Boy, was I in for a surprise when I first stumbled upon this Ozarks city that earned the title of the Mountain Biking Capital of the World! When I had heard that Bentonville, Arkansas held this claim, I blew it off as a gimmick to lure in tourists—until I saw it for myself last year.
Mountain biking is a sport that many young families have probably heard of. Still, I'd never thought much about deliberately planning a special trip to try it out. If you’re anything like I was in my twenties, the idea of mountain biking meant simply lugging my cheap Huffy bike out to a local hiking trail for a few hours.
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If you find yourself vacationing near this Northwest Arkansas town, also known as the home of Walmart, you’ll quickly realize that everyone has a similar hobby—mountain biking! And soon, you’ll be wishing you had brought your bikes so that you could experience all that the city has to offer on two wheels.
If that’s you, there’s still an opportunity to join in on the fun, rolling around with your whole family! Whether you’ve never tried mountain biking before, or you’re ready to take your riding skills to the next level, Bentonville is the best place to be if you want a well-rounded mountain biking experience.
If you’ve never visited Bentonville, Arkansas before, you’re in for a treat! In this post, we’ll cover the steps to renting a mountain bike in Bentonville.
Why Rent a Mountain Bike Vs. BYOB?
Before we get into the steps to rent a mountain bike in Bentonville, let’s touch on why you would rent one in the first place. Below, we cover the main reasons that families choose to rent bikes in the Ozarks.
Real Mountain Bikes are Expensive
The bicycles that you take on rides around the neighborhood with your family probably aren’t quite the same caliber as the mountain bikes you’ll find from rental outlets in the Ozarks. The bikes you find in big-box retail stores for adults are usually around $150 to $200.
Real mountain bikes, on the other hand, usually cost at least $500, with some costing several thousand dollars. That’s a huge up-front investment if you’re still feeling out the sport—which is why day rentals are the perfect budget-friendly option for beginners and families. You still get to ride expensive bikes without the huge price tag.
Suspension Systems & Rough Terrain Tires
Bikes from rental outlets are carefully selected and designed for the trails in the Ozarks. Renting a mountain bike from a professional ensures that it is capable of safely handling the jumps, drops, and rugged terrain found on the local trails. Good suspension also makes the ride more enjoyable since your body isn’t taking so much of the impact. Tires on mountain bikes are wider, with grips that grab the terrain for traction, plus they’re made with extra tough puncture-resistant materials.
Trouble-Free Transport & Professional Support
Renting a mountain bike can make your Ozarks family vacation experience more enjoyable since you won’t have to worry about buying a bike rack, packing up all your bikes, and lugging around a bunch of helmets and other equipment.
Rental outlets generally provide you with bikes and helmets, which is really all you need to get rolling. Have a problem with your bike? Call the rental outlet and get professional troubleshooting or a replacement instead of having to figure it all out on your own.
As you can see, renting mountain bikes is often a great choice for families. Now, let’s cover how to reserve your rides.
Step #1: Choose Your Dates and Times
The first step to renting a mountain bike in Bentonville is to decide when you’re going. If you’re still in the planning phase of your trip, use our Ozarks Vacation Planning Guide to help you. The great thing about Northwest Arkansas is that you can ride the trails all year long. Of course, certain parts of the year will be more enjoyable, with spring and fall providing beautiful scenery and comfortable weather. Still these seasons tend to be much busier. The summer heat can get pretty intense, so keep that in mind as you plan your adventure.
Once you’ve selected your vacationing dates, decide which day(s) you want to ride and pick a duration. Consider whether you want to ride:
Just a couple of hours
Half a day
A full day
Multiple days
Many rental outlets have limited hours, but some allow pick-up on the night before so that you can hit the trails early the next morning. Ideally, you’ll want to plan your rental a week or more in advance to ensure that rentals are available during your stay. While we've found success with renting mountain bikes on a walk-in basis, it could be difficult for larger groups or during busy seasons.
For families just starting out, we recommend reserving the bikes for two hours to see how that goes. A two-hour rental allows you to see how everyone in your party will handle the activity. If the experience is enjoyable, book another reservation toward the end of your stay for a longer duration.
Step #2: Select Your Vendor
Part of your planning process should also include picking out trails. Check out our Northwest Arkansas Mountain Biking Guide to help you select family-friendly trail hot spots. Planning which trails you want to ride helps you pick the right mountain bike rental vendor for your trip. That way, you’ll know ahead whether you’ll be able to ride straight from the vendor to the trail or if you’ll need a bike taxi.
