NELSON, NEW ZEALAND

Bike the Great Taste Trail

Enjoy cycle tours with a personal touch

Premium quality cycling tours based on and around the Great Taste Trail for lovers of food, wine & beautiful Nelson landscapes

We work with you to plan your personalised adventure on two wheels. When you cycle with us, you can relax and enjoy the freedom of cycling, with all the knowledge and support you need. So whether you have half a day or a few days, we’ll help you make the Great Taste Trail, your trail

Gentle Mental Cycling – Mountain biking is our passion, and we love crafting personalized adventures on Nelson’s world-class trails. Whether you’re looking to boost physical and mental well-being or chase the thrill of a dirty downhill ride, we’ve got you covered. We handle the planning, safety, and logistics so you can focus on the ride

Learn more by exploring our MTB page here

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Abel Tasman Great Taste Trio

5 Days: Great Taste Trail + Abel Tasman National Park

Enjoy two and a half days of glorious cycling, exploring the Great Taste Trail Coastal Route from Stoke to Kaiteriteri with The Gentle Cycling Company. Then luxuriate in the Abel Tasman Park for two and a half days, staying in the Wilson’s beautiful beach front lodges.

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Coastal Classic

3 Days: Mapua - Motueka - Kaiteriteri

Beaches, vineyards, boardwalks and galleries, this tour enjoys the highest concentration of places to eat, drink and soak up the many wonders of the Great Taste Trail. Family friendly, this tour is divided into manageable chunks so there’s plenty of time for you to stop and enjoy the delights each day.

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Plains and Coast

4 Days: Typically Tapawera - Wakefield - Mapua - Kaiteriteri

This popular off-road tour option enables you to follow the historic rail route and cycle through the iconic Spooners Tunnel, along rivers, through regenrating forest, vineyards and historic towns. Then along the coast with its many artisanal delights, ending at the golden sands of Kaiteriteri.

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Loop the Loop

5 Days: Nelson - Mapua - Kaiteriteri - Woodstock - Wakefield - Nelson

Keen to tick off the whole Great Taste Trail circuit? This tour is for those with the fitness and fortitude for on and off-road cycling. The diverse landscapes and sense of achievement are well worth it and you’ll get to enjoy some remote and rugged scenery for your efforts.

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Staycation & Creation

Tailored to you

Stay in luxury accommodation rather than pack and unpack each day. We’ll help you plan a hub-and-spoke itinerary, so you get to enjoy the many delights in the Nelson region. As part of the tour, you will get to work in collaboration with a contemporary jeweler in her gorgeous rural studio. Bring your ideas and get your creative juices flowing to design a bespoke piece of modern jewelry. Continue your adventures in Nelson, whilst your stunning piece of art is created especially for you!

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Gentle-Cycling-Co_Abel-Tasman-Sailing-Adventures-1_800w

Luxury Cycle & Sail

7 Days: Nelson - Abel Tasman National Park

Leave Nelson on two wheels and return six days later on a luxury yacht. Your guide will take you on a personalised tour along the Great Taste Trail and into the South Island’s golden crown, Abel Tasman National Park, exploring the Top of the South in decadent style.

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Single Day Tours

Guided / Unguided

Check out our full day and half day, guided or unguided packages on the Great Taste Trail. You can choose from our tours: Spooners Tunnel, Marvelous Moutere, Rabbit Island Picnic, Great Taste Wine, one of our Great Taste Beer tours or the Great Taste Goose Chase. We can also design a bespoke adventure for you – get in touch!

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Custom Tours

Guided / Unguided

Go it alone, equipped with our maps and trip notes or enjoy our fully guided options with travel support to provide flexibility. There’s a wide variety of activities, such as, a Buddhist Centre retreat, private wine tasting, hop farm tour. We can design a bespoke tour to suit your needs and interests.

