| Mountain bike is a sport that is rapidly taking off | | | | Be Prepared on Your Mountain Biking Tour |
| around the world. So great is its popularity that | | | | You'll also want to be prepared for the weather |
| travel companies are taking advantage of this and | | | | by bringing rain gear. You'll want an extra pair of |
| offering mountain biking tours. Whether you are | | | | shoes in case your first pair gets wet. You'll need |
| new to the sport or a seasoned veteran, you are | | | | sunscreen and insect repellant. It's always a good |
| bound to find a tour that will appeal to you. | | | | idea to bring your own water bottle, not to |
| Because there are so many companies offering | | | | mention a hydration pack. |
| mountain bike tours, you have to do a great deal | | | | Below we give just a few examples of |
| of research in advance to make sure you go with | | | | businesses that offer mountain biking tours. |
| the best company. Typically, it's best to go with a | | | | Rim Tours has been offering mountain biking |
| tour company that is already well established, so | | | | tours in the back country locations of the |
| that you know they are reputable and give good | | | | Western United States since 1985. The names will |
| service. | | | | be familiar to all mountain biking enthusiasts: Utah, |
| When researching tour companies, an important | | | | Moab, Canyonlands National Park, Bryce and Zion |
| piece of information to find out is what there | | | | National Parks, the North Rim in Grand Canyon |
| cancellation policy is. Typically companies allow you | | | | National Park; the Kokopelli Trail, Fruita, Crested |
| to cancel without penalty up until 60 days before | | | | Butte and Durango, Colorado. |
| the start of the tour, after that you may have to | | | | Did you know you could go mountain biking in |
| forfeit any deposit you've put down, and if you | | | | Australia? A company called Mountain Bike Tours |
| cancel within days of the tour you may lose the | | | | offers day tours to Byron Bay's Hinterland |
| entire price of the tour! So make sure you | | | | (Northern NSW) - you'll see a protected |
| understand the fine print before you sign on the | | | | subtropical rainforest, deep gorges and famous |
| dotted line. | | | | cascading waterfalls and you'll learn about historic |
| Because of the popularity of the internet, it's easy | | | | pioneering postal routes and early logging tracks |
| to find the right mountain biking tour for you. | | | | and trails. |
| Unlike leisure biking tours which can extend over | | | | Ever heard of the Carpathian mountains of |
| the course of several days, mountain biking tours | | | | Transylvania? Feel like biking by Dracula's castle? |
| typically only last for two or three days, although | | | | Well, a company called Active Holidays offers |
| some do last for five. There are also mountain | | | | such a tour. The inhabitants of Transylvania still |
| biking tours that cater specifically to women, and | | | | work the land, and old farmers still uses horses |
| those that cater to families. | | | | and carts. The cycling routes average 40 miles a |
| When you're going on these tours, you may want | | | | day so you'd better be pretty fit, but there's |
| to bring your own bike, or you can rent one from | | | | plenty of time stop and visit a fewancient |
| the tour company. However, you simply must | | | | fortresses, citadels or fortified churches. |
| bring your own helmet and gloves. The last thing | | | | If you like the exotic - give Transylvania a try |
| you want to do is trust your safety to an ill-fitting | | | | today. |
| helmet. Bring your own and make sure! If you're | | | | By searching the web for any of your other |
| renting a bike from the company make sure you | | | | interests besides mountain biking, you may well |
| take two types of shoes in case they use clipless | | | | find that you can combine two vacations in to |
| pedals. | | | | one. So start searching for that dream trip today. |