We’re excited to announce that we’ll be bringing our massively popular Demo Weekend up North! We’ll be hitting Gisburn Forest on the 25th & 26th May, and will be supported by the top brands to bring you the best UK MTB demo event! Over the course of the day, you’ll have the chance to test the latest mountain bikes back-to-back on a great section of trails.
To secure your place, head over to our eventbrite page here for more information. Don’t miss out – There are only limited spaces available & the event sells out every year!
With over 100 mountain bikes & electric bikes to choose from, this is a unique opportunity to get a side-by-side comparison of the latest bikes on a great section of trail.
Demo Weekend Dates & Times
Saturday 25th May: 9:30am Registration
First ride 10:00am – Until 4pm (last ride out at 3pm)
Sunday 26th May: 9:30am Registration
First ride 10:00am – Until 4pm (last ride out at 3pm)
Why Gisburn?
We chose Gisburn to host our Northern Demo Weekend because it offers a great bit of trails that are accessible to all, while still having sections where you can really put a bike through its paces – The location also means that it’s easy to get to for a large area of our customers that are nearby our shops!
With the event being in late May we should also avoid the worst of the northern climate… (no promises).
Taking about 40 minutes to complete, the route will take you down red & blue trails, with plenty of opportunities to put the bikes through their paces.
We’ll be running this event annually, alongside our Cannock Chase Demo Weekend, bringing the opportunity to ride the best bikes to even more of our loyal customers!
On the Day:
- Test ride the latest & great Mountain Bikes + Electric Bikes from the top brands
- Unlimited rides. Bikes served on a first-come, first-served basis
- Along a great section of red trails
- Car Park Access for all attendees
- Food & Drink catering + toilet facilities on-site
- Have a chat with the reps, staff & other riders!
£40 Tickets Per Day
Tickets for our demo weekend will be £40 per day:
- £12 of every ticket sold goes towards the North West Air Ambulance – The North West Air Ambulance Charity provides enhanced pre-hospital care to the most critically ill & injured patients across the North West. We’ve partnered with them for 2024 as our chosen charity, as it’s a cause with close ties to our passion for mountain biking, the money raised will help go toward saving lives by improving their fleet & crew.
- £8 of every ticket sold goes towards the Forestry Commission – The Forestry Commission increases the value of woodlands to society and the environment, and helps run sites across the country.
Not been to our Demo Weekend before? Check out our 2023 Demo Weekend video to see what it’s all about!
Why are the tickets £40?
- It’s an event in high demand. – Our Demo Weekend is extremely popular among mountain bike enthusiasts, and the biggest event of its kind in the UK. It’s a unique opportunity to test the latest mountain & electric bikes from the top brands back-to-back. We want to make sure that everyone who obtains a ticket is committed and able to attend, and avoid people missing out because the tickets were sold to people who are not yet decided on attending.
- It’s a £40 Deposit, with half going to charity. – Our standard practice for a bike demo (Try Before You Buy) is to charge £85 for 1-3 Days of riding. If, after you’ve tested out the bike you decide to purchase the bike (or any other bike) from us, we discount the £85 demo charge from the final price of the bike. We wanted to apply this practice to our Demo Weekend, this means that anyone who attends the demo & wishes to purchase a bike from us (online or in any of our 12 UK stores) in the following months will have the full £40 discounted from the final price of the bike. And don’t worry! – We’ll still be upholding the £20 charity donation from your original ticket purchase!
- The event costs money to run. – At the end of the day we’re a business, and as much as we enjoy getting you out on the latest bikes for a fun day of riding with your mates, we have costs to meet. Staffing, on-site facilities, health & safety, all have associated costs that we simply have to meet.
Demo Bikes & Accessories
We have a huge demo fleet for men and women that will be available on the weekend, and we have a full list of the demo weekend bikes showing sizes available from the brands below so you can get your wishlist ready! To view the full list of models available to demo, check the list below!
Expand the table below for a full list of the models available to try!
