Where to hire a decent MTB in Dorset (or maybe Hampshire)

We’re going down to Bournemouth to stay with my mum next month. I would take my bike but we have a small car (Audi A2) and fitting the bike in plus everything else we need to take is going to be a squeeze. If the weather looks great then maybe, but it’s an ache in the posterior if I’m not going to ride it much.

So, where could I hire a decent bike (electric possibly..?) in and around Bournemouth/Poole/Purbecks? There are a few bike hire places I’ve found online but the bikes look a bit ho-hum, tbh.

When do you plan to ride? If my Raceface crank axle turns up, I can lend you a Hardtail.

That’s very kind! Not sure yet, depends on weather and familial obligations. We’re down 5th to 12th of June so hoping to squeeze at least one (maybe two?) days on the bike.

That should be fine, it was estimated for delivery last Thursday so should turn up early this week, if it’s not here by Thursday, I’ll be pulling the trigger on some cheap 155mm Unite ones anyway.

Bring spd’s if you want them, otherwise it has Vaults, it’s an Airdrop Bitmap with a 170mm AXS Reverb, so should be good unless you are particularly tall or short.

Turns out you can fit a Solaris Max in an Audi A2. Just need to work out where the rest of luggage, plus cat, is going to go!

Turns out you can fit a Solaris Max in an Audi A2. Just need to work out where the rest of luggage, plus cat, is going to go!

#vanlife 😉