Member Article

New Yorkshire e-bikehire packages give green light to follow Tour de France route

Unique cycling tours around the Yorkshire Dales, launched by Otley-based electric bike specialists, e-bikehire.com, are gearing up to give leisure bikers a taster of the Tour de France route.

The company, the only one of its kind in the North of England, offers guided cycling tours and self-hire products to take the hard work out of a two-wheeled ride through some of the UK’s most spectacular locations.

Electric power will make cycling a breeze across the Yorkshire Dales National Park, including Kilnsey, near Grassington, part of the Tour de France Grand Départ route planned for July 2014.

e-bikehire.com owners Lee Robinson and Ian Morton say the electric bike concept has wide appeal for today’s leisure travellers, making a cycling holiday an attractive option for adults of all levels of fitness.

Lee Robinson commented: “There’s great excitement about the famous Tour de France coming to Yorkshire and we are making it easy for even non-cyclists to experience the highs and lows of biking through the Dales. Our electric bikes are perfect for people who want the buzz of cycling through open countryside but perhaps don’t have the skills or strength for a traditional pedal bike.

“Our service is built on convenience, quality and comfort and our clients very soon acquire an ‘e-bike smile’ as our road-tested tour bikes take the strain out of tackling the rolling dales countryside.”

The bespoke nature of the operation extends, if required, to meeting travellers arriving by train and assisting with finding local hotel, self-catering or B& B accommodation.

Tour packages, led by knowledgeable and experienced local guides, take in the wealth of panoramic views, charming villages, historic buildings, friendly pubs and the many visitor attractions that make the Yorkshire Dales a renowned and enduring favourite for visitors.

The company has invested in a fleet of the most comfortable, safe and reliable e-bikes on the market and also sells direct to the public. The e-bikes can be collected for self-hire at three pick up points: Grassington Tourist Information Centre, Grassington Hub and Kilnsey Park and Trout Farm. Guided tours start and finish from these collection hub points and there are plans for more e-bike hubs throughout the Dales.

Whist the concept of the electric bike is well established in Europe, the UK market is poised to take off in the Yorkshire Dales this year as holidaymakers look for different ways to explore this iconic landscape without breaking the bank.

Transport costs for e-bike riders are estimated to be between 3-7p to travel 30-40 miles. Self-hire charges are £36 a day, £24 for half a day and hourly hire is just £10. Guided tours cost £48 per person. All hire prices include use of a compulsory safety helmet.

There are plans to extend the rental system so that visitors arriving at the Yorkshire Dales National Park by car will be able to park at a hub and pick up an e-bike for the day.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Quest PR .