FAQ
We love biking and traveling as much as you do! For over 30 years, we’ve been in the business of bike guiding and we’ve honed every little detail to give you the highest quality bike trip on the market. We’ve cherry-picked the best mountain bike trails and road rides so you can immerse yourself in the stunning landscape of the American West. We go the extra mile to make sure you have the most fun on your bike!
At Western Spirit, our staff is the heart of our company. Our guides love what they do, and are dedicated to providing you with a memorable vacation. Each of them has received extensive training in backcountry travel, cooking, natural history, and first aid, not to mention their cycling and mechanical skills. They are committed to helping people experience the outdoors and have a wealth of knowledge to share. Their attention to every detail leaves you free to enjoy the riding.
It’s our philosophy that everyone in our busy world needs to get outside more. We know it’s tough to squeeze it all in, but with Western Spirit we’re here to make it as easy as possible. Our friendly office staff is just a call away to help you find the perfect trip for you. We believe in getting away from it all, spending rejuvenating time in nature, and most of all, having a lot of fun!
The trip price includes food and drinks for the trip, guides, support vehicle, campsites, permits, and any entry fees into national parks and public lands.
Not included are: rental fees (bikes and camping gear), alcoholic beverages, gratuities for your guides, and applicable sales tax. If you would like to bring alcoholic beverages we will store them for you at the appropriate temperature.
Your total tour cost will include your trip fee, appropriate rental fees and applicable sales tax.
We provide water, coffee, teas, electrolyte drinks, and assorted soft drinks. We cannot provide alcohol. You are welcome to bring your favorite alcoholic beverages and our guides will store them at the appropriate temperature. We’ll keep the beer cold while you’re out riding!
Yes! From lunch on the first day to lunch on the last day, we’ve got healthy and delicious food to fuel your fun. Food is one thing we take pretty seriously and we get rave reviews from our guests.
Our guides are amazing backcountry chefs and will prepare all your meals. All snacks are included. We’re sponsored by Clif Bar, and provide you with plentiful bars, snacks and electrolyte drinks. If you have specific favorite riding snacks, however, please bring them with you.
Yes, no problem! We are happy to accommodate dietary restrictions, and we do it frequently. Our guides are masters at making sure everyone is satisfied. Please let us know when you fill out your forms so our guides can accommodate you and your needs. It is good to be specific (e.g., vegetarian but prefer tempeh over tofu) to help the guides with meal planning.
Should you need to cancel for any reason, we will apply the following cancellation policy:
For cancellations prior to 60 days before departure, a $50 handling fee per person is retained and the remainder of your deposit is refunded.
For cancellations 60-31 days before departure, 50% of your trip fees are refunded.
For cancellations 30 days or less before departure, no monies are refundable.
We have to strictly adhere to our cancellation policy to run our business, we’re sure you understand. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you purchase trip insurance to protect your investment. We recommend CSA Travel Protection (our producer code is 82945124). You can also call them at 800-348-9505.
No one plans not to come, and anything could happen…even to you! You never know what emergencies might pop up before or during your trip. We hate saying, “Sorry, we cannot refund your money” when a guest has to cancel and did not purchase travel insurance. Please do not ask us to make exceptions.
Western Spirit Cycling reserves the right to cancel any trip. Full refunds will be made in these instances. Western Spirit Cycling is not responsible for non-refundable airfare.
We wish we could tell you exactly, but Mother Nature is quite unpredictable as you may know. Our trips are designed with the best weather in mind, and follow the seasons—desert trips in spring and fall, and mountain trips in the summer. By sticking to our packing list that we’ve designed for you, you’ll be prepared for whatever comes our way (bringing rain gear almost assures it won’t rain, right?).
Most of our permits allow us to take 13 guests and 2 guides, although many trips are smaller than our maximum allowed. Our Maze permit in Canyonlands National Park is more limited with only 7 guests and 2 guides to maintain the remote wilderness experience.
For mountain bikes, we use the Specialized Stumpjumper ST 29ers. For road bikes, we use the Specialized Diverge E5 Elite. All our rental bikes come with flat pedals, a helmet, and one water bottle cage. We provide the water bottle and all the bike repair gear.
If you’re renting a bike from us, you do not need to show up early. Please meet at the scheduled time and we will fit you to your rented bike then.
All Western Spirit rental bikes come with flat pedals. If you have clipless pedals (e.g., SPD, Crank Brothers, etc.), you’re welcome to bring them along with your shoes. We swap out pedals all the time!
You can find the complete trip itinerary and packing list on each trip page with an option to print.
Yes, be sure to bring everything on this list! We have carefully developed this list to insure your comfort on the tour regardless of the weather. If you are prepared for extreme weather, it is an adventure. If you are not prepared, it can be a serious problem. We recommend the layering system, including a wicking or long underwear layer, an insulating layer and a weather barrier for wind and rain. This list reflects that philosophy. Weather can be unpredictable so be sure to bring all the warm clothing and rain gear listed!
The packing list will tell you how to pack, since it depends on which trip you are on. Overall, we use a 3-bag system:
Camping gear and personal items for camp (gets packed away in the morning and is inaccessible throughout the day),
Small daypack (stays in vehicle and is accessible throughout the day, e.g., extra layers, prescription medications, extra snacks, etc.),
Hydration pack you wear (all things you readily need, right there on your back). We recommend a 2-liter hydration system (e.g., Camelbak) to carry the things needed during the day (water, snacks, lunch, rain gear, extra layer, sunscreen, camera, etc.), and to easily hydrate without stopping.
Nope! We provide spare tubes (for 26”, 27.5” and 29” wheels), lube, tool kits, and pumps.
Certainly! If you bring camping gear, please bring a tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad. We’ll provide everything else you need. Don’t worry about the camp chairs—we bring those too!
Please make sure all your gear is in excellent, working condition before you head out on your trip. If you’re bringing your own bike, please make sure it has been tuned up and is in excellent riding condition before the trip.
Yes! We rent tents, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads. Sleeping bags are thoroughly washed between trips. The following prices are for the whole trip:
2-person tent – $40
Sleeping bag – $35
Sleeping pad – $15
Total $90
We offer solar showers which are a nice way to rinse off and refresh yourself, but it is not enough water to take a full-fledge shower. The showers are not private, so please bring a swimsuit and your own towel. Showers are dependent on water resources, which may be restricted if it’s a hot desert trip. Some campsites have streams and lakes available for swimming. We also recommend wet-wipes to refresh after a fun day on the bike.
It’s not a glamorous topic, and we know this can be a subject of concern and embarrassment for some. We make it as easy and sanitary as possible! If we’re camping in designated campsites, we use the pit toilets available in the campgrounds. If we’re camping in the backcountry, we obey by the pack-it-in-pack-it-out rule. We set up a portable toilet lovingly called “the groover,” and put it in a private location with a stunning view. We provide a hand wash system for clean up.
Please join us! We get solo travelers all the time and going on a bike trip is a great way to meet like-minded people. Many of our guests end up as lifelong friends after a Western Spirit trip.
