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"We had a fantastic 2 weeks with A2Z in Portugal and would certainly , ... " I did the Pyrennes tour with A2Z when the company first started ... more reviews "If you want large busses, large groups and large, "big box" hotels, Adventure Travel Group isn't for you. BUT, ... " ... Being a part of the craziness of the Tour de France itself, the restaurants and food, the lodging--all far surpassed my high expectations. I've been on many bike tours and ... more reviews
"The hotels are comfortable and clean, generally in smaller friendly towns .... " ... Here's what we like: great, incredibly helpful guides, well-planned itineraries; unstructured, informal days with just enough group activity but not too much; flexibility; excellent bikes; great value ....more reviews Butterfield & Robinson butterfield.com "After
having taken a lot of Backroads trips, I thought B&R was
going to be a more expensive version of the same thing. It's
not ... "My Backroads vacation riding through Tuscany was the best vacation of my life .. ".. I like that they have different pricing options (classic or deluxe). Go now while the tourism business is hurting ...more reviews Bike and the Like: bikeandthelike.com "Experienced, knowledgeable ride leaders who instantly turn a group of strangers into a circle of friends ..." The choice of hotels are in classic locations, where possible (Misquamicut Beach, view of surf fishermen just outside the window; 100 year old San Remo Hotel ... more reviews BikeRiders bikeriderstours.com "The hotels and food were excellent and the guides were top notch. The small group size was ... "We have taken three tours with BikeRiders. All three were excellent ...more reviews "For the price, I was really impressed with the lodging. We actually stayed at mostly 3 star ... " ... I was not looking forward to carrying two day's worth of baggage in my paniers ... more reviews Carolina Tailwinds: carolinatailwinds.com "... Carolina Tailwinds' tours are operated by the owners of the company. Thus, their level of service exceeds that of other companies ..." more reviews Ciclismo Classico: ciclismoclassico.com "Every year we take a trip with Ciclismo Classico. They just seem to keep getting better and better ... " ... Having travelled with B&R, Backroads and CC, I'd say that Ciclismo Classico hotels are almost as good as that of ...more reviews Classic Adventures: classicadventures.com " ... a well planned tour at an excellent value. Our guides were very knowledgeable and friendly... more reviews Creative Catalonia creativeCatalonia.com "For a self guided cycling vacation the first day is key to a successful experience ... . this was handled flawlessly ... " ... since they live in the area and they are not a huge company they willingly alter trip details to suit individual requests... more reviews " ... well thought-out itinerary, challenging yet fun rides, and lots of great food when off the bike ..." "This specialized operator has a wealth of knowledge about cycling in Europe. They are former racers ... more reviews Cycling Centuries cycling-centuries.com " On a scale of 1-10, Cycling-Centuries.com provided a trip that was an 11 ..." " ...both trips were excellent value for my money - quaint hotels, great meals, excellent bikes, clearly marked routes ..." more reviews Digngo: digngo.com "... adapted to our needs and abilities with charm and grace .... " " We did a 'self-guided' tour which was really a custom 'we are here whenever you need us' tour. .."more reviews Discover France: discoverfrance.com "... FANTASTIC! Excellent routes and accommodations. Highly recommend.... " "We
found Discover France to the be the value for self-guided touring
in France. They were about 25% less .."more
reviews Discover Tuscany: discover-tuscany.it ... Leonardo speaks excellent English and will tailor his pace and route to meet the needs of your group ... . . more reviews Duvine Adventure's: duvine.com "... bicycle vacation through unspoiled villages in France, while staying in charming inns and chateaux, eating gourmet cuisine and tasting world-class wines ... " This
was my second trip with DuVine, and they always seem to make
life so easy ...more
reviews "I've taken trips (over 40) with all the major companies and Easy Rider is the best value by far..." "If you are considering a bike tour of Ireland, more reviews Experience Plus! experienceplus.com "... Excellent value and wonderful tours with great accomodations and meals. Roads selected are paved country lanes with very few busy highways. "ExperiencePlus' system of using chark to mark the route at the start of the day is fabulous ... more reviews Far and Away Cycling FarAndAwayCycling.com "The
routes take you on the most interesting, less travelled roads with
beautiful sceneries ... " .. Freewheeling will never cancel a trip, no matter how few participants. We stayed at the same luxurious locations as Backroads but our trip cost much less. " "Groups are smaller than most other groups. I was impressed both with the quality of our guides and the quality of our accomodations ..." more reviews Great Explorations: greatexplorations.com “..The biking was challenging and the coast was great.... La Corsa: lacorsa.com " ... great routes and guides, challenging cycling, great hotels & food and the very personal attention of the directors on each rider's needs. "... beautiful road with very little traffic. Service was outstanding as the ride leaders were the company owners. more reviews Pack & Pedal tripsite.com We had a wonderful, independent cycling trip in Holland. ... Hotels were all accommodating and they were all prepared for our arrival. ... ... I was looking for a company that could help me organize a bike/barge European tour for 22 people and where we would be able to write a contract for the use of an entire barge. Pack and Pedal came through and