Once you’ve nailed down your trip details, you can begin looking into specific rental vendor offerings. Some things to compare as you shop around include:
Age: What ages are rentals available for?
Location: Where is the vendor located in relation to the trails you want to ride? Is transportation to and from trails required or available?
Availability: Does your vendor have the bikes you want to ride?
Equipment Types: Are e-bikes available? Mountain bikes? Road bikes?
Hours: What hours are they open? And what are the pick-up and return hours?
Pricing: How much is each package? Are there any applicable discounts?
Expertise: Is emergency assistance offered?
Here are the names of a couple popular bike vendors in Bentonville that offer rentals:
Buddy Pegs Family Bike HQ is a rental shop that is also on a mission to help fuel the passion for riding bikes, particularly for families and children. They carry a massive selection of bikes and accessories for all ages. Their rentals include trailers, carriers, kids bikes, balance bikes, e-bikes, mountain bikes, hybrid bikes, and more. They have limited hours, normally open from noon to 6 pm Tuesday thru Friday, plus opening earlier on Saturdays from 9 am-4 pm. Prices range from $15 to $75 for a two-hour booking, depending on what you rent.
Bike Rental Locations in Bentonville
Spoke Adventures has a small rental shop conveniently located in downtown Bentonville near the All-American loop, part of the Slaughter Pen Trail System. Our family has used this rental location both online and by walk-in. They are open between 10a-5p every day except Monday, with some extended hours on weekends. They carry mountain bikes, e-bikes, and road bikes in brands like Marin and Haro. Pricing is reasonable at $20 for two hours of riding and night-before pickup for an additional charge of only $15.
For a list of more bike rental facilities, check Bentonville’s bike resources page. Or, if you are looking for a small bike playground for the kids to practice on before heading to the trails, check out the Bentonville Bike Playground.
Step #3: Book Your Reservation
Once you’ve shopped your rental location options, you get to choose your wheels. Not sure what size bike your kids need? Here’s a quick reference table guide to sizing your kids’ bikes:
Age | Bike | Size |
0-2 Yrs | Kids seats & Trailers | varied |
2-4 Yrs | Balance Bikes | 12 inches |
3-4 Yrs | Balance or Pedal Bike | 12-14 inches |
4-6 Yrs | Pedal Bike | 14-16 inches |
5-7 Yrs | Pedal Bike | 20 inches |
8-12 Yrs | Pedal Bike | 24 inches |
12+ Yrs | Pedal Bike | Adult Size |
The staff at the rental locations can also help you correctly size your family’s bike rentals, since children grow at different paces. Adult mountain bikes are sized from XS to XXL. Here’s a loose gauge of how adult bikes can be sized based on your height:
Small: 5’2 to 5’5”
Medium: 5’6” to 5’10”
Large: 5’11” to 6’1”
Many bike rental locations offer advanced bookings both by telephone and online. Some locations will also provide rentals to walk-in riders. When you’re ready to book, have this information ready:
Desired rental date/time slot
Number of riders
Type of bikes or accessories needed
Pick up time
Drop-off time
Gear needed (helmets)
Payment method
A deposit may be required in order to complete your reservation. Be sure to review cancellation policies before you finalize your booking.
Step #4: Pick Your Bike Up, Ride, & Return
All that’s left to do now is make sure that you show up early at the time of your reservation prepared and ready to go. That means that you’ve packed your gear, including water bottles or camelbacks, snacks, appropriate riding clothing, and pads. FYI, helmets are generally included with your rental.
Once you’re checked in and have been fitted with your bikes, be sure to ask the experts at the rental kiosk for tips and advice if they’re willing to provide it! Many locations have trails within riding distance, but if you’ve picked out a trail that’s a little further from the rental location, you can get a bike taxi. Shuttle Hound has a van that can transport up to six bikes. Pricing is $15 per bike/rider per ride. So, a family of four could possibly get a shuttle to a trail for $60 and back for another $60 ($120 total).
Once your time is up, return to the drop-off location. If you loved it—rinse and repeat! If not, next time try a guided tour or a different type of bike.
Ready to Book Your Family Biking Trip to Bentonville?
If you’re ready to make your reservations, here are some helpful links to get you started:
Find a Local Hotel: Check dates and rates on Trip.com
Bike Rentals & Taxis: Bentonville’s Bike Resources
Rent a Car: Roadtrips are the best way to experience the Ozarks, get the best rates on Economy Bookings