First-Timers Bike Tour Reviews page 3
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★★★★★ Annik Stahl
Could have been better
Provence by Bike and Boat
The tour leader (Helmut) was great, as was the boat crew. There were some fun times biking but the miles and miles of harsh gravel was not in the description of the trip. (This was not "country roads" -- this was ROCKS and my back ached for days afterward.) Had I know, I would not have chosen this trip as I just had surgery. I found the food to be absolutely awful. The dinners were beond strange and hey, maybe something besides HAM HAM HAM every day for lunch? I lost 4 pounds during that trip.
While I know there are some great trips to be had with this company (my dad has been on several and said this one was the worst). this was not one of them. Like I said, some fun time biking but not enough to recommend this trip.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
-
★★★★★ Janet Fraser
How a tour guide can ruin what could have been a great experience
Provence by Bike and Boat
While the cycling was good, scenery lovely, other passengers and crew delightful, the irritatingly arrogant sexist and intrusive behaviours by our tour guide (Heim) who claimed to have built the company, put a huge damper on the trip for many of us. Although we enjoyed the bikes, the meal times were chaos due to too many passengers in too small a space. Also the general condition of the boat, Caprice, needs improvement.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Aug, Sept 2024
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
-
★★★★★ Ginny50
Neckar & Rhine Rivers by Bike and Boat
This was an enjoyable bike/boat tour. The crew and staff were very nice. The riding days were usually short and manageable. The rainy weather was an issue which made for slippery riding on cobblestones. Due to the rains the Neckar River was closed and our ship was diverted. The company handled the diversion to the best of their ability and these detoured riding days were okay. We ended up in the town of Speyer, which was our favorite stop of the entire tour. One major complaint was the rooms on the ship were very small. They did state that in the promotional information, but we were not expecting that tiny. Everyone complained about the tiny rooms. We just laughed and dealt with it but it did make for close quarters. If you travel in May bring rain gear!
- What was the date of your tour?
- May/June 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
-
★★★★★ Jonathan M
Great trails, not well organized
Cycling the Altmühl Valley - Round trip from Regensburg
This trip follows well marked German bike trails which are very easy to navigate and quite scenic. The hotels are fabulous. However, we did not have a good experience with the German bike company (Radweg Reisen) that operates the trip on the ground. We were self-guided, and our information package was not available the day we arrived, so we didn't have maps and guiding information in advance. When the packet arrived the next morning, we discovered that it contained very little about sights near the tour route. We were able to Google plenty of side trips but wondered: isn't that the job of the tour company? Also, our bikes were delivered late on the day we were supposed to start, so we lost a morning of biking (and actually the bikes were eventually delivered not by the tour company but by an English family to whom the bikes had been misdelivered). We called Radweg Reisen but their corporate office was located hundreds of km away. We have been on lots of trips with biketours.com and find that the smaller shops are much more attentive and give better service. Radweg Reisen is too big to care about 2 self-guided bikers.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 8/25-8/30
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
-
★★★★★ Scott Katzer
Enjoyed the trip but some things can be improved
Cycling the Altmühl Valley - Round trip from Regensburg
The sites and surroundings were great and we lucked out with the weather as it rained almost every other day. Although we completed the tour with no issues, it was a bit complicated at times. The information between Bike Tours and the tour company Ragwed wasnt always fluid and simple questions seemed to take a bit of time to answer which is a problem when trying to book flights. The information given with the tour company package was a bit limited. Although maps were included, they are not provided with any sort of turn by turn direction. This isnt a big deal for most days as the trail is obvious but entering a city has its own challenges. It is recommended for anyone going on this tour to have GPS on their phone which we had to use (and incur roaming charges) several times. The signage in some locations simply dont exist and some roads were even closed during our tour due to construction. It would be wise for this tour company to occasionally ride their own route and note any changes.
