Riders
Write Their Own
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
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 ...
"... Appreciably
more expensive than some but they stay in the top places available in the area
- often converted castles or chateaux. In our experience on several trips
with them ...more reviews
Backroads: backroads.com
"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
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
Blue
Marble: bluemarble.org
"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
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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
CycleItalia: cycleItalia.com
" ... 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
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
Easy
Rider Tours easyridertours.com
"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
Euro-Bike & Walking
Tours eurobike.com
"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
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 ...
"The hotels
and restaurants were of excellent quality ... the routes chosen were
very condusive to riding." more
reviews
Freewheeling
Adventures FreewheelingAdventures.ca
" .. 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....
“We
had a great time. Robbin was a great guide and tried to satisfy
everyone in the group ... more
reviews
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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
Randonnee: randonnee.com
"... 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
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
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
Tours: vbt.com
" ...
VBT is a great value compared to many of the other groups. ...
"The
trip itinerary was good, but guides seemed tired of their job
...
"I
thought I would save money and buy the plane ticket through VBT.
What a mistake! ... more
reviews
Other Tour Companies
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
AdventureBugTours.com: "Excellent and affordable. Focus
was the villages and comfortable (not luxurious) accommodations and meals.
Lots of culture and exploration with moderate cycling. " - T
Parsons, Burlington, VT
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
Bike and the Like: " A
perfect biking vacation! Experienced, knowledgeable ride leaders
who instantly turn a group of strangers into a circle of friends;
interesting and varied routes; great side trips; wonderful food;
I can't think of anything Bike and the Like can do to improve.
My wife and I had the time of our lives, thanks to Suzie and Roger!" - Tim
S. Stafford, VA
Bike Hike
Adventures: "This
company is top notch. They run multi-sport adventures in South
and Central America, Canada, New Zealand and Tanzania. Days are
full of adventure, the equipment is real quality, food is plentiful
and yummy, hotels are quaint with loads of character and the
guides, 10+. I highly recommend them." - Gordon Ross,
Toronto, ON
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
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
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 Holland: "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
Cyclewest.com: "Cyclewest.com
offers fantastic tours of western Ireland run by an Irish native.
The routes are designed to be far from traffic, and the lodgings
are the stuff of which memories are made. Each day she
can offer you a variety of cycling routes if you want something
more challenging!" - M
Brigham, Troy MD
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
Cycling-centuries.com - "On
a scale of 1-10, Cycling-Centuries.com provided a trip that was
an 11. We rode along the coast of Portugal in
September of 2005 and they did an amazing job of running
the trip. It
was definitely a trip we won't forget and look forward to the
next one with them!" - Steve Johnson, Plano , TX
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
Discover
France: "Tour
of Loire Valley. FANTASTIC! Excellent
routes and accommodations. Highly recommend." - Joy F.,
Wethersfield, CT
"We
found Discover France to the be the value for self-guided touring
in France. They were about 25% less than the alternatives, and stayed
in many of the same places." - Andrea C, Del Mar,
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
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.
"A rather new company. They spare no expense and attend
to every detail.' - Toni
Wallachy, Toronto, Ontario
First
Light Bicycle Tours: "I
went on a 7 day tour from Prague to Vienna with First Light.
We continually met up with a group of cyclists from another tour
group who were staying at the same hotels we were and riding
the same route. We were surprised how little they rode and how
much more they paid for their tour than ours." - - Phil
W., Krakow Poland
"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
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
Greenways
Travel Club: "Customized
self-guided or guided bike tours along the Prague-Vienna Greenways
(www.PragueViennaGreenways.org). Friendly people, music, architecture,
good hearty food, excellent beer and Moravian wine. Unique experience" - Suzanna
H, Brooklyn, NY
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.
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. The price is €140
a day with everything included". - 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
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
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
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
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."
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
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
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 " - K.
MacQueen, Havana, CU
"By far the best company doing fully
serviced Cuba bicycle tours: terrific cycling,
good itinerary, excellent food, knowledgeable and resourceful tour leader,
very good hotel choice. They are really in a class of their own."
Yellow Jersey Tours: "went
on their Tour de France trip last a couple years ago and had such a great
time. I have just returned from my 2nd trip with them--a training
camp in the Basque region. Staff is overly helpful and humorous. Their
groups are very small ..." Maloy,
San Francisco, CA
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