were most helpful in accomplishing that for me .... more reviews Portugal Bike PortugalBike.com This was one of the most enjoyable bicycling trips we've taken -- and we've taken a few.. I didn’t pull any muscles the way I did on my last road bike tour in a double chain ring road bike. more reviews Randonnee Tours: randonnee.com "... The accommodations were fantastic, the scenery was breathtaking, our coordinator was great, and the biking was superb. It was one of the best vacations ever. We can't wait for our next trip!!!..." "... There is a tremendous sense of freedom in being on your own with no schedule except your own but also knowing that Randonnee is there ...more reviews Russian Cycling Touring Club rctc.ru " ... These tours are organized by cycling enthusiasts in the club, many of whom are college professors. They offer you the chance to see the real Russia by traveling through small villages and towns ...." " ... Highly recommended to those who are keen to be further off the beaten track, and don't mind roughing it - which just added to the sense of achievement ... " more reviews Siciclando siciclando.com "... We have been on dozens of bike tours and the four tours we have done with Siciclando in Sicily and Basilicata (Italy) are amongst the very best ever ... "Excellent communications,personal welcome and service, very good bikes, a wonderfully eclectic mix of accommodation [nearly all small, family run] ... " more reviews Sojourn gosojourn.com "The tour leaders were great and loads of fun. Met some very interesting people from around the country. ... " "They only do US tours and appear to be largely staffed by former VBT people. These guys did a great job .." Summerfeet summerfeet.net "We have toured with lots of companies The Maine's Gold Coast Tour was one of the best bike tours ... " "The people from SummerFeet are very flexible and accommodating, much more so than the bigger tour companies .." Spyns spyns.com " .... I'd used a few of the bigger bigger bike tour companies before but didn't like being a number and paying sky-high prices ... " " Personal attention from the time you make contact with the owner/President Ryan and all through the trip. ... " Terracotta Journeys terracottaJourneys.com " ... Every minute was rich with cultural mind openers, and pleasures of all sorts. ... " " ... Terracotta Journeys confirms the wisdom of selecting a company that specializes in a region. " ore reviews Trek Travel trektravel.com "... The bikes were exceptional (as you would expect of Trek); the guides friendly and hard-working; and the other riders fairly strong and very social ...more reviews Undiscovered Country Tours udctours.com "... I've probably done tours with 15 different bike companies and found UDC to every bit as good (or better) ...more reviews Van Gogh Tours: vangoghtours.com "I've done three tours with this company and plan to do more. Here's why: ... "My husband and I have tried three bicycle tour companies, and Van Gogh is our favorite. The rides are ... more reviews " ... VBT is a great value compared to many of the other groups. ... "We had a wide range of riders, from novice to very experienced. All got to bike at the level they enjoyed .. "I thought I would save money and buy the plane ticket through VBT. What a mistake! ... more reviews AdventureBugTours.com:Excellent and affordable. Focus
was the villages and comfortable (not luxurious) accommodations and meals.
Lots of culture and exploration with moderate cycling.
Ave Bicycle Tours: Ave bike tours provides a relatively low(er) cost alternative to the big american bike companies (such as backroads, trek etc). They kept their word and did not cancel our prague-vienna bike trip even though our family of 3 was the only group on the tour. However, we had no sag van. The trip is hard, the accomodations are adequate (3* hotels--nothing fancy or charming, but clean and you have your own bathroom), the food is basic (you get no choice of food at dinner), and the guide is not particularly knowledgeable about the history or culture. But you get your money's worth--lots of cycling. Sometimes we were too tired to walk around the town at night. You tour castles etc on your own, and often it was just with a printed guide in english. If you book extra nights in prague through Ave, you should request a hotel close to the center of town--we were 45 min by public transportation outside of the center of town, and it required a bus ride and two subway rides each way. - J. E., San Francisco, CA Bent's: This is a UK based company specialising in Germany and Austria. They provide good value tours with very enjoyable bicycling. Organisation is reliable, and they should be considered by anyone wanting good value. - J. Brua, London England Bicycle Adventures:We have taken three tours with BA in the western USA and enjoyed them thoroughly. Their guides are superb, equipment is first class, and logistic arrangements are flawless. This is a very reliable company, well managed, which provides great value. - Larry D., Tacoma, WA Bicycle Africa: This is a not for profit group that offers guided, self-supported tours in Africa (and now some in Cuba and SE Asia). The tours are off the normal tourist paths and while a bit more "adventure" than most group tours, they are the experience of a lifetime. Not the kind of trip for everyone, but a truly memorable trip. - Mischa K, San Francisco, CA Bicycle Adventures: Whitefish, Mt.to Jasper,Alberta. Staggeringly beautiful scenery,30-60 miles/day. seven days riding.Some challenging hills. Good lodging(including lunches on the road), good food, good guides. 12 guests Approx.$3,000. Definitely felt that the company delivered. Will gladly travel with them again. - Lanny F., Syracuse, NY Bike Adventure Club - Rode 2 weeks, 12 days riding / 2 rest days, in Dordogne.. Well organized. Excellent que sheets. 