If you don’t have your own bike, or you simply don’t want the hassle of bringing it (and all the kit) on holiday with you, then our New Forest cycle hire shops and centres are on hand to help you plan your cycling holiday or a day out on a bike.
The great things about cycling in the New Forest is we have over a hundred miles of safe off-road way marked routes for you to follow.
The New Forest is just 89 minutes by train from London Waterloo, so if you fancy heading here without a car then it’s not a problem. We have a cycle hire centre attached to Brockenhurst Railway Station and other cycle centres in the following towns and villages:
What type of bikes are available to hire?
Whether you fancy a short route with all the family, or a long-distance trail exploring the depths of the New Forest, there are various options available to you.
Mountain bikes are perfect for our off-road trails, electric bikes (e-bikes) are increasingly popular for everyone, not to help those who haven’t cycled for a while and want a little help with those hills, they are great for everyone to use. You can also hire road bikes for if you do fancy taking to the tarmac and hybrid bikes are also available, that are ideal for both on and off road trails. Gravel bikes are available to hire too, which are perfect for our 100+ miles of gravel tracks - the New Forest is a great place to go for this newly popular way of cycling. There are even cycle hire shops where you can rent out tandem bikes for the day, take a picnic with you and enjoy a romantic day out together!
For families, children’s bikes can be hired, as can tag-a-long and trailers, or children’s bike seats to go on the back of adult bikes, whatever is easiest for you.
Experience an even more fun cycling experience with Jaunt-e Bikes, offering hire of unique, retro super Monkey Bikes, that are electric! You'll be the coolest looking people out exploring the New Forest on a bike ride.
Your dog doesn’t have to be left behind either! Some of our cycle hire centres here offer doggy trailers that attach onto the back of your bike so your four-legged friend can come along for the journey too.
Our cycle hire shops also offer a bike repair service and the opportunity to hire safety equipment for your day out including helmets. Puncture repair kits and other essentials are usually supplied as well. If you aren’t sure about routes to go on then speak to the cycle hire shop for their suggested routes, some also have maps or GPS devices that you can borrow or purchase to help you navigate your way around the forest.
Bikes can usually be hired for a full day of riding, for short breaks or just for a half day too. Just speak to our cycle hire companies (listed below) to find out more. During busy periods like school holidays and bank holiday weekend, it is strongly recommended that you book your bike hire in advance to avoid disappointment.
How will I know where’s good to ride?
A great place to start is with the wide variety of cycling routes on our website, whether it’s easy family routes you are looking for or long distance routes for the more advanced cyclist, our handy maps and directions are great for you to follow.
Many of our cycle hire shops such as Cyclexperience, The Woods Cyclery, New Forest Cycling and New Forest Bikes will give you lots of ideas for routes, offer you free cycle maps and also sell more detailed maps in store. Cyclexperience also have a useful guiding app that you can use and follow routes from while you're out and about in the New Forest on your bike. New Forest Activities cycle hire centre in Beaulieu is exclusively for adults, so if you’re a couple or a group of friends looking to explore the New Forest on two wheels instead of four, they’ve got you covered. Guided cycling for groups is also available at New Forest Activities.
Purchase a copy of the Ordnance Survey Explorer map for the New Forest and you can see the large network of cycling routes, bridleways, trails and other routes that you can follow and enjoy here.
The New Forest National Park Authority is another great source of information for cycling in the national park. Within their website they have several suggested cycling routes, including some which are totally road-free, ideal for families. They also link their routes (all of which are listed and linked on our website) to the 'viewranger' app, which you can also use and follow cycling routes from.
Save money with your Go New Forest Card
Don’t forget to get your Go New Forest Card which includes discounts off many activities, including Bike Hire, places to eat and things to do within the New Forest! Purchase your Go New Forest Card today and start saving.
Happy exploring!
