Things You Should Know
About Our PortCity Bike Tours 

A. We do have a bathroom located at our shop. There are also several opportunities to use the toilet at each of our stops. The Nature and Wildlife Tour has a green door!

A. We are proud to have a wide range of regularly scheduled tour offerings, but if you’re looking for something extra special, we offer personalized, customizable, and unique private tours. From private parties, teams, groups, small corporate events, and family outings, we can create a special tour just for your group. We're located minutes from most hotels, inns, restaurants, and attractions! ​ Our past tours have been based on: forts, coastal, park spaces, green infrastructure, and more! We also have established routes like the Islands and Harbor, Coastal and Seaside Villages, and a Hidden Neighborhood bike tour, which are all offered as private tours. Please call for more information regarding grouping and sign-up sheets.

Riders should have experience using multi-gears. Most adults and youths find our rides easy in terms of terrain and physical exertion, however, we do ask that participants have some knowledge of shifting and biking in general. ​

A: Riders should have prior experience with cycling on multi-gear bikes. Most adults find the ride in need of more physical exertion. We do ask that participants have some knowledge of bicycling for 20 + miles, gear-shifting, and biking in general. We will be stopping a few times in Portsmouth, New Castle, Rye and North Hampton. ​

On this two-hour bike tour, come and celebrate our 400th-year anniversary. Your tour guide will share with you the transformation of each of the neighborhoods in Portsmouth over the last 400 years from the revitalization of the former Italian North End "Little Italy" to the Strawbery Banke's historic homes of the former "Puddle Dock" neighborhood to the new cheeky West End's "Brooklyn" neighborhood. This area was once touted as the #1 brewery in the country by the former Frank Jones Brewery. We'll make our way through the former working-class area of the Creek Neighborhood or "Christian Shore".  From here, we don't want to miss the Atlantic Heights neighborhood, once a government-owned shipbuilding site and former government housing.  We'll ride by the USS Albacore, the research submarine that pioneered the American version of the teardrop hull form of modern submarines. You'll discover the real Portsmouth; a unique, eclectic, vibrant, magnetic, working-class city that you will want to visit again.

A: Our bikes are kept in working and safe condition. Our bikes are maintained and tuned to be in safe working order by a certified mechanic. We have a selection of fitted comfortable bikes to keep the pace of the group. We'll be traveling on varied surfaces that require special tires. Please call 603-969-1866 to inquire.

A: Yes, all guests must sign a waiver and release form.

A: All of PortCity Bike Tours bikes are top of the line, well maintained, expertly fitted, and safe. We provide each rider with a helmet as well. Moreover, PortCity Bike Tours is a fully insured company. Your safety and comfort are of the utmost importance to us. Be sure to arrive 30 minutes prior to departure time in order to have your bike and helmet fitted by one of our experienced tour guides. All bikes and helmets are fully outfitted with reflectors and reflective strips. Lights are available for those who will be riding at night in the Fall. ​

A: All of our tours will start at our location at a convenient spot in town. You will be notified by text or email once booked. You'll meet at our PortCity BIke Tour location at 43 Middle Street where you will check-in, meet your tour guide, and get fitted with a bicycle and helmet. We will go over the rules of the road, bike safety, and how to operate and shift the bicycle. You will have a chance to test ride your bike to ensure a proper fit and then we’ll get you on your way exploring Portsmouth! Sights and stops vary depending on which tour you have selected, but most tours stop about every mile or so en route to our historical sites or cultural landmarks, where the guide will tell you about the stop and give you some time to take photos. ​

A: Absolutely! For children, we offer tag-a-long bikes and toddler seats that easily attach to the parent/guardian’s bicycle. If renting a tag-a-long or child seat, they must be able to safely ride while you, navigate streets, and traffic and ride for 2 hours. Check out our stock here to learn more. Due to limited children's equipment, we suggest you call us to reserve it in advance. Toddlers must be 2 years and older and up to 40 pounds. We request that if this is a public tour, the child and parent have had experience riding. A frame-mounted rear bike seat will be securely and safely attached to the adult bicycle when you arrive. If you are unsure about being able to ride for 15-20 minutes at a time, please select our private bike tour that has a go-with-the-flow. The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute urges parents to take care when dismounting the adult bicycle. ​

A: Tipping your tour guide is customary, and a thoughtful way to show your gratitude for a great service. An automatic 20 % gratuity will be added to custom and private tours. ​ ​ ​

A. Parking on State Street out front of the John Paul Jones House, 43 Middle Street. There is free parking at the Mason Lot corner of Middle Street and Miller Avenue and a five-minute walk to our location.

