Testimonials

This was the best riding, eating and lodging experience I have had. Wonderful riding with fantastic tour guide where I learned much about the areas we were riding through. Fun to push myself to ride obstacles I normally wouldn’t have ridden on my own. Wicked fun time with a great group! I can’t say enough what a wonderful experience this was. I highly recommend to all of my friends!! I will be singing your praises for a long time to come! Excellent food. Excellent riding. Fabulous hosts! I really didn’t want to go back to the “real” world as this place made me feel like I was already home. AWESOME!!!!

This experience covered all the senses and had you yearning for more. The Pods are nestled respectfully among the trees and landscape, with every creature comfort you could hope for. The attention to detail and obvious thoughtful planning of this luxury retreat covered everything. Steve and Tam were exceptional, guiding and encouraging us through tracks and trails to maximise the best experience we could have. You don't have to be a hard-core MTB'er to experience the flow. My husband is a more experienced rider and he enjoyed the many challenges provided and learned improved techniques with one on one coaching. If you want to reconnect and open your eyes, then this is for you!

Having never mountain-biked before, my partner and I were blown away by the Blue Derby Pods Ride experience, entirely due to the willingness of Steve & John to work patiently with us to get the technical basics and then provide the right balance of challenge and safety. Besides their biking expertise (and ability to impart this), their good humour and deep knowledge of and enthusiasm for the local history, flora & fauna totally enriched the experience for us city folk. Each ride we took provided breath-taking scenery, whether roller coasting through rainforest or bumping up windy, rocky trails. The beautiful and carefully designed pods, fresh food, local wine and relaxed environment made for a fabulous long-weekend. As a vegan, I generally bring a plan B on such outings but I was so well catered for I didn’t come close to needing my snack box. We’re already planning our next ride and will definitely be back for more of the Blue Derby Pods Ride experience.

My husband and I did the Blue Derby Pods Ride experience in November 2017. I was a little apprehensive as my husband is a more experienced rider than I am, but Steve, Pete and Tara are all excellent guides who worked with each of our ability levels and ensured we had a fun, safe, exhilarating, and at times, challenging 3 days riding! Steve patiently worked on my technical skills (I have now mastered riding up and down berms!) and expertly guided me over terrain I may not have otherwise attempted but was so glad I did. The scenery and trails of Blue Derby are really very special. And then there was the magical pod experience itself - generous, healthy, local, restaurant quality food and wine and super comfy, spacious sleeping pods. Loved being able to lay in bed and look at the night sky. We would highly recommend this experience and hope to return again soon.

My hubby and I just spent three glorious days with the Blue Derby Pods Ride crew, Steve, Tam and Tim. We wanted to mark our 30th wedding anniversary with a shared experience that would push us a little out of our comfort zones. The BDPR gave us this and soo much more! The rides themselves are as challenging and exhilarating as you are prepared to make them. All you need to do is trust in the experience of your guides. My hubby ended up going a million miles an hour, downhill, through wilderness, across rock and root strewn tracks. The smile on his face was enormous! I needed a less challenging experience and they helped me out with this but even I had moments of utter surprise in what I had done. The accommodation is original, comforting and modern in its clean lines, beautiful timbers and simple luxury. Best hot shower ever after a ride! The food and drink is the best of the northern Tasmanian region, prepared by care by your hosts, absolutely yummy and varied. We are truly appreciative of the whole experience and the interest shown by the crew. I won't forget in a hurry sitting on the grass in Weldborough after the final adventure, the soft afternoon sun is coming through the trees and hubby and I are drinking strong, dark ale, just leisurely talking with our crew. Unhurried. Completely authentic. This is one of those truly wonderful experiences.

While I may be on the chronological age descent, the Blue Derby Pods Ride experience left me with nothing other than a feeling of ascent! From the minute we were collected (door to door) there was a warm inclusiveness within the group. The experienced guides encouraged us to challenge ourselves in a manner that was not pressured, with so many options to suit our personal skill set. The supplied bikes were high end which only enhanced the experience. And of course, the beautiful Tasmanian wining and dining, combined with the stunning accommodation just capped it off. The best 3 days of “time out” that I’ve experienced in a long time. Give it a go….you won’t regret the commitment.

The combination of cycling thru the rugged and diverse landscapes of Derby, the excitement of the well crafted trails, the amazing food and wine served up each evening, and the quiet solitude of our pod hidden in the wilderness, made this an unforgettable experience. Steve and John guided us thru trees, over boulders, down precipices, around berms in an expert fashion. Whatever we asked for, was delivered, plus more... The Blue Derby Pods Ride is a unique experience that we would highly recommend!

My 10-year-old son and I were among the first people to do this ride. It was one of the great experiences of my life and incredible to have my son do it with me. The team at Blue Derby Pods were both professional and friendly. They are all excellent riders and guides. The riding is simply breath-taking, through some of the most incredible scenery Tasmania has to offer. And then, there is the food and the accommodation. If you love mountain biking and you love good food and good wine and good beer and a good time – you can’t go past Blue Derby Pods Ride.

