Since the Queenstown Trail opened in 2012, we have been a key operator on this spectacular trail network. Now into our thirteenth year of business, and with decades of riding around the Whakatipu Basin behind us, we are the most experienced team at getting riders onto the trail.
We pride ourselves on offering a personalised Kiwi-flavour to turn your Queenstown riding experience from good to great.
Learn the story behind our business here.
Being a locally owned and operated business, we understand the value of supporting local and the benefits and enjoyment that comes from community engagement. Over the years we have partnered with groups and individuals across the Queenstown region.
We are an Official Partner of the Queenstown Trails Trust, the organisation responsible for the development, maintenance, and promotion of the trail network. The Trust does excellent work in creating a world-class trail, NZ’s most popular Great Ride. By partnering with the Trust, we offer our ongoing support as the trail expands and the benefits this has for the wider community.
For many years Steve, our General Manager, has dedicated much of his spare time to local community groups like the Queenstown Kayak Club. When not at work or riding on a bike, Steve can often be found coaching on the lake. He was shortlisted for the ‘Spirit of the Wakatipu’ Award in 2019, partly because of his commitment to local community groups like the kayak club.
In May 2024, we were in a fortunate position to complete an initiative we called ‘Bike Giveaway‘. Simply put, we gave away 40 of our ex-rental bikes as a gift to members of the local community, particularly those who may not have been in a position to afford a new bike. We were happy to do this in the knowledge it would benefit individuals and the wider Queenstown community. Bikes improve people’s physical and mental well-being, keep cars off the road, and help a healthy workforce with their daily commute.
We are also proud to be affiliated with multisport athlete (and all-round wonder woman) Simone Maier. She is an inspirational role model, particularly in getting young girls interested in an active lifestyle, and a great ambassador of our business.
If you’re a local group or individual and have an idea about partnering with Around The Basin, please do reach out, we’d be keen to hear your ideas.
Steve is a renowned kayak coach and dedicates much of his spare time to the club, caring for boats and athletes alike. He runs training sessions every Monday and Wednesday evenings.
Here’s a video of one of his kayak mission on the Clutha River: ‘300 in 3’
Ambassador of Around The Basin
5x Coast to Coast Champion
Super strong, humble and passionate about sports, Simone is an inspiration to others.
We have created a work environment with a strong focus on the wellbeing of our staff. If they are happy in their workplace that will reflect onto the business in everything that we do. Staff are encouraged to shape their roles around their interests and skillsets, stimulating an open and inclusive work culture.
A big drawcard of the Queenstown region is the active lifestyle that comes with it. Offering flexibility around work schedules enables our staff to make the most of the incredible landscapes we get to call home. And they’re an adventurous bunch! We may be up skiing before breakfast in winter, or doing a few laps of a bike trail on a summer’s evening. Click here to find out more about the team.
We’ve been nailing things in the safety game since way back!
For us it all starts with the equipment that we hire out. All of our bikes are maintained and serviced in-house at our purpose built bike workshop. Our bike mechanics have years of experience fixing things with two wheels. You can trust that your bike will be in excellent working order. Before we set any rider onto the trail we always identify potential trail hazards with actions to mitigate them, and advise to ride ‘in-control’ at all times. We supply helmets for all riders to wear.
But accidents happen. There are inherent risks associated with mountain biking that no amount of preparation can eliminate. If an accident does happen, all of our drivers/guides are First Aid certified and can usually be on the scene to help in a short time.
We have been awarded a Gold Qualmark Award in recognition of our ongoing commitment to business health and safety practices.
At the heart of everything we do is a mindset of safety comes first. Trust us, you’re in safe hands.
We’re proud of what we do in the sustainability space. Queenstown is fortunate to be surrounded on all sides by incredible landscapes: mountain vistas, pristine waterways, and native bush. As a business we operate in ways to keep Queenstown in this natural state, so future generations to enjoy the landscapes as we do.
We aim to minimise waste generated wherever practical across our work sites. There are recycling schemes at our bike-workshops and retail shop, which we encourage both staff and customers to use.
We are proud supporters of Bee The Change, an initiative set up by Neal McAloon. Its aim is to restore bee populations to the Whakatipu Basin, thereby aiding in the pollination of native plant species. Our sponsored beehive will play a vital role in maintaining a healthy balance for the local ecosystem.
When we are ready to part with our ex-rental bikes, we sell them on to the local community. This prolongs the usable lifespan of the bikes, making them available for others to ride for many more years and avoids them going to landfill. See our latest listings here.
And, after all, riding a bike is fundamentally a good activity for the planet!
Everyday we get to showcase the stunning Queenstown Trail network to happy customers.
