HandleBar Party Bike FAQ

What you’ll want to bring along: 

• Beverages (beer/wine/seltzer ok!).  Must be in non-glass containers.  Riders may bring either up to 36 ounces of beer or 18 ounces of wine per person (per city ordinance). Don’t worry, we make bar stops along the way that have great drink specials to supplement what you bring on board.
• Snacks if you want (if you do, we recommend items that can be eaten with one hand)
• Cooler/Ice
• Playlist for music (Spotify/Pandora work great too!)
• Completed e-waivers for all customers (have your confirmation email ready on your phone)

What you can’t bring on board

• Liquor, jello shots, or personally mixed drinks
• Glass containers (we recommend boxed wine if you bring wine)

What drinks can I order at bar stops?

• Anything you’d like!  And drinks from the bars are allowed to be brought back to the bikes as long as they are first poured into DORA (downtown outdoor refreshment area) approved containers (plastic cups, provided by the bars 🙂 ).

All riders must fill out the e-waiver the day of the tour. This makes it easiest for you to find the confirmation email you receive upon completion of the waiver, which you can show directly from your phone to your Bar Handler when you climb aboard the bar bicycle. CLICK HERE FOR WAIVER

All riders must be 18 years or older and must be 21 or older to consume alcohol.

To see available dates and book your tour, visit our Booking page.

We operate from Mid-March through the end of the year, however, if you have a date/time outside of this window just email us at info@handlebartoledo.com and we can help!

Maximum capacity is 16 riders per bike

If you have a larger party than 16, you may rent multiple bikes.  Text us directly at 567.218.1660 to begin the process of setting up a multi-bike tour.

Detailed pricing info can be seen here

Have you ever been to a (fun) party without music? C’mon now!

Pro Tip: Create a playlist for your day, or queue up Spotify and plug into our stereo (we’ve got you covered with the hook-ups required and the speakers/stereo).

Our quicklinks page here even has recommended Spotify Playlists.  http://l.ead.me/baw3cC

All tours Start/End at 320 N. Ontario in the heart of downtown Toledo. Here’s a map.

Most people prefer that we take care of the route, but if you have something in mind all you have to do is tell your driver right before the tour (or during it). We stick to the Downtown Toledo districts such as the Warehouse District, Uptown.Adams St, and the Summit St area. Typically we stop at 2-3 spots for every tour, but how many you do depends on your pedaling and the amount of time you want to spend at each location.

Uptown / Adams St.:

Manhattan’s Pub and Cheer, Carlos Poco Loco, The Attic on Adams, Georgjz419, Wesleys, Ottawa Tavern

Warehouse District:

Ye Olde Cock N Bull, Fleetwood’s, Bronze Boar, Downtown Johnny’s, HomeSlice Pizza, Ye Olde Durty Bird, Black Cloister Brewing, The Blarney, Table Forty 4, M’Osteria, Mojo and Legends, PizzaPapalis, Chevy’s Place, Packo’s at the Park, Holy Toledo Tavern, Frickers, Chevy’s Place, Jeds Downtown

Summit St. / Near River Area:

The Heights Toledo, H20 Cafe, ICE, Mutz, Maumee Bay Brewery

We don’t take kickbacks from bars so we’re not obligated to take you anywhere you don’t want to go. There are also other bars all over downtown that we can go to – just ask us – we have no preference and will steer you towards the places we think you’d like. Most importantly: Don’t get stressed out about all the options – the vast majority of people just show up and let us take them around!

Cool your jets pal. Here she is: WAIVER

Downtown Toledo is home to over 80 bars and restaurants, so there are some serious options available! One of our personal favorite information resources is downtowntoledo.org. For an amazing list of downtown Toledo restaurants, broken down by type, head to downtowntoledo.org/dine/. This website even includes recommendations and Dining Spotlights about some of the best places in town!  

As much or as little as you’d like!  Pedaling faster makes us go faster, and we think pedaling is a fun part of the tour so we encourage it.  Need a break from the pedals?  Let our electric assist take over.  We also have 3 seats on our back bench and 2 of the bicycle seats that don’t even have pedals!

Visit our BOOKINGS PAGE to view all availability and book your tour. We require that bookings are made at least 2 days in advance, but if you are looking to book within 2 days of your requested tour, please text us at 567-218-1660 and we may be able to squeeze your group in!

We accept all major credit cards for payment.  A $39 nonrefundable deposit is due at the time of booking.  The remaining balance is due to be paid in full by 7 days prior to your tour (you will also receive email payment reminders, or you can pay the balance in full at any time up until 7 days prior to your tour).

If you are booking within 14 days of your scheduled tour, payment in full is due at the time of booking.

Cancellations are free minus the $39 nonrefundable deposit up until 7 days before your tour.  Reschedules are free until 7 days before your tour.

Forced cancellations due to Covid-related government restrictions will be refunded in full. (We hope this doesn’t have to happen in 2022 🙂 )

Cancellations more than 7 days out you can reschedule for no cost or you can get a refund to your credit card minus the $39 nonrefundable deposit. Cancellations less than 7 days out – No refund or rain check (you are responsible for the full price of the tour)

Please let us know if you need to cancel, as we will do our best to fill your tour. If we can fill your spot, we will refund you in full minus the $39 deposit.