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The Great Taste Trail

This is a New Zealand Great Ride - 200km long

The Great Taste Trail is a trail built for cyclists, providing an off-road route through some of the most delicious and scenic landscapes of NZ. Much of the trail is easy, flat riding in a heritage landscape of rolling hills and plains, lush valleys and beautiful golden beaches. For foodies, and lovers of wine, craft beer, or art, this trail has it all.

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What our adventurers say

Excellent

Yasas Gamage

Great experience

Kate Taggart-Tod

A fantastic company. My family had a fantastic bike ride. We had a map of where we could go, options tor food along the way. Super friendly, a fabulous time had by all. Highly recommend

Rebecca Pearce

Great people running a great cycling business. They went above and beyond picking us up and dropping us where we needed to be. Great bikes too

Annabel Wade

Kind, helpful staff! We had a blast on our bike rentals. Highly recommend the Ride and Pedal (one hour kayak/SUP plus day rental on bike). It’s a great deal for loads of fun

Gary Rowlands

Thanks to Bernie and Petra for setting us up on a awesome days cycling at Nelson. We had limited time to look around and weather wasn't the best but they recommended a ride for us that we throughly enjoyed, they texted us during the day to make sure we were ok and picked us up at the end of the ride when we were done, we would highly recommend Gentle cycling for a great time cycling around Nelson.
Thanks team we had a blast

Julie Wright

We were well looked after by Bernie when we hired eBikes to cycle along the Great Taste Trail last week. Appreciated the pickup service at the start and end of the day and very informative suggestions accompanied by maps about sightseeing options and routes, primarily on bike tracks. Great!! The bikes were in excellent condition and we had so much fun. Only difficult bit was narrowing down which places we would stop for food, drink and a closer look. Cheese tasting and morning tea at the Factory Corner. Loved our wine tasting at Seifried Estate Cellar door and lunch at their Harvest restaurant. The Ride to Rabbit Island was interesting as we traversed country lanes. Ran out of time to fit in a Brewery Visit, but next time! Fabulous, fun day. Thank you Bernie!

Angelika Barnes

Gentle Cycling saved the day twice on our 4 day cycling trip when punctures stopped us in our tracks. Calls for help were answered immediately and once established that we needed hands-on help, they didn't hesitate for a second, but sent new tires our way swiftly so we could enjoy continuing our journey - many thanks!

William Rigg

Chris was a super nice chap who set us up for a great mini adventure. Lovely vineyards and a well organised outing, we loved it!

gwen lauder

Organised a shuttle to Kaiteriteri. Chris was great. Super helpful and informative. Very happy with exceptional service. Thankyou

Phil Kirkham

We did the Loop the Loop tour and had a great experience with The Gentle Cycling Company.
Above and beyond service and communication right from first enquiry to the end of the tour. Thanks Bernie for your extraordinary support.
We can highly recommend The Gentle Cycling Company.

Linda T

So easy, booked on line easy and straightforward. Excellent I information and guide to where to go, what to see and how to use the bikes. Great for the whole family and experience level. Highly recommended

Emma vandenbok

Amazing experience, such beautiful nature and so much knowledge from the hosts ❤️

Julia Chesneau

A very good experience 😊 Everything is perfect at " the gentle cycling company". I'm paraplegic , they had a e- handbike. With it I had a very pleasant ride. Bernie and Chris were extremely nice and attentive. Thanks a lot

Richard Medlicott

Great service. Chris picked us up at the airport and dropped us back after 2 days at Wairoa Gorge. Really quick and efficient way to get Nelson riding in.
On time, helpful and friendly.
A great way to do it.

Sonia Byrne

Thank you Petra for your amazing service, smile and local knowledge of in and around Nelson! We loved our beer at Sprig and Fern, found an amazing water hole to swim in at Maitai River, rode into Nelson and along the costal track towards Rabbit Island. Highly recommend The Gentle Cycling Company. Bikes are super comfy, sturdy and come with everything you need.

Dennis Morris

My wife and I rented E bikes for the day. We had a small issue with one if the bikes and they were more than fair in adjusting the bill. Good people and would not hesitate to use again.

