Vern was super helpful in renting us an electric mountain bike for the day and sorting our a route that fitted our requirements. Highly recommended.

Vern was very helpful and accommodating. We rented 12 excellent bikes. Vern delivered, fitted bikes to riders and collected. Communication, service and bikes were all great

Hired a bike just for the day off Vern liasoning was very well organized the type of bike I would need for myself and the time I was picking it up. Overall a great experience and would definitely recommend for the price and if your a keen cyclists! Some great quality bikes available aswell 👍

Vern had everything ready and he even recommended us two cycling routes to enjoy Yorkshire. The bikes were in perfect conditions to enjoy a 5h cycle.We will repeat again next year!

My wife and I rented two bikes for a week and it couldn’t have been any better. The bikes where in excellent condition, almost new, well adjusted and ready to go. We had no mechanical issues during any of our rides (which added to more than 600Km). Vern was very kind since the very beginning in every way possible: he agreed to meet at the time we needed to collect the bikes (and we were late :-( ), he lended us some stuff we hadn’t brought from Mexico, and even gave us two new water bottles as a gift! He is a very experienced rider himself and gave us a lot of advice regarding riding on and off the roads in UK and even suggested some areas to visit in the park. We are very happy with the service and highly recommend this very professional company. Also, we highly recommend visiting the Yorkshire Dales on bike, just make sure you plan ahead your rides and chose a geographically adequate place as your base (we decided on Ilkley which is a very charming town and close to many cycle circuits and hiking routes).

Amazing Time.

Vern was very friendly and accomodating. The bike I hired was brilliant and in bar and new condition. Great service, great bike and great location to get around on 2 wheels. MUST see Vern for a brilliant bike hire adventure.

Best rental road bike near Harrogate !

I rent a bike for the day.
The bike was super bike and as good as new. A pump and repair kit is supplied with the bike.
Vern was very nice and helpful.
The place is easy to find and ideally situated to have a ride in the Dales.
I spent definitely a very good day.
Benoit Barre

See you Vern

Bikes were very good and service was exceptional. Thank you Vern!

Went out his way to fix my bike. Such a nice and friendly guy with great knowledge on bikes. Can't thank you enough for the help!

Great job!

Great, friendly service. Fixed my bike on the same day as it was booked in for. Overall 10/10, will be using again and recommending to friends & family.

Amazing Experience with Vern Overton Cycling

We have just had the most wonderful family day, riding the Nidderdale Greenway Cycle track! All thanks to Vern from Vern Overton Cycling! From the moment we contacted Vern, he supplied us with all the information and recommendations for booking 4 mountain bikes for our family day out in Harrogate, Ripley and Knaresborough! Super helpful in making recommendations and the bikes were in superb condition, supplied with maps, spare inner tubes, locks - everything you would need for a day out riding! Would highly recommend Vern's company if you are wanting to hire bikes in Harrogate & District!

Excellent bikes and service

Excellent bikes for a lovely ride on the Nidderdale Greenway. Extras like helmets, locks, pump, spare tire provided. Thank you VOC!

I had a tremendous day’s riding (90km) around Harrogate on a bike from Vern. Road bike was perfect and Vern helped out with a lift to the Wellington Inn for a post-ride beer.

Fantastic, friendly all round service

I contacted Vern to do a full service on two of my bikes, Both specialized, an ageing Rockhopper mountain bike and a sirrus hybrid used for commuting, both were both showing a bit of age mechanically! Vern was very friendly and professional when arranging the service and for a small fee agreed to pick up the bikes, There was no hurry I pointed out as I used another bike in the meantime but both were done after a few days, Vern did a written report of any issues found and any work carried out as well as brake pad wear which was really useful. Vern dropped the bikes off and I took them both for a little test ride. Well it was like riding brand new bikes (war scars still there) they were so clean and everything felt just right, nice and tight, gear change smooth. Cant thank Vern enough and will do my best to recommend him to friends and family.

wonderful experience with Vern, great bikes, super location to ride to Ripley Castle and then off road largely to Knaresborough on bike paths. better location to ride from than Harrogate!

Our family of five have just hired bikes from Vern and had a great day out today, cycling around Ripley, Harrogate and the countryside. Vern was really friendly, helpful and highly knowledgeable about bikes and the area. The bikes looked new, were of high quantity and really well maintained. Thank you very much, we can highly recommend to anyone!

Contacted Vern a few days before a planned trip to see friends in Otley hoping to get a ride in whilst visiting. He responded really quickly, was easy to communicate with and provided a great bike and all required kit for a days riding. Highly recommended.

Great bikes and service

Contacted Vern a few days before a planned trip to see friends in Otley hoping to get a ride in whilst visiting. He responded really quickly, was easy to communicate with and provided a great bike and all required kit for a days riding. Highly recommended.

Awesome service! I rented a gravel bike for the day, good quality bike and Vern couldn’t have been more accommodating. Excellent location to start a tour from, many quiet country roads to enjoy.

I needed an e-bike for a long week-end and Vern very efficiently replied to my messages and then delivered a good ebike in perfect condition to the hotel, even before I arrived, and also picked it up after. Very good service. Of course I had to pay for the delivery, but that's normal.

Professional bike workshop

Very kind and professional, me and my friends had a puncture and shifting problems on our way riding c to c, fixed for us easily for half an hour, definitely a place to recommend

Excellent cycle hire

Vern was very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. The mountain bikes we hired were high quality and really well maintained. We look forward to hiring again when next in the area.

E-bike hire at its best!

