Would, if the chance be available, anyone ever be interested in hiring a Downhill bike for day ??

It can be quite hard to actually give it go, without having to fork out on S/H job, without knowing if your are going to really enjoy it !

Any thoughts ?

don’t a few shops already do this? a friend of a friend hired a sunday from pearce cycles to give it a go, and i think the shop in innerleithen hire bikes too. possible gap in the market at other locations?

i hired a glory in queenstown as i only had my hardtail with me. definitely the best £30 i spent last year 😀

Yes, I’m aware that Pearce cycles do so, however, where we are based, yes there is a gap. We kinda specialize in Downhill, running a team ect. & I have already had some regulars of ours taking out old bikes.

Was just contemplating buying a few this actual purpose ..

From a business point of view… I think these days lots of people have excellent trailbikes which are more than up for downhill use, so instead of hiring a dh bike to try out dh, they just use what they have- that’s what I did. Even at the fort that seems to be the case. So I guess it depends a lot on your location.

TBH it makes a lot of sense though- I spent 2 grand on a downhill bike which I ride more than most folks, but even then when you cost it up per ride it’s kind of a financial disaster. If I could rely on hiring a good quality bike that’d fit me and be set up for me, then it’d make a lot more sense. I just really dislike learning new bikes, and I think a lot of people have had their fingers burned in the past by places that are penny-pinching on spec and maintenance but having to charge high prices to try and make ends meet. Naming no Offbeats.

IIRC Antur Stiniog has a shop/visitor’s centre on the way which is likely to include hire- so if they’re local to you that’s one to be aware of, might plug your gap.

I think people have tried before it’s usually flawed in that not a huge number of people want to rent them, and they’re put off by large deposits required to ensure such expensive bikes are simply stolen. But there are lots trail centres (usually the larger ones) that rent bikes out, because they have a market for it.

Although shops like torico near UKBP, pedalabikeaway near FOD etc. will normally let you use a demo dh bike for a day if you ask and are interested in buying.

Or just get up to the dh track near you on whatever you’ve got currently, meet people, make friends, try the tracks and try their bikes.

You can rent scott gamblers and other dh bikes from ps cycles near cwmdown. They have a big range of downhill rental bikes at fort bill too, so you could make a weekend of that if you wanted. Go with some mates, pitch a tent and have the full dh experience without buying a bike until you know you want to. Then there is glencoe and the nevis range who also rent dh bikes.

Also – ring the trail centres. If your nice there may well be people at the centre who will lend you a bike for a deposit if you pay for a full days track access, but it depends who you speak to.

Edit: sorry I thought you were posting from a personal POV not as a possible business opportunity. I would advise you to think very carefully before buying a fleet of dh bikes for rental – there are hundreds of pitfalls and there many very good trail centres out there who avoid rental for those reasons.

where are you based? i think for the dh bike rental to take off it’s best combined with uplifts – maybe an opportunity to get involved with local track development etc too. i’m heading down to antur stiniog in a few weekends time, a few of use have dh bikes but a few others don’t but are keen as mustard to have a bash. not even sure if they rent dh bikes from the website too

Hhhhmmm, good point. We are based in South-Central as I like to call it! (Newbury) & have a lots of locals (& further) whom head to FOD, & Wales ect.

I reckon it might be worth doing with just one bike. I kinda love running the team we have, and am always egging guys to come have a go. If we had a dedicated bike, and offered kit, for say, £30-£40 per day, It might work out. If not, Ill sell the bike! 🙂

I’ve never seen any of the shops in the Alps come up with a reasonable price on any of their hire bikes, (ie compared to the hassle of buying, fettling, transporting and reselling my own DH bike) and their rental market must be a lot bigger.

For that reason – I’m out.