Did you know that you can choose to take our award-winning, small group tour on an electric bicycle, instead of a regular pedal bike? Keep reading to find out more!
You might not be surprised to hear that here at Steel Donkeys, we believe that bike tours are the best way to see a new destination. You’re not stuck on a bus or coach, separated from the city and taking photos through a window, nor are you restricted to the slow pace of exploring by foot.
But of course, some travellers might find the idea of exploring by bike intimidating, or worry that they are not fit enough to join us as we have fun pedalling around the city. Others might feel that working up a sweat on a hot summer’s day is not a relaxing way to enjoy your trip abroad. Well don’t worry, we have the solution for you…
For just €10 more per person, you can take our award-winning tour on an eBike!
What is an Electric Bicycle?
An electric bike is a bicycle equipped with an electric motor, which helps as a pedal assistant, giving you a boost when needed. You will still have to pedal a bit (if not, it would be called a scooter), so it’s still good for your health, but the experience is much smoother and easier than riding a normal bike.
Advantages of eBikes
- EBikes make cycling accessible to everyone. People with chronic injuries and illnesses including heart conditions, reduced lung capacity and people who have suffered strokes can enjoy a smooth and easy ride thanks to eBikes. It also remove the age barriers as many riders sometimes feel like they don’t always have the strength or energy to cycle anymore can have the option to ride an electric bike to help them.
- Electric bikes have greater acceleration. This makes it safer and easier to manoeuvre from a standstill.
- Spain is known for its scorching weather, especially in summer, and sometimes we don’t feel like moving a lot when it’s hot outside. With ebikes you can control the level of effort you put in. So if you don’t feel like sweating too much, an ebike can be a great option for you to enjoy the breeze on your face, as less effort is needed compared to a normal bike.
- Easier to carry weight. If you’re coming to Barcelona with your family and one of your young children is not able to ride a bike yet, then an electric bicycle can make it easier to carry them around, as you’ll barely feel the extra weight. At Steel Donkeys we offer free child seats.
- Easier to go up hill. It will take you where no other bike can go. For example, the Montjuic Hill offers incredible views of Barcelona and the sea. The ride there is not extremely intense but its still can be hard for someone who usually never rides a bike. It will be easier to go up the mountain and it will save you a lot of energy so you will be in better condition to enjoy the view.
- It’s a lot of fun! You can ride a normal bike everywhere, but it’s not everyday that you can ride an ebike and it’s always fun to try something new!
Ride with Steel Donkeys on an eBike
Our regular Steel Donkey tours take place every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday at 10am and last around 4 hours. Typically we will cover between 6 to 10 kilometres on a tour. Barcelona doesn’t have a lot of hills and the cycling is very easy. Anyone of moderate fitness should be able to manage the tour as we frequently stop to chat, grab something to eat or even get off the bike and see something up close. In fact, we have had people join us from 10 years old and up to 70 years old.
But for all the reasons mentioned before, you might want to take our tour with an electric bicycle. You can ride one during our tour for an extra 10€ per person.
To reserve a tour, just head to our bookings page and select the e-bike option (€45) when you are making the reservation. Simple!
If you want to keep your electric wheels after the tour, and visit the rest of the city by yourself, you can extend your rental at a cost of €24 a day. No need to book in advance, you can decide on this option at the end of the tour and see directly with our rental partner.
Private eBike Tours of Barcelona
If you want even more flexibility and freedom to go as fast or slow as you want, we also offer private ebike tours. For just €60 a person (minimum 2 people) you get one of our local guides all to yourself, and you can name any start time and day you like! Just email us on info@steeldonkeybiketours.com and we’ll check our guides’ availability and get back to you to arrange the details.
Why Ride with Steel Donkeys?
- We’re alternative! At Steel Donkeys we believe in showing people the real Barcelona, behind the touristic facades. You don’t need us to find La Sagrada Familia or Las Ramblas, but there are many other lesser known treasures that you won’t find by yourself… flea markets, food emporiums, picturesque squares, wonderful parks, cult cafes and bars, beautiful old cemeteries. We’ll show you a side of the city that only locals know!
- We ride in small groups! Cycling around town in a group of 15 or 20 bikes isn’t fun. And moreover it’s a pain for everyone around you… from our very beginnings we set out to be fast-moving and manoeuvrable, and to fight against the impact of mass tourism by not constantly getting in the way of locals and their every day life. That’s why we ride with a maximum of 8 people for the best quality, most responsible, travel experience.
- We come highly recommended! We just won our sixth Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence in six consecutive years (you can check our reviews here)… and we’ve also earned special praise in Lonely Planet magazine and The Guardian, as well as many other local and international media.
- We’re alternative! At Steel Donkeys we believe in showing people the real Barcelona, behind the touristic facades. You don’t need us to find La Sagrada Familia or Las Ramblas, but there are many other lesser known treasures that you won’t find by yourself… flea markets, food emporiums, picturesque squares, wonderful parks, cult cafes and bars, beautiful old cemeteries. We’ll show you a side of the city that only locals know!
Infos about our eBikes
- Anyone over 12 years old can ride an eBike. No driving license or special permit is required.
- Our eBikes, like any others, are very safe. There is a speed limit so you can they are always easy to control. They can be switch off in one move if anything happens.
- All of our bikes come equipped with bells, lights and lock and we can supply you with a safety helmet free of charge. Our e-bikes also have sit up comfortable saddles, three gears and easy handling.
- If you decide to keep your ebike for the rest of the day, know that the battery will last for the whole day, and if you want to keep it longer just stop by the e-bike rental shop and they will recharge it for you in about an hour. And of course, if it if it runs out of battery during a ride you can still use it as a normal bike.
