MTB and gravel bike insurance

Mountain biking comes in many forms – you might get your kicks tackling steep downhill courses, or perhaps you prefer a less technical challenge like off-roading on scenic gravel trails.

Whichever way you ride, get the cover that’s right for you and your bike. Choose from our three cover types and add optional extras – like cover for racing or travel – if you need them.

When you get bike insurance through Direct Line, you’ll only pay for what you need. Nothing more.

Bicycle Cover

Cover against theft, accidental or malicious damage to your bike and accessories.

Cyclist Cover

Public liability cover against damage or injury caused by you.

Bicycle & Cyclist Cover

Cover against theft or damage to your bike and accessories, plus public liability for you.

Why get insurance for your mountain bike?

Mountain, downhill and gravel biking comes with its own set of risks. Not only are the challenges more physically demanding on you and your bike, but the chances are you’ll travel further to find the best trails.

Even if you’ve added your bike to your home contents insurance, it may not be covered while you’re out and about.

Check your existing home contents insurance policy to see whether it covers you for:

  • Accidental damage while you’re cycling or taking part in a sportive
  • Theft away from your home
  • Malicious damage
  • Taking your bike abroad
  • Replacement bike hire
  • Taxi fare reimbursement
  • Cycling accessories, including personal gear and additional wheelsets

Downhill biking puts a particular kind of strain on your bike, which many home and contents insurers won’t cover. Direct Line Cycling Insurance will cover you for accidental bike damage, and may be more cost-effective than adding your bicycle to your home contents insurance.

Taking out our specialist cycling insurance also means your claim will be handled quickly by a knowledgeable and experienced team. Just what you need to help you get back on the tracks.

Get a quote today and you could get your bike covered straight away.

Why choose Direct Line Cycling Insurance?

It takes a fellow rider to understand just how important your wheels are. That's why the team behind Direct Line Cycling Insurance has specialist knowledge and a passion for two wheels. You'll find them out most weekends, exploring new routes, fine-tuning their gears and testing out new kit. They get it, they really do.

That’s why the cycling team want to help you get back on your bike as soon as possible. Nobody likes waiting, so once you’ve provided all the information needed, they’ll aim to resolve your claim within one working day.

With Direct Line Cycling Insurance, you can get cover for:

  • Accidental or malicious damage
    If something happens while you're out cycling, your bike will either be repaired, or the damaged parts will be replaced.
  • Theft (from your home or away)
    As long as you've secured your bike with an approved lock and followed the required security measures, your bike will be covered against theft.
  • Theft from a roof rack or trailer
    Provided it hasn't been left unsecured or unattended (see approved locks for more information).
  • Reimbursement for cycle hire and transport costs
    If your bike's out of action, you'll need some wheels to get around on - especially if you're training for an event. That's why you'll get up to £500 to hire a suitable replacement, or to cover your transport costs while your bike is being repaired or replaced.
  • Onward travel
    If your bike's stolen or you've had an accident and can't cycle, you'll be reimbursed the cost of your taxi fare to get yourself and your bike home, to the nearest station or bike repair shop – whichever is closest.
  • Roof rack and transit cover
    Your bike is covered for any damage caused while you're transporting it securely.
  • Multi-Bike Discount
    If you've got another bike worth over £250 to insure, save money by adding it to the same policy. The more bikes you insure, the more you'll save, with 10% off your second bike and 15% off three or more bikes. The most valuable bike will be counted as the first bike on your policy, so discounts will apply to each bike thereafter. Excludes optional extras.
  • New for old replacement
    If you need to claim for a total loss of your bike due to theft or irreparable damage, we'll replace your bicycle with a comparable make/model up to your benefit limit, if you bought it new. If your bicycle is second-hand or discontinued, we'll reimburse you for it's current market value, subject to depreciation.
  • Your cycling kit
    You'll get up to £250 cover for your cycling kit, which includes accessories, clothing, helmets, GPS, additional wheelsets and your bike box. Please note, this cover is only valid as part of a larger claim for damage or theft of your bicycle. So, if your helmet is stolen from your bag, it's not covered. If it's damaged in an accident which also damaged your bike, it will be covered.
  • Cycling gear worth over £250
    If your kit is worth more than £250, just let us know how much it's worth when you get a quote, and we'll include the extra cover in your premium. We can insure your cycling accessories up to the value of £5,000.
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Bicycle insurance for every type of adventure

Mountain and gravel bike challenges

If you’re just starting out, you may not need cover for events, but if you decide to take part in sportives or challenges, you can add our Race and Event cover to your cycling insurance:

It’ll cover you for:

  • Damage to your bike during a competition or group event
  • Theft or damage to your bike while on MTB or gravel trails
  • Reimbursement of entry fees for any cycling events you’ve entered and can’t compete in because you’ve hurt yourself while riding your insured bike

Travel Cover for your bike

There’s a lot of awesome MTB and gravel trails across Europe and the rest of the world. If you regularly take your bike abroad for events or cycling holidays, it could be worth including Travel cover with your bicycle insurance policy.
If you decide to take your bike on a one-off overseas adventure, you can simply add Travel Cover to your policy. Just let us know and we’ll extend your bicycle and accessories cover worldwide for up to 365 days in any 12-month period, limited to 90 consecutive days per trip.

Need cyclist insurance, too?

It’s not just your wheels and your kit that matter, you can get covered for accidents and injury to yourself, too. Depending on the level of cover you choose, Direct Line cyclist cover offers:
  • Up to £2,000,000 public liability cover as standard
  • Optional personal injury cover
  • Optional emergency medical cover, including dental care, optical care and physiotherapy

Keep your bike safe

Any bicycle theft claim you make is subject to specific security conditions, so make sure you follow the required security measures. Your claim may be rejected or not fully paid if you don't use the correct approved lock for the value of your bike and store it safely and securely.

Learn more

Cycling insurance tips, FAQs and policy documents

Take a look at the Cycling Insurance policy documents:

Frequently asked questions

If the handlebars or other permanently attached parts are stolen off your bicycle, they’ll be replaced. If your quick-release wheels are stolen, they’ll be covered only if there is proof that the bicycle was securely locked at the time (but thieves managed to cut through). Read more about locking your bicycle.
Accessories that aren’t permanently attached, like a bike computer, are only covered if damaged during a crash or taken during a larger theft – so if your GPS is pinched off your bike while it’s parked outside your office, it won’t be covered.
Riding your mountain bike downhill is probably one of the main reasons you got it. We get that, which is why Direct Line Cycling Insurance doesn’t exclude claims involving cycling downhill. That said, we heartily recommend you think twice before engaging in any risky riding. If you make too many claims for the same issue, cover may have to be withdrawn.
Home and contents insurance often has limitations regarding your bike’s value and the circumstances under which it’s covered (usually just while it’s stored at your home). With Direct Line Cycling Insurance, you can get cover for accidental damage or theft while you’re out riding or taking part in events in the UK or abroad.

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