Please research the company you choose to do the mountain bike ride with. Unfortunately I had a terrible experience with Bali Bintang Bike Tour, please make sure the company you choose have staff trained in first aid, carry first aid kits with them and NOW how to use it, and there equipment is in good safe order and they DONT take you on busy parts of the road!
Our trip with Bintang Bike tour tarted out being a great day. Thoroughly enjoyed the plantation visit and having a Luwak coffee. Our guide was very helpful. Once we arrived at Kintamani for the downhill cycle we had to choose our bike and helmet. I really feel that the bikes need to be attended too, the bike gears and tyres on a few of the bikes looked like they need replacing. Our tour guide was on a bicycle in the front, and what they called the vehicle following behind the "ambulance" if you got tired. Really enjoyed the cycle tour through the villages and always felt safe, that was until they took us on a very busy road, out guide did tell us this was only for a short time. Unfortunately I was knocked off my bike by a truck travelling the same way. If the driver from Bali Bintang had have been more alert, he should have stopped the truck passing him, as he could also see a truck coming in the opposite direction. As they passed one another the truck close to me swerved to miss the oncoming truck and knocked me down. Luckily I had a helmet on and made sure it fitted tightly, or I probably would not be here to tell the story. I was knocked unconscious, was all grazed up my right side and my body went into shock, thankfully one of our friends in the group was trained in first aid, because neither of the staff from Bali Bintang Bike Tours had any idea what to do, THEY DID NOT EVEN HAVE A FIRST AID KIT IN THE VEHICLE as we were in a busy area the local people helped and had smelling salts, betadine etc. An ambulance was called, but typical Bali, there was no driver. Bali Bintang bus that was following us then drove me to their head office, were I was transferred into a more comfortable vehicle and taken to hospital. My son was also participating in the bike ride and the group continued the ride as it was almost finished. Once they finished the ride my son was then asked to pay for my husband and I which we felt was very inappropriate considering what had just happened and we did not have the lunch they provided. My husband phoned and spoke to the Manager who said he was sorry and would organise a refund for me and would drop this off at our villa, this did not happen. They did not once bother to phone and see how I was and my injuries.
What is concerning they allow small children on this tour, the young girl in front of me did not have a helmet and if she had have been knocked off her bike and smashed her head, it most likely would have been a fatality.
SO PLEASE IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING A BIKE TOUR, PLEASE RESEARCH THE COMPANY YOU USE. I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND THIS COMPANY