Bike It Now Wanaka: Opening Hours, Prices, Tours & Trails

Anyone who has landed in Wānaka with a vague plan to pedal the Otago Rail Trail already knows the feeling: you need a bike, a route, and a shop that won’t leave you stranded. Bike It Now Wanaka fills that gap — review aggregator Wanderlog rates it 5.0 out of 5 from 63 reviews — and its rental rates, guided tour options and local trails are worth sorting out before you book.

Freephone (NZ): 0800 245 366 ·
Email: info@bikeitnow.co.nz ·
Store locations: Wanaka, Clyde, Cromwell ·
Services: Bike hire, guided tours, workshop

The contact block is compact because one operator runs the three desks — Wānaka, Clyde and Cromwell — and the street address appears in a visitor guide as 1/97 Sir Tim Wallis Drive, Three Parks (Auckland Journal’s Bike It Now guide).

The table below puts the same contact details in a scan-friendly form.

What are the opening hours of Bike It Now in Wanaka?

No public listing reviewed for this piece pins down a reliable weekly schedule for the Wānaka desk. The official rental page posts prices and locations rather than opening hours, so the practical move is to call 0800 245 366 or email info@bikeitnow.co.nz before you turn up.

What days is Bike It Now open?

What the sources do confirm is that Bike It Now runs three counters, so “open” can differ between Wānaka, Clyde and Cromwell. One visitor guide to the shop puts it bluntly: exact deposits and day rates should be confirmed directly by phone (Auckland Journal’s Bike It Now Wanaka guide).

Are the hours consistent year-round?

• No published seasonal calendar appears in the sources available
• If you’re riding early or late in the season, confirm by phone the day before

Without a published schedule, the verified answer is short: ask. The same rule that applies to deposits applies to hours — a direct call removes the guesswork.

The pattern: Bike It Now treats its phone line as the source of truth for logistics, so the smart habit is to treat it the same way.

Where can I find the cheapest bike hire in Wanaka?

Cheapest depends on what you’re renting. On standard bikes, the published rate card is the reference point; on e-bikes, the market splits — one visitor guide puts the typical Wānaka e-bike hire range at roughly NZ$50–80 per day (Auckland Journal’s Wānaka guide), while Bike It Now’s published e-bike rate sits clearly above that range.

How does Bike It Now’s pricing compare to other Wanaka shops?

Service reviews complicate a price-only comparison. Wanderlog’s review summaries praise the staff for service, bike-selection advice and hands-on help when bikes misbehave.

Are there discounts for multi-day rentals?

• Standard bikes: NZ$70 single day, NZ$60 per day on multi-day hires
• E-bikes: NZ$120 single day, NZ$110 per day on multi-day hires
• Full-suspension e-bikes: NZ$180 single day, NZ$170 per day on multi-day hires

Three hire tiers, one consistent pattern: the daily rate drops by NZ$10 when you book multi-day — from NZ$70 to NZ$60, NZ$120 to NZ$110, and NZ$180 to NZ$170 (Bike It Now’s published rate card).

What this means: if your plan is a two-day or three-day trail ride, the multi-day pricing is where Bike It Now earns its value — the NZ$10-per-day drop is modest but real, and it compounds over a long weekend.

What are the e-bike hire prices in Wanaka?

The rate card separates the electric fleet into two classes: standard e-bikes at NZ$120 for a day or NZ$110 per day on multi-day hires, and full-suspension e-bikes at NZ$180 for a day or NZ$170 per day on multi-day hires (Bike It Now’s rate card).

What types of e-bikes does Bike It Now offer?

• Standard e-bikes — built for trail cruising and longer days with less effort
• Full-suspension e-bikes — extra comfort and control on loose or uneven ground

The NZ$60-per-day gap between the two classes is the clearest hardware signal on the list: you pay for suspension travel and control, not for extra speed.

Do e-bike rentals include helmets and locks?

• Published rates cover the bike classes, not the full contents of a hire package
• Ask whether helmets and locks are bundled when you book — especially for a multi-day trip

The rate card answers price questions, not packing questions. Treat the booking call as the moment to confirm safety gear, pickup time and the exact bike model you’re getting.

The trade-off: an e-bike removes the headwind excuse on a long trail day, but the upgrade from a standard bike to a standard e-bike is the biggest single price step in the range — worth it only if your route actually needs the assist.

What bike tours are available in Wanaka?

For most visitors, a “bike tour” in Wānaka means the Otago Central Rail Trail. Bike It Now’s multi-day pricing and three desk locations fit that type of point-to-point ride neatly.