We hadn't mountain biked like this before but boy did Steve and Tam get us up to a fantastic level that was both challenging and exciting. These guys really know how to look after you through the complete journey and 3 day stay in the Blue Derby pods. We learnt so much at speed but if you want to relax then thats OK too- food tick, drink tick, accommodation tick. Highly recommend for any level. Such FUN

Absolute must do. Everything was extraordinary, from the stunning accommodation, food and totally amazing Steve and John, to the riding which is unsurpassed. Thank you we will be back ....

My husband and I were lucky enough to have been part of the inaugural #bluederbypodsride with a lovely group of mountain bike enthusiasts aged between 10-50. Amazing trails for all levels of skill, sumptuous gourmet meals prepared by affable guides and comfortable beds after a great day on the trails. Nothing better than arriving back at HQ to a warm shower (with a view) and greeted with a glass of awesome Tassie wine or beer. It exceeded our expectations. We are both also much better riders thanks to guides Steve, Tara and John who were so patient and generous with both the expert and amateur riders in the group. The blue tier epic was the highlight and the best way to finish up a perfect 3 days.

A wonderful adventure even though we are novice mountain bike riders. Plenty of trails to choose from and advice by Steve or John improved our safety. Delicious meals and comfortable beds made a delightful 3 days to enjoy in the bush. Steve and John were exceptional guides. They were genuinely interested in our enjoyment and safety and worked tirelessly to ensure our happiness. Highly recommended

Joining the Blue Derby pods team was literally about checking the big box of life experiences. Fantastic trails and a crew that tailor rider abilities with trail challenges on the fly. And when the day’s riding all done the leaders somehow transform into five star chefs. The accommodation is also absolutely amazing and spectacularly restful. I’d say this was a once in a lifetime experience, except I’ll be back.

I had an amazing three days with Blue Derby Pods Ride. I had a great time with Tristan and Steve our groups Experience Leaders. They were able to assess each riders abilities and take us to our safe limits. Chasing "flying" Steve down Blue Tier was a real highlight! The Pods were really cool, very comfortable bed. Loved the stainless steel showers, and waking up each morning in the beautiful surroundings. I can't wait to come back!

Pure 5 star luxury for the environmentally conscious MTB nut. Expertly organised, superbly catered, sweetest trails that would put Whistler to shame, all in the exquisite Tasmanian wilderness. Just do it!

Thanks again for a fabulous 3 days in the bush! Kirsten is researching mountain bikes as I am writing this. I can’t believe we rode the “air-ya-garn” when watching the YouTube videos! Steve, you’re an amazing teacher. Your calm nature is very re-assuring! Tara, you’re a fabulous organiser. I can’t believe all the attention to details. And I love how the food is supporting local boutique entrepreneurs. Daniela and Des, thanks for looking after us, for the constant encouragements and scouting. You both had a great grasp at when we needed a little nudge and when not to freak us out too much. Thanks to you two we are still in one piece. I would highly recommend this Experience!

The Pods and Hub building are such a great location - feels a million miles away from anything but the trails are only 10 feet away!! I also cannot praise the Experience Leaders/guides highly enough, very professional, friendly, helpful in general. Absolutely excelled in relation to supporting me with my riding, were so willing to accommodate my level of riding, I felt extremely well looked after. Great assessment of my ability and selection of trails. The Pods are absolutely fabulous - LOVED it all - the outlook from the bedroom was magical. Such a beautiful magical environment right in the middle of the trails! I can not highly recommend this Experience enough!

Well, where do we start? It was the most amazing MTB experience ever. The Blue Derby Pods Ride team are simply put - the best in the business. My husband and I booked the 4-day experience as part of our (delayed) honeymoon in February 2021. Right from the start Tara went above and beyond with all types of recommendations for us as our trip was 11 nights away in Tassie in total. On the ride experience we were fortunate to have Dani & Charlie as our guides and our group also included 6 other men (all amazing individuals) from Queensland on a boy’s trip! The pods you sleep in give you a truly serene feeling and the homestay common dining area bought us all together for meals and chill time. The food was delicious and nourishing (they even catered for a GF diet) and the alcohol never ran out!! What Dani & Charlie taught us all over the 4 days was incredible and they never stopped working... an experience that will stay with us for a very long time.... Thank you Tara, Steve, Dani, Charlie and Vincent & Troy.

Uplifting, thrilling time finding the flow. We booked the 4 day experience, our second time. Returned with a couple we met last time and made new friends this time too. Our incredibly energetic guides Tim and Charlie with their wealth of local knowledge go out of their way to ensure an incredible time, such hard driven workers. Impressive trails with breath taking scenery through the forest. Great temperature for riding compared to Far North Queensland in summer. Delicious Tasmanian food along with selection of wines to sit back and enjoy in the hub after a full day of riding. Our group were so entertaining and we were thrilled to have Tim and Charlie’s company for our second time. When it was time to retire for the evening the pods offer such tranquility for a solid nights sleep then awaking to the sounds of nature the following day. Thank you so much Steve, Tara, Tim and Charlie for another memorial holiday. Blue Derby Pods is the most incredible holiday experience that we have so many memorable moments. I doubt anywhere else can offer what you have created. We found our flow. We will return.

The Blue Derby Pods Ride four-day experience is one of the best holidays I have had in a decade. Riding through pre-historic forest down to the sea, incredible food, fully aligned business sustainability values... I can't recommend it enough.