Vern was friendly and helpful and very communicative, we hired 2 electric mountain bikes and they were superb and very well setup! He recommended a couple of different routes and the one we chose was great, we chose to cut it a bit shorter as it was such a hot day but still had a really nice ride! Highly recommended and a fantastic add on to our holiday in the Dales! Tim & Carole

Exceptional Customer Service!

Can't say enough the positive experience dealing with Vern. I contacted numerous bike rental agencies in the area looking for a small 47cm carbon road bike to no avail. Vern didn't have one either but he actually purchased a 47cm frame and built it for me. Unbelievable, what service! ! He also provided us some routes and was very responsive when we had an issue. The riding is amazing and challenging in the Dales with lots of punchy 18-25% climbs. Highly, highly recommend Vern Overton Cycling!

Found Vern online and organised a bike hire from overseas. It was easily organised and once on holiday collected the bike with no issues. The bike was low spec but in good condition and well maintained. Vern was helpful and knowledgeable and I strongly recommend his services.

Luckily Ilkley

Great bikes - Trek and Specialized set up for us with right gears for the terrain.
Convenient drop off and pick at our doorstep!
Call Vern for all your cycling needs.

Cycling in Ilkley

Great service with delivery of bikes right to our accommodation.
Bikes - Trek and Specialized like new and geared for the local terrain.

Great Bike and Wonderful Support

Great Bike and Wonderful Support

Great Bike and Wonderful Support

We contacted Vern Saturday to rent bikes Sunday. He was very responsive and helpful, even brought the bikes to the train station for us. Three of us used road bikes and one used an e-bike, he helped size us and provided locks and helmets. Knowing we wanted to ride from Harrogate to Fountains Abbey, he mapped out a good route and showed us where to start. We could not have asked for better bikes or better service, it made our day so perfect. Highly recommend exploring this gorgeous area on 2 wheels and having VOC set you up and equip you. Many thanks from the four Yanks you helped Vern!

Perfect bike hire.

Friendly service from the word go. I explained the type of cycling we planned and our heights and 2 appropriate (hybrid) bikes were selected for us dropped off at our hotel. All perfect.

Weekend bike hire - all good.

We hired 2 x bikes for a weekend of cycling around Harrogate. The bikes were delivered to/collected from our hotel. Friendly service, good, well-maintained bikes. Perfect.

Yorkshire Dales MTB

Great service from Vern! He was very accommodating with our last minute reservation and he also arranged for the bikes to be dropped off and picked up at Loft House for us (as we didn’t have bike racks). The bikes were perfect for the Dales terrain (we did the Nidderdale classic route)!

Perfect experience renting a road bike from Vern, I can give my best recommendations for him

Perfect experience renting road bike from Vern

I rented a road bike from Vern during a stay in Harrogate in April 2022.
I can only give Vern my very best recommendations, he was friendly and forthcoming in the booking process and we found a really good bike for me to hire, and I enjoyed cycling on for the 4 days I had it.
Prices are good and he even delivered and collected the bike from me.

We rented two e-bikes from Vern for a circular route of about 45 miles. It was a glorious ride! The bikes were perfect for the up and down of this countryside. Vern got us all geared up and was available by phone for when we returned. A perfect day on excellent bikes!!

Vern rented us 25 bikes and was unbelievable throughout! He sorted a route, adapted plans, found an electric bike for one person. He also coordinated to pick some people up early who found the cycle challenging. Thank you so much, Vern. You and Dave were amazing. We look forward to renting from you again!

My girlfriend and I hired two hardtail mountain bikes from Vern, to explore Nidderdale. Vern was fantastic - flexible with pick up and drop off, provided us with a map and was really friendly. We rode out from the pick up point and past Gouthwaite reservoir and Scar House Reservoir. The bikes dealt with terrain effortlessly and we had a lovely day out, despite rain and wind. I would recommend getting the bikes dropped at a starting point, so as to minimize the time spent on roads. Cheers, Dave

Birthday cycle

Me and my partner hired 2 electric bikes to go out and explore the area for my birthday and pedal over to Brimham Rocks. Vern was very friendly and there was no hassle, we signed the forms, got shown how to use the bikes and off we went.
Will definitely be using VOC again the next time we’re here
Thank you!

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Michael Ball
recommends

Vern was very helpful and did a wheel swap to enable me to complete my 96 mile cycle spotive for Prostate Cancer. Highly recommend this genuine guy.

Great Bikes & Service

Hired bikes for the afternoon for 5 mates. Bikes were nearly new and exactly what we needed. Great route recommendations and general services. Highly recommended.

Bike Hire

We booked a cycling break in Harrogate. Vern provided the bikes which were excellent. He delivered the bikes to our hotel and collected them at the end. All arrangements made went like clockwork. A very good experience. Would highly recommend.

Great day mountain biking

We hired 4 mountain bikes - all in great condition, which were delivered to our door in the morning and picked up in the evening. Vern was friendly and knowledgable. I’d highly recommend it to anyone hiring bikes for the day

Ebike riding in Nidderdale

Hired an ebike for two days. I had never ridden one before and Vern gave a great explanation of how to get the best use from it. I was able to overtake my husband on his road bike on several climbs which was very satisfying! We did an average of 25 miles each day and I only used half the battery on each day. We could have covered 40 miles easily each day. It is hilly in Nidderdale and an ebike transforms the experience of riding for a non-regular cyclist. On the first day we cycled to Ripley on back roads and picked up the Nidderdale Greenway which took us to Harrogate, mostly off-road. The next day we did a brilliant run: Pateley Bridge, Lofthouse to Scar House reservoir and back as recommended by Vern. We gained 1000 feet in height but I hardly noticed it! Back was all downhill. Lovely quiet road. Thoroughly enjoyed the experience: worth every penny!

