Provide your guests with everything they need for a great cycling holiday.
Cycling is a thriving pastime in Britain. Bradley Wiggins’ knighthood, Britain’s success at the 2012 Olympics, the 2014 Tour de France stages in Yorkshire, and the UCI Mountain Biking World Cup races held on British trails are all testament to the fact that we love getting around on two wheels. Savvy cottage owners are tapping into a growing customer base that is happy to spend money on holidays in cycling-friendly cottages.
The term “cyclist” can include anyone from young families who appreciate safe paths, to live-for-the-weekend adrenaline junkies who enjoy nothing more than racing headfirst down the steepest trail they can find, and road racing enthusiasts who love to feel the wind whistling through their lycra as they swoop and glide around tarmac curves. Getting a reputation for being cycling-friendly is a fantastic way to boost your bookings and increase your appeal to a lucrative market.
Look Around You
It’s pointless spending money on improving the amenities in your cottage until you know it is in an area which appeals to cyclists. Don’t only look for mountain bike parks – scour online cycling forums for any reference to the surrounding area to see if it attracts road cyclists, and find out if any cycling events are held nearby. Are there canal paths or forests where bikes are allowed? National Cycle Routes that pass close to your property? Any information you find should make its way onto your website and advertisements to show that not only will cyclists be comfortable in your property, but that there is plenty to keep them busy while they are there.
Useful resources for finding out about cycling in your area include:
Cycling Friendly Properties
As well as being near good trails, there are some facilities a cycling friendly holiday rental should have, such as secure bike storage. A non-cyclist might think an outdoor shed, lean-to or enclosed garden area is “secure” but someone bringing their £7,500 road bike may not agree. If you don’t have the space for separate lockable storage, an indoor ground anchor is a good compromise. Whatever your facilities, make sure they are accurately advertised so that cyclists know exactly what to expect.
An outdoor area to clean a bike, preferably with access to a hose, is crucial, as are washing and drying facilities for sweaty bike kit. A utility room is the perfect place for guests to hang wet clothing and leave muddy shoes. It’s a good idea to keep a couple of clean old towels in there so that they can be used for drying off muddy greasy legs, and you might want to consider using darker coloured towels in the bathroom. The less grime that comes into your property, the better!
Another top tip for making your holiday let bike friendly is to provide local information for guests. You can do this before they arrive by emailing them links to trail centres and cycling tour guides in the area to give them a taster for what is ahead and the opportunity to pre-plan days out. Inside your property this could take the form of Ordnance Survey maps, laminated route maps, a list of local bike and bicycle rental shops with their phone numbers (including those that offer a repair service or sell bike accessories/parts), and good pubs where they might want to stop and get food en route or refuel after a full day’s riding. Remember to also include some suggestions for activities to do on days off the bike, and nights out.
Investigate what services your local rail network offers for cyclists and provide guests with this as it can widen the cycling opportunities and appeal of the area. 
Possibly days out on the bike that take in some of the areas major attractions or a trip to the coast – what could be nicer than a long day cycling, followed by fish and chips on the beach as the sun sets then a train journey home. Many cyclists will happily cycle 30-60+ miles in a day so don’t limit cycle route suggestions to the immediate local area and provide your guests with information on how they can get back by train (including train times, local stations including directions to the cottage and rail restrictions).
Include a few cyclist-friendly treats in your welcome pack like nutrition bars, and see if any local bike shops or trail centres are willing to provide a welcome discount voucher. The more comfortable your guests are, the better time they will have and the more likely they will be to not only return but recommend your property highly to cycling friends.
You may want to provide bikes for your guests to use whilst they stay with you but be aware that not only will you be responsible for ensuring the bikes are in good working order, you will need to obtain extra liability cover. It may be easier to come to an arrangement with a local bike hire company instead and possibly one who will deliver directly to the cottage.
Advertising Your Bike Friendly Holiday Let
Appeal to cycling holidaymakers by advertising in places where they will automatically associate your property with being bike friendly i.e. dedicated cycling websites and forums. Look for advertising websites that have specific search areas for bike friendly accommodation (like Independent Cottages!) Offer a reciprocal arrangement with local bike hire shops whereby you each promote the other’s business to your customers, and get in touch with the promotors of any local cycling events and find out about advertising.
Be sure to tailor the information in both your advertising and on your website so it’s clear how well you cater to cyclists’ needs. This doesn’t have to include the just obvious facilities like bike storage, but could mean highlighting how your deep bath is the perfect size for soothing aching muscles after a long day in the saddle, or how you’re in cycling distance from the start of some awesome trails.
Don’t think that you have to be a cyclist yourself to be able to successfully cater to bike riding holidaymakers, and don’t be put off by the thought of having cyclists stay in your property. It’s a booming market that you would be mad not to tap into if you can. A few tweaks to make your property bike friendly can be as simple as a decent hosepipe and bike storage, and can open your reservation book to an entirely new type of guest.
If you have any tips you can share with other cottage owners, please feel free to leave a reply below.
This article is very useful for me.I learned things about cycling from this article.
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