“Cyclexperience”:https://www.cyclex.co.uk Is located alongside Brockenhurst railway station and was recommended by Mike & Pauline at “Meerut B&B”:https://www.silvertraveladvisor.com/review/accommodation/192092-review-meerut-b-b . Head through the station car park and the cycle shop is located right at the back.
They have a wide selection of bikes and the staff help you select the right bike for your needs. As Linda’s knees wouldn’t normally take a bike ride over varied terrain, we were keen for her to try out the electric bike. We visited Cyclexperience the day before we needed the bikes and they explained the workings of the e-bike and let Linda try it out in the car park to be sure it was suitable for her. They also helped with route selection, they have a good selection of routes and they provide maps & an app for your smartphone.
On the day of hire, helmets, bike locks and a puncture repair kit is provided in a handy back pack. Velcro strips are made available to attach your map to the handlebars and a contact number given in case you get into difficulties.
I had a standard mountain bike and the multiple gears were a great help on the varied terrain. Linda’s e-bike was brilliant and had the ability to vary the power so that on flat surfaces she could use none or a small amount of assistance (so she could get some exercise) but shift mode so that it would power her up even the steepest hill painlessly.
We chose to do route 13, mainly through the new forest but with an extension to visit Beaulieu and Buckler’s Hard. Most of this route was on cycle routes within the forest but there were some roads to navigate on the extension. Most were down quiet country lanes but there were a few short busy stretches to negotiate.
We had the most fabulous day out and would highly recommend this as a way of enjoying the New Forest and surrounding area.
Note: The car park doesn’t belong to Cyclexperience, so you need to Pay & Display if you bring your car. Its only 3 pounds for all day if you park after 10am (weekdays).
Cycle hire seemed very popular, so I would advise reserving your bikes in advance to avoid disappointment.