Richard Guttenbeilr

Great services, bikes are awesome and the staff were really friendly. Will be back

PHILIP GOODMAN

Hired a bike from Gentle Cycling to do the ride to Mapua and back, and it did not disappoint. They supply everything you need for a great day out - good quality bike and clear maps on paper and digital. Definitely recommend.

Tim Aldridge

On initial contact - both Chris and his wife were very warm and friendly. When we collected the bikes at Kaiteriteri Chris had set up each bike to our individual specification which made for a very comfortable ride and there was no need for to adjust bikes during the hire period. Wonderful bikes, great riding. Both bikes were very new and well maintained. Great trails - really enjoyed the day. Thanks Chris!

p w

Super Service. Fahrrad war auch top. Man hat bevor man die Tour gestartet hat, alles erklärt bekommen und sehr viele Tips und Informationen zur Strecke bekommen.

Wirklich sehr empfehlenswert.

Noch besser würde es mir gefallen, wenn man das Fahrrad noch eine Stunde später zurück bringen könnte.

Nicole H

We rented a full suspension mountain bike to ride Kaiteriteri Mtb Park. It was high quality, good dropper post and he quickly threw on spds for us. The bikes are perfectly located right by the beach, camper van park and on a trail to get to the very fun Mtb park. We biked a loop or two, went to the camper van to change and then swim in the ocean. We did that cycle over and over all day because getting to Mtb and swim in the ocean is awesome. Be sure to have a lock of course! Chris was super nice, helpful and we will be using their great company again!!! On a side not, Chris is the kinda guy you wish you could hire to join you on the ride for great happy conversation.

Yancey Cabrera

We rolled up on a whim on a Sunday. Didn’t have much hope for a worthwhile ride or even to get a bike rental. The team rolled out the best treatment, Got us what we needed and got us on the road. Chris gave us a very informational shuttle to the start of the ride which turned out to be unforgettable. Great distance, gorgeous views and delicious food.

You’d have to be Mental, not to go Gentle!

Paul Hill

Bernie and team were fantastic. The bikes were ideal for the gravel pathways, and the maps and directions provided were extremely helpful. I highly recommend The Gentle Cycling Company!!

Jacqueline Foresta

The most incredible bike ride!!! We road the gold trail - around 30km with epic views, two winery’s, and a ferry ride to Mapua. The owners, Bernie and Chris were darling. Fabulous way to spend the day!

Jr Harrison

Bernie & Chris are absolute class acts. What a great company! Were recommended through another vendor.

We had car trouble that day and out of the blue They offered to pick us up from the delearship, pick us up from Mapua AND drive us back. Both kind souls, and both very informative and helpful.

If you are going to book a bicycle tour in Nelson, book here.

Saskia C

Couldn’t have been more happy with our The Gentle Cycling Company experience. Exceptionally flexible and friendly, and for a fair price. We hired two peddle bikes and one child seat for our two-year old toddler - all conveniently delivered to our accommodation. Helmets, a lock, a repair kit for emergencies and a rainproof bike-bag, all of good quality and well maintained, were included. We thoroughly enjoyed our trips to the Richmond area, to the local Nelson beach and the convenience of cycling into downtown Nelson. Our daughter loved the views, sang songs all the way, while we felt quite safe among traffic of Nelson thanks to well developed cycling paths and trails.
Because of our positive experience my husband also decided to rent a mountain bike from the same company in Kaiteriteri to try the bike park, which was a similar great success.

Sheherazad Bhote

We hired e-bikes for the day and rode part of the great taste trail to Māpua. We covered 60km comfortably. Bikes were easy to use, and a variety of sizes were available, smaller e-bike for our 10yo daughter. Much cheaper than other companies and easy pick up at the Tahuna campsite.

Harry Lammich

Outstanding good service!

Caro from gentle bike did organize our last-minute bike rental excellently - big compliment!

We did enjoy our on short notice organized bike tour from Nelson - Richmond - Nelson. It's always a pleasure to meet such nice and supportive people like Caro.