The hotels were nice for the most part and breakfasts were good. The only one that I felt could be improved was the Regensburg location (IBIS Hotel). While it was nice and fine for the stay, its location is a decent distance from the Old Town (30 minute walk minimum) when there are tons of other places right in the Old Town area to stay. The other locations had hotels right in the middle of the main area (The one in Belingres was real nice). Mileage was fine and a majority was on bike paths/trails. My only request would have been providing the option to use a GPS on this tour as many of the paths either were not labeled or so close to the country roads that its hard to tell them apart. The bikes could be improved a bit as they are a bit bulky and heavy and really could do without the bright red advertising all over it. I will give kudos to the luggage people as we never had to wait for our luggage to arrive and they were usually there by 3pm at the latest.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
-
★★★★★ Z1201
The bicycle trip was great the ship
Mosel & Saar by Bike & Boat
- What was the date of your tour?
- 22.6.19
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
-
★★★★★ Water Bound
Disappointed
Mosel & Saar by Bike & Boat
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9/1-9/7/18
- How many tours have you completed?
- -1- before this one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
-
★★★★★ Robyn Larkin
More challenging trip than we thought thanks to rainy, windy, cold weather
Romantic Road and Bavarian Lakes
We knew this would be a challenging cycle, but we weren’t prepared for the terrain + lousy weather for the entire trip. The first few days were a good workout - and very pretty. Not many places to really stop, though, during the day (so plan to bring picnic lunches & snacks!). Definitely check on when places you hope to stop for a meal are open as we found many places closed on random days.
There is an app that you can download to get the route, details, and info for the trip that we didn’t know about until we met the guide on the first day. If you use this on your phone to help ensure you stay on course, be sure to bring extra battery packs for your phone!
Also, we didn’t know we needed to get tickets for the castle in advance and this were not able to visit. As this was the one thing we wanted to see, we were rather disappointed to have to miss it as all morning tours were sold out.
While we enjoyed it and came through the deluge of cold, rain & wind during our week in Bavaria with our marriage intact, you definitely need to be ready for a challenging ride. If you aren’t in excellent shape, consider getting the electric bike as some of the hills are extremely intense.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
-
★★★★★ Jan M
Fun ride for experienced cyclist
Romantic Road and Bavarian Lakes
What a great way to see Germany! The sights, sounds, smells... all the things you miss in a car or on a train. Have you heard a cuckoo bird in the wild? The navigation app worked great for the route - it didn't always lead you to your hotel, just FYI, you may be using your cell data plan for part of the navigation. Be sure to check for national holidays - Gasthauses may be closed. We rode in May - be ready for rain and sun. Luggage was always delivered to our next accomidation by 5pm- plan ahead for days when the ride ends early!
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2025
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
-
★★★★★ Annej
Deep immersion in foothills of the Bavarian Alps
Romantic Road and Bavarian Lakes
Did this tour in the fall when it was too cool to swim. Lots of beautiful scenery of Bavarian farm life. Loved the charming local inns. Needed more guidance on what to see along the routes. The Eurobike arrows made it easy to trace the route. At times the route was very rough- gravel- but bikes had front suspension which helped.
Biggest suggestion is to inform us what days local markets are scheduled and when hotel restaurants as well as those recommended, are closed. one night we had to bike 30 minutes in the dark to find food. The hotel was too isolated.
In Augsburg it was extremely inconvenient to be at a hotel so far from train station. We did appreciate having our request to meet at our hotel honored.- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 20-28
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
-
★★★★★ ol_lo
Romantic Road - Bavarian Loop
Romantic Road and Bavarian Lakes
My family and I chose this trip for our annual biking trip due to its location and timing. We were able to catch Oktoberfest at the beginning of the trip prior to starting our ride. The paths, roads, and trails were great! Absolutely beautiful countryside and scenery. In previous years we chose level two trips. These were more rolling hills with lots of flats. This particular trip was noted as a level 3. We found it to be challenging on some days and a little more of a work-out then we were hoping for. But we literally pushed and pedal through the steep parts and had an overal amazing trip! We will continue to use BikeTours for our yearly European Bike trips!
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 1, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
-
★★★★★ Mauriciom
MY FIRST BIKE TOUR IN EUROPE
Romantic Road and Bavarian Lakes
Our trip was an enjoyable one due to both fantastic scenes and excellent organization. Bike network routes in south Germany are beautiful, with all the indications and directions perfectly well posted. All hotels were rather good, ones better than others especially regarding bathrooms. Hotel service was always excellent. One thing that helped us a lot was your having emailed all the rides for the app Ride with GPS. Highly recommendable. Also all recommended restaurants we tried were very good.
