Bicycle Tours of Atlanta: 2 wheels, 1 great view

There's nothing like touring Atlanta on a bicycle, guided by a native, coasting through historic neighborhoods, smelling the magnolia and listening to the birds.
Bicycle Tours of Atlanta, the only bicycle-based tour guide in the city, is the creation of  bicycle enthusiast Robyn Elliott, a lifelong resident.
"At Bicycle Tours of Atlanta, we believe there is no better way to see this great city than on two wheels," says Elliott in an accent soaked in sweet tea and cornbread.
All of the company's bicycles have wide, cushiony seats and easy gearing. Before each tour, Elliott and other guides adjust helmets, show tourists how to use the gears and hand out frosty bottles of water.
Tours departing daily from the company's headquarters in the Studioplex. Elliott and her guides offer a variety of tours at distances to appeal to everyone from Lance wannabes to those who haven't pedaled in years.
The Old South and New Beginnings Tour, for example, spins past the Victorian homes of the Ansley Park neighborhood, the hippie-chic Little Five Points area, the funky shot-gun homes in Cabbagetown, the historic Oakland Cemetery and the Martin Luther King Jr. Historic District.
Tours roll at an easy pace. Elliott makes frequent stops for water, warns tour members to gear down when an uphill stretcj is approaching, and points out interesting sites. During a tour of Inman Park, Elliott noted an octagonal metal "iron maiden" in a median. In the early 1900s, patrolmen used this to hold drunks until the paddy wagon arrived to relocate them to the jail.
On a recent tour, fireman and master bicycle mechanic Blake Scott served as the "sweeper," riding at the back of the group to help riders who lag behind. At another intersection, Scott rode ahead to "cork," or block oncoming traffic on a busy street to get a tour group safely on their way.
Bicycle Tours of Atlanta also offers lessons in how to operate a bicycle safety. Elliott and other guides are certified by the League of American Bicyclists to teach bike safety classes. The company can tailor each ride for the abilities and interests of participants. All tours are available by appointment.