2025 Bookings Now Available! Also, please note this winter we’re offering Private Tours only. Reserve your Private Holiday Lights Tour online—perfect for Birthdays, Bachelorettes, Team Building, Festive Sightseeing and more! Book now!

Detroit’s Favorite Pedal Pub for Team Outings

Get your team outside, moving, and actually enjoying each other’s company. For groups of 16 to 360, HandleBar is a pedal-powered party that turns any workday into a celebration. No cheesy icebreakers—just one unforgettable experience rolling through the heart of the city.

Planning team outings shouldn’t feel like another full-time job.

You’re already fielding Slack messages from four different departments, managing your regular workflow, and trying to get everyone excited to be in the office.

Now you’re expected to find something fun, new, and inclusive that makes leadership happy and your coworkers actually want to show up.

Your team doesn’t want to: 

  • Pretend to be thrilled about another trip to the golf simulator
  • Smile politely through awkward team games or group presentations
  • Sit through another lunch-and-learn while texting under the table

A fun and effortless team outing, without the stress of planning

Your coworkers get to pedal, laugh, and bond across departments while you get credit for planning something everyone actually enjoys. Every stop, every detail, and every waiver is handled. You just pick the date and we’ll take it from there.

Your outing begins

Your host greets your group and runs through all safety information before your wheels hit the road.

Pedal through Detroit

Cruise through the city on your own private pedal pub with music playing and drinks in hand.

Leave smiling

You look like a hero for booking something “different”, and your team actually bonds.

All food, drinks, and logistics included

Since 2012, HandleBar has made it easy for teams to get everything they need without chasing vendors or splitting tabs. Each package bundles the pedal pub experience, food, drinks, hosts, and safety protocols into one seamless plan. 

 

Your team enjoys the city, and you enjoy submitting one clean invoice to accounting.

 

  • Fully insured and compliant with all Michigan and Detroit regulations
  • Led by a trained, sober driver who adjusts routes in real-time based on traffic
  • Safety inspections and full equipment checks before every ride
Starting at $4,500 for your group of 16

or call (586) 960-5851

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you pick us up at our office?

Yes. Our top-tier package includes pickup anywhere within Detroit city limits. Your host will greet the group and handle everything from there.

Can you accommodate dietary restrictions?

Absolutely. We work directly with our food partners to make sure vegetarian, gluten-free, halal, and allergy-specific needs are covered.

What’s included in the price?

Each package includes your pedal pub experience, safety compliance, trained driver, music, snacks or meals, and drinks depending on the tier. Taxes and gratuity are included in most packages.

What happens if it rains or snows?

We ride rain or shine. The bikes have a canopy overhead, and your group is prepped in advance with what to expect. We also monitor weather closely and adjust routes in real time

How far in advance should I book?

The earlier the better. Thursdays and Fridays fill up fast. You can reserve now and cancel up to 14 days before for a full refund.

What if someone backs out last minute?

We’ve seen it all. We’ll work with you to adjust your guest count if changes happen in advance. For late dropouts, let’s talk—we’re flexible.

I’ve planned outings for my own teams too, and I’ve felt the pressure to get it right.

You’re trying to make it meaningful, make it fun, and make sure no one’s quietly rolling their eyes in the back. 
That’s part of why this work matters to me. HandleBar isn’t just about pedal pubs—it’s about creating moments that pull people out of the day-to-day and remind them why they like working together. 
It’s about energy, connection, and giving people something real to remember.
My background is in hospitality, but what drives me is bigger than that. I’m building something long-term here in Detroit. A network of experiences, spaces, and opportunities that all connect back to people.
If you bring your team to us, I want it to be something they talk about the next day and remember next year.
   
Cheers,
James Miller
Owner, HandleBar Detroit

Get the date & time you need.

Availability is limited. Reserve your ideal date and time today, cancel 14 days before your reservation for a full refund.

Fun Team Building Activities in Action

Detroit Corporate Team Building Activities

Get your team outside, moving, and actually enjoying each other’s company. For groups of 16 to 360, HandleBar is a pedal-powered party that turns any workday into a celebration. No cheesy icebreakers—just one unforgettable experience rolling through the heart of the city.

Planning team outings shouldn’t feel like another full-time job.

You’re already fielding Slack messages from four different departments, managing your regular workflow, and trying to get everyone excited to be in the office.