Your local agent was very helpful and flexible.
On the room-to-improve side I suggest that you be more specific on the definitions of Difficulty levels of the tours. We took Level 3 with normal bikes. It was some time quite challenging to us. I am 62 and in fantastic shape. Nevertheless the road specially the 3rd and 4rd days showed quite demanding.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 10-17 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
-
★★★★★ 2pedallers
A windy but enjoyable ride!
Holland by Bike and Boat, Northern Tour
A good introduction to the history and culture and geography of Northern Holland. Good biking routes, but time constraints and weather impacted our ability to fully enjoy some of the possible outings/stops along the way.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 16-23, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
-
★★★★★ Peter Dworkin
Beautiful scenery; great bikes
Rhine Bike Path: Mainz to Cologne
Relaxing and fun trip. Great bikes. Attractive hotels. Good itinerary. Negatives: Navigation app. Need to provide turn by turn instructions that integrate with Google maps. Would have preferred all hotels to be in cute small towns. Some were in modern less charming bigger towns.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1 other
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
-
★★★★★ Jeffrey Kuhl
second tour
Rhine Bike Path: Mainz to Cologne
Day 1 - 3 were fantastic.
Day 4 was too long partly because of route, a few mistakes and a long detour to local bike repair shop. Broken seat was replaced quickly, but caused 3 or 4 stops to attempt to tighten seat with tools that didn't fix the problem. I could only ride a short distance before stopping to flatten seat. The issue was a broken ratchet that had to be replaced. Local tour company worked to find repair and notify them I would be there. I arrived right before closing.
Day 5 I just wanted it to be over.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 3
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
-
★★★★★ Carol Morningstar
Wonderful Bike Cruise and exceptional sites to see while biking
Holland by Bike and Boat, Northern Tour
Loved this cruise. We hope to book Croatia next year. The staff was wonderful and our director (Ken I think?) worked tirelessly to make everyone's trip wonderful. The food was good but we were disappointed that we had to pay to get water at dinner. This should always be free! Also we would have liked coffee available all day.
One complaint was our room. Others who also ordered the basic stateroom had twice the size of ours for the same price. We were in a back room that had minimal space and NO CLOSET space or anywhere to hang anything! We had two shelves each for our clothes. We think it was actually a staff room for one person, yet we had to share it. I needed to climb over my husband to get out of bed at night.
Not comfortable! That was disappointing but we got used to it and loved the cruise anyway. I do believe it should have been a much reduced price though.- What was the date of your tour?
- Aug 24 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
-
★★★★★ Nonickname59
Two wheeled wonder
Rhine Bike Path: Mainz to Cologne
Best way to see the sites on the Rhine. Great accommodations along the way.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 30, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
-
★★★★★ Alanran
Beautiful Provence by Bike and Barge
Provence by Bike and Boat
The boat was really nice and the crew was great -- from captain to chef to on-board host. They did an exceptional job making our time on the boat pleasant.
The biking was also nice in spite of the 98 degree temperatures, full on sun and mistral winds in our face -- even had to peddle going down hill sometimes. That said, we saw beautiful villages, olive orchards, vineyards, sun flower fields and lavender fields -- beautiful terrain -- even some of the areas covered in the Tour de France -- Pont du Gard. The visit to Le Beaux de Provence was special going into the cave with Van Gogh paintings put to motion and sound.
All in all it was a fun tour with a great group of riders.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 13-20
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
-
★★★★★ MikeSue5052
The Rhine is a very busy river!
Rhine Bike Path: Mainz to Cologne
We were enthralled with the amount of river traffic going in both directions. Barges and river tour boats, constantly plying the wide river. Of course, the historical locations, from castles to churches, are numerous all along the river.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
-
★★★★★ Julie
Cheese, cocoa, windmills, clogs, delft, tulips...
Holland by Bike and Boat, Southern Tour
So many things to see that represent the Netherland: cheese, tulips, windmills, cocoa, clogs and delft pottery. It was amazing to see the bike culture there and that bikes have the right of way over everything! The network of bike paths was amazing too! It was a fun combination of boat and bike. Most of our meals were provided too, which was nice after a full day of riding and exploring!
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
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