Cliff Creek Outfitters Tours and Rentals
Rating
Family of 4
Two different price structures apply depending on what you book, and neither is published on the site in a form we can verify, so call (480) 998-7238 for current rates.
Duration
Budget 30 minutes at the shop and then however long you want to ride. Fitting bikes and helmets for a family of four, adjusting seat heights and signing paperwork takes real time, especially with kids, so do not schedule anything tight beforehand. Guided cycling tours are generally a two to three hour commitment, though the shop builds tours around road, mountain, gravel and e-bike riding at different skill levels, so ask for the specific length when you book. Families renting bikes for a self guided ride on the Tempe path system usually take a half day rental and ride two to three hours with stops.
Best Ages
Roughly 6 through 17, with the sweet spot from about 8 to 16. The deciding factor is simple: a kid needs to ride a bike confidently and independently, because this is a rental and guided tour operation rather than a place with training wheels and a closed course. The shop does list children's bikes among its rental categories, which is what makes a genuine family ride possible, so a 7 year old who rides well can be outfitted. Big kids, tweens and teens are the core audience, and the guided mountain bike tours at McDowell Sonoran Preserve are tailored from beginner to advanced skill levels, which gives older kids somewhere to grow into. E-bikes carry their own legal age minimums that vary and are set by the shop, so if you are considering an e-bike tour for a teen, confirm the minimum rider age by phone first. Toddlers and babies would need a trailer or child seat, and the shop does not publish whether those are available, so call (480) 998-7238 before planning around one.
About
Cliff Creek Outfitters is a Tempe bike shop that rents bikes and runs guided cycling tours around the Phoenix area, and its 4. 9 star average across more than a thousand Google reviews is about as strong as a rental operation gets. For families, the important detail is buried in the rental list: alongside road, mountain and gravel bikes, they rent casual e-bikes, hybrids and children's bikes.
That last category is what makes this a family option rather than an adults only rental counter, because a kid on a properly fitted bike is the difference between a great morning and a meltdown.
There are two ways to use this place with kids. The simpler and cheaper path is renting bikes and riding on your own. Tempe has an excellent network of flat paths, and a self guided family ride toward Tempe Town Lake and the Mill Avenue district is a genuinely lovely two to three hours with a food or ice cream stop as the turnaround.
The second path is a guided tour. The shop runs road, mountain, gravel and e-bike tours, and the mountain bike tours at McDowell Sonoran Preserve are tailored to skill levels from beginner to advanced. For a tween or teen who wants a real challenge, finishing a guided desert singletrack ride is a legitimate accomplishment.
Age is straightforward here. A kid needs to ride confidently and independently, which puts the practical floor around 6 and the sweet spot between 8 and 16. Two things to settle by phone before you plan: whether child seats or trailers are available if you have a toddler, since that is not published, and the minimum rider age for e-bikes if you are considering an e-bike tour for a teen, since those rules vary and the shop sets its own policy.
Call (480) 998-7238 with your kids' heights and ages while you are at it, because children's sizes are the first inventory to run out on a beautiful cool season weekend.
Season and time of day matter more in Phoenix than almost anywhere else. October through April, morning rides are close to perfect. In summer, ride at first light or skip it, because pavement in full sun is a serious hazard for kids. The shop lists phone hours of Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., so plan an early pickup and confirm current hours and tour times before you drive over.
Pricing is quoted by phone rather than posted, and the structures differ: rentals are priced per bike by the day or half day, while guided tours are priced per rider and cost noticeably more. Ask whether helmets are included, whether children's bikes are priced differently, and whether multi day rentals drop the daily rate, which often matters for visiting families. Allow a full 30 minutes at the shop for fitting everyone, bring water bottles that fit a bike cage, and put closed toe shoes on every kid before you leave the house.
Age Suitability
Parent Logistics
Stroller-Friendly
Limited
Nursing / Changing
Unknown
Kid Meals
N/A
Setting
Indoor & Outdoor
Rainy Day
Not ideal
Plan Your Visit
Best Time to Visit
Morning rides, October through April. Phoenix cycling in the cool season is close to perfect, and a morning start means you are off the bikes before the sun gets serious. In summer, ride at first light or not at all with kids, since pavement heat and full sun make midday riding genuinely dangerous for children. The shop lists phone hours of Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., so plan your pickup early in the day and confirm current shop hours and tour departure times at (480) 998-7238 or cliffcreekoutfitters.com.