S L

Absolutely outstanding experience. The warm welcome, to the local knowledge on the drive to our destination, the quality of bikes AND a phone call post ride to check in on our experience! Chris made our day. It was exceptional and an absolute must do with The Gentle Cycling Co.

DJ Purvis (scarredNinja)

We rented two e-bikes, one with a kids seat for an afternoon ride around Nelson.

As we had a little one (under 5) we need her to ride with us, Chris and Bernie were excellent in being able to accommodate a ride that suited us and we're felxiable in the time and date arranged.

Bernie gave great care in setting us up with the bikes, showing routes and helping are little one feel comfortable. We spent three hours riding around Nelson and Richmond and had an excellent time.

The bikes were in excellent condition and such a pleasure to ride.

Upon return, Bernie gave a couple of sweets to our daughter which she raved about on the way home. Lovely attention to detail and customer care!

william kirkbride

Excellent, professionally operated tour company for bicycles and e-bikes. All equipment included, tire repair, maps, lights. The staff is very knowledgeable on all trails and routes. I highly recommend Gentle cycling for your next adventure!

Neil Arnott

A wonderful friendly team and very comfortable e-bikes available to explore the Abel Tasman bike trails near and far

DR T

Fantastic Experience with Gentle Cycling!

We booked the Great Taste Tour (just over 200km in 5 days) almost a year in advance, and from start to finish, the owners were incredibly friendly and helpful. Their attention to detail made the entire experience seamless and enjoyable.

The day-by-day guide was absolutely fantastic. The route was easy to follow and the guide provided excellent tips on where to eat, drink, and what must-see spots to check out along the way. It made our journey all the more enjoyable and stress-free.

Accommodations were included and exceeded our expectations. We especially loved staying at the Kimi Ora Resort and the Hidden Sculpture Garden cottage—both were unique and memorable.

Bag transfers between stops were handled perfectly, and we had zero issues with our luggage. Even when I had minor bike issues, they were quick to resolve everything, which was a huge relief.

The ride itself was stunning. Even on the one rainy day, the mix of quiet asphalt roads, gravel paths, and dedicated bike trails kept the journey enjoyable. The distances each day were manageable, with little elevation gain, making it perfect for standard bikes. While I personally enjoy climbing, others might prefer ebikes for the added ease. The bikes provided were simple, reliable, and perfectly suited to the tour.

Overall, we wouldn’t hesitate to book with Gentle Cycling again. I highly recommend them to anyone considering a cycling adventure. It was a truly memorable trip!

Kerry Spark

Chris and Bernie were amazing hosts for our large group e-bike tour of Spooners Tunnel. All of us had such a great time! Excellent communication - thank you again!

Margaret Smith

Great experience renting from these guys - had an issue finding the rental place but knowing I am direction challenged they checked in on me via text a few times during my ride on the great taste trail which I really appreciated!

Arnold Bosman

Rented 2 electric bikes for 2 days. One cargo bike so the kid could ride on the back. Bycicles were in great condition. Nice and friendly owners. They know the surroundings and local weather good and are very willing to share, so a lot of good tips for some great days.

Joanne Fong

Chris and Bernie are such lovely and amazing people. They provided us with lots of information on how to e bike through the great taste trail. So many tips and tricks shared by both of them that we made it on our own just fine with some adventure in between 🤣. It was such an amazing cycling tour that I never get to do back in my country and I enjoyed it so much. Thank u Gentle Cycling!

Sean O'Leary

Amazing service. We were travelling in a camper van with no bikes, desperately wanted to get on the trails. Mint condition bikes delivered to Kaiteriteri is an incredible service. We all had a great day. Thanks team.

Annie Evans

We turned up on the off chance for a bike hire to explore the tracks in Tanunanui. We were welcomed and nothing was a problem. Great information about the tracks etc. the bikes were- well maintained and worked well.
Chris was super helpful .
We’ll definitely return.

kickbuttkiwi

Friendly, prompt and professional service. Bike was great and Chris went out of his way to ensure I had a good experience. Highly recommend.

