Please note that Marmot Tours hire bikes are not available for our Tenerife and Gran Canaria holidays, where we will be using local bike hire companies.

7 Good Reasons for Hiring…

• You will have the correct gearing for the mountains
• None of the hassle of packing up and transporting your own bike
• It might be cheaper (if you have 2 flights to get to/from your holiday) as airline charges vary
• Some airlines do not guarantee to transport your bike if the flight is full
• We maintain the hire bike during the week
• We clean the bike at the end of the trip!
• You get to try a titanium frame with SRAM groupset

The Marmot Fleet

Marmot Tours has invested in a fleet of 35 titanium framed bikes fitted with SRAM Force 22 groupsets. These custom-built bikes have been designed for long, hilly days, with comfortable geometry and very low gears. It is a bold move away from carbon frames, but the flexibility of titanium makes it an ideal material for our style of holidays.  The frames are hard-wearing so stay in great condition, look like new, and are more resistant to damage. Titanium is slightly heavier than carbon, so we have fitted them out with high-quality, lightweight components.

General Bike Specifications:

• Titanium frame with sloping geometry: offers comfort for long days in the saddle.
• Titanium forks: absorb shock much better.
• SRAM Force 22 groupset: lightweight and reliable with smooth gear-changing action. SRAM Force 22 is considered by many to be a higher quality groupset than Shimano Ultegra and has taken many features from the top-end SRAM Red.
• Handlebars: ‘classic’ style with comfortable brake hoods (particularly for those with small hands). It does not take long to get used to the ‘double click’ gear change. 
• Rim brakes: set up to the UK standard (right hand is the front brake). Please note that we are unable to change this, so if you are hiring, please ensure you are comfortable with this setup.
• Gear ratios: given that all our holidays are in the mountains and we take on some of the steepest climbs (Angliru, Zoncolan and Mortirolo) we have fitted our bikes with a compact 50-34 chainset and an 11 speed 11-36 cassette! 
• Mavic Aksium wheelsets: well-built and strong for reliable and safe descending.
• The bikes have a recommended retail price of about £2800.

Technical Information

Sizes

We have  S, M, L, XL, XL, and XXL frame sizes available. Please check that we have a bike of your size available before sending in your booking form by sending your height to us at [email protected]

As we have a limited number of bikes of each size they will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

It is important to us that your hire bike is the correct size and feels comfortable. We will allocate you a frame size based on the average body/leg length and the size chart below.

If you have particularly long or short legs/arms then please look at the charts below in relation to the dimensions of your own bike to ensure that you are happy with the suggested frame size. If you would like a different sized frame then please discuss this with us on booking.

Also, if you are taller or shorter than the height range indicated in this chart (under 157cm or over 199cm), or if you are particular about what you like to ride, then we suggest you to bring your own bike, to be sure you have something that suits you the best.

We stock a range of stems (with different lengths and angles) that can be interchanged to help us set up your bike to a comfortable riding position.

We feel very confident that we can provide a comfortable and successful bike fit for our clients, however, if you are concerned about the exact bike fit and matching measurements to your bike at home, then we would suggest you bring your own bike rather than hire from our fleet.

Costs

Prices are based on a basic daily charge of £45/day (which includes a 10% fee for bike insurance).  Bike hire is invoiced prior to your trip and no discounts apply. For the various trips, costs are as follows:

Ventoux Club des Cinglés Challenge (2.5 days cycling):  £112.50

Alpine Minibreak (3.5 days cycling): £135

Dolomites Minibreak (4 days cycling): £180

Raid Pyrenean (5 days cycling):  £225 

Raid Dolomites (9 days cycling):  £405

All other cycling holidays (6 days cycling): £270

What kit is supplied with a hire bike?

• Helmet hire is not included, please bring your own. It is compulsory to wear a helmet on all our tours.
• Pedals are not provided. If you have shoes with cleats then bring the pedals that you normally use with them. 
• If you have your own tried and tested saddle then we strongly recommend that you bring it along (optional).
• Two bottle cages are fitted to every hire bike.
• Mini-pump, tyre levers, and spare inner tube are provided with all hire bikes in a saddlebag.
• Hire bikes do not come with a bike computer or GPS navigation device – please bring your own, including handlebar mount.
• Please bring your own lights – we have basic lights for emergencies but they are for being seen, rather than seeing!

We ask you to sign a bike form when we provide you with your bike, which details your responsibilities regarding the care of your bike. Our guides will also sign a form outlining their responsibilities for the maintenance of the bike.

All bikes will have undergone a maintenance check prior to being hired to you and will be safety checked daily by the guides on your holiday. Any maintenance required should be carried out by the guide or a bike shop.

Here’s what some previous clients have said about our road bikes…

For me particularly the bike hire – best £200 I could have spent. Made so much of the holiday hassle-free. K Allen

I also found the bike hire to be excellent. C Brough

Excellent quality hire bikes which were very comfortable. S Luther

Excellent – these are good bikes with ideal gearing. They are comfortable for a long day which is key and they handle well. You can feel confident about the fast descent with these bikes. This is my third time hiring and I will be again in July for the Raid Alpine. I wouldn’t bother bringing my own on a Marmot trip. S Lock

Excellent decision. Allowed me to travel light. and the cost of hiring a bike box a paying to put a bike on the plane would have been similar. A very nice bike to ride. Had quick bit of instruction from Scot on SRAM which I had never used before. No issues what so ever. M Parker. Raid  Pyrenean cycling challenge

Excellent – Great condition for a hire bike. David was happy to swap the stem to achieve a ride position more similar to my own bike. Daily checks on the bike were a nice touch. O Negyal. Dolomites cycling holiday

A great Ti frame and it was interesting to ride a bike with a SRAM groupset, which worked very well. D Rogers. Raid  Pyrenean 100 hr cycling challenge