2-3 star hotels. BAC is nonprofit. Any money not spent during tour is returned to riders. Actual cost of tour was $1600. Included all breakfasts, all dinners except 1 night. Only possible drawback to BAC trips: Trips set up by trip leader so they get trip for free. Trip only as good as leader. - Ron W, Denver, CO Bike and Cruise: With the exception of a couple of killer hills, I felt like I was on a 2nd grade field trip. We rode the routes as a group, with the fastest going no more than 10 mph and sometimes barely fast enough to keep your bike upright, then stopping and waiting forever for everyone else to catch up. And the waiting, my god, the waiting. We waited on the pier in St. Lucias for an hour and 45 minutes for our police escort, and this was typical. The food on the islands consisted of cold sandwiches for the most part and the beaches were all sub-standard. Overall, a huge disappointment.- M. Vondra, Plymouth, IN Bike Dreams: The company states they run a race/adventure ride from Paris to Dakar,I raced in 2007 and returned in 2009 to defend my title.There were issues concerning race organisers/crew racing and interfering with paying customers race results in 2007. In the 2009 event the same happened with the race director continually racing/guiding participants I withdrew in protest half way.A good tour concept but as a race they fail the competency test - a adventure ride only avoid if you want to race a waste of training,money there are better organised races. John Faulkner, Culverden New Zealand Bike New England, Gordon Harris led us on a tour around Ipswich, MA during June, 2007. The biking routes and sights were first class. I received a good work out and got to see Massachusetts from the inside out. A local writer/naturalist gave us very good information about the area and its waters. Our bed/breakfast was also very good. The owner and his wife were terrific and knew how to make their guests feel at home. We were able to reach Ipswich on public transportation, another bonus. Our biking companions were extremely friendly and very good bikers. - Charles Geiss, Valparaiso, IN Bike
Switzerland: Bike Switzerland is an excellent value.
Days are organized so that riders have a choice between doing
a long day or a short day. The tour crosses the while country
West to East...an excellent way to see Switzerland. - John
B.
Bike Spain: Generally good organization. Staff was friendly and outgoing. They worked hard to give the full "Camino" experience. Van support was very helpful on those terrible uphills! Food was generally very good. Dawn S. Ottawa, Canada Black Bear Adventures Bicycle Tours: I have been fortunate to participate in a lot of trips in my lifetime. If I were to rank them, the Epic Tour of the Blue Ridge Parkway would be right up there at the top. You and your staff did an excellent job of keeping up our group morale and making sure we were all well taken care of. In spite of the difficulty of the ride, I found myself enjoying the experience. In short, I will not hesitate to do another tour with you. - Hank B., White Bear Lake, MN Tour of the Blue Ridge Parkway.. It doesn't get any better than this. Great riding professionally guided by the best. Pure JOY. - A. Cruse, Marblehead, MA Breton Bike. Flexible, accommodating, a true pleasure! We booked a last-minute trip, had to fly across a continent so there was little room for error. Their easy flowing manner made it easy to calmly depart for the trip and arrive there feeling confident all was in order. The bikes were spectacular, their local knowledge impressive, all arrangements were taken care of without having to follow up or badger them. The accommodations were adequate equaling our expectations. We did set lower than normal expectations knowing we were on vacation in the country. In several cases we were pleasantly surprised to find a lovely setting. Great for kids! My 9 year old son travelled the whole trip with me and enjoyed the whole thing--from the history, to the challenge of biking, to the simple pleasures of the hotels and the outdoors. I'd do it again without skipping a beat!!! Celtic Trails: I just
had the best vacation of my life on Celtic Trails. Paul who runs all tours is past
cycle racer for Ireland. He only leads tours in Ireland because
that is what he knows best. We went to the neatest hole-in-the-wall
pubs with amazing music. The biking is a scenic 40 miles a
day (generally on empty roads). He takes pictures of your whole
trip (we had over 1000 at the end). Plus, wine is included
as are daily lunches and dinners! - Melina Hoyer, Berkeley,
CA The Chain Gang: The tours are very reasonably priced and their guides are knowledgeable both in the local culture and in cycling/mechanics. The equipment is typically new Trek bikes. Accomodations are 3* B&B and the food is out of this world. I have been on 2 of their tours and I look forward to many more. These vacations are wonderful and care free. I am surprised this company is not profiled on this site. They are headquartered in the UK and run tours mostly in France and Italy. - Barry C., Houston, TX Cicloposse: The owners are a charming Italian couple, and I would like to say that they gave us great service and that will use them again, but that's not true. We had multiple problems with the bikes: chains constantly falling off, 3 flat tires in one day, etc. One day we were stranded without being able to ride as we waited for new equipment. We have traveled with many other companies, so we knew it wasn't us. - Warren H, New York, NY Cycletours Holidays: We took a bike and boat tour with this company and cannot be more pleased. Everything was as listed except that it was much better. Our guide, Jans had an encyclopedic knowledge of Holland and it was fun listening to him repeat in three other languages. - C & K Daigle, Broussard, LA Cycle Tours Slovakia: Cycle
Tours Slovakia, www.cycle-sk.com was a wonderful experience.