Demo Bike List 2024
| Brand | Model | Sizes |
| Orbea | Occam LT M-Team | M, L, XL |
| Occam SL M-LTD | M | |
| Rise M-Team | S, M, L | |
| Rise M-LTD | M | |
| Wild M-Team Custom | S, M, L, XL | |
| MORE TBA | ||
| Specialized | TBC | |
| Whyte | E-Lyte 140 Works | S, M, L, XL |
| E-Lyte 150 RSX | L, XL | |
| E-Lyte 150 Works | M, L | |
| E-160 RS | S, M, L, XL | |
| E-160 RSX | TBC | |
| E-180 S | TBC | |
| Merida | TBC | |
| Hope | HB916 | L |
| Yeti | TBC | |
| Marin | TBC |
All bikes are available on a first come, first served basis on each day.
- OVER 100 MOUNTAIN BIKES & E-BIKES FROM THE TOP BRANDS
- TEST BIKES BACK-TO-BACK
- UNLIMITED RIDES
- FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS
- EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT VOUCHERS FOR EVERYONE THAT ATTENDS
- EXCLUSIVE DEALS ON THE WEEKEND
- PRIZES UP FOR GRABS
… and much more!
What You Need to Bring
Please be aware that you will need a form of photo ID (see below), a debit/credit card, a helmet and a pair of pedals to test any of the bikes on demo over the weekend. We do not charge your card for anything but we will need to keep hold of your Photo ID and credit/debit card whilst you are testing bikes for security reasons.
- Photo ID (Passport or Driving Licence Photo ID)
- Debit/Credit card
- Helmet
- Pedals (if you do not have your own pedals you must let us know in advance by emailing [email protected])
- Please note you will need all of the above to be able to demo a bike!
FAQs
Are there ID requirements for the event?
You must bring a photo ID card either Passport or Driving Licence ID Card as well as a credit/debit card to demo any bike on the weekend.
Is there an age limit for the Demo Weekend?
People of all ages are welcome to the event, however you must be over the age of 16 to demo an adult bike. Please note if you are under the age of 18 and don’t have a valid bank card you can use a parent’s bank card/ID to demo bikes.
What are my parking options getting to the event?
There is FREE parking available on-site for our demo weekend.
What should I bring to the event?
- Photo ID – Passport or driving licence
- Debit/Credit Card – Must match your photo ID. We will not charge your card.
- Helmet – You must have a helmet to demo any bike
- Pedals – We highly recommend you bring your own pedals to demo the bikes available over the weekend. We will have some pedals for you to use but you will be much more comfortable using your own pedals as you can get a real feel for the bike.
Where can I contact the organiser with any questions?
If you have any questions please contact:
- Ben Mercer – [email protected]
- Pat McGucken – 01229 581116
Can we camp/stay at the event?
Unfortunately there is no camping allowed on the grounds for the demo weekend. However there is a wide choice of hotels nearby if you are coming for both days and need somewhere to stay!
Is my registration/ticket transferrable?
Yes! If you contact [email protected] we can transfer your ticket to someone else.
Can I update my registration information?
Yes, simply head to www.eventbrite.co.uk and log in. You can then ammend any of your ticket information for the event on your account.
Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?
Yes, please bring your ticket with you on the day; this can either be printed or on your mobile phone.
What is the refund policy?
If you can no longer make the event please let us know by Friday 17th May and we can issue you a full refund. Any cancellations after this date can not be refunded.
The name on the registration/ticket doesn’t match the attendee. Is that okay?
By registering for a ticket you agree to our conditions of registration. If your ticket is registered under a different name you must sign the conditions of our Demo when you arrive at the event.
Conditions of Registration
By registering for our demo weekend you agree to the following terms: Whilst every effort will be taken to ensure safety and security, neither Leisure Lakes Bikes, nor the suppliers or any associated employees can be held responsible for any rider injury or loss during, or subsequent to, the day.
By registering someone else for our demo weekend (if you are purchasing their ticket) you are agreeing that they have read and accepted our conditions of registration.
Cars and their contents are parked at the vehicle owners own risk.
The rides are not a race, but if you are struggling or have any problems, please let a member of staff know. Please stick to the set route. A helmet must be worn at all times whilst on the ride. We hope that you have an enjoyable day, but participation is entirely at your own risk.
