Your bike riding guide for Malden
Location: Northern Strand Trail, Malden MA
What is bike riding?
Bike riding or cycling is either riding a bike on roads, known as road biking, or on dirt trails, known as mountain biking, or on gravel roads known as gravel riding. Most people know about bike riding as a sport, but did you know that Malden was an early hub for bicycle riding? The Malden Bicycle Club was formed in the 1890’s and helped popularize the sport of bicycle riding in its early years.
The Malden-based bike riding organization, Bike to the Sea, is working hard to finish one of the most popular cycling routes in the city: The Northern Strand Community Trail, which leads to Nahant Beach. Consider joining if you are new to the activity or a longtime cyclist.
Massachusetts state law requires anyone 16 years of age or younger to wear a bike helmet; however, we recommend people of all ages and ability levels to wear a helmet when on a bike.
The city of Malden and the state have several other laws cyclists should be aware of when riding. Here’s an overview for your and others’ safety.
-
A great place to start is by checking out the Malden Recreation Department for seasonal “Learn to ride a bike” programs.
REI also offers Learn to Ride programs for adults and kids in Malden!
The Malden Public Library also has a Great Malden Outdoors reading list to help you learn and inspire people to get outside!
-
You can ride bikes on almost any road in Malden, however, the city has recently installed a number of new bike lanes to make bike riding safer and easier for all.
The Northern Strand Community Trail is also a great option for road biking, and there are many trails for mountain biking in the Middlesex Fells. Here’s a riding map from Bike to the Sea.
Also check out The Great Malden Outdoors map for more details on where to bike around the city.
You can also stop by the Bike Kitchen during operating hours to work on your bike or say hi to fellow cyclists out for a ride.
For those looking to travel outside of Malden, check out the East Coast Greenway’s guide to go from Boston to the MA / NH state border!
-
The Northern Strand Community Trail, also known as the Bike to the Sea Trail or US Bicycle Route 1, is a 10-mile bike trail that will eventually connect the cities of Everett, Malden, Revere, Saugus, and Lynn to the Nahant and Revere Beaches.
The trail is part of the East Coast Greenway, a project planning to connect almost 3,000 miles of trail from Calais, Maine to Key West, Florida.
The path has been planned by Bike to the Sea, a non-profit cycling advocacy group, with help from the surrounding cities.
-
For people who’ve been recreating outside for years, this can be a common feeling. The desire to keep “your special place” a secret can be a strong one, but let’s change that perspective.
Instead of thinking about one more person in your way, think about one more person to help: maintain a trail, pick up trash, advocate for a new bill that increases funding to protect that place, and one more steward for The Great Outdoors. To help limit the impact on these precious natural spaces, we ask that everyone — from first-timers to lifers —follow the 7 Leave No Trace Principles so that we can all get outside.
-
Massachusetts state law requires anyone 16 years of age or younger to be wearing a bike helmet; however, we recommend people of all ages and ability levels to wear a helmet when on a bike. If you are in need of a helmet, please attend the annual Malden Bike Fair for the helmet giveaway.
-
If you need to tune up or fix your existing bike, visit the Malden Bike Kitchen, highlighted on the map of Malden.
-
The Bike to the Sea, Bike Kitchen is a community space that holds weekly “shop hours” to provide people with bike stands, tools, and cheap or free spare parts to fix their bikes easily.
Located at 158 Canal Street in Malden along the Northern Strand Community Trail, the shop is open on Wednesdays from 6 PM to 9 PM and Saturdays 10 AM to 1 PM. Visit their website for more information.
-
Yes, please check out Bike to the Sea to join one of their many group rides.
-
Yes, REI offers several classes for people of all ages and ability levels to learn to ride bikes.
-
Yes, please sign up for The Great Malden Outdoors email list for more information.
-
Yes! Please check out the Bike to the Sea volunteer page or more information.
-
The Bike to the Sea events calendar is a great place to learn about bike riding events in and around Malden.
Sign up for the Great Malden Outdoors emails in the form below to get updates about upcoming events.
Have you been outside in Malden? We need your help!
Please fill out the survey so we can better understand who and how you are going outside. Information is power and if we are to protect these spaces, we need to hear from you with this anonymous survey generously provided by the Outdoor Industry Association.