We have ridden in three continents and were surprised to find Slovakia
one of the most varied and fun. We brought our road bikes and
did many days of pretty tough cycling with some great mountain
passes. The three-star hotels and all-inclusive food were great
but the Gypsy band Jana had arranged for us was a real surprise! - S.
Feller, Phoenix, AZ Cycling Country: I had my doubts touring with a smaller company in Spain, but this outfit comes highly recommended. We cycled from Seville to Granada and the accommodation was excellent (staying in the same places as the other bigger tour companies such as Experience Plus) and the guides (the company owners from Canada and UK), so knowledgeable. And their prices are unbelievable for the experience, probably due to the fact they live in Andalusia and have less costs. They are rolling out a tour to Portugal this year - we'll be back! I cycled through Spain with these guys and I can honestly say it was the best bike trip I have ever taken. The company is run by a couple Maggi and Geoff who are delightful and give you all the support and information for this adventure through Moorish Spain. What surprised me most was the high quality of accommodation, restaurants and bikes, and the route was just beautiful. - Robert Woodlow, Seattle, WA Flexibility was the key to our tour. Maggi and Geoff made it interesting and fun for everyone, adjusting to our abilities and lack thereof. We enjoyed the cultural experiences as well as the samplings of local cuisine. The hotels were good , the bikes were excellent, and the guides were superb. Above all, we experienced the countryside, the local flavor, and had fun doing it. Our tour was custom designed, our group, active seniors, although they also do trips for elite cyclists! - S.J. Quinn, Calgary, AB Cyclobuddies: I've recently come back from a trip to the Tour de France. Cyclobuddies has an accreditation with the Societe du Tour de France which allowed us to go inside the Village du Tour or after our rides to the VIP bus to watch the finish of the stage in the best conditions. They organize other tours to the Spring Classics in April or to Spain in early spring where they have a training camp near Girona. This fall, they will go to the Beaujolais area to hammer and to do some wine tasting. - Tom L, Greenville, SC Cyclomundo: We completed a 10 day custom designed tour of the Dordogne and Lot districts in France. Cyclomundo provided excellent service both before we left Australia, when we arrived in the Dordogne and while we were cycling. The itineraries, bike hire, luggage transport and hotels selected were all of an Dakota Bike Tours: I’ve taken several bike tours thru various companies over the past 20 years, and have unfortunately had occasion to have to cancel a few due to health or other issues. Refund policies vary (e.g. partial refund, nothing, credit towards future tour, etc.). Not only did owner Jim Brooks send me a full refund, no questions or forms necessary, it came with a personal note wishing me a complete recovery. If this thoughtfulness is an example of how he runs Dakota Bike Tours, then I definitely plan to travel with him, God-willing, next year. J. Blinder, Allentown, PA Detours in France This company arranged our trip but we actually biked on our own. We sent lots of emails bake and forth before going bikiing with this company in France. Their hybrid bikes were great but my husband and I rode a tandem (which we do at home) and it was heavy and had gearing trouble. We wish it had been comparable to the bikes our kids had. The maps they gave us were good but we were missing a couple of crucial pages. The hotels were fine. This company had agreed to give us three dinners during our week but when we got there said that they hadn't. And hence we are out a fair amount of money. Biking in France is great; we're not sure we really needed a company, but it was good to have one for our first bike trip experience. Wish I had found this site before we left home. - Nancy K Discovery Trails. Excellent and affordable bike tours in Auvergne, the heart of France. Quality hybrid (Cube) and Electric (Gazelle) bikes, and incredible support. The routes and accommodations beat the tired old routes that one can take in Europe. We have a spectacular vacation in a region that is completely unknown, but so incredibly beautiful. We biked on excellent roads, without any aggrivation from other tourists - we had the impression that the area had been privately reserved for us alone. A well organised tour, top quality bikes, and well written bikeroutes... a real 'hidden jewel' to recommend for someone who wants a bike vacation in what is perhaps the most beautiful part of France. - - Joop ten Cate, Assen, Drenthe Dreamtrips. Our trip with Dreamtrips was extra special. One night they drove us up to a home in the countryside where a friend of theirs made us the most fabulous black truffle pasta. Another night, he took us to a local winemaker's home and we drank some of the most delicious wines of the trip. Having ridden with more than ten different bike tour companies, these were WAY beyond the average tour "excursion". They were very accommodating and flexible because our group wanted a more advanced trip. By combining certain days, we got enough miles and hills. Maru D., La Jolla, CA Erickson Cycle Tours: I have a love-hate relationships with ECT. I have done 2 tours (Dolomites and French Pyrenees). Stunning scenery and HARD! riding. Small groups. Nice hotels and meals. Support minimal, however--there is a van but you never see it, and even if you call them for help, it is unlikely you will get it. I would use them again only because they offer unique and challenging routes and they carry our stuff. They need to improve their service, however." - Bend, OR I just completed a two week trip in Italy