Extremely friendly and helpful service, great assistance at short notice and excellent bike, can't go wrong! (Mountain bike hire)

Brilliant time renting 2 mountain bikes, great service and excellent hard tail mountain bikes, would highly recommend!

Such great service. We couldn't find a local hire shop with what we needed, but Vern delivered two perfect MTBs to us in Hellifield. He was very flexible and went out of his way to make sure we had what we needed. Very reasonable charge and we had a fantastic week, though my legs are properly tired now! Highly recommended.

We rented 4 bikes from Vern for a couple of days. The bikes and delivery/collection service were excellent. Vern was also really flexible with timings and was very willing to share his local knowledge to advise us of appropriate MTB routes. Highly recommended.

My Explorer Group hired 9 Mountain bikes to take out for the day, It was a really affordable hire. We were given brand new Mountain Bikes that the Explorers loved, Vern was very knowledgeable and suggested routes based on our riders experience. Great place of hire, would use again and recommend to anyone visiting harrogate and the local area.

Massive thanks to Vern for servicing my bike. Excellent customer service and the bike feels like new. Would highly recommend! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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James Silson
recommends

Massive thanks to Vern for servicing my bike. Excellent customer service and the bike feels like new. Would highly recommend! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Lands End to John O’Groats (LEJOG) Guided Bike Ride

Stage one

After an RV in Penzance with Scott Thomson (son of the late Mark Thompson), we cycled to Land End before setting off to John O’Groats following a scenic route of around 1200 miles. We chose to wild camp along the way and looking at the size of his panniers, I immediately guessed that I’d brought too much stuff! Problem was that it all had to be hauled up every hill along the way – and in Cornwall, there was a hill at every turn. We managed to drag ourselves to Perranporth for our first camp and sat outside the Coop shop having a well earned cool beer. Walking past us a young boy remarked to his mum – “mummy are those two men homeless”. I think that summed up our appearance and state of cleanliness. Cornwall was rugged, tough and above all steep and made no easier by constant rain and fog. We were either riding quickly downhill or struggling uphill. We stopped in Padstow and devoured a “chough” Cornish Pastie that didn’t even touch the sides. Unfortunately, Devon was very much the same, but Somerset has been my favourite county so far. We rode through the beautiful Somerset Levels and stopped in Glastonbury. On our fourth day when riding from Barnstable towards Bath, we met our first real challenges. One of my cycle shoes gave up the ghost and the sole fell off, leaving me struggling. Scott on the other hand suffered 3 broken spokes and a rear cassette issue. Although I managed to fix the spokes it required a call to the nearest bike shop to sort out the cassette as the tool we carried was not working properly. The town of Taunton was a godsend – I managed to post home 3 kg of kit that I hoped I could do without and Scott got his bike up and running due to brilliant customer services of the “Bicyclechain” shop in Taunton – thank you guys. We arrived in Bath today for our first “admin day” at the YMCA Hostel. I am tired-out and have eaten more food than I can ever remember. But planning for the worst whilst hoping for the best, our next “admin day” will be at home in Darley near Harrogate at the weekend (if all works out of course).

I did intend to give more details including places visited, the terrain, routes followed etc. But in truth, I am too knackered. Scott is outside reproofing his tent and I am about to make short work of a beef burger. We look forward to turning the pedals once more and to move on to the next town along our route. Watch this space!

Stage two

After a gruelling 87 mile ride, we arrived for our second stopover in Darley in North Yorkshire. We had actually decided to camp near Otley but the lure of a hot bath and a decent drink was overwhelming and we arrived home shortly before 11 o’clock.

Looking back over the last 5 days or so we appear to have come along way – metaphorically speaking. YMCA Bath was a great place to catch a breath and the ride Westwards coincided with some torrential rain which stayed around for most of the day. Crossing the River Severn Bridge (North) was a great feeling, allowing us to focus on moving Northwards at best speed. I suggested having a brew at Chepstow to celebrate (and to get out of the rain). But the climb back to our route was steep and a mile-long – when we were back on track I reflected upon a daft decision to stop at all. We headed towards Tintern and more in particular Tintern Abbey, which Scott told me was the place which inspired William Wordsworth to pen one of his most famous works. When we arrived all I saw was an old church with no roof, so I was a little disappointed. It was at this point that Scott’s bike suffered from another broken spoke. It was starting to look like his rear wheel could become the only reason to end his ride! But we sorted out the problem and one of the local onlookers (an elderly cyclist) suggested a much flatter and quicker ride to our next stop in Monmouth – where I enjoyed a takeaway Chinese meal and chose the chicken chow-mein and it was absolutely the right choice. were able to follow the River Wye right along the Valley.

We stopped in Goodrich to Camp but with another lure in the form of a country pub, we had a couple of pints first to cap off the days riding. When we came outside it was nearly dark and when erecting my tent I managed to break one of the fibre-glass poles supporting my new tent. Whether it was the drink, the wind or rain or me just being knackered – it shouldn’t have happened. But with Scott’s help, we managed to carry out a bodged repair. Next day we pushed on to Ross on Wye, Ledbury and Worcester and followed Mercian Way, a public cycleway. Usually, the cycleway network was brilliant, but on this occasion, it was only rideable on a robust mountain bike and not a touring bike with about 20 kg of equipment. We pushed our bikes for long periods. We eventually rode through Telford where we stopped for coffee and cake and we met a lady doing the same ride as ourselves. But she was riding ultra-light and her equipment was less than half the weight as our own – all credit to her. But riding alone she was not wild camping but staying at authorised campsites.