Wait Times
Little to no wait if you reserve ahead, which you should. Walk in families in the cool season are competing with everyone else who wants a bike on a beautiful Saturday morning, and the size range that fits kids is the first inventory to run out. Reserve by phone at (480) 998-7238 or online, and give the shop your kids' heights and ages when you book so the right bikes are ready. Once you arrive, allow 20 to 30 minutes for fitting a family group.
Nearby Food
The shop sits on West 23rd Street in Tempe, which puts you minutes from the Broadway Road and Priest Drive corridors and their full lineup of casual family restaurants, taco shops, coffee and grocery stores for cooler supplies. Ride north instead and downtown Tempe and the Mill Avenue district near Tempe Town Lake offer sidewalk patios, pizza and ice cream that work perfectly as a turnaround reward on a family ride. If your ride is a guided mountain bike tour up at McDowell Sonoran Preserve, plan food before and after rather than during, since trailheads have nothing to buy, and keep cold drinks waiting in the car.
Why Kids Love It
Kids get a bike that actually fits them and then a whole desert city to ride in, which beats laps around the neighborhood by a wide margin. The shop rents children's bikes alongside adult road, mountain, gravel and e-bikes, so the whole family rolls out together instead of somebody sitting in a stroller. Older kids who want a challenge can ride guided mountain bike tours in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, where routes are matched to skill level from beginner up, and finishing a real desert singletrack ride is the kind of thing a twelve year old brings up for months.
Pro Tips from Parents
- Call (480) 998-7238 ahead with your kids' heights and ages. Children's bike sizes are the first thing to sell out on a nice cool season weekend, and a reservation is what guarantees the whole family actually rides.
- Ask specifically about child seats and trailers before you plan a ride with a toddler. The shop does not publish whether it stocks them, and that is the detail that decides whether a family with a two year old can go at all.
- Confirm the minimum rider age for e-bikes if you have a teen. E-bike age rules vary and the shop sets its own policy, so settle it by phone rather than at the counter.
- Give yourself 30 minutes at the shop before the ride. Fitting four people with helmets and seat heights takes longer than parents expect, and rushing it produces a miserable ride.
- Ride mornings from October through April, and treat summer midday riding as off limits with kids. Phoenix pavement in full sun is a different sport.
- For a first family outing, ask about the flat path riding near Tempe rather than the desert singletrack. Everyone can build up to McDowell Sonoran Preserve on a later trip.
What to Bring
- Water bottles that fit a bike cage, at least one per rider, plus refills in the car
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and a cycling cap or buff under the helmet
- Closed toe shoes with a stiff sole rather than sandals
- Your own helmets if your kids have ones that fit properly
- A small pack with snacks, phone and a card for a mid ride stop
- Bug spray and lip balm, plus a light layer for cool season morning starts
- The shop's phone number saved in your phone in case of a mechanical issue on the road
Cost Info
Estimated Cost (Family of 4)
Two different price structures apply depending on what you book, and neither is published on the site in a form we can verify, so call (480) 998-7238 for current rates.
Self guided rentals are priced per bike per day or per half day, which is the cheaper path for a family and the one most parents choose.
Guided tours are priced per rider and cost considerably more, since you are paying for a guide and a route.
When you call, ask whether helmets are included or extra, whether children's bikes are priced differently from adult bikes, and whether multi day rentals drop the daily rate, since a family visiting Phoenix for a week often finds that they do.
Budget separately for water, snacks and parking wherever you ride.
Tips to Save
- Rent bikes and ride the free Tempe path network yourself rather than booking a guided tour, which is the single biggest saving available here and works fine for families who just want a pleasant ride together.
- Ask about multi day rates if you are visiting for several days, since daily pricing usually drops.
- Ask whether helmets are included before you pay for them, and bring your own from home if your kids have properly fitted ones.
- Reserve ahead rather than paying for whatever is left in stock.
- Pack your own water and snacks rather than buying at a trailhead, and confirm the full quote by phone at (480) 998-7238 so there are no add-ons at pickup.
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