Bike Hire:

There are two types of bike rentals to consider. Those that will get you around the general urban areas and those needed to go tackle the majority of trails described herein. Warning: Bikes can go missing at the blink of an eye, especially the fancy looking ones that you may bring with you. Needless to say such bikes will standout as much as a white person sitting cross legged on the steps of Pashupartinath, so watch your bike!. Be sure you have a quality bike lock and attach it to something permanent when you intend parting company with your trail companion, or you could be lonelly & walking.

City Riding:

A rented bicycle (saikal) can be found on almost any of the main downtown tourist precincts, especially Thamel. None are better than another & it’s a matter of stumbling on the operator who has the newest bikes. Little attention is given to maintenance and reliable repairs and they care little if it breaks down once you’re out of sight. These are Indian brand bikes that can loosely be termed ‘mountain bikes’, only because they resemble the look of a mountain bike and the sticker says so! Their components are cheap and will not withstand the riggers of off-road ridding. Don’t plan to take these far useless you are prepared to walk them home. They are fine for city riding and getting around the local sites at a very reasonable rate.

Hire charges: Approx. Rs20/hr or Rs150/day.

As a matter of interest the big navy green Indian clunkers can be bought new for about Rs4,000 and good second hand for Rs 3,000 (US$45).

Hire Tips:

Trail & Off Road

These are the real thing and can only be found in the 2 locations detailed under ‘mountain bike tour operators’ i.e. Himalayan Mountain Bikes & Dawn till Dusk. These bikes are quite new models and comprise many of the most popular brand names. Not many come with front shocks and generally they are well maintained. It will be your job to check over the bike and make sure all is to your liking.

The hire cost is between $10-15/day for a bike; the model and features of the bike, on offer, will determine this. A discount may apply if you are hiring a bike for a longer period of time i.e. 2 weeks. Briefly the main difference is as follows:

Himalayan Mountain Bikes:

HMB has a full time mechanic to maintain the bikes available. They keep a separate fleet of hire bikes from the tour bikes, all serviced daily. Cycling clothing, t-shirts and spare parts, bike boxes ( packing service), pack racks & panniers ( saddle bags) are available.. These are available in Kathmandu & Pokhara.

Dawn till Dusk:

A single fleet of bikes is kept for all purposes and as such when tours are operating there maybe a smaller selection of bikes & sizes to choose from. Some spare parts may be available for purchase.

Hire Tips:

• Book your bike as soon as possible rather than the day before you plan to start riding.
• You’ll need to leave a passport or something worthwhile as security.
• Panniers & racks can often be available.
• You’ll be responsible to cover loss or damage to the bikes.
• Cycle clothing is not available
• It’s best to come with your own tool kit, pump, puncture repair kit and inner tube(s).
• If you are somewhat attached to your helmet, bike saddle/seat or peddles (SPD’s etc) bring them along and they should be able to be fitted to your hire bike for comfort.
• A small hammer bell or any bell is very handy on/off the trails, to give as a warning.