A. We are located at the Historic John Paul Jones House, 43 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH. 603-969-1866

We do ask that you bring bottled water. We do have a bubbler to refill your water and we have water for sale. We do have a bottle holder on the bicycle.

A. All of our guides are required to be certified in first aid before they become a tour guide.

A. We have a small bag on the bike to hold a phone, keys and such. The bag is about 8x4x6.

Refund & Rescheduling Policy Public Tours ​ Cancellation of the tour (including a rental by our guests) — We realize that life is unpredictable. Booking an event for a future date is always a bit uncertain. If for any reason any of our guests need to cancel a booked tour, we will follow these simple guidelines: Cancellations received up to 72 hours before the booked tour date/time ————— Full refund. (less a 20% cancellation fee) Cancellation of a tour by our guests within 72 hours of a tour date/time --------- will result in no refund. You can convert your tour ticket price to a gift card. Just give us a call. Rescheduling requests are processed at the sole discretion of the employee making the transaction. If you are within 48 hours of your tour start time, you may reschedule, (subject to availability) Reservations can only be rescheduled only once. Failure to arrive 30 minutes before your tour departure time may result in your space on the tour being given away. You will not receive a refund or credit for your tour. Late arrivals will not be able to catch up to the tour. Our seats are limited for a one-on-one experience. Please understand that our tour groups are very small, and if we receive a cancellation very close to the actual tour date, ( less than 3 days ) it will be difficult to book that canceled space for another guest.

We have several options for families with children. Our private tour is a great way to go with the flow. We are experienced in tours with families and know that in the best case, children prefer a go-with-the-flow. On our private tours, we have the option to stop for ice cream or skip rocks in the river or hop on a jungle gym. Also, there is a great little around-the-globe museum to stop for a few minutes. We also have the City View Historic Neighborhood Bike Tour in the city riding on side streets and about 7-9 miles. The Nature and Wildlife Tour is mostly off-road and on a trail and is also ideal for families with kids over 8 years old.

Private and Group Tours Amendments to group number can be made at any point up to 48 hours prior to the tour, there will be no refund for a reduction in the number of guests. Amendment to the tour date can be requested up to 7 days prior to tour commencement. We cannot guarantee availability, however, we will always try to reschedule your tour. Booking a private tour will require a 50% deposit for groups of over 15 guests to hold the date and time, otherwise. Tour deposits must be paid in full 30 days prior to the tour date. Cancellations received greater than 14 days prior to the tour are entitled to a full refund. Cancellations received within 14 days of the tour are non-refundable, with no exceptions. ​ Weather Related Rescheduling and Cancellations Our tours run rain or shine, except in the case of extreme weather conditions such as lightning, hail, torrential rain, etc. In some circumstances, tours may be canceled up to an hour before the event's start time. The decision to cancel the tour is up to the sole discretion of PortCity Bike Tours. If we cancel the tour or event, ticket-holders will be allowed to reschedule tickets (subject to availability) or we'll refund the ticket if we cannot reschedule. Our tours are small and our fleet is limited. Rescheduling requests are processed at the sole discretion of the employee making the transaction. Reservations may be rescheduled only once and are subject to availability. Failure to arrive 30 minutes before your tour departure time may result in your space on the tour being given away. You will not receive a refund or credit for your tour.

We request that you know how to ride a bicycle and shift. We will be riding on the streets and if you are an inexperienced rider, we may have to direct you to a private bike tour. In some instances, we may feel that you are a safety risk and have a high probability of injuring yourself or others, so we may need to cancel your tour. You will not be refunded if we cancel your tour due to a safety and liability risk.