It depends on how much bike you need. Here are the particulars, and the 100 number in the address indicates how many blocks from the State Capitol building each is located:

Budget Bicycle Center (no website, but worth the phone call) 930 Regent Street 608-251-1663

930 Regent St is Budget Bicycle Center’s Used Bike Sales & Bike Rental location; Budget has other locations on Regent St for clothing & accessories, new bikes, etc).

~100 rental bikes; will also negotiate long-term rental on hundreds (really)of used bikes

Madison’s Red Bike Program (run by Budget Bicycle Center) They loan out bikes for a $40 deposit for the bike and a $20 deposit for a lock. The user is responsible for the bike. When it is returned, the deposit is returned. If the key to the lock has been lost, there is a $5 charge.

(from: dir.civc.wisc.edu/view.asp… )

Williamson Bicycle Works & Fitness www.willybikes.com aka Willy Bikes

640 West Washington Ave 608-255-5292) ~30 rental bikes, including ~7 road bikes

Yellow Jersey www.yellowjersey.org

419 State Street 608-257-4737

6 rental bikes available, NO RESERVATIONS – first come, first served ONLY

Machinery Row Bicycles www.machineryrowbicycles.com

601 Williamson St 608-442-5974 ~40 rental bikes

We also now have commuter bikes to ride from one location to another in town, sponsored by Trek.... http://madison.bcycle.com