FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here are some questions about our bike tours.

Before the event
What happens if it rains?
Bicycling is an outdoor event, and it may be windy or raining during the winery tour. We don’t generally cancel for unsettled weather unless we consider it to be too wet or windy to cycle during our operation hours. For this to occur we would have a weather forecast for Hastings district showing rain in excess of 1.5mm per hour for two or more hours or winds in excess of 30 km/h during the period of 11am to 4pm on the booked date. These readings are taken from the MetService website: http://www.metservice.com/towns-cities/hastings. Please note, Napier and Hastings have different forecasts and can experience different weather on the day. If the weather doesn’t look enticing for a bike ride, please call us first to confirm the forecast. Weather is rarely as bad as it looks, so give us a call first if you don’t intend to come or you may lose your deposit or be charged the full amount. If the winery tour cannot go ahead we will either try to accommodate you on another day (subject to availability) or give a refund.
Do I need to make a reservation?
For weekends, yes! At least 24 h in advance and subject to availability. For larger groups you may have to book a few weeks in advance. Most of the time during the week you can turn up and we will have bikes available. We will always try to accommodate where we can, but don’t be surprised if you turn up without a booking and we have no bikes available.
Do you have a cancellation policy?
If you have booked and wish to cancel at least 24 hours prior to your due date, we reserve the right to retain the deposit of  $10 per person for admin fees. If you have paid the full amount we will refund the amount paid less an admin fee of  $10 per person. If you cancel within 24 hours of your booking, we reserve the right to keep all money paid. If you don’t show up by 12 noon on the booking day (unless by prior arrangement) your booking will be cancelled and we will retain all money paid. If your cancellation is due to bereavement or health reasons will be dealt with on a case by case basis. If On Yer Bike cancel the day’s tour for any reason, we will return the deposit or give a refund. See section on cancellation for details. Cancellation after commencement of booking: You will receive no refund once you have turned up and taken the bike out.
Do you have a group discount?
Our prices are fairly priced for the service we offer, it takes as much effort to run a large group as a small group. So, no we do not offer discounts for large groups.
Can I bring my own bike?
No. We are a bike tour company with the theme of wine tours, so we would prefer that you use our bikes. If you bring and use your own bicycle we will still charge you the full rate as if you had used one of our bikes. This charge will cover access to our exclusive route, any breakdowns or flat tires you may encounter and wine collection from the wineries whilst on the tour. So, why have the hassle of hauling around your own bike, it won’t save you any money;  use ours and if anything happens, we will immediately take care of it.
Do you have child seats?

Yes, we have one child seat for infants from 11 months old – they need to be sitting up independantly to use this. We do not have anything for younger infants. These will work for children upto 15Kg in weight.

Do you have bikes for children?

Yes, we have one child trailer for 2-7 yr olds, a weehoo tagalong for 3-6 year olds, one bike for 7-9 year olds, and one for 9-11 year olds. Older children generally fit onto our range of small to medium framed bikes.  Adult bikes are suitable for children over the age of 14 years.

Getting there
How can I get to you?

If not driving use Hastings Taxi. Prices for 2-11 people are from $45 per shuttle (one-way) from Hastings, $55 per shuttle (one-way) from Havelock North Village and from $85 per shuttle (one-way) from Napier CBD or $95 per shuttle (one-way) from Ahuriri/Westshore. Call Hastings Taxi on 0800 875 055

We do not provide transport.

If you’re concerned about drinking see this article

Can you come and pick me up?

No, we don’t have a pick-up service. We have negotiated great rates with local taxis. Call Hastings Taxi on 0800 875 055  if you are coming from Hastings or Havelock North or from Napier. If you make your way to the On Yer Bike Base it is 15 minutes drive from Havelock North and Hastings and 25 minutes from Napier.

There are no bus routes to our rural location.

On the day
What is the best time to start?
Best time to arrive is about 10am  to 10.30am  (11am in winter) we can get you on your way fairly quickly. The wineries are fairly close and are open from 10am (11am in winter). You then have until 4pm to return the bikes.
How long will it take?
We would recommend that you make the wine tour a whole day activity. Depending on the number of wineries you visit and time spent at each winery it will take the best part of a whole day. We estimate you will spend at least one hour per winery you visit.
How many wineries can we visit?