Yep, you can purchase gift certificates for any dollar amount. They’re great for birthdays, work outings or even to donate to charity auctions to generate funds.

Purchase Gift Card

On the day of your tour, all riders must sign the e-waiver. Each rider must show their confirmation email received after completion as well as ID to ride.

The details are here.

If HandleBar judges the weather is subjectively bad enough (thunderstorms, freezing rain, etc), we will notify you at least 2 hours before the tour start time to offer a rain check. You may decide to still go as long as the weather is safe enough to ride. Never assume your ride is canceled.

We ride rain or shine. There is a large roof that overhangs in all directions to protect you from direct rain and we go into bars to dry off. No one likes to get wet when they’re dry, but once you’re wet we can tell you from experience that tours in the rain will often have more fun than not because of how much more ridiculous it makes the experience. Life is what you make of it and a HandleBar tour is no different 🙂 . Don’t believe us? Just check the reviews!

Please dress appropriately for predicted weather conditions.

As far as the pedaling goes, there are 10 sets of pedals. If you look closely you’ll see there are 12 “Bike Barstools” total (6 on each side) but only 10 total pedaling seats (5 on each side). Each side also has a seat over the wheels, which means they don’t have pedals. Each bike also has a bench in the back that seats 3 people who want a rest or just want to relax. As long as a group has at least 6 people pedaling, it is not difficult to pedal.

Passengers shorter than 5’3”  may have a hard time reaching pedals on our standard height seats. We do have 3 pedal seats per bike that adjust downward, which may help those under 5’3″ reach the pedals. 

There is a maximum weight of 300 pounds for people on the bike seats.

The bench at the back of the bike is perfect for those who don’t fit the height and weight limitations. 

So many options: Check em out here.

Really, anything can be worn and you’ll be okay, but remember you’re pedaling a bike so consider that when picking out your wardrobe. We do, however, recommend you not wear sandals as they can easily come off while pedaling.

No problem! We have tours where people just want to ride and enjoy the unique experience. The HandleBar is always a blast and we welcome everyone.

Yes! The dimensions of the parts you can decorate can be found below. Decorations can be hung anywhere on the bike with the exception of covering our HandleBar website address. We recommend zip ties, rope, or string for attachment methods. We do not allow tape as duct tape removes the varnish from the wood and scotch tape is not strong enough to hold.

Yes! Riders are allowed to bring beer, wine, seltzer and other prepackaged drinks like hard seltzer and Bud Light Lime-aritas! Couple notes: hard liquor and glass containers of any type are STRICTLY prohibited on board, unless you have a mixed drink from a bar in a To Go DORA cup (for information on DORA, visit downtowntoledo.org) . Many of the bars in Downtown Toledo offer great drink and shot specials for our riders, so if you’d like to drink liquor, we recommend grabbing a quick shot at one of the bar stops or getting a mixed drink in a To Go DORA cup during one of our stops.

It’s actually illegal for us to provide alcohol, but the good news is you can Bring Your Own Bar®️  Alcoholic beverages are limited to beer, seltzers, and wine when it comes to BYOB. Mixed drinks and hard liquor are not allowed to be BYOB on The Handlebar, however, if we are in a DORA district you may purchase a to go mixed drink from a bar and bring it on board.  We have tons of space on the roof rack for food, beverages, and coolers. In the middle of the bike, we have more space for large coolers 2 feet in width or less.

Nope, the City of Toledo outlaws kegs on board. Trust us though, even if they were legal, you wouldn’t want to bring one. Kegs get super foamy during the ride they are harder to keep cold and it gets very messy trying to fill 16 cups throughout the tour. That and everyone is so picky these days; who can agree to all drink the same thing ?!

Cans are the way to go folks.

Your Bar Handler is an expert at navigating downtown Toledo and will handle the route, unless you have specific places you really want to go. We’re more than happy to tailor the route to where you want to go. Our typical route includes stops along Adams St in Uptown, along with stops in the Warehouse District near 5th /3rd Field. We also make stops at bars by the Huntington Center and along Summit St!  Additionally we always make sure to get a group photo at one of many cool spots along the way.

Each tour comes with your very own Bar Handler. He or she will steer the bike for you, get pictures along the way, keep you fueled and guide you through some of the coolest areas of town. We could not be more proud of the crew of hard working Bar Handlers that have joined our team over the years.

The Bar Handler is also in charge of the bike, so what they say goes.

Absolutely! The specials change from time to time so just ask your Bar Handler on the day of the tour, and they’ll have the latest and greatest info.

Have you ever been to a (fun) party without music? C’mon now!

Pro Tip: Create a playlist for your day, or queue up Spotify and plug into our stereo (we’ve got you covered with the hook-ups required and the speakers/stereo).

Here is our quick links page which has some Spotify Playlist recommendations.  http://l.ead.me/baw3cC

You will be charged a late fee if you do not return The HandleBar to the starting point on time. The time it takes to complete a tour is up to the people pedaling. The Bar Handler will assist in keeping you on time. We have test-pedaled all routes and know how long they take. We have never had this be an issue!

Yes! Our drivers accept cash tips, and each bike has a “Feelin Tip$y” jar on board just for that purpose. If you’re new school and want to tip your driver via Venmo or PayPal, no problem, just ask them for their Venmo/PayPal ID and they’d probably be more than happy to share it!