Bike Hire In Lymington New Forest

Wheel life

Let’s face it, choosing a bike can be bewildering… electric, road, mountain… and what are gravel and hybrid bikes? Getting the right one for your day out is vital to make the most of your break, so here’s a little guidance:

The first one’s easy; road bikes, as you can guess, are designed for the road – and because of that they’d be useless on a mountain dirt track.Go off-road on one of these and its skinny tyres will mean little or no grip – stick to the tarmac. Icy roads can also be a problem.

Mountain bikes, funnily enough, are designed specifically to go on mountains – or on off-road trails; they’re heavier, chunkier and have tyres with a knobbly tread – and a sturdier frame which makes them better suited for seriously uneven terrain.

The in-between or hybrid option is, er, a hybrid – a mixture between the first two; part road bike and part mountain bike. They are versatile, offer some comfort (many will have front suspension), so if your New Forest trail is part road and part woodland trail, this is the bike for you.

Electric bikes have rocketed in popularity in recent years; they have a battery and a silent motor, and because of this they’re heavier than other bikes – but you’ll never again have to huff and puff up a hill.

Last but not least are gravel bikes, which have drop handlebars like a road bike, but the giveaway is they have much better grip tyres, so you can head off tarmac and onto trickier terrain – like gravel, loose dirt and shail tracks.

If you’re still unsure, simply ask the hire shop and, given your route, they’ll be able to advise on which type of bike to choose.

Lymington cycle hire

So that’s the wheels sorted – but where to get them? Happily, there’s a smörgåsbord of choice for Lymington bike hire, including Figgures Cycles, where prices start from £17 per day but go down to £10 if you’re borrowing it for seven or more days. If you need one a helmet is included, as well as a lock, pump and spare tube. They’re open Monday to Saturday but closed on Sundays, and currently don’t have e-bikes or children’s bikes for hire.

Head for Milford on Sea just down the coast from Lymington and you’ll find Jaunt-ebikes; as the name suggests, they specialise in electric bikes for hire, for collection or delivery. They’ll even add a picnic hamper if you want to make your day out extra special – now that sounds like our kind of cycle ride.

While they’re based in Burley, New Forest Cycling will deliver within a five-mile radius (but it must be a minimum of four bikes) – or, alternatively, the New Forest Tourist Bus stops right outside their front door if you want to pick up your bike in person. They have a wide range of bike types to hire – with free parking and bikes to hire from £20 per day. Helmets, locks and puncture kits are included in the price.

Finally, over in Brockenhurst at the railway station, is Cyclexperience; you’ll find all bike types, including trailers and child seats, and there are lots of route suggestions on their website.

Happy cycling!