This very much depends which day you come on and we cannot guarantee that you will get to all of them. Generally during the summer months (Oct to Easter) you can visit 7 wineries on the weekends and 5-6 wineries on weekdays. Over the winter months (from easter to October) this is reduced to 3-5 wineries from Wednesday to Sunday. We publish a chart on the front page of current wineries that are open.

Do I pay tasting fees?
All wineries charge tasting fees of between $6 – $8 per person. Generally, tasting fees can be refundable against any wine purchased. If your group is larger than 10 people then tasting fees may be  non-refundable.
Am I riding on the roads?
Not unless you want to. Since the addition of the Wineries Cycle Track you follow the lime tracks on the side of the road. It is one of the safest places to ride and very bike friendly. There is only one section where clients are on the road for 400m.
Can we ride in other areas?
We have decided to concentrate and provide the best service in the Bridge Pa Triangle / Gimblett Gravels area. As a result we do not take the bikes or riders to other winery areas.
Do I have to wear a helmet?
Yes. Helmets are compulsory in New Zealand and client safety is paramount so we insist you take one of our helmets or bring your own. If you are stopped by the police for nor wearing a helmet, you are liable for a large fine.
What happens if something happens to my bike?
Bike tires don’t like glass or jumping on/off the pavements, but it can always happen so be ware of that. If you have a flat tire or something breaks on the bike, give us a call and we will be there as soon as possible with a replacement.
What happens if my bike gets stolen?
First thing to do is to contact us and we will arrange to report it to the police. Our insurance for bike theft means we charge $350.
What happens if I have an accident?
We highly recommend that all renters contract their own travel or personal insurance. On Yer Bike is not responsible for any type of accident as described in the rental agreement and rental waiver. If an accident does occur, stay calm and call 111 first if you require medical attention. Call us too, we will do anything we can to help you.
Nearby ameneties
Are there places to stay nearby?
There are several good motels and lodges in Havelock North and Hastings to consider which is only a 15 minute drive away. Go to www.bridgepatriangle.nz  for listings.
Can I camp anywhere?
If you are in a camper van or self-contained motorhome, there is Hastings Top Ten Caravan Park not too far away in Hastings City. Napier Top Ten Caravan Park further away (25Km). There are no camping sites in the immediate vicinity of the wineries. We do not allow overnight camping in our car park.
Where can I eat nearby?
There is a cafe at Ash Ridge Wines – where you start and finish – which offers Tea, Coffee, various platters and pizzas.  Abbey Cellars offer a cheese board and pizzas.  Oak Estate is a lovely bistro with great food and Te Awa winery has a restaurant, but is best to book first as they may have other functions on. There are no shops or farmers fruit outlets on the route. If you have specific dietary requirements, bring a picnic of your own to enjoy on the way.
Returns
What time do I have to return the bike?
All hires, regardless of what time you started, finish at 4pm. Please bring back your bicycles to our base on or before 4pm. If you fail to do so, we reserve the right to charge you $5 per person for every half hour you are late. If this is not paid by the individual on return, we will recover it from the person who made the initial booking. If you leave or abandon your bike at any of the wineries and do not return the bike to our base we will charge $30 per bicycle recovery fee. You will be liable for the cost of any bike(s) if stolen before we can recover it. If this is not paid by the individual on return, we will recover it from the person who made the initial booking.

CONTACT

If we haven’t managed to answer your questions about our winery tour?

Before contact, please check out our frequently asked questions above first. If you cannot find the answer you are looking form then, by all means, contact us your question and we will add it to our help section.

Group bookings:  Are the same as regular bookings – just with more people. You can choose if you want to book for everyone or get people to make their own bookings.

Quotes: We have an online quote form if you just want to know prices. Click this link here.  You can also use the booking form to put this together. You can add several different types of bikes by clicking on “add another booking”.

Pick-up: We don’t have facilities to organize pick up and drop off from people’s accommodation, please use local taxis, shuttles or Uber to arrange transport.

Please use one of the booking forms on this website – we have gone to a lot of effort to add them. We do not take bookings by email or telephone.

OFFICE

2543 State Highway 50, Roy’s Hill, Hastings
Phone: 06 650 4627

CONTACT HOURS

Winter – Wed-Sun: 11am – 4pm
Summer – Mon-Sun: 10am – 4pm

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On Yer Bike Winery Tours

2543 State Highway 50, Roy's Hill, Hastings

Call me at 06 650-4627