Our stopover location was at Congleton where we enjoyed the best fish and chips since leaving Lands End in Cornwall. Phil’s Famous Fish and Chips were outstanding and I thought that the craft of frying fish had died-out long ago – no such thing here in Congleton. We actually camped next to a local TA Centre, but they must have had a faulty fire alarm system as through the night they had five separate fire alarm calls. Each time the alarm rang on for at least 15 minutes and our sleep was badly interrupted – dammed inconsiderate. Consequently, we were both knackered for our ride the next morning. After a chat with the park dustman at around 6.30 am we headed off to Macclesfield, our first way-point. We then skirted around Hyde and Staylebridge (Manchester) before heading Westward toward Saddleworth Moor and Huddersfield beyond that. That stage included a 5 mile climb to the summit via the village of Upper Mill and a 6 mile descent afterwards to Marsden. For me personally it was the stage of our ride so far. If I was to put it into words I would say it was both beautiful and brutal and would stay in my mind for a long time. I recommend it to any local cyclists and had not heard of it before.

For our final stretch, we headed through Bradford, which had the best town cycle-routes we had encountered anywhere. Then on to Otley whereupon it had got dark. We made sure that we had all the necessary lights to be seen and made the decision not to camp, but to ride on to my house at Darley in the North of the County. It was a ride that will also stay longer in the memory as it included some of the toughest climbs we had encountered anywhere. Thankfully traffic was mostly non-existent as the torrential rain had put paid to most people stepping outside of the house. But to arrive shortly before midnight on a Saturday night seemed almost perfect. All to start again on Monday morning – this time heading for Scotland!

Stage three

We did it – we arrived at John O’Groats (JOG) on our bikes at around 3pm on Sunday afternoon. The weather was warm and sunny and couldn’t have contrasted more with the wet and miserable Lands End which we left just a couple of weeks ago.

Our admin day spent in Darley was long overdue and I had missed coffee at in Harrogate. As well as showers and baths Lorna had the washing machine and drier working overtime. I rebuild Scott’s rear wheel to try and prevent the constant breaking of spokes which had hampered the ride to date. He helped me out with the repair of my tent-poles and the manufacturers repair splint gave my tent a realistic chance of making it to JOG. I took the decision to ditch my big “bouncing bomb” sleeping bag in favour of my lightweight sleeping bag which would save another couple of kilograms. So we set off from Darley on Monday morning full of enthusiasm that we could get the job done. Despite the sunny start it soon reverted to type by raining heavily well before we had left North Yorkshire. We pressed on at best speed Northwards and cycled over all types of terrain to gain the best advantage. We stopped off to make a brew while there had been a brief break in the weather and we chose the Market Square in Thirsk where hundreds of people were enjoying market day. Later we rode through Yarm where the Yorkshire Artist Lucy Pittaway has a small gallery. She produces painting and artworks which highlight farm animals and road cycling with the backdrop being North Yorkshire country-life. If you have never seen her work it is well worth checking out. We continued to head North and rode for over 15 miles along a disused railway line utilising the Sustrans Cycle Network until we came to the City of Sunderland. It was here that we sat in a bus shelter and made a cup of hot chocolate away from the driving rain. An elderly guy called John walked in to wait for his bus and offer some cheery Geordie chat, then insisted on giving us £10 to buy a drink for when we got to JOG. “If you don’t take it or it ends up in a charity tin I’ll be annoyed he said. It’s to get you both a drink when you get to where you are going and that will give me real pleasure” – so we took his tenner and thanked him profusely. Day 11 and 106 miles completed – a record for us in one day. It just shows that having a day off from riding the bike can be good for your performance.

The next day seemed to be same as before – it was still driving rain but the strong wind was right at our backs and almost driving us along. The North-East Coast route and more, in particular, the Northumberland coast was beautiful and for me was totally unexpected. Most “End-to-Enders” favour the Western route running adjacent to the M6, but this route was largely flat and as scenic as anywhere on our travels – more importantly, we were flying along again. We started by riding under the River Tyne in Newcastle, using the Tyne Cycle Tunnel which was a strange and eerie experience being under a river. We cycled in pouring rain through Blythe and Whitley Bay and saw where the conquering Vikings first landed on the huge flat beach near Lindisfarne. Then on towards an awe-inspiring Bamburgh Castle – it’s outline dominating the skyline for miles before we reached it. 94 miles had been pedalled when we crossed the River Tweed. Berwick upon Tweed is only 3 miles from the Scottish Border and they play football in the Scottish Professional League so in my mind they are Scottish, but in truth, they are very much English. But without any hesitation whatsoever I can declare that the town was the most unfriendly, unwelcoming town we have visited so far. Not only was every shop or takeaway closed, when we did stumble upon an open chippie; the guy couldn’t be bothered to serve us. So being very tired and hungry, we chose to erect our tents on a green patch of land close to the River Tweed in the centre of town. We packed our belongings and left for Scotland at first light with a “thought to self” to never return.

