A bicycle operating device includes a base, a pulling pawl, a positioning ratchet and a positioning pawl. The pulling pawl includes first and second apart contact parts that are spaced apart. The positioning pawl is movable between holding and releasing positions. The positioning pawl engages the positioning ratchet to selectively establish predetermined positions of the positioning ratchet while in the holding position. The positioning pawl disengages from the positioning ratchet to permit the positioning ratchet to move in one direction while in the releasing position. The first contact part contacts the positioning ratchet to move the positioning ratchet during movement of the positioning ratchet in the other direction from a first predetermined position of the predetermined positions. The second contact part contacts the positioning ratchet to move the positioning ratchet during movement of the positioning ratchet in the first direction from a second predetermined position of the predetermined positions.