Our Recommendation: Day 1/Night 1
Even with an electric-assist mountain bike (e-bike), cycling the Rail Trail from Middlemarch in just 3 Days calls for more planning than starting from Clyde. The reason is Day 1 distances from Middlemarch are relatively long.
Our recommendation is cycle as far as Waipiata (52km from Middlemarch) or Ranfurly (60km from Middlemarch). Perhaps consider spending Night 1 in Naseby where an on-demand shuttle service (03 444 9884) will pick you up from Waipiata or Ranfurly and deliver you back the next day. Some Waipiata and Ranfurly accommodation hosts may be agreeable to taking you on a tour of Maniototo attractions or to and from Naseby with its international year round indoor curling rink … sliding a 17 to 20kg ‘stone’ across the ice to the target area is one of the most popular ‘must-do’ experiences of the Otago Central Rail Trail.