Germany Bike Tour Reviews (page 9)
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★★★★★ Joseph Tevaarwerk 11 months agoNice trip, but some issues.
· Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
The trip overall was good. The hotels were from very nice to adequate, and the weather was good for biking. Luggage handling was perfect.
The issue we had was with the bikes. In our case the bikes we rented were delivered to our hotel. I had emailed specific instructions about my wife's bike set-up regarding saddle height and handle bar height. When the bikes arrived we noticed that the saddle could not be adjusted low enough for her comfort. We had to call the AVE rep and he had to bring a different saddle stem to fix that problem.
Another problem was with my bike. The frame size was too small for me, and the handle bars were too low for comfort. Since we had already lost time to get my wife's bike corrected, I decided that I could manage with the bike that was delivered. That was my mistake!
Half way into the trip the front telescopic forks collapsed and I had to ride nose down, which was very uncomfortable and outright dangerous. We managed to get it pumped up at a bike shop, but they lost pressure again while biking.Last year we had none of these problems. The big difference was that last year we had to collect our bikes at the rental shop the day before. This gave us the opportunity to have both bikes adjusted to the right settings, and to make sure that they were of the correct frame size.
I don't need to stress how important a reliable and well fitting bike is for these bike tours. I suggest that you make it essential that the bikes are collected at the rental site the day before the trips start. This will give the participants the opportunity to make essential corrections.
Myself, for our next trip I will insist that we will collect the bikes at the rental shop the day before the trip starts, and that they are reliable and well fitted bikes.
I think it is wise if you make this part of your overall policy as well.Joseph.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 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, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic, Germany
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★★★★★ Kathy 11 months agoNice trip! We had a really good time.
· · Danube Discovery: Pedaling from Germany to Austria
We've done numerous bike trips around Europe but wanted to try a bike and boat this time. It's not a deluxe trip, but exceeded our expectations. The Prinzessin Katharina is older, but very well maintained, with traditional style decor. We had stayed in Passau the night prior and the taxi ride to the harbor was quick and easy. We had an upper level cabin, which was compact but had space to move around and decent storage. I peaked into the main deck cabins as well, which were laid out a little differently but seemed about the same size, with maybe a little less closet space. Don't excpect many outlets for charging your devices, as there are only a couple in the cabin. There is also a restaurant and a lounge with a bar on the upper deck. The sun deck is spacious, with lots of loungers, tables and chairs, and some covered space for shade.
There is assigned seating in the dining room for the whole trip. Most of the passengers were German speaking, but they made a good effort to put English speaking guests at the same table. Breakfast was a pretty standard buffet, with breads, pastries, fruits and juices, as well as a few warm dishes with eggs, sausage, bacon. They also let you pack a lunch from the buffet choices. The dinner menu had 3 or 4 entree choices each night, along with a couple of starters and a couple of desserts. The food, while not gourmet, was very good. No beverages were included, so you had to pay even to have water with your dinner. There is a good selection of wine and cocktails available from the bar. Coffee and tea were provided at breakfast.
The daily meetings to provide info on the next day's route were useful, with separate meetings provided for German and English. As expected, the bike routes kept mostly to dedicated bike paths or segregated bike lanes along roads. You rarely have to deal with much traffic, and the route is generally very easy to follow. The rental bikes provided were quite good, and comfortable.
We only did one of their optional tours, going up to Schloss Greinburg in Grein. On a day when the schloss is normally closed, the tour company was able to arrange this tour, and we enjoyed it.
What really made the trip so good was the crew and all of their efforts. The dining room and bar servers, housekeeping, the front desk staff, and the deck crew responsible for loading and unloading all the bikes were all outstanding, friendly and helpful. Our cruise director Monica did a great job keeping eveything running smoothly.
We enjoyed our trip despite some unseasonably cold, rainy and windy weather part of the time. We're looking forward to planning another bike and boat trip.- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- 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?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ Ian Bailie 12 months ago
Danube biking adventure
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
Riding along the Danube river through Austria to Vienna was a wonderful experience. Everything was very well organised, from bike collection, through route guidance, accommodation and support. The riding is easy, though on our ride we did encounter some strong head winds. There is spectacular scenery and interesting villages to keep interest up. We thoroughly recommend the bike tour.