through the Dolomites with Erickson Tours. This was the best--Glenn and Nancy Erickson, both former masters cycling champs put together a wonderful tour at a reasonable price. They provide excellent support materials, very good food and accomodations, and perhaps most important, a very warm and engaged presence coupled with the highest level of competence and support. Many return riders attest to the great job they do. - Boulder, CO Eurocycle: " We have used Eurocycle for three tours in France, Austria and Italy and have been well pleased. Their web site offers both independent and guided tours throughout Europe www.eurocycle.at with independent tours running about $125 per day. One of the best cycling values I have ever seen, including B&B, luggage transfers, bike rentals. Guided tours are slightly more." - Larry D., Tacoma, WA Europe by Bike: Just returned from their Tour de France trip. It was highly disorganized, had way too many people (180). I would not recommend this company to anyone. - Kevin MacAfee, St. Paul, MN "I went on Europe By Bike's Tour de France tour in 2004. It was a disaster of a trip. It was under staffed and had insufficient resources. The rides had no cue sheets or maps and were poorly planned. The rides also had no support... The bikes were carried on home-made racks in box trucks cushioned from each other by pieced of cardboard! I know of several bikes (mine included) that were seriously damaged. There are so many things that went wrong on this trip, it was unbelievable. " - Brian S., Rockville, MD Eurovelo Tours - Excellent Tour, Excellent accomodations, Superb
meals,Fantastic itniaries, Increadible hosts...Thanks...Will go again
will have no problem telling all my friends and cycling enthusiasts - Mark
N., Toronto, ON. What a remarkable journey we had with First Light! We loved it! In fact, my wife has called me at work already several times whining that she wants to be back in Bohemia on a bicycle.Judith M., San Francisco, CA We did an extensive search before choosing First Light for a Southern Bohemia tour. We're glad we did. Our lodging was the best in the area, all 4-5 star. The food was exquisite...we ate at only the best restaurants and the wine was surprisingly excellent for Czech wines." - Vince B., San Diego, CA "Great routes, comprehensive maps and I love those Cannondale bikes…thanks to the great trip guides too. We especially liked the fact we were paying at least $500 less than another bike group who was staying in the same hotel as us and cycled one day less too! Hats off for pulling off such a quality tour for the bucks. - Fiona J., London UK France Active Travel: Great ride on country side roads. My husband and I went on their provence trip and we were pleased by the kindness and high knowledge of the guide. The trip was van supported, small group (they don't take more than 8). Good choice of accommodations and the food and wine.... lovely.- Anne Kraviski, New York, NY Gears and Grapes Getaways: This is a small, new luxury company that I really enjoyed. This was my first bike tour so I don't have much to compare it to but my girlfriend and I (both wine lovers) decided to go on a trip. It was a three day trip through Napa and Sonoma, California tasting wine. The best part about the way things are run is that I could bike in the morning with other cyclists while my girlfriend enjoyed the yoga class and spa. Then we were able to spend the afternoon cycling together, drinking amazing wine and learning through talking to our sommelier guides and the vintners themselves. We both got what we wanted out of the vacation and got to spend time together. I like biking, she likes lounging. We both love wine. This was really the perfect weekend getaway. Josh Gould, Los Angeles Girona: tour company staff was very helpful with getting emergency information from the U.S. to us, locating local cycling jerseys, describing routes, and getting bike tools we needed. Spanish people were very courteous to us as riders and the roads were in spectacular shape and clean. The accommodations were clean, modern, and much better than I had expected. Anne Hughes, Sharon, CT Jaime Wilson is a one-man operator for Girona Bike Tours. If you are interested in an easy-going, 1/2 day to 1 day tour outside of Girona (Spain), then I highly reccommend using Girona Bike tours. Jaime picked us up directly from our B&B on our first day, with comfort bikes ready to ride. He took us an area called 'El Baix Emporda,' an area of farms and medieval villages. We also visited the ruins of an ancient Roman town. The next day Jaime again picked us up for a bike ride around the area of Banyoles, and then to the ancient and beautiful village of Besalu, where we enjoyed a brief tour and refreshing beer. Jaime makes the tour special because he will cater to your wants, biking skill level, and other needs. He knows the best places to stop for a picnic, and happily changed my tire under the HOT European sun. He even arranged our B&B! Cathy and Jim D., Richmond, VA GreatCycling.com offers
choices of over 20 rides based out of a three-star hotel in Riccione,
Italy. The
rides are geared for riders of all levels, from leisure to triathlete. Packages
are fully inclusive with many extras, yet comparatively value priced." - Eli