Next morning was a new day and we crossed the border into Scotland and headed for Edinburgh, where we had a booking for a hostel. It wasn’t in the leafiest part of the City and there wasn’t any of the “capital flair”. But more importantly, there was a hot shower, launderette for sorting out our cycling gear and a welcome a mile-wide when I walked into Leith for a takeaway. All in all the Edinburgh experience was a positive one and everyone we spoke to showed a great interest in our bikes and where we were both heading. Although we both failed to understand the lady carrying out the assisted washes in our launderette so the best policy was to just nod and smile. Our trip to Darley had been long and laborious, but now with my increased personal fitness and less weight in my panniers. I felt I was able to contribute to the metronomic pace set by Scott. So was that a chink of light I could see at the end of the tunnel? Sadly too early for that – we still had the Highlands to negotiate and they promised to be our sternest test. Perth was our next headline destination which was the home of a very good friend of mine from the Black Watch Regiment. He told me he was from “Poth” or that was how he made it sound. The roads to Perth were undulating and quite heavy, but nothing as daunting as Cornwall or even the East side of Manchester. But the terrain was building in steepness and in overall height above sea-level as we approached the Highlands. Worryingly I had started to feel cold at night ever since we had arrived at Berwick and the night-time temperatures could drop further I supposed. We bypassed Perth and in the early evening cycled into Aviemore, which is the UK’s top ski resort. We decided the time was right to make our camp when we had arrived at the nearby town of Dunkeld, right on the banks of the beautiful River Tay. We had a couple of drinks at a nearby hotel and sat right in front of the log fire which made me want to stay awhile. This lovely town had an array of shops, restaurants and hotels and was clearly host to many foreign tourists. I recall that the late Queen Mother was a fan of this place and used to fly-fish the local river. We had the best fish and chips since we had left Phil’s Famous Fish and Chips in Congleton at the Dunkeld Fish Bar. In truth, they were of the same exquisite standard so it’s fair to say we have seen the best fish and chips our two countries have to offer. After a cold nights sleep I was glad to get riding again, but first our morning ablutions. There were some quality conveniences at the end of the street which were cared for by Bob, a very witty senior citizen. He had served a full career in the Royal Navy and told me that as a young man he had tried to enlist into the Scots Guards. Only to find that at only 5ft 4 inches tall he was not the man they were looking for. If there were a prize for the best cared for toilets on our journey, then Bob would have won it hands down for the public conveniences in Dunkeld. Footnote – the last time I had been so cold in my sleeping bag was when I went to Afghanistan on a recce in 2007. I had stupidly packed my lightweight sleeping bag, expecting temperatures to be similar to those I had experienced in Iraq – why am I making the same mistake again?

We were constantly putting in days of between 80 and 95 miles by now and we did this in 3 blocks each day. Block one was normally from around 8.30 – 12 o’clock when we would have some food and a cup of tea. The afternoon block would finish around 4, when we would eat our main meal for the day and the most productive for me at least was the final block. We set out again until around 8 or 8.30 in the evening when we would stop to camp. I would find that during the evening session I was stronger than I had been all day. So we would put in around 10 hours of cycling each day and there were days when my backside was hurting. Schoolboy error number 2 was purchasing a new saddle for my bike a few weeks before we set off. Anyhow the final night before we left the Highlands we camped in the lovely village of Tomatin, where I drew on all my experience at keeping warm by imitating the Michelin Man when in my sleeping bag – I wore most of my spare clothes. The following morning we quickly cycled the final 20 miles into Inverness, which is a very Northern Scottish City. The City had a very positive edge and we were both drawn to its hardy people. We sat down in a greasy spoon café for a £5 breakfast which tasted fabulous. You know the thing – egg, bacon, sausage and beans, with toast and unlimited coffee included. There was the usual banter and curious locals eyeing up our bikes and wondering who are these ill shaven Englishmen and what are they doing. I could have stayed for hours, but we needed to keep moving. I knew in my heart of hearts that we were entering the hardest part of our ride and any thoughts that we are nearly there were dangerous ones.

So we were now heading into the top bit of Scotland, which was referred to as Caithness on all the local signposts. Although it was no longer mountainous it was still very hilly. What struck me was the remoteness and strangely enough, it felt warmer and more temperate than at any stage since we had left Edinburgh. By now we had stopped riding on byways and bridleways to avoid the roads. The road hugging the Eastern Coastline was very quiet anyway and that was our main axis. It was a beautiful way to ride your bike – along a quiet undulating road with a calm sea on your right-hand side at all times. I’ve always found cycling through woodland to have a calming effect, the same can be said about the looking and smelling the sea. Having completed another 87 miles we camped that night in Brora, a quaint little village overlooking the sea. Perhaps what I should have made clear earlier was that wild camping in Scotland is perfectly legal and acceptable by all. In England local bylaws prohibit all forms of wild camping, consequently finding a good place to camp in Scotland is a good deal less hassle and a less stressful experience. The good day’s mileage the previous day left only 65 miles between us and JOG. I’d like to say that it was easy to cover that distance, but the first half was as tough as anything we had completed so far. Then with only 30 miles to JOG the terrain levelled off considerably and it became even more sparsely populated. By now cars flashed their lights at us and gave a huge thumbs up – they knew that we were about to finish the End-to-End ride. The sun was shining down on what was the sunniest day since we had set off from Lands End. As I rode into JOG I thought to myself – wow, that was a lot tougher than I ever expected. But I suppose if it were easy then everybody would want to do it.

A few reflections from my time in the saddle.

