How to Get a Bike in ‘Pokemon Let’s Go, Eevee and Pikachu’: What to Know

Bikes have been a huge part of the Pokémon experience ever since Ash stole Misty’s bicycle in Season 1 of the anime show (watch that iconic scene in the video above). They’ve also been key items in the games dating back to Red and Blue, but somewhat surprisingly, in Pokémon Let’s Go, Eevee and Let’s Go, Pikachu there’s not a bike in sight.

Here’s why, and how it changes the game, arguably for the better.

How to Get a Bike in Pokémon Let’s Go, Eevee and Pikachu

Short answer: You can’t. The latest game replaces bikes with Pokémon you can ride, which is actually a pretty huge upgrade even if you miss out on the nostalgia factor. Instead of zipping around town on a two-wheeler, you can jump hop onto your fastest Pokémon, as long as they’re powerful enough to carry your weight.

Here’s a full list of Pokémon you can ride, courtesy of Nintendo Insider:

Aerodactyl

Arcanine

Charizard

Dodrio

Dragonite

Gyarados

Haunter

Kangaskhan

Lapras

Machamp

Onix

Persian

Rapidash

Rhydon

Rhyhorn

Snorlax

Starmie

Tauros

Later on in the game, after you defeat the Elite Four, you’ll also be able to use your Pokémon to fly, just like in the original games.

It’s also worth noting that the decision to replace bikes with Pokémon isn’t exactly new. The same thing happened in Pokémon Sun and Moon, the final iterations of the game for Nintendo 3DS, suggesting the decision to ditch bikes could continue into the “core RPG” Pokémon game coming to Switch in 2019.

How to Ride Pokémon in Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee

Early on in the game, you probably won’t have any strong enough Pokémon to catch a ride. The one exception is Onix, who’s powerful enough to carry you but doesn’t exactly move very fast. Thankfully, there’s an easy way to get a Pokémon you can ride ASAP.

According to IGN, when you reach Vermillion City you’ll want to find a non-player character by a bench located between the Pokémon Fan Club and a house. Talk to them and they’ll give you a challenge. In Let’s Go, Pikachu, you’ll have to catch five Growlithe. In Let’s Go, Eevee, it’s five Meowth. In return, your reward will be an evolved version of the Pokémon you had to catch (Growlithe becomes Arcanine, Meowth becomes Persian).

To actually start riding, just press X on the controller or the red button on the Poké Ball Plus. Then select “Party,” pick the Pokémon, and then “Take out of Poké Ball.” When you exit the menu you’ll see your Pokémon right behind you waiting for you to hop on.

Pokémon Let’s Go Eevee and Let’s Go, Pikachu are available now for Nintendo Switch.