S, Toronto, Canada We did a 9 day self-guided tour in the Czech Republic following the Elbe in July 2010. TopBicycles (aka Greenways Travel) provided superior service and a splendid itinerary, and we would absolutely recommend them to others. The bikes, maps, accommodations (3 and 4-star hotels) and service exceeded our expectations. Only the summer heat wave was a bit of downer. The rides were well-planned and just long enough to have time to explore during and after the ride.. We road through little hamlets, on well- maintained bike paths, on some single track and dirt paths. And of course the excellent and ridiculously inexpensive Czech beer at the end of each ride was a major plus. - David and Heidi, Singapore HAT Tours: ... offers affordable Bike and Barge tours in Europe. We did the Loire Valley tour last year and loved it. We averaged 25 leisurely miles/day riding rolling hills through quaint villages with frequent stops at wineries, impressive castles and many interesting sights. The barge meets you each day at your destination so no need to pack up daily and those wanting a break from cycling can spend a day on the barge. This is a perfect vacation for a couple where one partner is a cyclist and the other isn't. $1100 for 7 nights included accomodations, bike rental, tour guide, transfers and 3 meals per day (breakfast and packed lunch were pretty basic but justified daily visits to bakeries). Accomodations were small cabins but okay. Bikes were heavy 21-speed dutch hybrids which were suitable for the terrain. I took my own saddle and clipless pedals. This is NOT a luxury tour nor is it for avid cyclists seeking long distances or speed on lightweight road bikes. But, it's affordable and fun. We'll be back next year! www.hat-tours.com - Linda H., Vancouver, BC Headwater Holidays: Self-guided tours mean you get a map and a destination, with some vague route suggestions. Good hotel choices, and good food. Curiously, the tour prices are MUCH higher for registering from the US as opposed to registering from the UK. Overall a good experience - Chuck P, Washington DC. I Bike Tuscany: Read several glowing reviews on Trip Advisor, Frommers -- even Chowhound. Checked out the website, read the testimonials and loved the very personal, genuine and non-corporate feel of it. My husband and I went for it and booked a five-day tour in Tuscany last fall and we were not disappointed. True to what we had heard, Marco was a FANTASTIC guide; professional, caring, patient, knowledgeable and most of all, FUN. He made our trip in this gorgeous region truly unforgettable and we haven't stopped raving since we've been home. In addition to the spectacular bike routes, we stayed in incredible places, ate amazing food and sampled wonderful wines (and cheese! And olive oil! And honey!). Oh, and the bikes were top-notch. You should definitely look into this small but very well-run company. - Alicia R., Los Angeles, CA Italian Cycling Center: The Italian Cycling Center, rather than doing point to point tours, offers guided rides from a base at the foot of the Pre-Alps in northeastern Italy. Three groups, at different ability levels, do a daily loop through the mixed terrain of the Veneto. Riders can choose between daily Advanced, Intermediate and Beginner routes. Dates are whenever you choose during the May through September season. All meals are provided, including wine and bottled water. Very reasonable price - G. Pohl, Philadelphia PA The Italian Cycling Center is a wonderful way to experience Italian cycling and life in Italy. Each day offers a few rides depending upon level of fitness and interest. The rides are wonderful! Typically, you return in early afternoon for a great lunch and spend the afternoon doing whatever interests you. Based in a small hotel located in a small town about 1 hour from Venice. The central base has the added advantage of allowing complete flexibility in your arrival and departure dates. As a result, interesting people are always coming and going during your stay. I met my future wife on one of my trips! - Tom Kraus, Foxboro, MA International Bike Tours: - Great value for the price! A support van and two guides. Small, probably 3 star hotels, clean, family owned, accommodating. Very supportive group riding, various levels of rides. These folks do the rides for Elderhostel, as well as the rides they do under their own name.- L Anderson, Gladstone, OR Lost Coast Wheelman: California cycling website, www.Lostcoastwheelmen.com is an ideal site dedicated to promote road cycling in California, Lost Coast, Humboldt County and beyond. You are invited to read about the wheelmen, their bicycle adventures. Mercurio Tours: I was extremely apprehensive booking my first cycling tour alone and with people I had never met. However the holiday was very enjoyable, the cycling relatively easy, the food, accomodation and company excellent. The outstanding feature was the guides who could not have done more for you. I thoroughly recommend it. - Dr. D. Maxton, Shropshire, UK Nice Cycle Tours: Nice Cycle Tours is a guided bicycle tour which gives you an introduction to Nice, gateway to the French Riviera. The 3 hour tour explores Nice through its architectural, historical and cultural landmarks with the best places to eat and drink thrown in. - D Lang, Nice, France Pedal & Sea Adventures: Tours in Europe and Canadian Maritimes. An awesome company with very small groups and personal attention. Guides generally have a relationship with the innkeepers and restaurateurs along the route, so the hospitality service is superb! - Joe S., New Hartford, NY Provence Cycling Holidays: My daughter (14) and I just returned from a perfect holiday in Provence. We wanted to do some cycling, but wanted more flexibility than what the other tours had to offer. Here, you could take off for a ride at your own schedule, travel at your own speed and stop whenever you felt like it...which was often as there were so many spectacular photo opportunities. The GPS system works perfectly and you can feel completely comfortable going out for a beautiful day of cycling. Neil has a complete menu of different rides to choose from, depending on the kind of challenge you want. Or he can create a route for you right on the spot. He knows the area so well and keeps you on beautiful, quiet, country roads. We passed vineyards, olive groves, lavender and travelled through beautiful