  • Don’t buy new kit just before the ride – like my new comfy saddle that wasn’t remotely comfy.
  • Be realistic about what you really need to carry and not what might come in handy.
  • Carry food that is simple and high in carbohydrates such as porridge.
  • Carry spare parts for the bike which could get you out of trouble – such as spare spokes.
  • Favourite County for cycling – Yorkshire, but there are many great rides right across the country.
  • Friendliest place – without any doubt whatsoever it was Taunton in Somerset. It was made extra special by the very kind staff at the Bicycle Chain Store who went the extra mile.
  • Unfriendliest place – perhaps we caught Berwick on Tweed on a bad night?
  • Best Fish and Chips – in England was Phil’s Famous Chippy and in Scotland was the Dunkeld Fish Bar.
  • Place you should visit – its Dunkeld. Best cared for Public Conveniences we came across and much more besides.
  • Most surprising County – the Northumberland Coast as it’s beautiful.
  • Whether you camp or stay in only the best accommodation the LEJOG ride should be on anyone’s “to-do list”.

Thank you for taking the time to read all my ramblings.

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Mark Woolford
Mark Woolford

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Mark Woolford
June 23, 2022

Found Vern online and organised a bike hire from overseas. It was easily organised and once on holiday collected the bike with no issues. The bike was low spec but in good condition and well maintained. Vern was helpful and knowledgeable and I strongly recommend his services.

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Andrew Crabb
October 10, 2018

Thanks to Vern, I had a fantastic cycling holiday exploring the beautiful Yorkshire countryside for over a week without the effort, stress and carbon emissions of bringing my own bike to the UK. He set me up with a lovely road bike and couldn't have been more helpful. Communications were always prompt and friendly. There is so much cycling to be enjoyed in this area whether you stay local or venture far out into the Dales. Thoroughly recommended.

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Jenny Playford
recommends
August 28, 2016

We hired 2 Mountain Bikes and Vern himself for 2 hours. He took us & 2 boys on a fabulous 30km ride around the area including a mountain bike course! Great way to see the sites, fantastic knowledge & support! Definitely recommend Vern, his stock of bikes etc was amazing!!

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Sue H
October 30, 2022

Excellent cycle hire

Vern was very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. The mountain bikes we hired were high quality and really well maintained. We look forward to hiring again when next in the area.

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adil qadeer
February 23, 2019

Great place

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AJBharrogate_UK
June 22, 2023

Fantastic, friendly all round service

I contacted Vern to do a full service on two of my bikes, Both specialized, an ageing Rockhopper mountain bike and a sirrus hybrid used for commuting, both were both showing a bit of age mechanically! Vern was very friendly and professional when arranging the service and for a small fee agreed to pick up the bikes, There was no hurry I pointed out as I used another bike in the meantime but both were done after a few days, Vern did a written report of any issues found and any work carried out as well as brake pad wear which was really useful. Vern dropped the bikes off and I took them both for a little test ride. Well it was like riding brand new bikes (war scars still there) they were so clean and everything felt just right, nice and tight, gear change smooth. Cant thank Vern enough and will do my best to recommend him to friends and family.

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Mark M
June 1, 2018

Bike rental

Good service,would recommend if looking for a bike hire in beautiful Yorkshire. Will deliver bikes to accommodation.

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Michael Ball
recommends
September 13, 2021

Vern was very helpful and did a wheel swap to enable me to complete my 96 mile cycle spotive for Prostate Cancer. Highly recommend this genuine guy.

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christopher hamilton
February 18, 2020

This review is way overdue - but i want to say that Vern went out of his way (literally) to deliver the bike to me at Harogate Station and pick i up after my week of cycling. The bikes were in top condition, reasonably priced, and Vern helped us out with route planning too. Highly recommend.

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Longwen X
December 30, 2022

Professional bike workshop

Very kind and professional, me and my friends had a puncture and shifting problems on our way riding c to c, fixed for us easily for half an hour, definitely a place to recommend

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Geoff T
October 18, 2018

3 carbon road bikes - hugely accommodating

Thanks Vern for being so accommodating. The bikes and prices were great! We were able to ride directly from Verns bike hire onto the best cycling routes in the country.
Vern, you have the perfect bike hire / rental location for 2019 cycling world champs next September!
Thanks for everything! - Geoff and the lads.

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Karl C
July 1, 2018

Great bike hire, stunning scenery!

Hired two bikes off Vern for the day and had a lovely time cycling around the Yorkshire dales. We collected the bikes around 11am and had a full day of cycling in the nearby countryside. The scenery was magnificent, especially in this gorgeous weather we've been having lately.

Vern was very helpful, providing us a map of the area as we had never been before and we were able to return the bikes later that day at a time that suited us. All in all a fantastic day out, highly recommended!

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James
June 1, 2023

Our family of five have just hired bikes from Vern and had a great day out today, cycling around Ripley, Harrogate and the countryside. Vern was really friendly, helpful and highly knowledgeable about bikes and the area. The bikes looked new, were of high quantity and really well maintained. Thank you very much, we can highly recommend to anyone!

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José Pablo Marquina
August 16, 2023

My wife and I rented two bikes for a week and it couldn’t have been any better. The bikes where in excellent condition, almost new, well adjusted and ready to go. We had no mechanical issues during any of our rides (which added to more than 600Km). Vern was very kind since the very beginning in every way possible: he agreed to meet at the time we needed to collect the bikes (and we were late :-( ), he lended us some stuff we hadn’t brought from Mexico, and even gave us two new water bottles as a gift! He is a very experienced rider himself and gave us a lot of advice regarding riding on and off the roads in UK and even suggested some areas to visit in the park. We are very happy with the service and highly recommend this very professional company. Also, we highly recommend visiting the Yorkshire Dales on bike, just make sure you plan ahead your rides and chose a geographically adequate place as your base (we decided on Ilkley which is a very charming town and close to many cycle circuits and hiking routes).

