A Boston bicycle tour that isn't just for tourists

Like many locals (and local bike riders), I can't stand those tank-sized duck boats. They're accompanied by cheesy guides who make tourists quack like ducks as they roll down Newbury Street.

Happily, there's a much better tour alternative -- and it's not just for visitors.

Urban Adventours is an environmentally friendly bike center that runs daily pedal-powered tours throughout the city and beyond. I recently joined them on their signature City View Bicycle Tour to see what all the hype was about. (They're currently rated the #1 Boston attraction on TripAdvisor.com.)

I easily found their new store font on Atlantic Ave and watched a couple from North Carolina get fitted on Specialized Globes -- gleaming city bikes that are both comfortable and efficient. Kid-sized bikes, extensions, and even tandems are available, too.

Our guide, Greg, gave us a brief orientation before we set out for the quiet, narrow back roads of the North End.

The three-hour, 12-mile tour involved surprisingly little traffic at a relaxed pace. Never did I feel unsafe nor bored by the sights.

This tour took us through the real Boston -- the wooden North End docks with views of Charlestown and Bunker Hill; the new Greenway and Zachim Bridge; the quaint, cobblestone neighborhood of Beacon Hill; past the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade; through BU and Kenmore to Fenway Park; along the Emerald Necklace to the MFA and Gardner Museum; through the residential and restaurant-packed South End; to Copley Square and the Common; past Filene's grave in Downtown Crossing; and all the way back to Long Wharf, where the tour ended amid seabirds and sailboats.

Along the way, Greg narrated with historical stories and quirky bits of information, some of which I knew and many of which I didn't. He taught me how to interpret the blinking weather forecast that flashes from the tower of the former Hancock building!

Whether you're a first-timer to the Hub or a born-and-bred Bostonian, this ride will orient you, build your urban riding confidence, and reveal lesser-know pockets of the city.

Who cares if you haven't been on a bike in five years? These guides are experienced cyclists and will take good care of you. Bring your kids, your wife, your colleagues or your bridal party. Do one of the nighttime tours our have them plot out a custom route. Don't feel like doing a tour? Rent a bike from them.

Because Boston's narrow roads and quiet trails are best explored by bicycle... not bus.

See more photos of the tour here.