The granddaddy of local bike businesses (with 37 years and counting), the Alt is famous for its friendly staff and formidable repair shop. But when it comes to shopping, they have an unbeatable spread of boutique-brand bikes.

This Warehouse District coffeehouse/bike-shop hybrid (and occasional gallery) caters to architects, graphic designers and other creatives. Riders on tight budgets, don't miss the near-steals in the Bicycle Junkyard!

The shop with the coolest name, Behind Bars has become the unofficial arbiter of bike-art culture in funky northeast Minneapolis. Staffers are friendly and handy with wrenches to boot.

Clean, easy-to-browse showrooms loaded with big-brand bikes? Check. But the best thing about Freewheel? It's the Twin Cities' trailblazer when it comes to bike education. It was the first to offer bike-repair classes and private lessons for aspiring gearheads.

The Twin Cities' only cooperative, worker-owned bike shop, the Hub has multiple appeal for socially progressive riders: It offers a fine stock of used bikes. The shop also promotes environmentally friendly causes.

Come summertime, tasty fish tacos lure throngs of leisurely two-wheelers, Schwinn family-packs and other fair-weather pedalers. Located in Minnehaha Park, just steps from the waterfall, this outdoor dining spot is a true bicycling haven.

Classier than you might think, with rakish cycling wear, boutique brand bicycles and excellent espresso drinks, this upstart coffeehouse/bike shop is best enjoyed by sophisticated cyclists. Bonus: the shop's proximity to trails at Lakes Hiawatha and Nokomis.

Think knee-high stockings and tweed caps. If it's a weekend afternoon, the gentlemen cyclists are sure to be pulling up on their Dunelt, Hetchins and other British-made bikes.

The only sure-fire place to spot cyclists breaking collarbones, this cereal bowl is the summertime setting for time trials and hard-core fixed-gear sprints. Check the website for events.

Perhaps it's the location (close to the Stone Arch Bridge), or maybe it's the casual environs (a tattered old factory without proper heat or air conditioning). Whatever the case, no gallery attracts so many cyclists to its openings and outdoor events like the Ten Second Film Festival on July 4th.

Two days and 150 miles, from Duluth to White Bear Lake -- all in the service of raising money to cure multiple sclerosis. The caravan stops overnight at Grand Casino Hinckley.

The culmination of the Nature Valley Grand Prix, this perverse race subjects Lycra-clad competitors to the abominable Chilhoot Hill -- multiple laps, too, since this is a criterium, or circuit, course. For spectators, though, the pleasant scene is reminiscent of the Tour de France, with fans clogging the ultra-steep lane.

With a few quality features, documentaries and shorts by and about bicyclists, the 10th annual BFF stops in all the world's major cities -- London, Paris, Toyko, plus major bike hubs like Minneapolis and Portland.

A casual alleycat race around Minneapolis bike landmarks, featuring wacky checkpoint challenges and sponsored by New Belgium Brewing. The Vita.mn team took 19th place in 2008 but manages to do worse every year.

How many laps can you complete in 24 hours? Recruit a team of two or four mountain bikers and head for this off-road/camping event at Afton Alps. Beginners, please practice sanity -- register for the 8-hour race instead.

The nation's largest alleycat race for women, this scavenger hunt-like event offers a great opportunity to befriend fellow female cyclists. Men may volunteer -- just don't be creepy, OK?

Shrouded in secrecy, this cold-weather and beer-laden event has achieved something remarkable in its 13 years -- the event is now regarded as ultra-cool and attracts many outsider cyclists to our frozen tundra.