You can use Google Maps or CapMetro’s Trip Planner as well as the 2022 Austin Bike Map to help you plan your route before you ride around Austin.
Google Maps includes a bicycle facilities layer and suggested riding routes to your destination: Google Map of Austin, with the bicycle facilities layer enabled
Thanks to CapMetro‘s upgraded Trip Planner, you can plan your route and connections involving a mix of walking, biking (yours or MetroBike), busses, and rail.
The official City of Austin Bike Map is available here: 2022 Bike Map (Citywide)
Videos and Blog Posts on Using Google Maps for Bicycle Navigation and Route Planning are available in the Online Educational Videos And Tutorials section.
Free videos and tutorials covering a range of bicycle related skills. Airing up tires, fitting and adjusting your helmet, hand signals, and even learning to ride. You can find content on those topics and more below.
| Title | Created By | Description | Type (mm:ss) |
|---|---|---|---|
| How to Find Bike Routes Using Google Maps | Ghisallo Cycling Initiative | Using Google Maps for bicycle navigation and route planning. | video (01:48) |
| Biking Directions in Google Maps | Google Maps | Using Google Maps for bicycle navigation and route planning. | video (00:35) |
| How to Plan a Bike Route with Google Maps | Bike to Everything | Using Google Maps for bicycle navigation and route planning. | video (17:10) |
| How to Plan a Fun Bike Route with Google Maps | Bike to Everything | Using Google Maps for bicycle navigation and route planning. | blog (11:48) |
| ABCD Quick Check | Ghisallo Cycling Initiative | Performing an ABCD Quick Check (Air, Brakes, Chain, Drop) on your bicycle pre-ride. | video (06:44) |
| Finding and Adjusting Your Seat Height | Ghisallo Cycling Initiative | Finding and properly adjusting your bicycle seat height. | video (01:02) |
| 5 Steps of Helmet Fitting | Ghisallo Cycling Initiative | Checking and properly fitting your bicycle helmet. | video (02:09) |
| Hand Signals | Ghisallo Cycling Initiative | Using hand signals when riding your bike. | video (01:44) |
| How to Load Your Bike on a Bus | Ghisallo Cycling Initiative | How to load your bicycle onto the front rack of a CapMetro city bus. | video (00:33) |
| How to Load Your Bike on a Bus | Capital Metro | How to load your bicycle onto the front rack of a CapMetro city bus. | video (01:47) |
| How to use MetroBike | Capital Metro | How to check out and return a MetroBike, CapMetro and the City of Austin's bikeshare system. | video (04:10) |
| BikeStart - Learn to Ride | Ghisallo Cycling Initiative | A guide for learning how to ride a bicycle for any age. | storymap (variable) |
| City Cyclist at Home | Ghisallo Cycling Initiative | A guide for beginners to get comfortable biking. | storymap (variable) |
| Introduction to Bicycle Maintenance | Ghisallo Cycling Initiative | A guide for learning to fix and maintain your bicycle. | storymap (variable) |
Interested in getting some in-person assistance? Some of the opportunities and organizations in Austin offering clinics, classes, and individualized support are listed in the table below.
| Program | Provided By | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Earn-A-Bike Program | Yellow Bike | Earn your bike while learning basic bike mechanics and building bikes for Austin’s vulnerable communities identified by our community partners. No bike repair experience is necessary, but diligence, patience, and the ability to work independently with minimal instruction are highly recommended. |
| Bike to Work Day Route Planning | Ghisallo Cycling Initiative | Let us help you plan your Bike to Work Day route! This year we are offering free consultations to help you find a safe route to work. Just send us an email: info@ghisallo.org |
| Beginning City Cycling Clinics | Ghisallo Cycling Initiative | Beginning City Cycling is a 2-hour clinic for adults ages 18+ to learn and practice the skills necessary to feel comfortable and confident riding on city streets. The two hour clinic covers foundational commuter skills, such as a helmet fitting, the ABCD Quick Check, hand signals, bike handling techniques, as well as an on-road application of the learned skills through a group ride around the neighborhood. |
| Personalized Bike Commuter Training | Ghisallo Cycling Initiative | Our 30 minute Personalized Bike Commuter Training session will help you grow your knowledge, locate resources, and increase your confidence to undertake trips by bike. We also provide you with route and ride planning assistance so that you can know the best routes to get you where you want to go whether to work, a grocery store, your nearest park, or favorite pool. |
Need a bike or does your current bike need a tune-up or repair? Austin has a range of bike shops offering new bikes as well as bike mechanics to get you back on a bike. There is even a nonprofit community bike shop, Yellow Bike (yellow marker on the map).
Want to ride but not own and maintain? MetroBike has bikeshare stations available across the central Austin area.
Check out the maps below to find a bike shop that suits you, or the closest MetroBike station.
A map highlighting some of the car free bike trails across the greater Austin area. Paved and unpaved, casual cruising to mountain biking and BMX, you can probably find one that looks like a good ride to you.