Testimonials

5.0

Based on 186 reviews

07:05 03 Oct 25

Doing a couple of coaching sessions with NZ Mountain Biking has absolutely transformed my riding and has taken me from a scared, reluctant rider trying to keep up with my kids to becoming a confident rider loving Grade 4 trails and starting to think about the next challenge! Jamie's coaching style is unique in that he takes you where you are at and knows exactly what you need to progress and meet your own goals. Most of all he keeps the learning highly personalised and super fun!

Response from the owner 18:57 04 Oct 25

It’s great to see you out there loving being on your bike and riding more trail Toni. Thanks for the feedback. Happy to help you reach your goals 🙌

Susan McDougall

06:10 03 Oct 25

Had a private skills lesson with Asher today. He was excellent at explaining a technique and then follow up practice with him giving feedback to me and even videoing. Would highly recommend him to older women who are wanting to improve and enjoy their MTB even more

Response from the owner 18:55 04 Oct 25

Thanks so much for your feedback Susan. Glad that you had such a good time out there with Asher. Thanks for the recommendation. ~ Jamie

Reid Swartz

02:50 26 Sep 25

I had an absolutely incredible day riding the world-class trails of the Whakarewarewa forest with New Zealand Mountain Biking. Jamie tailored the ride perfectly to my ability level, sharing great tips on technique while making sure I felt confident and safe. His knowledge of the trails and local insight added so much to the adventure.

The guided shuttle service made everything effortless. It was great to have maximum time on the trails without having to worry about logistics, and our driver Peter had some great stories about the history of the trail network.

I can’t recommend this experience highly enough, and hope I’m able to make another trip here sometime in the future!

Response from the owner 19:01 04 Oct 25

Thanks for the feedback Reid. It was great to ride with you and take you on all the trails that were perfect for your style and ability for an epic day on the bike!

Ryan Crossley

20:45 21 Sep 25

Best investment ever. Asher was a great instructor. He set my bike up properly and gave me detailed instruction on everything i wanted to learn. He covered the basics and gave me a new found confidence on my bike. Would definitely recommend for everyone. Im now hitting sick drops and jumps with ease!

Response from the owner 19:00 04 Oct 25

Stoked to help you lock in a solid foundation that makes such a big difference to your riding. Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest difference

David Pierce

07:47 18 Sep 25

Private guided shuttles in Whakarewarewa Forest Rotorua was well worth the money. So many fun trails to link up thanks local knowledge.

Response from the owner 19:00 04 Oct 25

So good to show you around the forest and maximise your riding while here in Rotorua. Hope to see you again.

Katie Jones

09:47 07 Sep 25

I can highly recommend having MTB sessions with New Zealand Mountain Biking! The lessons are well structured, everything is explained well and demo rides are done to show you a visual example of the skill being taught. I have had two lessons so far and both Jamie and Asher excellent instructors, you will definitely see me coming back!

Response from the owner 05:18 10 Sep 25

Thanks for the feedback Katie. Look forward to seeing you again to continue the improvements 😁

Sarah bertram

07:29 04 Jun 25

Put my son Lachy into the kids Sunday sessions with Jamie and he is absolutely frothing after each session. So much fun and coming away with some learnings. Jamie is great with the kids and seems to get through to them and keeps the sessions super fun! My boy wants to go every weekend.

Response from the owner 20:20 04 Jun 25

Thanks so much, Sarah! It’s been awesome having Lachy in the Sunday sessions — he brings great energy and it’s epic to see him frothing after every ride! We’re all about making the learning fun and giving kids the tools to ride with more confidence and flow, so stoked to hear he’s getting both. Looking forward to more laps with him!— Jamie

Ian Donald

01:06 16 May 25

Very rewarding 3 hours with Jamie who is an excellent coach and communicator. I am confident that my riding will now go up a few levels.
Will definitely be returning for another session.
Highly recommended for any MTBiker regardless of skill or experience level.

Response from the owner 01:50 16 May 25

Thanks for the awesome review. I’m really glad to hear that you found the session so rewarding and that you’re feeling confident to take your riding to the next level. It was great working with you and I look forward to riding with you again soon.

Janelle Taplin

03:05 01 May 25

I highly recommend a lesson with Jamie at NZ Mountain Biking. I've been at it for about a year, as an adult to a new hobby, and learning the basics around scanning, body position, foot position has already improved my riding and my confidence. Jamie even showed me how to check my bike over for mechanical issues and did a quick re-set of the brakes and gear triggers to better suit my hand position.

