Terms of Service

Effective date: March 29, 2026

Last updated: March 29, 2026

These Terms of Service ("Terms") apply to all bookings, guided tours, bike rentals, coaching sessions, and use of the SW Trails website and services. By making a booking, renting equipment, participating in an activity, or using this website, you confirm that you have read and agree to these Terms.

If you are booking on behalf of another participant or a minor, you confirm that you are authorised to accept these Terms on their behalf.

1. Company Information

SW Trails operates mountain bike tours, rentals, and related outdoor services in Portugal. Full business and contact details should be listed on the website and in booking communications.

2. Bookings, Prices & Payment

A booking is only confirmed once SW Trails has accepted the reservation request and received the required deposit or full payment.

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, a 50% deposit of the total booking value is required to secure a reservation. The remaining balance must be paid no later than the start of the tour, rental, or service.

All prices shown are in euros (€). SW Trails reserves the right to correct obvious pricing errors and to cancel or refuse a booking affected by such an error, with any payment received refunded in full.

3. Cancellation, Changes, No-Shows & Refunds

Client cancellation

• For standard tours, rentals, and services, a 50% deposit is required to secure the booking.
• Cancellation made at least 72 hours before the scheduled start time: the full deposit (50%) will be refunded.
• Cancellation made less than 72 hours before the scheduled start time: the deposit (50%) is non-refundable.
• For MTB Holiday Packs, cancellation made at least 30 days before the scheduled start date: full refund of the deposit.
• For MTB Holiday Packs, cancellation made between 30 days and 7 days before the scheduled start date: 50% of the deposit is refunded.
• For MTB Holiday Packs, cancellation made less than 7 days before the scheduled start date: no refund.

SW Trails cancellation or changes

SW Trails may cancel, shorten, delay, reschedule, or modify a tour, rental, route, meeting point, guide, start time, or duration where reasonably necessary due to weather, trail conditions, mechanical issues, force majeure, safety concerns, insufficient bookings, access restrictions, or other circumstances beyond reasonable control.

If SW Trails cancels an activity before it starts and no suitable alternative is agreed, a 100% refund of amounts paid for that activity will be issued. Except where required by law, SW Trails is not responsible for indirect or consequential costs such as accommodation, flights, transfers, loss of enjoyment, or other third-party expenses.

Refunds will be processed to the original payment method unless otherwise agreed.

4. Statutory Consumer Rights

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any consumer rights that cannot legally be excluded under applicable law.

Where permitted by applicable law, bookings for leisure services provided on a specific date or within a specific period may not be subject to the standard 14-day withdrawal right that often applies to distance contracts. This should be assessed against the exact service offered and booking process used by SW Trails.

5. Rider Eligibility, Health & Participant Responsibilities

Participants must be physically and medically fit to take part in the booked activity and must have the skills, fitness, and confidence reasonably required for the selected route, terrain, and bike type. Participants are responsible for honestly assessing whether a tour or rental is suitable for them before booking.

Participants must immediately inform SW Trails before the activity starts of any relevant medical condition, injury, allergy, mobility limitation, medication, or other issue that may affect safety or participation.

Participants must:

• follow all guide instructions and safety briefings at all times;
• ride within their ability and in a responsible manner;
• use supplied equipment properly and only for its intended purpose;
• comply with applicable laws, trail rules, land-access rules, and local regulations;
• not participate while under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or any substance that impairs judgment or safety.

Participants under 16 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian unless SW Trails has agreed otherwise in writing in advance.

6. Guide Authority & Removal From Activity

SW Trails reserves the right to refuse participation, refuse rental handover, or remove a participant from part or all of an activity where, in the reasonable opinion of SW Trails or the guide, the participant:

• does not have suitable skill, fitness, or equipment;
• acts in an unsafe, reckless, abusive, or disruptive manner;
• fails to follow instructions;
• appears intoxicated or medically unfit to continue; or
• creates a risk to themselves, staff, other participants, third parties, or property.

In such cases, no refund is required for any unused part of the booking, unless applicable law requires otherwise.

7. Assumption of Risk

Mountain biking, e-biking, guiding, coaching, and outdoor activities involve inherent risks that cannot be fully eliminated, including but not limited to falls, collisions, changing weather, difficult terrain, obstacles, trail features, wildlife, remote locations, equipment failure, actions of other trail users, and limited access to immediate medical assistance.

By participating, clients acknowledge and accept these inherent risks.

8. Helmets, Equipment & Safety Gear

An approved cycling helmet must be worn whenever required by SW Trails and is strongly recommended at all times during riding. SW Trails may refuse participation to anyone not using required safety equipment.

Participants are responsible for ensuring that personal clothing, footwear, hydration, and any personal equipment they bring are suitable for the booked activity.

