Cairngorms E-MTB Adventure Tour

To secure your place on the Cairngorm E-Bike Big Mountain Magic MTB Tour A 30% per person, booking deposit is required. Deposits are non-refundable and the full balance is due 8 weeks before you arrive in Scotland.

If you prefer your privacy or simply want to spread out and would like your own room there is a single occupancy option available. This depends on availability and is limited to a certain number of rooms per property per week. 

If this is of interest then please contact us for prices, your deposit will then be calculated at 30% of your total holiday cost. 

Prices range from £200 - £300 depending on the room available / required. 

E-BIKE CAIRNGORMS
 
Day 0: Arrival Day (10km, 300-500m descent)

Day 0 allows for plenty of time to arrive at the guest house. If you make it before 4 pm our guides will take you on a pre-trip ride. This gives you a chance to finalise any bike setup and have a tinker. This will be a 10k loop local to the guest house taking in some of the local forest trails. Dinner will be booked for 7:30 pm and the trip brief commences! If you don't make the pre-ride we will see you at the guest house from 6:30 pm onwards. 

Day 1: Ben Alder, out and back (Ben Alder, 60km, 1200m descent)

Starting from Scotland's highest distillery at Dalwhinnie we'll warm up on a loch-side track that leads to a stalker's bothy. From here we begin our ride on 40km of rolling singletrack. The trails here are maintained by the estate. Their sweeping, smooth curves make these trails unique in the highlands. The high point is the Bealeach Dubh (the black pass) where there is a view of Ben Nevis and the west coast. Then we pick up the pace on these flowing trails down to lunch at a lochside beach. An easy climb after lunch leads to another 10km of silky descent, and a wee dram at the distillery.

Day 2: Sgor Gaoith High Mountain Descents (40km, 1300m descent) 
 
Our 2nd full day's riding takes on descents from Sgor Goaith, a Scottish Munro that towers over the picturesque Glen Feshie. These are classic high mountain trails falling over 700m on a continuous single track from the plateau, with views over the Cairngorms, to the forest below. We'll make full use of our e-bike climbing capability to complete this loop and save our own energy for roaring descents on water bars, boulders and switch-backs.
 
Day 3: Eastern Cairngorms, Beinn A'Bhuird  (38km, 1300m descent)
 
This route starts on a rolling single track through the ancient Caledonian forest of the Eastern Cairngorms. Technical, precise climbing, with just the right balance of torque and traction, on the stalkers' paths, brings us to the base of Beinn A'Bhuird, the table hill. The trail contours onto the summit where there are mind-blowing views over the corries and lochs back towards our start point far below. After taking in the view and exploring the rocky tors on the summit, we'll set up for the longest descent of the week; eventually reaching a bothy and swimming spot at the head of the River Dee for a rest and cool down.. 

Day 4: Royal Deeside, Heart Break Ridge and Beyond (40km, 1200m descent )

Ballater, a hotspot for Aberdeenshire's mountain biking, is our base for this day.  From the picturesque town square, we'll warm up and try some granite slab test pieces overlooking the river and the lochs. E-bikes make easy work of the climbs onto the grouse moors and the start of trails on long granite ridge lines. The views live up to Aberdeenshire's strapline - from the mountains to the sea. Then it's full throttle, enduro descent, and back to the village for lunch. We'll make a southern loop in the afternoon, this time with views across Lochangar, the Queen's Mountain, and Balmoral Castle. This sets us up for a run on the legendary local trail Heart Break Ridge, with a special e-bike extension.

We aim to leave Ballater at 3 PM to return to Aviemore for a 5 pm departure. 

We don't experience many Midge's problems in the Cairngorms due to it being drier and the riding higher than the West Coast. 

Included in the price is all your travel whilst on the trip with us in Scotland and including collection and drop off from Aviemore train station. If you are planning to self-drive there is parking at the accommodation and as we will be based here for the duration of the trip your car will be safe and secure without the need to be moved. 

If you are flying in to the UK and traveling to us by public transport there are great rail links from Aviemore to Inverness, Glasgow and Edinburgh. 

Edinburgh - Aviemore

First jump on the bus or tram into the city for £5 then your train will depart from Edinburgh Waverley Station

• 12 trains per day
• £17.50 each way
• Average travel time 3h20m
• Fastest travel time 2h45m
• First train 06:48
• Last train 23:19
• https://www.scotrail.co.uk/train-times/edinburgh-waverley-to-aviemore

Glasgow - Aviemore

Slightly more tricky, but jump on the bus for £7 and head to the city center and Glasgow High Street Station

• 12 trains per day - no direct
• £23.10 each way
• Average travel time 3h24m
• Fastest travel time 2h44m
• First train 06:50
• Last train 23:11
• https://www.scotrail.co.uk/train-times/high-street-glasgow-to-aviemore

By Rail

Virgin Trains East Coast - www.virgintrainseastcoast.com

ScotRail: www.scotrail.co.uk

Caledonian Sleeper - www.sleeper.scot - A very popular service with a late evening departure from London and an early morning arrival into Aviemore. Depart London 21:15 Arrive at Aviemore at 07:40 ready for coffee and bikes! £170 ish

• Advised bike - 140mm - 170mm Electric Enduro bike *
• Fitness - 3*
• Skills and Technical ability - 3*
• Riding Style - All Natural / Spirit of Adventure

The riding standard and fitness level required to ride the Cairngorm E-Bike trip is of a high intermediate/advanced standard. This is not only for your enjoyment and personal safety, but it is also for the group as a whole. The riding can be very technical, long, and exposed. You should be able to ride all Red trails, either man-made or Natural with ease and happily tackle Black. There are no jumps or large drops but the terrain is challenging and changeable. Walking certain sections is allowed 100%. 

