Biking in Black Rock City

Why biking in BRC?

A bike is almost essential at Burning Man because the event takes place in the Black Rock Desert, a vast and sprawling space covering several square miles. Black Rock City is massive, and walking everywhere would take a lot of time and energy (inside the trash fence is 6.149 square miles) Art installations, theme camps, and events are scattered all over the Playa. The desert terrain is flat but soft and dusty. Walking long distances in the dry and alkaline environment can be tiring and uncomfortable. Many activities happen after dark. A bike equipped with lights or decorations helps you navigate the Playa safely and ensures others can see you in the dark. Biking is a big part of the Burning Man experience. Most attendees use bikes as their primary mode of transport, so it helps you fit into the flow of the event.

Without a bike, you'll likely feel limited in how much you can explore and participate. It’s one of the best tools for making the most out of the Burning Man experience!

The Turtle Bikes

The camp owns a fleet of about 50 Priority Beach Cruisers which are ideal for playa condition. You can rent one if you camp with us.

• Our bikes are 3 speed step-through models.
• We provide a basket, lock, and minimum safety lights
• Rear forks are also available if you have a totem
• You should provide decorations, fancy lights, seat cushions, whatever you want to pimp your bike.
• As a courtesy to the next camper please return your bike un-decorated and de-festooned at the end of the burn

Please! Don't lose / break your bike! Although if the universe is against you, we'll unfortunately have to charge you the cost to replace it.

BYOB(ike)

If you would like to bring your own bike that is fine too.

And if you bring your own bike and would like us to store it for the next year, we can do that at a charge of $75

Due to fire risk we cannot store or transport batteries of e-bikes under any circumstances. However if you remove the battery we can store the e-bike with the rest of our bikes.

The Burning Man organization is rethinking their policy on e-bikes, so you’re on your own there

• In 2023 only Class-1 (pedal assist) E-bikes are permitted, and they are limited to 5mph, which is even slower than regular bikes.

Tips for using a bike at Burning Man:

• Decorate your bike to make it unique and easy to spot.
• Use lights and reflective materials to stay visible at night (no! people can't see you).
• Bring a lock to prevent accidental "borrowing" (bike theft isn't common but mix-ups happen).
• Protect your bike from the Playa dust with maintenance and a cover when not in use.

Where is my back? - every burner ever

The Turtle Bikes being assembled