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★★★★★ Max Peterson 12 months agoGreat, Balanced Bike Trip in the Spring Season
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
My wife and I had a great time on this bike trip, our first of this kind. The first 2 days took some adjusting - we ran into some unexpected detours the first day due to some unreliable info (seemed to be incorrect info from the trail authority/agency, not the tour company at fault), but it was easy enough to sort out on the fly. The 2nd day was full of rain and difficult biking conditions, but we knew the chance we were taking when we chose mid-April for our trip. Almost everything's else on our trip was great after that! The sites, towns, and views along the way were enjoyable and often beautiful. Some of our stops were suggested in our itinerary, and others we found on our own. The suggestions overall were good, but alternative options were always easy to find as well. The hotels were all nice and seemed well-placed along our route, for the most part. The Steigenberger Hotel & Spa in Krems was the one outlier for us on that front - to get there, we had to go up a road with fairly high traffic on a very steep hill that didn't have a bike lane, which we did not find mentioned in our documents. It was a small issue that probably would not matter much with an e-bike, but for an itinerary rated as 1-Easy, we feel it should have at least been noted in our documents. This hotel also seemed the least-oriented toward bicycle traffic/guests, but again these are small things we hope might help people taking this tour in the future, not major problems or complaints. All of the hotels had good bike storage, breakfasts, and friendly, helpful service. The rooms varied in size and quality of view from place to place, but all were clean, well maintained, and never lacked anything you'd expect in a hotel room. We didn't have dinner at every hotel (and not all had their own restaurant), but we did at Faustschlössl Hotel in Aschach and Hotel Rose in Maria Taferl, both of which were excellent. The bikes, bags, and other equipment all worked well, and pickup/dropoff was fairly easy at the first and last hotels. Overall, this was a great experience and everything from the tour company met our expectations. We would definitely recommend this trip to others, and look forward to doing more like it in the future!
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★★★★★ Bruce 12 months agoVery cold & windy, a bit of hail and even snow; still a great trip
· Mosel Bike Path: Dreamy Mosel Valley from Trier to Koblenz
We've enjoyed many self-guided bike trips in Europe and this is a great one with normal weather.
Bike Tours highly professional staff slightly modified the standard tour to meet our request, which was promptly and accurately accomplished. The Radreisefreunde representative, a very pleasant person, met us at the first hotel and supplied the bikes. We rode them around the hotel area before confirming they were the right size and in proper working order. We selected one "uniframe" (sloped top tube) bike and one with a horizontal (AKA men's) top tube. Both were 21 speeds and very suitable for the flat bike trip. The standard "Mosel bikeline" booklet for Metz to Koblenz was supplemented with a custom booklet for us, Trier to Koblenz, the portion, we biked. The supplemental booklet provided more details and is very much a worthwhile addition. Thank you!
All hotels were very clean, well located in the core of each city and allowed easy access to sites, restaurants, etc. Staff were universally welcoming. Special mention as to the Gästehaus Weingut Seminarshof restaurant in Trittenheim...it is located in the same hotel where we stayed. Two related pictures are attached. Mmmmm!
Breakfast were included and were pretty much same, same. Most of the food was good, especially fresh breads/rolls. The coffee....well, if you're accustomed to the good stuff, downgrade your expectations offered at most hotels.
The trip is on dedicated bike paths, shared bike/pedestrian paths and a little along shoulders of roads or on very quiet roads. The route is generally well signed and it's pretty obvious how to proceed. However, per usual, we got lost a handful of times and realized such quickly and course corrected.
We supplemented the booklets using our cell phone and an e-sim from Airalo, with O2 the actual German cell coverage firm. When switching on the service, it instantly connected and provided fast worthwhile assistance to the route and hotels. We used it sporadically each day and 1GB of data ($5.00USD) was more than enough, can be tipped up easily or buy a larger package up front. All hotels supplied free WiFi. Note: the Airalo e-sim we used is data only, no local phone number is included.
Had the weather been much better, we would have lingered at more cafes along the route, as we enjoy delicious treats mid-day and good coffee.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Amanda M 12 months agoBiking with a View!
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
We had a range of weather--from sun to hail to rain to snow--and still every day was great on this trip! The path around the lake was well marked and easy enough to navigate. The hotels were lovely with a great breakfast spread every morning. Our luggage was always waiting for us when we arrived at the next location. Overall, we really enjoyed our little adventure!
