..what must-ride trails would people who’ve been there recommend?

I’m assuming Porcupine Rim and the Slickrock trail are top of the list – is there anything else I could/should fit in? And any recommendations for bike hire companies would be gratefully received. 😀

If you’ve only one day don’t bother with the slickrock trail as a priority. Get Poison Spider bike shuttle to the top of Hazzard, and you’ve some 6000ft of descending to do (including porc rim) with requires a fair amount of energy expenditure I promise you! If you’re not knackered after that then, fair play, and off to warm down your arm-pump on Slickrock.

We hired bikes from Poison spider http://www.poisonspiderbicycles.com They swapped the brakes and SPDs without blinking. Great bunch of people and very laid back.
Don’t forget to take lots water and food as you don’t sweat so don’t notice how dehydrated you are getting. We went in September and did slickrock and nearly bonked at the end of it. The next day when we did Porcupine we made sure we took enough water. Also the bakery in Moab use to do fantastic filled rolls.
Porcupine – MrPP said if you fall, fall to the left like I couldn’t see the rocky cliff edge on my right!
And as Rexated said do one or the other, both in 1 day is extreme! They are both different styles as well – Porcupine is rocky downhill with drops offs, slickrock is undulating smooth surface with sand pits at the bases of some of the descents.

rexated +1 (“The Whole Enchilada”)

Slickrock trail kills an hour or two but it doesn’t go anywhere. Fun but not an adventure.

porcupine rim is just an awesome ride, if I went back I’d look at the whole enchilad but think its a BIG ride. Slickrock is fun and you kind of have to do it but honestly having done them, I’d pick porcupine, shuttle to the start and away you go.

have food in Zax too! they do great food and is a great place to hang out after a days riding

1 Day in Moab when? In the summer it is really too hot to ride in the middle of the day.
Not been to Moab for 10 years.
The first time I rode Slickrock I was disappointed, thinking is that it? As the mags had made it sound such a technical trail, which its not. Having said that it is a good trail and I enjoyed it the 2nd time. It will only take you 1 to 1.5 hours max.
Did not do Porcupine Rim as if i recall you have a long road ride or need a shuttle back to your car.

I went mid/late Sept last year and it was up to 114F 😯 in the middle of the day.
best time to ride would be late afternoon you get some spectacular sunsets in the evening on the ride back into town

I rode in Moab about 14 years ago. Had an off after about 2 miles of Slickrock that took a massive chunk of skin off one knee. Had to walk back to the van barefoot, as the soles of my shoes (and the toe studs which I had neglected to remove) provided zero grip. The resulting hike gave me blood blisters the diameter of a Cannondale head tube on the bottom of my feet. So I bottled out of Porcupine Rim the following day… But the trail I rode (the name of which I can’t remember, but I think had “loop” in there somewhere) was amazing.

Just been there and I agree with the above. It was fairly hot in March so it’ll be scorching later.
Slickrock Trail is ok but I wouldn’t call it fun. More of a struggle and not a great deal of flow as it’s VERY up and down.
Porcupine Rim has to be the ONE trail. The most fun, stunning and truely awe filled ride I’ve done. Two miles of up at the start then 12 mile of down rocky, technical, fast and flowy sections. The last bit is very tricky and was advised to hike the worst bits as there is a terminal drop to the right.
There are regular shuttles from the town (Poison Spider Bicycles is one) at around $20. The ride back to town isn’t that far either, some on road but a lot of cycle path. Actually quite a nice warm down ride if you ignore the huge vans that they call cars over there whizzing past.