Provencal villages. The B&B was a quintessential Provencal stone farmhouse, across from a cherry orchard with a beautiful view of the Luberon Mountains. - Donna W., Boston, MA Rwandan Adventures: We decided to head off and do something a little different this year. We flew KLM and transported our bicycles with us in order to cycle around Rwanda. We were guided by Rwandan Adventures, who specialise in cycling and walking tours throughout Rwanda. They provided a more than competent and physically very fit guide and porters. The porters spoke very little English, but were just the same extremely friendly and helpful. However, there are other tour operators offering similar services. We were never alone for long (with the exception of inside the national parks), so if you are looking for a solitary experience then Rwanda is not for you. However, if you enjoy contact with people and do not mind learning a little Kinyarwanda or speaking a little French, then you will find Rwanda a very welcoming place. Cycling is not easy in Rwanda. However, the scenary is spectacular and the downhills are exilerating! Great for burning off calories! - Jerry Chadwick, Broadland, WA Silver Bike Tours: Owner Loren Dudley is a gracious, attentive host & guide. He is very safety-conscious & knowledgeable about Spokane area bicycling. We took a self-guided 8-day tour on beautiful bike trails from Spokane to the Idaho panhandle. The trail ran beside gorgeous rivers and lakes, and through pretty forested areas. There was plenty of time for enjoying quaint local towns. Luggage transportation was provided, & Loren was always in touch by phone. The tour was thoughtfully planned to avoid steep hills! - Pchiu Southern Visions: The one I went to was the Southern Dalmatian Cruise in Croatia on the Romantica boat. The actual biking is a bit challenging but you can take your time and the tour guides will be there to help you. You will never be left behind. The boat is beautiful, clean and new. The crew can't be nicer. They really go out of their way to make sure you have what you need. The tour guides are sweet and as helpful as can be. You have the option of staying on the boat during the bike trips and the boat stops to let you swim around, so if you ever need a break or don't want to bike you have other options. If on the other hand, you're a cyclist and you need a challenge, you can go as fast as you want as long as you stop at certain points (maybe just once or twice on each route) so that everyone catches up. Overall, good for all ages (age range for our group was 13-60's)and all abilities. Beautiful scenery, perfect weather (July) and great people. SpiceRoads Cycling Adventures: I was a bit worried about traveling in Asia, and frankly about taking a bike tour. However, I was soon put at ease. SpiceRoads answered all my pre-tour questions. They helped with my Visa, and communicated clearly about exact cycling days and what to expect on the tour.They are pretty clear that the support responsible tourism and solicited my participation in their upcoming Tour of Hope, which supports funding for cervical cancer research. I fully recommend them www.spiceroads.com - Jance Karsh Timberline Cycling Adventures: I have done four tours with this company. I will not be doing anymore. Timberline offers tours in many wonderful areas and it was that which drew me back to them even after I found their first tour less than satisfactory. However, the last tour in the High Sierra of California was so poorly organized that I will not be touring with Timberline again. The daily route maps are awful, often wrong in some important detail. The leaders have sometimes good, but most often have been more interested in their own party than in supporting the group. - Carl G., El Cerrito, CA We have now been on 2 Timberline tours and are keen to sign up for a third. On both tours the guides were always on hand to help with any punctures/repairs and the van was regularly available for refuelling stops. The routes were challenging but the landscape more than made up for the challenge. We were impressed by how many of our fellow cylcists were repeat Timberline people some have been on more than 20 tours with them, we're now hooked. Gill McIntosh, York, UK TradNatura Sport: My husband and I can't think of a thing we'd change about our experience with TradNatura Sport. Peter and Marietta are the kind of guides and hosts who would stop at NOTHING to provide the kind of experience you hope to have in Hungary. They are unfailingly kind, patient, full of enthusiasm, and attentive to every detail. At the end of a beautiful pedaling experience through northwest Hungary, we felt like we'd made 'best friends' for life! We'd cycle again with them in their beautiful country----ANYTIME! - Carolyn Schwartz, Pittsboro, NC We have now taken 3 cycling holidays with Tradnatura Sport. Most of all, the trip is made by the owner/supporters, Marietta and Peter. They are knowledgeable, lovely people, who cannot do enough to help. General: The levels of difficulty vary according to the terrain but they are not generally 'hard riders'. Instead, they are pleasant trips through beautiful countryside, emphasizing nature and culture. There is always one leader and one following with the minibus for support and frequent refreshments (including al fresco lunches.) The bikes are excellent and well maintained. The accommodation tends towards the luxurious, including old castles. They don't always look the cheapest but are all inclusive and brilliant value for money. - Clare & Hans Jacob, Barnsley, UK and Oslo, Norway Transalp Riders: " ... a new tour operator specialized on mountain bike vacations that cross the Alps; typically traverse 3-4 countries during an 8- to 12-day adventure vacation. The company sets itself apart from other tour operators by practicing