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Thomas Schulte December 14, 2023
A Family Aventure
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
This is our 9th European Ride and was truly a pleasure. Accommodations were 1st class in great hotels. Tour operator couldn't have been nicer or hospitable
in setting us up with our bikes and getting us on our way. They were an easy walk from our first night accommodation.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 9
- 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?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Diane Griffin November 21, 2023
Disappointing - don't go during shoulder season
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
I've done four self-guided trips and this trip was my least favorite. The marketing material pitches "storybook villages" but most days are spent riding through corn fields. The hotels were outside of towns and hard to walk to restaurants. Because it was shoulder season, there were very few restaurants open.
First day's hotel was outside of town and front desk advised that we go to the mall for lunch. Fortunately we found a fun restuarant down on the river. The initial meeting with the bike company was disorganized and very brief. He barely talked about the tour, he didn't have tools to swap out pedals, there were too many of us attending the meeting and he said he didn't have time to answer questions - only 60 minutes alotted. We asked for spare tubes for the two road bikes but never got them. Skinny tires get flats!!
The "castle" we stayed in one night was not nice. It was clearly getting renovated - the rooms were nice but there were only five rooms. The property was overgrown and rundown, and with only five rooms it felt very creepy and unoccupied.
Breakfast at the castle - no protein - no eggs, no yogurt. We're on a bike tour and need energy! No fruit, no granola. Breakfast was just six slices of cucumbers, 10 cherry tomatoes, hard rolls, deli meat/cheese. Bar wasn't open for post-ride beer/wine.
Donauhotel Letternof - 11k from Enns, very remote, had to walk to a campground for food. Closest restaurant is cash only, need reservations. Front desk tried to make res but couldn't get through. The ONLY local taxi was working in Linz, not available for us. It was due to rain very hard. Hotel loaned us umbrellas and we went back to the campground for dinner.Day 3 - arrived at Cafe Braun (the meeting point) at 4:30 and called for shuttle (runs 3-6pm) told to go to a camping store(?) and get the bus as they don't have anyone to pick us up. One guy in our party was willing to make the 3k very steep climb to get us a ride. This hotel was nice but since it was past high season everything in this cute village was closed. Only one restaurant was open.
Last day - Vienna - hotel was so far from center city and far from anything interesting. Very long and confusing ride through busy city. Very limited restaurants. Shortest riding day and yet our bags didn't arrive until 5pm. -
★★★★★ Robert Taylor October 20, 2023Best family trip ever
· Danube Family Tour 7 Nights
There were 13 of us in total from three generations ranging form 77 years to 6 years of age. Reception at trip start was great, accommodating swapping bike sizes for one of the children and a great send off. Some difficulty finding one of the accommodations. We were in several sub-groups and each of us got lost in Krems in our own way BUT no one was stressed because of the enjoyment we had from cycling such beautiful paths.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 203
- How many tours have you completed?
- Six
- 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
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ Stephen Graham October 19, 2023Great area, careful with cars in France
· Freiburg and the Alsatian Wine Road
Fascinating area, half German half French. French side has the cutest towns, German side the safest biking. Beware biking on the French side on weekends, as locals drive to the vineyard towns for lunch or overnights, and they drive fast. Often no shoulder or bike path, drivers not always courteous, a lot of energy on avoiding catastrophe for less-experienced riders instead of enjoying the scenery. Support was good, replacing a bike with brake problems mid-trip. Navigation had one major error, sending us to a small bridge across islands in the Rhine near Strasbourg that had in fact been closed for months. A bit stressful at the end of a long day riding, but we found another way across. Minimal guidance as to where to stop for cafes, lunch, etc.; could use a more detailed list of suggestions. Some of the budget hotels are not in charming locations or walking distance from restaurants. The Grand Hotel in Strasbourg has seen better days.
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★★★★★ Karen Hanson October 17, 2023
Beautiful (and manageable) trip
· Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
Following the Vltava and Elbe rivers, with mostly excellent bike paths and a reasonable amount of miles per day, made for a lovely honeymoon trip! The Czech countryside was about to hit fall colors, and chestnuts were aplenty. The bikes they provided were in great shape (Trek and Specialized), and the gps files worked well. Highly recommend showing up at least two or three days early to spend extra time in Prague and get used to the time change. We weren’t able to take advantage of many of the optional side visits and biergardens along the way because many were closed already for the season, but we still enjoyed passing through small/tiny towns. And we made sure to pack our own wine and cheese for breaks! In the high season, we imagine it must be a much different scene. Overall, really enjoyed the trip and would recommend it for those who are looking for a relaxing vacation.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic, Germany
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★★★★★ Anita Bhinge October 16, 2023
Best Cycling paths
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
This was our fourth cycling tour with biketours and each experience has been only better !