9. Rentals, Security, Damage & Loss

Rental bikes and equipment are provided in checked working condition at handover. Clients must inspect the equipment at the start of the rental period and promptly report any visible issue before use. Continued use will be treated as acceptance that the equipment was received in satisfactory condition, subject to any hidden defect not reasonably discoverable at handover.

Clients are responsible for the safe custody, proper use, and return of all rented items. Equipment must be returned in the same condition as supplied, excluding fair wear from normal intended use.

Clients may be charged for cleaning, repair, replacement, recovery, transport, workshop labour, parts, accessories, downtime, and any related loss caused by crash damage, misuse, negligence, unauthorised modification, improper transport or storage, loss, or theft.

SW Trails may require payment card details, a security deposit, or proof of identity before releasing rental equipment.

Optional Bike Damage Protection (+20€)

SW Trails offers an optional Bike Damage Protection add-on for an additional fee per rider. This is not insurance. It is a voluntary agreement that reduces the client’s financial liability for certain types of accidental damage during normal use of the bike.

Where Bike Damage Protection is selected at the time of booking, SW Trails will not charge the client for the following types of damage arising from normal riding conditions:

• Light cosmetic scratches
• Damaged brake lever
• Broken chain
• Broken or bent brake disc
• Broken or bent chainring
• Broken pedal
• Ripped or broken saddle
• Torn tire
• Broken or lost water bottle

Bike Damage Protection does not cover:

• Frame damage, cracks, or structural failure
• Motor, battery, or electronic components
• Loss or theft of the bike or equipment
• Damage caused by misuse, negligence, or failure to follow instructions
• Intentional damage or riding outside the agreed tour conditions

SW Trails reserves the right to determine whether damage falls within covered categories based on inspection and reasonable assessment.

Bike Damage Protection does not eliminate liability entirely and does not constitute an insurance product.

10. Insurance

SW Trails maintains the insurance required by applicable law for its operations. However, clients are strongly advised to hold their own valid insurance covering, where relevant, medical treatment, accidents, personal liability, travel disruption, rescue, and cycling or mountain biking activities, including e-bike use if applicable.

11. Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, SW Trails is not liable for:

• loss, theft, or damage to personal belongings;
• losses caused by inaccurate information provided by the client;
• delays, route changes, shortened activities, or cancellations caused by weather, trail closures, force majeure, or other circumstances beyond reasonable control;
• damage or injury resulting from a participant's negligence, recklessness, failure to follow instructions, or misuse of equipment;
• acts or omissions of third-party providers not under SW Trails' direct control.

Nothing in these Terms excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited under applicable law.

12. Personal Property

Participants are solely responsible for their personal belongings, including phones, cameras, bags, tools, clothing, and other valuables. SW Trails accepts no responsibility for loss, theft, or damage to such items except where liability cannot legally be excluded.

13. Photos & Media

SW Trails may take photographs or short video clips during tours for operational, safety, and promotional purposes. Where consent is required, SW Trails will request it during the booking process or by another clear method before using identifiable images for marketing.

If a client does not consent to promotional use of identifiable images, SW Trails will respect that preference as far as reasonably practicable. However, SW Trails cannot guarantee that a participant will never appear incidentally in group or background footage.

Media will not be sold to third parties as standalone personal image content without additional consent.

14. Data Protection & Privacy

SW Trails processes personal data only as necessary for bookings, customer communication, safety, legal compliance, payment administration, insurance handling, and legitimate business operations.

Depending on the booking, this may include contact details, emergency contact details, booking history, payment-related information, and limited health or safety information voluntarily provided by the client where necessary for the activity.

Clients may request access, correction, or deletion of personal data, and may also have other rights under applicable data protection law. For full details, the website should include a separate Privacy Policy explaining the identity of the controller, legal bases, retention periods, recipients, and data subject rights.

15. Third-Party Services

Where SW Trails assists with or arranges any third-party service, including bike hire, shuttles, accommodation, guiding support, food, transport, or activities supplied by others, such services may be subject to the third party's own terms, conditions, and liability rules.

16. Complaints

Any problem should be raised with SW Trails as soon as possible during the activity so that there is an opportunity to address it promptly.

If a complaint cannot be resolved on the day, clients should submit it in writing through the contact details on the website within a reasonable time after the activity. Where required by Portuguese law, SW Trails should also make the official complaints channel or complaints book information available.

17. Force Majeure

SW Trails is not responsible for failure or delay in performing its obligations where caused by events beyond reasonable control, including severe weather, wildfire, flood, epidemic, government action, road or trail closure, strike, civil disturbance, accident, or unexpected safety issue.

18. Invalidity of Terms

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unlawful, invalid, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force to the extent permitted by law.

19. Changes to These Terms

SW Trails may update these Terms from time to time. The version published on the website at the time of booking will generally apply to that booking unless a change is required by law or is clearly communicated and accepted.

20. Governing Law & Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of Portugal. Any dispute arising in connection with these Terms shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the competent courts of Portugal, without prejudice to any mandatory consumer protections that may apply.