I'll be back in a few months' time when these skills have sunk in, for another lesson.

Response from the owner 03:46 01 May 25

Great to hear the confidence has improved. I look forward to checking in and adding to the tool kit in a couple of months time.

bruce solomon

18:49 21 Apr 25

Our trip was flawless from start to finish. Great organization by Jamie. The lodging,food,bikes and all the extras that make a trip so special have obviously been well thought out and planned. Jamie was a great guide keeping our group on trails that pushed us just enough to have great fun.The biking was absolutely phenomenal and as we head back to Florida we will be longing for the trails of rotarua for a long time.

Response from the owner 01:59 21 Apr 25

Thanks Bruce. It was great to host you all. It was great to find you the perfect trails for your abilities and the conditions. Until next time! Cheers

R Sharp

06:35 12 Apr 25

Well worth doing. I had a great 1:1 lesson with Asher. He worked quickly through basics and then into some tips and tricks on specific areas to help improve speed and flow through trails. I immediately saw the positive impact from the new skills and have a much better understanding of what to focus on and think about on a ride. Thank you Asher. I’ll be back again.

Response from the owner 19:50 12 Apr 25

That’s great to hear Rebecca. Thank you for the feedback and great to hear you have some great take aways. Look forward to catching up with you next time.

Phil Irons

05:03 31 Mar 25

My 3-hour lesson with Jamie set me up with essential, introductory skills including optimum riding positions, trail awareness, braking insights and how to negotiate terrain changes and drops - as a result a massive improvement in confidence, speed and flow especially on downhill tracks. Extremely worthwhile!

Response from the owner 18:56 01 Apr 25

Thanks Phil - It was great to give you a good solid platform to progress from! I look forward to catching up with you at some point down the track.

Daniel Lawrence

05:50 03 Mar 25

5 stars all day. Jamie helped us piece together our riding puzzle, turning advanced tracks from a bit of hoping for the best into a smooth, controlled and confident ride, almost overnight. Such a simple approach but so effective.

Response from the owner 06:11 03 Mar 25

Stoked to help you both unlock some new features and lines. Looking forward to checking in with you in a few months time

Andy Evins

23:02 23 Feb 25

If I could give 6 out of 5 stars I would! Jaime w/New Zealand Mountain Biking was an amazing guide full of an in depth knowledge of all the trails we rode! My wife and I could have simply tried our best to navigate the trails in Rotorua but with Jaime’s help we were able to have a stress free epic adventure navigating a wide variety of trails plus as a bonus, he put up with my endless questions about the area. If you looking for a guide, stop looking and hire Jaime!

Response from the owner 05:47 26 Feb 25

Thanks for the feedback Andy! That is what having a local on call is all about - I hope I was able to give you enough info about the area to satisfy the hunger!

Fernanda Mejia

23:01 23 Feb 25

We booked 4 days of private guided tours with Jamie and it was incredible. We rode Whakarewarewa Forest, Maunga Kākaramea and did a heli shuttle ride around the Kaimanawa Range. All four days were amazing, packed with some of the best riding this area has to offer. Jamie works with you to tailor the trip according to your riding skills and goes above and beyond to make sure you’re having heaps of fun. I would definitely recommend him and his company!

Response from the owner 02:49 24 Feb 25

Thanks Fer, it was great to kick start your NZ trip with a solid few days of getting in some great riding. All the best with the rest of your trip!

Emma McNamee

05:55 16 Feb 25

100000% worth the investment in a lesson; just one session with Jamie has literally changed my riding and my confidence! Cannot recommend enough! And a really lovely guy too! Thanks Jamie!

Response from the owner 07:01 16 Feb 25

Thanks for the feedback Emma. Stoked that you are feeling so good on your bike now!

Beki Wurster

05:55 24 Dec 24

Absolutely worth the money for lessons! I think I progressed more in a day and a half with Jamie than I have the last 7 months of living and riding in Rotorua. We had a really nice time working on technique and building skills, but I didn’t realize just how much it helped until we went out for our next ride and suddenly “scary” features felt easy and in control.