Please read our ability assessor and ask any questions before making your booking.

Follow our Ability Assessor to see if this holiday is for you

NOTE - The weather and conditions will have a huge bearing on what we can actually do – the itinerary is likely to change from day to day to make sure we make the most of the riding and terrain available to us. Everyone knows you can experience four seasons in one day in Scotland so as long as we are prepared with the right kit and mentality it will be an amazing trip! 

There’s no getting around it, 7 mountain bikers will be pretty conspicuous and we’ll have some impact on the landscape and other trail users. As a company, we’re 100% committed to minimising our impact in every way we can. We operate a strict ‘pack it out’ policy for all litter (including banana skins and orange peel), and we try to leave as little trace of our passing as possible.

While we’ll enjoy some epic descents and trails, please ride in control and at a speed that reflects your line of sight and abilities. We’ll certainly meet walkers and we want any interactions to be as positive as possible. It’s important to give mountain bikers a good name.

It is essential and a required part of your booking process that you have holiday insurance in place for your trip that covers medical and personal accidents and all the activities including mountain biking you will take part in. 

We have worked with Yellow Jersey Cycle Insurance for the past 3 years now and feel they offer the perfect Travel and Bike insurance package. All Atlas Ride Co clients also receive a 10% discount on their Mountain Bike and Travel policies. Your discount code will be in your booking confirmation.

Kit List - The weather can be very varied in Scotland so we need to be prepared. We’ll have a briefing every evening to give you an up to date weather forecast and plan the next day. We can share some of the kit to keep packs as light as possible, although on very remote days we need to cover all eventualities.

• Hydration pack big enough to carry everything in the list below – suggested size 15L to 20L • 
• Water and snacks – gels, energy bars, flapjacks, jelly babies 
• Lunch (we supply it but you need to carry it!) 
• Dry bag to keep everything dry inside your pack 
• Mini pump for your valve type 
• 2 inner tubes plus spare ones in the minibus (even if you use tubeless) – Scotland is very rocky! 
• Tube patches (preferably self-adhesive) 
• Tubeless repair kit (if you use tubeless) 
• Tyre boot or patch 
• Tyre levers 
• 2 spare spokes that fit your wheels 
• Multi-tool 
• 1 set of spare brake pads 
• Rear gear hanger for your bike - essential 
• Cable ties
• Duct tape (we suggest wrapping 1m around your pump) 
• Power link for your chain type and speed 
• Mobile phone - in a waterproof case or plastic bag 
• Small personal first aid kit
• Insect repellent (we recommend Smidge) 
• Sun screen 
• Any medication you need Recommended clothing 

Recommended Clothing

• Helmet – not full face 
• Knee and elbow pads 
• Cycling shorts and/or waterproof shorts (or trousers)
• Wicking base layers or cycling jerseys 
• Mid layer (fleece or soft shell) 
• Windproof jacket 
• Waterproof jacket 
• Insulated jacket or warm emergency layer 
• Woolly hat or buff 
• Riding glasses 
• Gloves (worth having a spare pair if it’s wet) 
• Waterproof socks 
• Cycling shoes (you must be able to walk in them!) For the minibus 
• Small ‘hand luggage’ bag for post-ride clothes 
• Plastic bags for wet and dirty kit 
• Chamois cream if you use it

Your guides will carry

• Pliers
• Chain splitter
• Emergency spokes
• Spoke key
• Adjustable spanner
• Cassette tool and chain wrench
• Shock pump
• Puncture and tubeless repair kits
• Small bottle of chain lube
• Spare chain links/joining pins
• Assorted nuts and bolts
• Emergency shelter
• Emergency blanket
• Warm insulated jacket
• First aid kit
• Maps
• Compass
• GPS
• Mobile phones
• VHF radio

We have a limited number of Specialized Levo SL E-Bikes available for hire, we feel these are the perfect bike for power, range and technical riding in the Scottish mountain they are also light enough to cross rivers and for the occasional hike a bike! 

Hire prices are from £65 per day dependin on legth of hire. 

What can I say but thank you Atlas Ride. The Cairngorm e-bike experience was absolutely brilliant. From the two superb Guest houses to the two great guides to the other guests on the break to the amazing trails, the views, the laughs, the broken wheel, the punctures. An amazing time. If you are thinking of going on this then stop thinking and sign on, you won't be disappointed.

Brian S.

What an amazing few days riding!!!
This had everything from big mountain ascents, descents, and ridgelines to local hidden trails.
Secret bothys and river crossings all added to the experience.
The accommodation was fantastic and had everything you needed from bike storage, charging and cleaning facilities!! The rooms and particularly the breakfasts were amazing and left you fuelled up for the big rides ahead.
The guides were very knowledgeable, funny and helpful with particular sections of trails.
My eyes and neck also got a very good workout as the scenery is just unreal.
Highly recommended and would certainly be doing this again.

Mark S.

Brilliant holiday in the Cairngorms well planned, quality rides, guides and accommodation. If you've not done the Cairngorms with these guys your missing out. Premier League standard!!!

Greg R.