Now you’re expected to find something fun, new, and inclusive that makes leadership happy and your coworkers actually want to show up.

Your team doesn’t want to: 

  • Pretend to be thrilled about another trip to the golf simulator
  • Smile politely through awkward team games or group presentations
  • Sit through another lunch-and-learn while texting under the table

Fun Team Building Activities #1:  Convince the Group!

  • There are many reasons to do a HandleBar tour as your corporate team building, but we can start with 3 of them you can use to convince everyone:
  • A pedal pub is like a giant picnic table so group conversation is guaranteed, which means actual team building! (The boss will love this one)
  • Tours are FREE when the boss pays so talk your team into doing a tour and you can potentially join on the company’s dime. (everyone else will love this one)
  • Lastly you’re OUTSIDE in the open air, which is exactly what the doctors are all saying is what we should be doing in these strange COVID-19 reopening times.  A more elaborated list of reasons can also be found here

Fun Team Building Activities #2: Start Early

  • Allow the team to cut out of work early to help get participation!
  • Leaving 1 hour earlier than normal will ensure you don’t have someone choosing to sit in the office while everyone leaves for downtown.
  • Leaving work early puts everyone in a good mood for the tour and starts things out right!
  • If everyone knows they are leaving an hour early the same amount of work will get done as there will just be a little more efficiency.
  • Taking away the excuses people can’t attend is the biggest step in a successful team outing!

Fun Team Building Activities #3: Designate a Planner

  • Make sure you’ve got one person that is keeping communication w/ the team.  Whether it’s you or not, SOMEONE should definitely be the point-person!
  • You’ve for sure got at least one co-worker who won’t be paying attention to what they need to do or where to go.  We’ll give you all the information you need, but it’s good to double check with everyone.
  • You’ll also need to either coordinate the drinks or make sure people remember to budget the time to stop by the party store (Or buy to-go alcohol on site from the bar we start at)
  • Lastly, but probably most importantly, make sure everyone has the waiver done before they arrive (this is all outlined in the emails we send you when you book)

Fun Team Building Activities #4: Pro-tips to Speed up the Bonding

  • Some fun things to consider to make sure people are intermingling.
  • Force seat swapping after each stop.  If you force people to move around it’s likely they’ll get to know each other.  Team building is about the entire team getting to have real conversations and get to know each other, but sometimes it doesn’t happen without a nudge.
  • Rotate the DJ every song.  Not only will it keep the more quiet type person engaged, but it’ll get everyone to know what each other’s favorite music is.  A karaoke sesh is always more likely to break out when someone’s favorite song is on too, so there’s always that!  And what better way to get to know someone outside of work than to know what their favorite song is.
  • Lastly, let your driver take lots of group pictures.  You may think that one is enough, but it rarely works that way when you look at it the next day.  We always try to get you guys lots of options so embrace it knowing the next day you’ll be able to find the perfect angle that everyone has their eyes open for.
  • Anyway, there are lots of ideas, but if you do those we guarantee at the end of the tour you’ll be glad you did 🙂

Fun Team Building Activities #5: Food

  • Alcohol tolerances will vary: Not everyone on the team is still in their college drinking form.  Consuming on an empty stomach is a rookie move.
  • Bring some pretzels or chips to snack on during the ride.  (stuff you can eat with one hand, ie NOT pizza or BBQ :))
  • If you think it makes sense every bar has appetizers and ordering one or two for the table might be a good move.
  • For sure though, we always recommend making reservations after the tour somewhere to fill those bellies.  Tin Roof & Detroit Shipping Company have TONS of room for large groups and a variety of food options.  Plus they are where we start our tours so it’s very easy to just walk inside afterwards.  Also, order a round of waters with dinner because people will always drink up if they’re in front of them!

Final Thoughts on Team Building Tours w/ The HandleBar:

We give you a ton of information not only in this blog, but once you book a tour via emails and text messages we send you.  If you can believe it, we’ve even been told that we send you TOO MUCH info, haha.  Use this information to your advantage and share it with everyone in your group.  The more people know exactly what to expect (parking links, rules, waivers, carry out beer options if you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to pickup drinks on the way over, etc) the less of a chance you get one of those complainer type co-workers insinuating you didn’t communicate something clearly enough.  We’re experts at big groups and the city of Detroit so lean on us for any questions that you guys have.  We’ve operated HandleBar tours since 2012 and I can honestly say your group will be giving you major props if you book a team building tour with us!