Yes, there are rentals. About $60 for four hours. I haven't shopped the bike stores yet to see if demo bikes are available. I also figure I need to know enough before I shop, I don't want to be completely at the mercy of whichever sales person happens to be there. Plus the "research" aspect of bike shopping is part of the fun.
I didn't notice what the riders were using. I was watching how the handled the terrain. Next time