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David Koomans
recommends
May 24, 2016

Rented a bike for the Etape du Dales sportive, and the service from Vern was excellent. Rode a great carbon Trek Emonda. Would definitely recommend cycling in the area, if you like steep climbs ;), and renting from Vern.

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Roq100
July 2, 2019

Very helpful local cycle hire business!

Vern was very helpful in providing us with good quality full suspension mountain bikes for our trip to Snowdonia. Very pleasant and flexible!

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Libby A
June 2, 2021

Amazing Bikes and Fantastic Service

Vern and his wife were incredibly helpful all weekend, dropping the bikes off at our accommodation, and even poping back to help us with the right tools to get our bikes set up perfectly.

The bikes themselves were fantastic, we highly recommend electric bikes for exploring the dales, as they allowed us to see so much of the countryside without exhausting us by the end of the day! The batteries lasted really well and Vern supplied chargers so they could be ready to go every morning.

If we're ever back in the neighbourhood we will definitely be booking bikes with Vern again!

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AndyTShonaL
September 10, 2021

Bike Hire

We booked a cycling break in Harrogate. Vern provided the bikes which were excellent. He delivered the bikes to our hotel and collected them at the end. All arrangements made went like clockwork. A very good experience. Would highly recommend.

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Nick Rowe
recommends
July 2, 2015
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IrishLemon
June 25, 2022

Exceptional Customer Service!

Can't say enough the positive experience dealing with Vern. I contacted numerous bike rental agencies in the area looking for a small 47cm carbon road bike to no avail. Vern didn't have one either but he actually purchased a 47cm frame and built it for me. Unbelievable, what service! ! He also provided us some routes and was very responsive when we had an issue. The riding is amazing and challenging in the Dales with lots of punchy 18-25% climbs. Highly, highly recommend Vern Overton Cycling!

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Mark Langley
May 31, 2021

Road Bike Hire Yorkshire Dales

I hired a road bike from Vern Overton to do the 2021 Struggle Dales sportive as I was concerned my road bike was not geared low enough for the 6 climbs on this event. Vern provided an immaculate (Trek Emonda with Shimano 105) bike that rode all day on some stunning terrain without the hint of a glitch. Easy to organise. Thank you

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Susie7761
September 4, 2021

Ebike riding in Nidderdale

Hired an ebike for two days. I had never ridden one before and Vern gave a great explanation of how to get the best use from it. I was able to overtake my husband on his road bike on several climbs which was very satisfying! We did an average of 25 miles each day and I only used half the battery on each day. We could have covered 40 miles easily each day. It is hilly in Nidderdale and an ebike transforms the experience of riding for a non-regular cyclist. On the first day we cycled to Ripley on back roads and picked up the Nidderdale Greenway which took us to Harrogate, mostly off-road. The next day we did a brilliant run: Pateley Bridge, Lofthouse to Scar House reservoir and back as recommended by Vern. We gained 1000 feet in height but I hardly noticed it! Back was all downhill. Lovely quiet road. Thoroughly enjoyed the experience: worth every penny!

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Bill Cowsell
recommends
July 30, 2019

Big thanks to Vern for delivering a bike to allow me to explore the Harrogate hinterland for the past couple of days. Excellent customer care and a diamond geezer to boot. Can heartily recommend.

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Victoria W.
December 12, 2016

Vern Overton Cycling is an amazing company with the best customer serice a person could ask for when planing a cycling advernture.

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Nick D
June 14, 2020

Used road bike sale

I purchased a used road bike which has been amazing for me. Great condition for its age, fits me perfectly and the customer service received could not be faulted. The price was very reasonable too. All in all I would recommend this shop to anyone for advice, hire or sales.

Thank you

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Samuel Watts
August 2, 2018

Great bike, great service. I will certainly use Vern’s services again in the future.

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Rob
September 17, 2020

Vern's No.1 ranking is well deserved!

We rented high-spec 3 road bikes from Vern for a week of cycling in the Dales. The bikes were well maintained, loaned at a very affordable price, and Vern went out of his way to help us out. Cheers Vern, I have no doubt that we will be back!

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Andrew C
July 27, 2018

Two weeks of fantastic cycling with a great bike from Vern

I'm a keen cyclist and Vern set me up with a lovely late model Trek road bike. I went for long rides in the Dales every day for two weeks and never got tired of riding in this beautiful part of the world. There are so many quiet lanes and roads, and you have a choice of terrain from flat to Tour-level climbs. Lots of other cyclists about and plenty of places to stop if you wish. If you love cycling, come and try Yorkshire. I couldn't have asked for more.

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Gary McLaren
July 10, 2023

I had a tremendous day’s riding (90km) around Harrogate on a bike from Vern. Road bike was perfect and Vern helped out with a lift to the Wellington Inn for a post-ride beer.

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Gilbert Harrap (Gilbert)
December 29, 2019

Brilliant service, fantastic bikes, can't recommend enough!

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Kevin B
June 10, 2022

Luckily Ilkley

Great bikes - Trek and Specialized set up for us with right gears for the terrain.
Convenient drop off and pick at our doorstep!
Call Vern for all your cycling needs.

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Diccon Towns
February 25, 2024

Vern was super helpful in renting us an electric mountain bike for the day and sorting our a route that fitted our requirements. Highly recommended.