Response from the owner 06:52 24 Dec 24

Great to hear that you are stoked on the progress made on the Level Up course. I am looking forward to following up in the new year and taking what we worked on even further! Thanks, Jamie

Mark Shepheard

19:38 18 Dec 24

We booked via Jamie and he arranged a ride training session with Asher for my 12 year old son Kobe. It was a great session at Redwoods. Anyone who has been here would understand that it has trails all over the place. The session was for the team to provide coaching but also to assist in showing the best trails for Kobes ability. It was a great experience for Kobe and we will be back for another session in the future. Highly recommend if you visit rotarua and you don't know the hill that well book in a session as it will be well worth it.

Response from the owner 04:49 21 Dec 24

Great to hear that Kobe had such a good time out there with Asher. Kobe is such a talented rider. It is awesome to have the flexibility to show him exaclty what he needed to see.

Philip Goldsmith

03:17 28 Nov 24

I can't say enough about riding with Jamie and New Zealand MTB for a few days this November. Progression leaps and bounds, world class trail systems, Jamie's ability to sort out the best trails for us on the fly, and last but not least his low key sense of hospitality felt just like riding and hanging with friends at home. Already planning our return next year 🙂

Sean Patrick

23:42 19 Nov 24

Jamie with New Zealand Mountain Biking was an amazing guide and it was an outstanding experience. My wife and I did the Hero Dirt Mountain Bike Tour late Oct 2024 and it was an excellent mix of riding in different regions with different scenes. Jamie was very receptive to what we enjoyed, and he tailored the trails to our riding style and skill level. The food and accommodations were great, and we felt very well taken care of. The Hero Dirt tour was the perfect way of introducing us to the mountain biking in the region/New Zealand (my wife and I are both from Canada and we primarily ride enduro in BC and AB). It was a great mix of shuttling and pedalling days, and the heli-bike-trip at the end was amazing. After the Hero Dirt Mountain Bike Tour, my wife and I continued to mountain bike multiple regions in the North and South Island, and I would have to say that the mountain biking we did with Jamie in Rotorua was definitely the best.

Jamie seemed to know all the trails like the back of his hand – he was able to give us a run- down of all the upcoming trails, a heads up on all the terrain features, and was able to adapt trails as we went. He also gave us both riding and travel recommendations for the rest of our NZ trip. Sure, you could have had a “similar” experience guiding yourself with Trail Forks, but the comfort of having a very experienced guide in an unfamiliar area allowed us to get a ton of extremely fun riding in without much brain power. Having Jamie as a guide was absolutely invaluable, and I would highly recommend booking with New Zealand Mountain Biking if you want to get the ultimate NZ mountain biking experience.

Nicole Rattray

04:21 29 Mar 24

Jamie from New Zealand Mountain Bike was amazing! We couldn't have asked for a better guide who took us to amazing trails that suited our riding style. Everyone felt so comfortable with Jamie and he gave some great pointers too. We had a group with all different riding styles and he made sure everyone had the best experience. He also made sure we didn't go hungry. If you want to see the best of Rotoruas Redwoods, book in with these guys!

Here is what our clients are saying about our mountain biking tours and lessons.

Mountain Biking Tours
“I got the most out of the time by having someone that knew the trails and which ones fit my ridding style to maximize the fun in the short time” or “like just going riding in a new area with a mate!” or “matched the difficulty of the trails perfectly to the ability of the riders – no one got off and walked!” are a few things that our clients say about their mountain biking tours with us. From-Half day to week-long, small group and private trips, we look after all of our guests to make their trips amazing!

Mountain Biking Lessons
“Excellent instructor who clearly explains and demonstrates skills” or “The relaxed and friendly manner creates a “no pressure” and fun environment to learn” or “Much improved confidence” or “My riding had been plateauing and not having any idea how to improve, Jamie immediately identified a few key opportunities” are just a few things that people say about their lessons with us. Check out more testimonials below or sift through the hundreds that we have here.

What our Customers say about us

The New Zealand Mountain Biking team is a close-knit team of enthusiastic riders. When we’re not hitting the trails, you’ll find us performing trail maintenance, repairing bikes in the workshop, discussing bikes, or watching biking videos. It’s safe to say that we’re obsessed in the best way. Our shared passion comes through when leading our mountain biking tours and lessons, but don’t just take it from us. Take a look at some of the individuals who have taken part in our tours and lessons to discover what they have to say about their experiences with us.