sustainable tourism (supporting public transportation, organic products, small-scale businesses, conservation projects), by offering clients daily choices between epic or easy rides, and by being the only-English-language Transalp tour provider with a full roster of tours from West to East. Tulip Cycling: We took a self guided tour in Netherlands with Tulip Cycling in July 2010. We started in Abcoude to avoid the traffic in Amsterdam and used the services they provided. They provided bikes, locks, panniers, handlebar bags printed maps and a GPS with the route. They met us EXACTLY on time (how Dutch of them) and took our luggage to hold it for us while we rode and met us at the end to collect the bikes and give us back our luggage. We stopped once in Hoorn at a bike shop to use their air hose instead of using the little frame pump supplied. Our route was well planned and was as agreed upon with about 35 miles a day average. They took us on back roads that included great scenery and nice quiet little Dutch towns. Over the four days we really anjoyed the route and found the GPS easy to follow. Chris D., Broussard, LA Tuscany Bike Tours: This bike tour took our travel experience to another level. After having traveled through most of the European countries and taking part in many different bike tours I found Tuscany Bike Tours the best all-round value for money together with a very pleasurable crew who picked us up in Florence with buses and brought us inland towards a beautiful old castle. The bike tour took us back to the castle where we took part in a guided toour of the vine making facility and we were treated to some wine tasting and a delicious lunch ..." - Dave Gahan, Rotterdam Velociped: Our Self Guided bike tour of the Fulda River bike path in Germany was total bust. Velociped did not show deliver the bikes, route info, ect to our starting point in Gersfeld, Germany. They managed to make the hotel reservation as the guesthouse was expecting us, but that is it. Calls to their emergency number went direct to voicemail and went unanswered. Emails to at least two people in the company also went unanswered. They appear to offer a large number of tours judging by their web site. This type of unprofessional behavior was quite puzzling. - R. Setzer, Racine, WI Velo Classic Tours: I have been on 3 different tours, and my experience with Velo Classic Tours was by far my best!I was blown away by the quality of the hotels, the food and most important, the Eastons! The ultimate testimonial-we are already picking our next trip! - M Crosno, Kingwood, TX I am a repeat customer of VCT, and its the only company I will travel with. Never an issue, always dependable, always accurate, always first rate, and always exceeds expectations. Ride with the founder and owner. Easton knows all the roads and ridden all of them. Now offering multiple ride options for each tour which is a plus. Options for practically every major event through the pro season and well connected across Europe. Run into a major bike issue? Pete will solve it and your holiday will motor on. No reservations recommendation. - Chris F, Knoxville, TN VeloSport Vacations: I can't say enough good things about Velosport Vacations. My wife and I did the Tour de France trip and the Provence camp. The riding was great: route selections, ride leaders, options for differing rider ability, great maps and cue sheets etc. The restaurant and hotel selections were excellent. Velosport specializes in France (and Guadeloupe in the Caribbean) - I only wish they went more places! - Martin R, Washington, DC Vietnam Bike Tours: Biking has to be the ultimate way to explore all of destinations. There is no better way to get close to people in the countryside or to take in the extraordinary sights, sounds and smell of the Indochina and beyond. All our bike trips are fully supported with air-conditioned back-up buses offering relief from the heat and tired leg muscles as well as carrying first aid, drinks, spares and tools. For serious mountain bikers, easy-going family tours or charity challenge events in Indochina & beyond vietnambiketours.com is the expert. - ngotronghuy, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Wanderlust Bike Tours: Wanderlust Bike Tours is a "Mom/Pop/Son/Friends" operation, which is "still making it up". It calls itself "Luxury," but it is absolutely not. The operators are very nice people and fun to be around, but are not fluent in languages (only American), provide only adequate bikes (Wilmot), limited service (e.g. one lady had a flat tire for a day and a half;left bikes out overnight in the rain/gel pack seats got wet; missed rendezvous; did not brief daily trips adequately, possess only limited historical knowledge of areas toured). Nice folks who like to ride but their company is not recommended. - Paul,Coronado, CA Wide Open Road: A great company running low key camping / hotel based trips in France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy. Returning in 2010. - C Holdsworth Melbourne, Australia Women Tours: Tours include cycling as well as multi-sport. Great for females of all interests, as Women Tours offers trips in a variety of locations and the range of skill levels. Guides are experienced and hard working, and the comraderie is contageous. Reasonably priced. I found the 9-day Alaska trip, that included kayaking and hiking, a well-organized and excellent mix of terrain from the water to forrest. Meals included (not alcohol.) Even an evening at the theater was arranged. Mary M , Washington DC WoWCuba: Canadian
company with resident representatives offering the best supported
cycle tours available in Cuba. Enclosed trailers, top notch equipment,
bilingual, experienced staff, and toll free res service in Canada. www.wowcuba.com
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