Joanna Bell

We had a great experience with the Gentle Cycling Company. From the online booking, communication was prompt and helpful. Our self guided ride was enhanced with lots of information on the drive to our drop off point at Kohatu pointing out features, landmarks and places to stop as we made our way back into the city following the Great Taste Trail. The track was easy to follow (mostly) and it was nice to receive a check in TXT message from Bernie to make sure we were doing OK a couple of hours into our ride. Nothing was too much trouble. Thanks team.

Luke Johnson

Our experience with The Gentle Cycling Company's Spooners Tunnel self-guided tour was exceptional, thanks to Chris and Bernie. They provided us with excellent bikes and clear route instructions, making the journey through New Zealand's longest disused railway tunnel truly unforgettable. Chris’s local knowledge on the shuttle up there was very informative, ensuring we knew where to stop for pies and scones. For anyone visiting Nelson, I highly recommend this tour with The Gentle Cycling Company—it's a perfect way to explore the Nelson area at your own pace.

Don Li

Very friendly owners who offered plenty of information about where to go, what restaurants to go to. Would absolutely recommend renting here. Just a heads up for any prospective bike hirers, during the off season, give them a ring first to see where to meet them.

Caroline Bartle

Outstanding service, really made for a very enjoyable experience. One of the best things you can do when you come to Nelson.
We felt very looked after and had a great adventure!

Vicki Brooks

We had a wonderful afternoon on our hired bikes from The Gentle Cycling Company. We really appreciated how accommodating and flexible Bernie was with the pick up/drop off arrangements, and she gave great suggestions for our route. The bikes were comfortable and easy to use. We would love to come back and do some more!

Proud to be Climate Positive

and Kaitiaki (guardians)

We are continuously evolving and adapting to minimise our impact on this wonderful planet we call Te Ao / Earth. Choosing to offset 120% of the carbon emitted by our vehicles and electricity consumption, the wonderful people at Ekos are rewilding Mohua, an indigenous forest in Golden Bay. We’re proud to support this and other great initiatives to improve the biodiversity and resilience of our natural habitats. We endeavor to reduce our use of precious resources. Furthermore, we take part in community planting, pest eradication programs and regularly clear up around the Great Taste Trail, coast and bush, recycling / upcycling whatever we can.

We are also proud to be part of the Nelson Tasman Zero Carbon Itinerary – click here to check it out.

More About Us

Local and Proud

A family owned and run business

This is a family business. All four of us are self confessed cycle-explorer addicts and love to explore our backyard on two wheels, regularly disembarking to explore further on two feet. We will help you plan and prepare for pedal powered adventures in our favourite place to peruse!

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NELSON, NEW ZEALAND

Bike the Great Taste Trail

Enjoy cycle tours with a personal touch

Premium quality cycling tours based on and around the Great Taste Trail for lovers of food, wine & beautiful Nelson landscapes

Abel Tasman Great Taste Trio

5 Days: Great Taste Trail + Abel Tasman National Park

Coastal Classic

3 Days: Mapua - Motueka - Kaiteriteri

Plains and Coast

4 Days: Typically Tapawera - Wakefield - Mapua - Kaiteriteri

Loop the Loop

5 Days: Nelson - Mapua - Kaiteriteri - Woodstock - Wakefield - Nelson

Staycation & Creation

Tailored to you

Luxury Cycle & Sail

7 Days: Nelson - Abel Tasman National Park

Single Day Tours

Guided / Unguided

Custom Tours

Guided / Unguided

The Great Taste Trail

This is a New Zealand Great Ride - 200km long

What our adventurers say

Proud to be Climate Positive

and Kaitiaki (guardians)

Local and Proud

A family owned and run business

Our News

Winter Cycling Tips

Crankworx Rocks!

Gentle Mental Cycling

Sustainable & Eco-Friendly

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