BKXC Brian Kennedy – California

Custom Hero Dirt Tour: 9-days of riding Rotorua and the central North Island

TOO MUCH FUN. The Rotorua Redwoods have a TON of miles and I could ride these trails for five days straight. Maybe that’s what I’ll do next time I come! Some of the thickest bush I’ve ever encountered. Luckily it’s not all overgrown and we get into some really nice little challenges along the way. An amazing trip taking on 8 days of amazing North Island, New Zealand singletrack.

Jeff Cayley, Worldwide Cyclery – Los Angeles, CA

Custom Worldwide Cyclery Rotorua Trip – 9-day enduro mountain biking tour

We put together a collaboration trip with New Zealand Mountain Biking. It was absolutely incredible. It’s a trip like this that can make you fall in love with mountain biking. I don’t think any sport exudes smiles, fun & adventure quite like mountain biking does in every country on the planet. This video doesn’t even come close to capturing how much fun that trip was. I will be the first one in line to get back riding with those Kiwi’s again once things get back to some level of normality. . A MASSIVE thank you to the crew at NZMTB for their hospitality. If you ever want to have the best week of your life, go on a trip to NZ with these dudes one day.

Claire – Tauranga

Mountain Biking Lesson: Rotorua

I had a great first lesson with Morgan. He set the pace to my level and my confidence improved so much in just one lesson! Can’t wait to get back out there!

Joe – Australia

Hero Dirt Rotorua – 5 day enduro mountain biking tour

I was on the 6-day hero dirt tour based in Rotorua. A place close to my mountain biking heart.
the trails were in perfect shape and rode some beautiful native forests and took in some beautiful sights. Jamie was a great guide and an awesome rider who helped ride to my limits and coached me to adapt quickly to the trails.
my accommodation was clean, comfortable and in the perfect location. I ate very well and was happy the whole trip.
I want to join this trip again soon
thank you Jamie, for a trip to remember. Joe

Teddy – England

Redwoods Half-Day mountain biking tour: Rotorua

I had a great afternoon out in the forest with Jamie. He organised bike rental for me and picked me up from my hotel. It was exactly what I needed – some skills and a cruise. Thank you for the ride!

Tony – Rotorua

Redwood Private Shuttles – Intro to the Whakarewarewa Forest, Rotorua

I needed someone to show me more of the Redwood mtg tracks and so I turned to New Zealand Mountain Biking and Jamie did not disappoint. we met at the pre-arranged spot and for the next 3 hours he showed me and took me to places I had not been he pushed my skill set as I asked him to do it and at the end I was tired but thrilled at the experience. I could not recommend these guys more whatever you skill ability Jamie will show you a great time and introduce you to an amazing area for mountain biking

Yukako – Japan

Hero Dirt Rotorua – 5 day tour of Rotorua’s Hero Dirt

(Translated by Google) I took the Hero Dirt 6 days tour from Japan. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Rotorua. It’s definitely more fun than staring at Trail Forks! Other than that, it is an impression including an overview.

・First of all, even if my English is not perfect, they are willing to accept me.
・It seems that there are more than 100 courses in Whakarewarewa Forest, but taking into consideration the riding level and trail conditions, it will take you to the most enjoyable course in an efficient way. If you want to make the most of your limited time and physical strength, we recommend this tour where you can use a private shuttle. You can go to areas where public shuttles do not run, so you can loop the desired trail as many times as you like with a minimum self-run. Also, they showed us trails in areas other than Whakarewarewa, which were also quite interesting.
・Ride ends in the early afternoon (don’t worry, you can run until you’re full in the early afternoon), and after-ride activities such as playing in the river, rafting, ziplining, and unexplored hot springs are also included in the tour schedule. Jumping into the water after getting muddy is the best!
・ Above all, the personalities of the guides Jamie and Morgan were very nice. During the tour, he was my guide, organizer, mechanic, chef, and best riding companion. It was really fun to ride with you. Thank you! !

Scott – Australia

Half-day Rotorua Mountain Biking Tour

Arrange a 3-hour guided ride and bike hire with Jamie. Ended up being one of the best rides I have had. Jamie did a great job with trail selections to suit my riding style and ability. He also gave me a few tips to help improve my riding along the way. The Redwoods is such a great place to ride. Thanks, Jamie it was a great afternoon.