The cycle paths are excellent, mostly dedicated , along the lake and at places through towns with marginal traffic. The views were breathtaking. The hotels were fantastic, and were right in the main town at most places (Stein am Rheine, Lindau and Konstanz) All the hotels had good garages and charging points.
The ground handlers and the biketours company people were extremely helpful when we made a special request to them on a day that I was unwell and couldn't bike.
This time, we rented e-bikes, which made cycling a breeze . The bikes were sturdy and did not give us any problem.
The road signs were good except at a couple of places in Austria. Downloading the Bikers App should be a good idea and would ease navigation.
The stage 3 was a bit long and should be broken up into two segments. It would be a good idea to complete the 260 kms tour in 6 or 7 days instead of the 5 days as per the itinerary. That way, one would get more time to explore each place at leisure. We missed seeing the Rhine falls and some castles because we were short of time.
I would highly recommend extending your stay at Konstanz ( as we did on our return) to explore the beautiful city. We enjoyed this trip so much that we plan to repeat it again next year, with more friends joining in.- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- Four
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Cathy Patterson October 15, 2023
Danube Bike Path 8 nights (Upscale Lodging)
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
We had a fantastic bike ride along the Danube in September this year, taking the upscale lodging option. Very pleased with all our accommodation. The rooms were spacious and very comfortable. As we aren't regular bike riders we chose the E-bikes and had no problems at all. The weather was perfect the whole way - average 25 degree days.
Would recommend this ride as very scenic and lots to do on the way.
Would also recommend Google maps. -
★★★★★ William Wilson October 12, 2023Adventure
· · Danube Bike and Boat: Passau-Budapest-Passau – MS SE-Manon
Overall, it was a great experience. Unfortunately, there was one large group of passengers that took over the lounge and dining room each night. Their behavior was loud and obnoxious. It would have been nice if someone if someone in authority could have spoken to them about the disruptions they created for others.
Our waiter, Emrah, was amazing. He was most attentive.
I was disappointed with the cost of the drink package. It was more expensive than I expected.
The entire crew worked very hard to ensure we all had a wonderful experience. -
★★★★★ Alan Gardiner October 10, 2023
Everything was perfect, from hotels to the route. It was a great trip.
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
The tour was properly described by the tour company and everything was seamless.
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★★★★★ Joseph Wise October 10, 2023
A bike trip to remember.
· Mosel Bike Path: Dreamy Mosel Valley from Trier to Koblenz
The bike trip was the highlight of our two week trip to Germany this year. We went from town to town with beautiful scenery along the way. We moved at our own pace and enjoyed stopping in towns along the way to our next destination. Our luggage was always at the next hotel, usually before we arrived. All hotels were beautiful. Having breakfast each morning was a great way to start each day. We were fortunate to have great weather, but the saddlebags did allow for bringing extra clothing or rain gear if needed. Equipment was in great shape as well. We used e-bikes which helped with hills when needed. If you want to see Germany through the eyes of small towns, at your own pace and without the hustle of large cities. This type a bike trip is recommended.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was the first, but not the last.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- 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
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BikeTours.com staff reply from bozena_kusovac October 10, 2023
Thank you for sharing your experience! We're thrilled to hear that this trip was the highlight of your two-week visit to Germany! Your recommendation for those wanting to discover Germany's charm through these bike trips is certainly compelling. Lovely photos as well! We look forward to being of help to you again in the future.
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★★★★★ Renee Fogelberg October 9, 2023
Great trip
· Danube Family Tour 7 Nights
It was a lovely combination of epic landscape and gorgeous towns to visit. Food was fabulous. Hotels were perfect.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct 3023
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ Renee Fogelberg October 9, 2023
Great trip
· Danube Family Tour 7 Nights
It was a lovely combination of epic landscape and gorgeous towns to visit. Food was fabulous. Hotels were perfect.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct 3023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ Dorothy Keyworth October 8, 2023Wonderful crew and guide
· · Northern Bavaria: Bike and Boat the Main River
The guided rides along the Main River kept my interest as we passed through the small villages between Nuremberg and Wurzburg. There was even an Old Town Beer Festival and parade in Nuremberg at the start of the tour. Staying on board the Merlijn made the trip so easy--the captain and crew kept everyone happy. And Tomas, our guide knew the best bakeries to stop at for morning snacks each day. The route was mostly on protected cycle paths along the river. And the weather was breezy and sunny all week. A perfect biking week.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
