Key West is four miles long and flat. Thirteen percent of the people who live here commute by bicycle. It is, genuinely, the right way to get around — and there is one rule that differs between a bike and an e-bike and catches every visitor who rents the wrong one.
Sidewalks: bikes yes, e-bikes no
“Due to the often narrow and congested sidewalks in Key West, generally, the sidewalks are available only for pedestrian and non-electric bicycle use. Exceptions to this allow for ADA compliance and usage along areas marked as ‘multi-use paths.’”
And for anything with a motor:
“Designated ‘multi-use paths’ generally include a wide area where operating an electric bicycle, motorized scooter, or other micromobility device is permissible, provided that the operator yields to pedestrians and doesn’t exceed 15mph.”
So an ordinary bicycle has the run of the sidewalks. An e-bike does not — it belongs on the road or on a marked multi-use path, at under 15 mph.
On an island where Duval’s sidewalks are narrow and crowded and the roads are slow, that difference matters more than it sounds.
What Florida counts as an e-bike
Worth knowing because rental fleets vary and so do the bikes people bring:
“Electric bicycles should display: classification 1, 2, or 3; top assisted speed (28MPH or less); and a motor wattage less than 750 watts. Motorized scooters must have a top speed that does not exceed 20MPH. Electric devices that don’t meet the parameters must seek registration.”
Florida gives e-bike and scooter riders “similar rights and responsibilities as operators of bicycles.” Anything outside those limits is a registrable vehicle rather than a bike.
This is a cycling town, officially
“In 2022, the City of Key West was awarded Bicycle Friendly Community status at the Bronze level by the League of American Bicyclists.”
“According to the U.S. Census, In Key West, nearly 13% of workers commute by bicycle.”
Thirteen percent is an extraordinary number for an American city. Drivers here are used to bikes in a way they are not in most places.
Free parking, with a clock on it
“Thousands of short-term bicycle parking locations across Key West are available for use by residents and visitors. Key West also maintains several secure bicycle lockers that are available at no charge. Unless otherwise posted, all public racks and lockers are temporarily available (72 hours maximum). Bike lockers must be secured with a user-supplied U-Lock.”
Free lockers, bring your own U-lock, 72-hour limit.
Theft, which the city addresses directly
“Always lock your bicycle when not in use to discourage theft. If your bicycle is stolen, you can file a report with the Key West Police Department.”
“Abandoned bicycles left on City property may be disposed of per Florida Statutes Chapter 705.”
The city’s own locking method, verbatim, because it is better advice than most rental shops give:
“U-lock secured to rack and around bike frame through rear triangle and wheel rim, / Cable secured through u-lock and around wheel, / Locking skewers (not quick release) for added security”
A rental you lose is a rental you pay for. Ask what the shop’s policy is before you take the bike, and lock it as above.
Why people rent bikes here, in one table
The city’s 2026 parking fine schedule:
| Violation | Fine |
|---|---|
| Parking on a bicycle lane, path, space or rack | $65 |
| Parking in a metered area longer than purchased | $65 |
| RV or vehicle over 20 feet in a city right-of-way or lot | $105 |
| Parking in an accessible space without a valid permit | $250 |
Against that, and against the $7-an-hour Mallory Square lot, a bicycle is not merely pleasant. It is the cheap option by a wide margin.
Where to rent, and what it costs
Three shops that publish their rates:
| Shop | Where | Cruiser |
|---|---|---|
| BikeMan Bike Rental Key West | Delivers to houses and hotels, free on a $60 minimum | $10 a day on multi-day rentals · $65 a week · $90 two weeks · $155 a month |
| Barefoot Billy’s | Casa Marina Resort, 720 Seminole Street | $20 the first day · $10 a day for days 2–4 · $60 for 5–7 days |
| WeCycle | Free delivery and pickup, Key West to Key Haven | From $14 a day |
Rates as published in September 2026, before sales tax — BikeMan states 7.5 percent on top. BikeMan also rents adult tricycles at $15 a day or $75 a week, and includes locks, lights, baskets and helmets. Barefoot Billy’s children’s bikes are $12 for a day, $10 a day after that and $50 for the week. WeCycle does not deliver to the cruise ship dock.
Rent by the week if you are here for more than three days. At Barefoot Billy’s a week costs the same as three single days, and BikeMan’s week is $65.
Bikes on buses
Free with a regular bus fare. Which means a bike plus the $2 city bus covers the whole island including the parts you do not feel like riding back from — more on the transit system here.
Where to actually ride
Old Town is the obvious answer and it is a twenty-minute crossing.
Out along the Atlantic side past Higgs and Smathers to the airport end is flat, straight and pleasant early in the day.
And up the Keys. The Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail starts here, and it is the reason a bike is worth renting for a full day rather than an hour — what it is and how far it goes.
Bike or e-bike?
A normal bike, almost certainly. The island is flat, nothing is more than four miles away, and an ordinary bicycle is allowed on sidewalks that an e-bike is not.
An e-bike makes sense if you are going up the Keys on the Heritage Trail, if distance is a genuine constraint, or if the heat is. Just know that you will be on the road or a marked path, at 15 mph, rather than weaving through Old Town on the sidewalk.
