Frequently asked questions

The following information should answer all the questions you may have when booking a helibike trip through this site. If you can't find the answer you're looking for, please contact us.

1. What is Helibiking?

2. Payment and Cancellation Policy

3. Who provides the bike?

4. What do I need to take with me?

5. How hard are the rides?

6. How do I find the right tour for me?

1. What is Helibiking?

Helibiking is any activity that includes a helicopter ride and a bike ride. It can allow you to do any of the following:

• Downhill. It can be for the downhill enthusiast who wants to fly to the top of a mountain and just ride down
• Accessibility. Or, it's for the mountain biker who wants to get to a location that would be other wise inaccessible by bike either through lack of fitness or lack of vehicle access.
• Variety. Or, for locations where you use the same track in and out, it allows you to fly in and bike out
• Adventure. Or, just to enjoy 2 adventure activities in one.

2. Payment and Cancellation Policy

• Is it cheaper for me to book direct with the operator myself? Absolutely not!!! We charge the same price as the operator but you get the benefit of our expertise to book the right trip for your needs and ability and we can transfer your trip to another operator if your trip is cancelled due to the weather.
  NB. Tour Operators/Travel Agents, because we are a directory site and charge the same price through our website as the customer is charged if they book direct, we do NOT pay booking agent commissions for bookings through this site. We are, however, happy to do the customer's research and booking for you at no charge.
• Who do I pay and when?  Payment is required at the time of booking to confirm your trip.
• How do you send confirmation of my booking?  You will get an e-mail (or fax if you don't have an e-mail address) containing all the information required for your trip. If you are unsure of any details, please don't hesitate to contact us, we're here to help you.
• What happens if I want to cancel? Helibike.com will offer a full refund if the trip is cancelled with 7 days notice. Please check the cancellation policy of each operator for cancellations of less than 7 days.
• What happens if the trip is cancelled? The advantage of booking with us is that we'll either rearrange your trip for another day or forward your booking onto another operator free of charge. If neither option suits you, you get a full refund.
• How long is the website price valid for? Due to fuel prices, the published price of each trip may change without warning. The price will be confirmed and agreed with you at the time of booking.

3. Who provides the bike?

• Can I take my own bike? Yes, all operators allow you to take your own bike, providing it is of a suitable quality and well maintained. For safety, most operators will want to check it before allowing you on their trip. 
• Do you provide a bike? Most operators do but not all. Some include it in the price of the trip, others charge extra. Please check the details for each operator. 
• How do you transport my bike? We either use racking that holds the bike securely on the side of the helicopter, or strop (tie together with ropes/straps) below the helicopter. It depends on the type of helicopter used.

4. What do I need to take with me?

• What clothes do I need? Wear comfortable clothes you would be happy mountain biking in and sturdy footwear. The weather in New Zealand can change very quickly, even in the summer, so please bring a windproof/waterproof jacket, thermals (depending on the season and the weather forecast), sunscreen and sunglasses.
• What bike equipment do I need? Helmet, protective glasses and gloves are essential. Some operators provide these, please check with us if you do not have your own. We also advise you to wear protective armour if you like speed or have a tendancy to fall off!
• Anything else? We'd advise a back pack to put all your gear in, water, snacks and, of course, your camera.
• What's available to hire? This varies from operator to operator. If you have a specific requirement, please ask us when booking. 

 5. How hard are the rides?

We use a grading system where each operator grades the difficulty of their own tracks from 1 - Very Easy (smooth and flat and suitable for beginners) through to 6 - Elite/Expert (Trials skills needed, high risk level). Most of the rides advertised in this website are graded 2 to 4. For a breakdown of each grade, download Grading-System.pdf (11KB)