53–$65)
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Ottawa Electric Bike Tour
For: Adult riders age 16+ (Ontario e-bike minimum)When: Daily at 10:00 am and 1:30 pm, April through NovemberThe same 12 km route as the Express tour on pedal-assist e-bikes — same two-hour window, less effort. Ontario regulates 16 as the minimum age for electric-bike riders, so this tour skews adult and older-teen. Useful for visitors who want sightseeing without the workout, or for mixed groups where someone wants the assist.
From $77 CAD ($77–$87)
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Ottawa Highlights Bike Tour
For: History and culture-focused visitors with a half-day windowWhen: 10:00 am departures, April through NovemberA 3.5-hour, 20–24 km ride beyond the downtown core into Lansdowne Park, the Glebe, Dominion Arboretum, Dow's Lake, Little Italy, the Canadian War Museum, and across the river into Quebec. Easy-to-moderate difficulty on bike paths. E-bike upgrade available. The pick for anyone who wants more depth than the Express tour offers in its two-hour window.
From $77 CAD ($77–$89)
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Best of Ottawa Neighbourhoods & Nature Bike Tour
For: Riders interested in local neighbourhoods, waterfront, and public artWhen: Monday–Wednesday at 2:00 pm, April through NovemberA three-hour, 22 km leisurely ride along Ottawa waterfront pathways, through residential neighbourhoods, and past street and public art installations. Easy pace on bike paths with the Rideau Canal as a recurring spine. E-bike upgrade available. Runs only Mon–Wed afternoons, so it suits weekday visitors rather than weekend tourists.
From $75 CAD ($75–$85)
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Bike & E-Scooter Rentals
For: Independent riders of all ages (electric bikes and scooters require age 16+)When: Daily April–October; November–March by appointmentA 13-category rental fleet — Marin comfort, performance, mountain, gravel, and road bikes; Tern GSD S10 cargo; Sun Brickell tandem; Norco Bigfoot 3 fat bike; SmartKick X8 e-scooter; kids' bikes in 20/24/26-inch sizes; Adams/Evo tag-alongs; Co-pilot and Hamax child trailers; plus Thule car racks for off-site rides. Every rental includes helmet, lock, digital map, and a rear pannier bag. A $350–$600 pre-authorization applies to electric, mountain, road, and scooter rentals.
City Comfort and Performance bikes from $12.75/hour; Mountain, Gravel, and Road bikes from $17.50/hour; Electric bikes from $22.50/hour; Tandem and E-Scooter from $25/hour; Cargo bike from $57/2 hours; Kids' bikes from $12.75/hour; tag-alongs and child trailers from $9/hour
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Private & Group Bike Tours
For: Corporate teams, families, bachelorette/anniversary groups, conference delegates — 1 to 100 guestsWhen: Customizable, April through NovemberFully customizable private tours for 1–100 guests with a choice of route, length, pace, and departure time, available in English, French, Spanish, German, and Dutch on request. Includes bike, helmet, water, power bar, and a guide; child trailer and trail-a-bike options cover the youngest riders.
Contact for details
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Worth knowing.
- 01Operating from 65 Sparks Street in downtown Ottawa, daily April–October and by appointment November–MarchSource ↗
- 02Ranked #1 of 131 Ottawa activities on TripAdvisor with 1,010 reviewsSource ↗
- 03Featured in CBC, The New York Times, The Guardian, and Der SpiegelSource ↗
- 04Founded by Maria Rasouli; operating approximately 11 years as of 2026Source ↗
- 05Tours available in English, French, Spanish, German, and Dutch on requestSource ↗
- 06Rental fleet covers 13 bike and equipment categories spanning comfort, performance, mountain, gravel, road, electric, cargo (Tern GSD S10), tandem, fat (Norco Bigfoot 3), kids', tag-along, child trailer, and electric scooterSource ↗
- 07Every rental includes helmet, lock, digital map, and rear pannier bagSource ↗
- 08Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance with instant confirmationSource ↗
- 09Booking runs through the company's own integrated system; no third-party platform requiredSource ↗
Get in
touch.
- Website
- escapebicycletours.ca
- Phone
- 613-608-7407
- Address
- 65 Sparks Street, Ottawa, ON K1P 5A5
- instagram.com/biketoursottawa/
- facebook.com/escapebicycletours
- twitter.com/biketoursottawa