What is the Otago Central Rail Trail tour?

The Otago Central Rail Trail is the region’s signature multi-day route, and it suits a standard bike more often than riders expect — the gentle grades are why a multi-day hire on a standard bike is the budget-strong play before you add an e-bike.

How long are the guided tours?

• Tour length depends on the trail segment and your pace
• Multi-day hires line up with two-day and three-day rail-trail itineraries
• Custom itineraries are possible — sort out start point and distance when you book

“Guided” here leans practical: the shop sets you up, maps the route and stays available if something goes wrong. That suits riders who want the trail, not the bus.

The implication: the tour question is really a logistics question, and Bike It Now’s three desks make the rail trail work as a one-way trip instead of an out-and-back.

What are the best bike trails in Wānaka?

Wānaka’s trail network splits into two moods: lakeside-and-river cruising on smooth surfaces, and singletrack with real climbs and technical moments. Both are within reach of the hire desk.

Which trails are suitable for beginners?

• Wānaka Lakeside Trail — mostly flat and wide, suited to first-time riders
• Upper Clutha River Trail — smooth gravel between Albert Town and The Outlet, with gentle slopes
• Hāwea River Track — maintained route with slight inclines and compact-gravel sections
• Glendhu Bay Track — gravel-and-dirt with minor obstacles and undulating terrain

Discover Wānaka, a local e-bike hire operator, lists all four at the accessible end of the scale (Discover Wānaka’s trail notes).

Are there trails near Lake Wānaka?

• Deans Bank Loop — 11 km singletrack with small climbs and descents
• Sticky Forest — short steep climbs, loose dirt, small drops and technical turns
• Hikuwai Loop — 9 km of flowy and technical sections, rocky ground and steep descents

Those three sit at the technical end of the scale, and the same trail notes point to them for riders comfortable with loose surfaces and momentum changes. The fleet guidance cuts both ways: Discover Wānaka says its e-bikes are suited mainly to grade 1–4 riding and not to jumps or extremely technical terrain (Discover Wānaka’s e-bike suitability notes) — a sensible yardstick when you’re matching a bike to a route.

Why this matters: the right trail choice is the difference between an e-bike day that feels like cheating and one that feels like hard work. Start with the Lakeside Trail or the Upper Clutha River Trail on day one, then graduate to the singletrack loops once the hire desk has set you up with the right bike class.

Pros and cons of booking with Bike It Now Wanaka

The trade-off is consistent: Bike It Now is transparent where it matters — bike classes and pricing — and vague where it doesn’t have to be: hours, deposits and holiday coverage.

How to book a bike with Bike It Now Wanaka

1. Choose your route first: Lakeside Trail, Upper Clutha River Trail or a multi-day Otago Central Rail Trail ride.
2. Match the bike class to the terrain: standard, e-bike or full-suspension e-bike.
3. Check the multi-day rate — the per-day price drops across every class.
4. Call 0800 245 366 or email info@bikeitnow.co.nz to confirm hours, availability and what’s included.
5. Nominate a pickup desk — Wānaka, Clyde or Cromwell — and ask about one-way drop-off.
6. Confirm helmets, locks and deposit details when you book.

The booking flow is short, but the phone call is the step that matters: it’s where the published rate card meets the real-world details like deposits, helmet availability and pickup timing.

Confirmed facts vs what’s still unclear

The pattern: pricing and bike classes are public and precise; the operational details that decide whether a plan actually works — hours, deposits, holiday cover — still require a phone call.

What riders and operators say

“Suited mainly to grade 1–4 riding and not to jumps or extremely technical terrain.”

Discover Wānaka, on its e-bike hire fleet

“Exact deposits and day rates should be confirmed directly by phone.”

Auckland Journal, Bike It Now Wanaka guide

The pattern across sources: the bike range and pricing are public, while repeated advice points to a phone call for hours, deposits and holiday availability.

Summary

For a first-time visitor, Bike It Now works best as the logistics anchor of a Wānaka bike trip: the published rate card is clear, the multi-day pricing rewards longer itineraries, and the three desk locations make the Otago Central Rail Trail a genuine point-to-point ride. The catch is that operational details — hours, deposits, holiday availability — live at the end of a phone call, not on the page. For the budget-focused rider, the decision is clear: compare published e-bike rates before you commit, or take the standard bike at NZ$70 and pocket the difference for a good lunch on the trail.

Frequently asked questions

If the answer isn’t here, the phone line settles it: 0800 245 366 or info@bikeitnow.co.nz.