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Mark
September 11, 2021

Great Bikes & Service

Hired bikes for the afternoon for 5 mates. Bikes were nearly new and exactly what we needed. Great route recommendations and general services. Highly recommended.

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TMSH
August 30, 2018

Great experience with excellent equipment, great advice and professional service

We cycled the Way of the Roses with our adult children and some friends. We had been struggling to put together bike rental, bike transport and baggage forwarding, but after contacting Vern, found he could do it all and at a better price than separate providers. He was always prompt in his responses when we were planning and had lots of very useful suggestions. His equipment, which included carbon fiber Trek road bikes, helmets, locks and repair kits was all first rate. He met us as planned the first morning, right on time, and dropped our bags before our arrival at our hotels along the way. He adjusted the bikes to fit us, offered our choice of pedal type and even did a tune up along the way. It was clear that he really cared about our experience and about the service he offers and his knowledge of cycling comes from personal experience. I would very highly recommend Vern for anyone considering a trip like ours across the UK.

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john w
October 9, 2018

Best customer support on the planet

My former coworker and long time bike partner and I recently completed the Way of The Roses on bikes supplied by Vern Overton Cycling. Quite simply, I can't say enough good things about our experience with Vern. First, the equipment is top notch (high quality Trek hybrids), beautifully maintained.

But where the experience really rose to amazing levels was in Vern's attitude and willingness to go the extra mile (or twenty) to support and encourage us. For months before the trip, I exchanged emails with Vern about the trip, equipment, attractions, lodging, and on and on -- truly endless details. He never failed to respond promptly and helpfully.

You must understand we are retired men in our 70s and only fair weather bikers. Once we arrived and met Vern, I'm sure he realized (as we soon did) that we did not know what we were undertaking. Vern followed our progress and supported and encouraged us with texts and emails full of helpful suggestions and cheering congratulations on our progress.

Once when we had a damage problem with one of the bikes, Vern drove miles to attempt repair, then substituted another bike, drove us to the next planned stop and stayed with us when we had trouble locating a room!

Well, I could go on and on to the same effect. Suffice it to say, you could not wish for better service or a better person to deal with than Vern Overton Cycling. If I am ever back in his area I would not even think of going to any other service.

Thanks, Vern.

John Watson (New Haven, CT, USA)

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Benoit B
August 7, 2023

Best rental road bike near Harrogate !

I rent a bike for the day.
The bike was super bike and as good as new. A pump and repair kit is supplied with the bike.
Vern was very nice and helpful.
The place is easy to find and ideally situated to have a ride in the Dales.
I spent definitely a very good day.
Benoit Barre

See you Vern

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Trine J
August 13, 2019

Legendary service

Vern is a legend. We were staying in Otley where there were no options for renting mountain bikes. Luckily Vern saved the day by providing us with bikes within an hour of calling. 1 day was spent in Stainburn forest and the other in Armscliffe crag. The bikes and service made our stay in otley. Thank you, Vern!

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Aaron Evans
September 9, 2023

Hired a bike just for the day off Vern liasoning was very well organized the type of bike I would need for myself and the time I was picking it up. Overall a great experience and would definitely recommend for the price and if your a keen cyclists! Some great quality bikes available aswell 👍

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Julian Appleby
July 24, 2020

Great place to get your bike sorted! Vern is a good bloke and he knows his stuff.

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Charlie C
August 29, 2021

Brilliant time renting 2 mountain bikes, great service and excellent hard tail mountain bikes, would highly recommend!

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Ian Fraser
September 1, 2021

Extremely friendly and helpful service, great assistance at short notice and excellent bike, can't go wrong! (Mountain bike hire)

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Jaxx
October 18, 2019

Bike servicing

Vern serviced my 3 bikes earlier this year. Excellent service, great advice, nothing too much trouble. Vern picked up all 3 bikes and returned them - fully serviced - promptly. I will be booking him for next year, without hesitation. Brilliant to have this facility in our lovely dale.

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Pedro GV
September 9, 2023

Vern had everything ready and he even recommended us two cycling routes to enjoy Yorkshire. The bikes were in perfect conditions to enjoy a 5h cycle.We will repeat again next year!

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Sam Challenor
November 21, 2021

Vern rented us 25 bikes and was unbelievable throughout! He sorted a route, adapted plans, found an electric bike for one person. He also coordinated to pick some people up early who found the cycle challenging. Thank you so much, Vern. You and Dave were amazing. We look forward to renting from you again!

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Deon L
August 13, 2023

Amazing Time.

Vern was very friendly and accomodating. The bike I hired was brilliant and in bar and new condition. Great service, great bike and great location to get around on 2 wheels. MUST see Vern for a brilliant bike hire adventure.

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Gerard Mulhair
June 1, 2021

Vern has a great selection of bikes and was very helpful upon arrival. Easy access from Harrogate. Would definitely recommend

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Hayden Howells
recommends
January 19, 2018

Excellent and timely servicing of my bike. Rebuilding of my wheel and fitted gear components. Great service, on time and on cost.

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Romanciko Bueno
July 10, 2020

Would highly recommend Vern's services. Really profeciinal and friendly. Did a great job.

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celiza87
November 3, 2020

great road bike hire

Vern was really helpful, he gave me some great cycle routes to explore the local area and the bike I hired from him was great. I would definitely recommend !!!

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Laurie L
July 18, 2023

Great job!

Great, friendly service. Fixed my bike on the same day as it was booked in for. Overall 10/10, will be using again and recommending to friends & family.