A gorgeous day on a cycling tour near Estellencs on the magical island of Mallorca.

Friends have asked me for advice about bike tours. I’ve taken over 14 European cycling tours and one in the U.S. with a number of companies over the years. There is something singularly unique and wonderful about cruising down a quiet road with the wind whistling while enjoying the beautiful sights and scents of the countryside. You will visit fabulous places off the beaten path. The tour routes generally provide small roads and paths though you may encounter car traffic. Ask for route details before you sign up. I’ll share tips on how to select the perfect company for your next great adventure.

The first thing I would ask,…“What place sounds interesting to you?” Have you always wanted to explore the beautiful countryside of Tuscany or the wine country in California on a bike? Secondly, do you want an easy and mellow ride or do you like to challenge yourself with difficult hills? In the image above I stopped by some vineyards in California’s gorgeous Sonoma County while on a “Sojourn” bike tour. This is a truly amazing and diverse place to ride!

https://gosojourn.com/bicycle-tour-categories/california-bike-tours-active-vacations/

Want to try something more epic? I’ve ridden the highest “hors categorie” cols featured in the Tour de France twice with “Trek Travel.” These are tough and exhilarating rides for avid riders. Trek features tours for all riding levels from leisure to avid. I’ll be riding with Trek again this September in Andalucia, Spain.

https://trektravel.com/

Do you crave cycling up the hills but feel you don’t have the strength or the cardio? How about using an “E-bike”? E-Bikes are now used by 10-30% of all tour riders today. They really are a savior for tour companies marketing to an older clientele! You still have to peddle but the electric assist kicks in when the hills are tougher. Read this recent article about E-Bikes in the New York Times.

Cycling on the island of Mallorca was a total eye-opener! Andrew Bernard lives on Mallorca and organizes bespoke cycling tours. He features van support and rents a great bike for your specs (I had a Specialized Tarmac with electric shifting.) Better than packing and unpacking, you base out of one 5 star hotel. He reserves dinners in Michelin starred restaurants. This is fabulous luxury cycling at an affordable price! Email Andrew at cyclespeedtours@gmail.com

Most bike tours begin with an evening introduction social before dinner.

Everyone introduces themselves and gives a quick bio. The guides talk about the routes and answer questions.

Bike fitting before the day’s first ride. On the lower left is Alain Rimondi, a wonderful guide with “Experience Plus”. I’ve used Experience Plus on many trips and they are first rate! They are unique from their competitors in that they mark your route with wide chalk! I usually gain a little weight on their trips as the restaurants and wines are so good!

www.experienceplus.com

I’m getting ready to head out from our hotel in Mallorca. Andrew helped me with my bike fitting. Our trip consisted of my friend from Paris, Philippe, and me,…along with our guides Andrew and Jean-Sebastian.

A bike fitting with Trek Travel at Lac Annecy in France.

Our guide with Sojourn gives us basic info before our bike fitting ride to test out the bikes.

Jeanette marks her map with our day’s route after breakfast.

“Let’s get on the road!” My son-in-law Ray and I head up the hills above Lac Annecy.

Our group checks their maps as they turn on to California’s gorgeous Coast Route toward Bodega Bay. “Highway 1” from Jenner south to Bodega Bay is breathtaking but the shoulder is NARROW! The views of the ocean are fabulous but you must really be careful of passing cars and trucks!

“Wait,….we are stopping to tour a boutique winery?” Nothing better than a spirited break while riding in the French Languedoc region. On our final day, we finished in magical Carcassonne.

Our guides prepared lunch on the grounds of a Sonoma County winery.

I loved this picnic lunch under the redwoods at Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve in Guerneville, California, near the Russian River. My parents used to take me here as a boy.

One always meets interesting people on a bike trip! Sarah and Wyn are both doctors from Seattle. We still keep in touch on Facebook.

Exploration takes on a new meaning! “I hope this is the right way!” Bring your phone and add an international plan with data. You can access a map if you need assistance. Some tour companies provide GPS devices attached to the bike.

Alain from Experience Plus fixes a flat in the middle of nowhere in Sicily. This why van support ALWAYS comes in handy!

“Ready for your photo-shoot?” We stopped up at “Bodega Head” on a Sojourn tour.

All tour companies plan refreshment breaks. This image is in the famous winemaking town of Bolgheri in coastal Tuscany on an Experience Plus trip.

There is nothing better than a group dinner like this one in Cortona, Italy, after a long days ride! I still remember the wild boar ragu pappardelle.

An al fresco dinner in Coastal Tuscany with Experience Plus.

Paris….by bike? Why not? This was a bike tour on the famous routes of the Tour de France. We watched the final day with a million Parisians. Bike tour companies offer rides specific to any interest.

The final dinner is a celebration of a week of riding. This was a dinner on a Coastal Tuscany tour. My high school friend, Doug, is on the far left.

BIKE TOUR MUSTS:

Always have insurance for your tour. All bike tour companies offer it. Don’t forget your favorite seat/post, cycling shoes & pedals, and gloves. I bring my own helmet though most tours have them. I bring a set of cycling shorts & jerseys for each day of the ride. You can never be absolutely sure of the weather so bring a rain jacket & vest. I bring knee/arm warmers. Cycling glasses! I like my own cycling rear-view mirror. It is always best to have a checklist of your “Must Brings” such as your passport with photocopies, an extra pair of glasses if you wear them, etc.

I really do NOT recommend bringing your own bike! Most of the better bike tour companies have nice bike options for either road, hybrid, and eBike options. I once brought my own bike for a tour in France and it was a major pain! It was expensive to ship and difficult on the train!

OTHER CYCLING TOUR OPTIONS:

This is a good cycling tour review site. You can get a good overview of many tour companies along with links. They also list companies for riders interested in “self-guided tours.”http://biketour-reviews.com/

“Italy Bike Hotels” is an association of 66 unique hotels throughout Italy geared to cyclists. They offer great bike rentals for road and MTB bikes, expert advice, and special services.http://www.italybikehotels.com/

I hope I’ve given you some ideas to help propel you on your next BIG ADVENTURE! Have fun!

Photos: Dick Gentry. Not to be used without permission.