Wah – Rotorua

Private Mountain Biking Lesson: Rotorua

I had a private lesson with Jamie working on riding over drops and braking. He is an excellent instructor who clearly explains and demonstrates skills. His relaxed and friendly manner creates a “no pressure” and fun environment to learn. I ticked off some new features and had much-improved confidence afterwards, I will definitely book in again, thanks!

Steve – Southern California

4-Day custom mountain biking tour – Timber Trail, & two days in Rotorua

There is no better way to enjoy mountain biking than to find someone with the expertise and trail knowledge to make local arrangements. The chance to realize a long-standing dream to ride the best available trails on the North Island was recently achieved with the efforts of Jamie Garrod, Director of New Zealand Mountain Biking (NZMB) in the Rotorua region. Among the many, many hours investigating internet sites and watching video postings, I was most impressed by the NZMB website because of the organization of useful information, beautiful pictures, and links to relevant resources. I had confidence that this company was led by a highly experienced and competent guide who knew where and what to ride. There is no substitute than direct contact when so much time is spent with a guide navigating a tour. Jamie quickly responded to my introductory email and follow up questions with high content and direct answers even though client bookings and guiding were ongoing. A vidchat was arranged because my travels were past the typical season and I wanted to set realistic expectations for a multiple days of riding. Jamie listened carefully, was attentive to my goals, and customized a series of 3 well-planned private rides over 4 days that included all arrangements for bike hire, accommodations, and transportation. Implementation of his plan had the same flow as the amazing trails in terms of quality and novelty of terrain, magnificent vistas, rest stops, and uplifts or shuttles when needed. Accommodations were excellent, food provided was superb, and a top of the line dual suspension bike that he personally fitted added immensely to my enjoyment of the adventure. As a guide, Jamie was exceptionally fit and had amazing depth of knowledge about local flora, geology, conservation, and view spots for pictures. Jamie’s careful descriptions of terrain changes prepared me for safe navigation through challenging lines. We had fun, many laughs, and the peak experience of the tour exceeded all expectation. Overall, Jamie’s professionalism tailored this trip to my needs, age, and stamina to maximize my satisfaction. I feel lucky and grateful for his efforts and with the highest recommendation, encourage making plans to maximize enjoyment with outstanding capable guidance by NZMB.

Michelle – Rotorua

Mountain Biking Lesson: Rotorua

A 3-hour MTB lesson with Jamie was just what I needed coming out of winter. My goals were to understand cornering better and Jamie quickly ascertained what areas I could improve then we went about sessioning trails until I nailed it. The feedback was awesome; constructive and confidence-boosting. Which for a female rider age 52, we kinda need right! Don’t hesitate (or let your hubby teach you) to go see Jamie he’s a professional.

Gauthier – New Caledonia

Redwoods Private Shuttles – 3 hour guided private charter in Rotorua

Just Spent 2 days of private shuttles with Jamie, I had a great time riding a variety of trails and doing a lot more descents than I would have done by myself! I’m already thinking about my next riding trip to New Zealand!

Ben – Tauranga

Sunday Kids Sessions: Rotorua

My 7-year-old joined the Kids Sunday Sessions and she has loved every minute of it. The instructors have been great and it has help with her confidence on the bike. Each lesson she tells me want they have learned and is eager to get back out and show me. It also gives me some time to get out on the track myself. Thanks guys!

Lee – Australia

Hero Dirt Rotorua with 2 extra days as part of a custom MTB tour

Just returning from a 7day MTB tour with this company. I was overwhelmed with the professionalism and local knowledge of the trails. The respect they showed to the ranging skills within the group and the pre trail Info speaks volumes to their keen interest in the riders development.

Words will not do this review justice, if you’re considering using these guys for your next trip, feel free to message me, I would be more than willing to give you a direct reference.

Adam – Czech republic

Timber Trail Tour: Riding Rotorua & the Timber Trail

The timber trail easily exceeded my expectations! Christy, Jamie and the crew made it super easy. Once I had booked, they organized everything for me – a bike, meals, accommodation and everything in between. I thoroughly enjoyed riding with them making unforgettable memories. Thank you so much!

Check out more of our reviews here. At New Zealand Mountain Biking, our passion is to enable people to discover the thrill of exploring unique locations that can only be accessed by bike. We achieve this by offering exceptional mountain biking tours and lessons that showcase the best of what New Zealand has to offer, including the rush of fresh air, stunning landscapes, and unforgettable hospitality. This is what motivates us at New Zealand Mountain Biking.