An All Levels Guide to Renting a Bike in Sedona, Arizona and Hitting the Trails
The pinnacle of Arizona mountain biking can be found in the vast network of Sedona bike trails. There’s mountain bike trail riding for all levels, and these trails are all close to town. Riding amongst the massive red rock formations, like Thunder Mountain or Mescal Mountain, makes Sedona a truly unique experience. Luckily, bike shops and mountain bike rentals are here to help you hit the best mountain bike trails possible, along with expert trail advice.
A Guide to Renting Bikes at Thunder Mountain Bikes
We get asked all the time, where can I rent a bike? The easiest bicycle shop in town to rent from is Thunder Mountain Bikes. Basic mountain bikes and kids bikes start at only $35 for the entire day, full-suspension starts at $55 for the entire day, and all the way up to $95 per day for top tier carbon mountain bikes. These bikes are all suitable for Sedona’s rocky terrain and include our damage protection plan with the rental price. Reputable bike brands like Trek, Santa Cruz, Ibis, Evil, Revel, Liv, and Rocky Mountain are offered up as bike rentals. Reserving a bike can simply be done on our website, over the phone, or walk-in. Helmet, backpack, and repair kit are included; and there are even bike racks to clip onto most cars available as well.
Sedona, Arizona’s Mountain Bike Trails Sedona Bike Skills Park
Located at Posse Grounds Park, and only a half-mile from Thunder Mountain Bikes is the Sedona Bike Skills Park. This park features bumps and jumps for all skill levels, it’s even a perfect place to take the family. The views from here are amazing, with Coffee Pot Rock and Thunder Mountain Sedona towering as a backdrop. If you’re picking up your bicycle rental at Thunder Mountain Bikes, you can ride straight from the store, linking up the Sunrise Pathway to get to the park. And for a bonus, continue riding to Soldier’s Pass and check out the famous 7 Sacred Pools and Devil’s Sinkhole sites. This ride can be done with the basic hardtail mountain bike rental, but for any extra trail riding, we recommend spending a little bit extra on a full-suspension rental bike to help smooth out the rocky trails.
Sedona Novice Trails
Mountain biking in Sedona, AZ can be intimidating. Don’t worry though, there are plenty of trails for you to ride if you’re new to mountain biking. Even if you’re an intermediate rider, these trails are a good place to start as you get used to the unique riding environment of Sedona. Our favorite entry-level ride in west Sedona is a step up in difficulty from the Bell Rock Pathway, with narrower "singletrack" trails and spectacular scenery. The surfaces are mostly smooth, and the few rocky sections are quick and easy to walk. You’ll experience a taste of Sedona’s grippy, iron-red soil, and expansive views on this loop. Renting a full suspension bike is always preferable in Sedona but you can do this loop comfortably on a hardtail as well.
Sedona Intermediate Trails
The majority of mountain bike trails in Sedona are considered to be Intermediate. Take these with an adventurous attitude and you’ll have an amazing ride. These trails will have plenty of rocks to navigate, and at times can seem more than intermediate, but over time you’ll get the hang of the red rock flow. Luckily, the uphills are never too long! One of our favorite intermediate rides consists of linking together these trails to make a loop: Chuck Wagon, Mescal, Deadman, Aerie, Cockscomb, and Girdner trails. The traverse across Mescal Mountain is the highlight of the ride, it’s the ultimate red rock experience. Renting a full-suspension mountain bike will be a big help for this ride as these rental bikes will provide extra control, traction, and comfort in the tough sections of these trails.
Sedona Advanced Bike Trails
The black diamond and double-black diamond trails of Sedona are some of the most spectacular mountain bike trails you’ll find anywhere in the world. Be prepared for steep ups and downs, lots of rock moves, and sections of exposure. We recommend starting with our Hiline route, as you get a nice warm-up with a quick loop of Slim Shady trail before tackling the technical climb up to the Hiline “pedestal.” Soak in the views of Cathedral Rock before hitting this all-time descent. From here it’s mostly down, with long bands of red rock, rock rolls, and a grand finale of steep chutes. Renting a premium or dream level rental bike will be the best trail mountain bike for these advanced level trails. These bike trail rentals feature the highest level of suspension to help navigate the trickiest sections of trail, along with the efficiency to tackle the bigger rides.
Reserve your Bike Rental at Thunder Mountain Bikes in Sedona, AZ Today!
To help maximize your rental bike experience, reserve your bikes ahead of time. This helps to ensure you get the right size bike for your height, and the right mountain bike for the level of the trail you want to ride. Making a reservation also saves time when picking up your rental bike, getting you out to the mountain bike trails as quickly as possible.
If you’re staying in Sedona for a few days or more, take advantage of the multi-day rental discounts, with 2-4 consecutive days at 10% off and 5 or more consecutive days at 20% off. Thunder Mountain Bikes is also the only Sedona bike shop not charging overnight fees, so you can pick up your rental bike the evening before for no extra charge (after 5 pm).
Time to start making plans to experience mountain biking in Sedona with Thunder Mountain Bikes!
