Ireland  Bike Tour Reviews (page 3)

  • Wild Atlantic Way Cycling
    (5/5) frank September 21, 2017

    Amazing way to experience a the Ireland West Coast!

    · Wild Atlantic Way Cycling

    We were absolutely blown away by the scenery, the service and the nice friendly people we met at each stop. The local pubs were huge fun, the cycling was challenging enough but with enough time to stop and breathe in the countryside. Bring bike lights if you stay in a local pub past dark. I recommend high vis clothes because you are on busy roads occasionally. The bikes were ok, serviceable hybrids, and able to meet the demands. The B&B's chosen by the company were excellent, friendly and helpful.
    This was an amazing experience and far surpassed our expectations.

    What was the date of your tour?
    09/11/2017
    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?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Ireland
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Sleepy Hollow Cyclist September 6, 2018

    Cycling Enchanted Ireland Coastal Roads

    · Wild Atlantic Way Cycling

    A wonderful, weeklong ride along beautiful backroads and small seaside villages of Ireland's rugged and enchanted Connemara coastline, with stops in appealing small towns. Everything was perfect - even with many days of "Irish Mist".

    What was the date of your tour?
    August 12-20, 2018
    How many tours have you completed?
    0
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Ireland
    • Connemara Back Roads (photo by Sleepy Hollow Cyclist)
    • Connemara Back Roads (photo by Sleepy Hollow Cyclist)
    • Connemara Back Roads (photo by Sleepy Hollow Cyclist)
    • Blackberries, Cycling Connemara Back Roads (photo by Sleepy Hollow Cyclist)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) Maria N August 15, 2019

    Trip of my dreams

    · Wild Atlantic Way Cycling

    The perfect way to experience Ireland! Everyone have to do it!

    What was the date of your tour?
    30/07-06/07
    How many tours have you completed?
    one
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Ireland
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) LR cycle June 29, 2022

    Wild wind on the Wild Atlantic Way!

    · Wild Atlantic Way Cycling

    Two couples cycled the Wild Atlantic way for 6 days in June. It turned out we had to contend with tropical storm Alex but fortunately we had rented e-bikes for the often head on strong winds. The b&bs and hotels were great along the route. A highlight for all of us was the ferry to and from Inishbofin Island, the cycling on the island and the stay there. We also took advantage of hiking in the Connemara National Park along the way. All in all the tour was great!

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 6, 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    First one!
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Ireland
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Boris Kustin November 3, 2022

    Great trip

    · Wild Atlantic Way Cycling

    The trip was delightful. My wife and found each day a bit short, but there was always an option to add a few miles along the way. The places to stay were very comfortable and the proprietors always very friendly and helpful. I would recommend this trip to just about anybody.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Ireland
  • (5/5) Donald Allen November 8, 2022

    Bike Trip V

    · Wild Atlantic Way Cycling

    Scenery was breathtaking, people were extremely accommodating and app was excellent for this type of route. Tour company was quick to deal with initial problems we had with bikes. The Ireland biking experience exceeded our expectations.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2022
    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?
    Ireland
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Lucy Fraiser November 8, 2022

    Eliminated by Covid

    · Wild Atlantic Way Cycling

    I am sure this would have been an incredible trip but I tested positive for covid the day before the trip was to start. I plan on rescheduling the trip. Please remember to get travel insurance when you book active vacations. In Ireland, doctors would not see you if you were positive for covid, so the travel insurance co. (AIG) put me in touch with a doctor that did a virtual visit and got me all the documentation I needed for my insurance claim. We were able to get most of the money spent on the vacation back and all of the extra expenditures made necessary by the lengthy quarantining.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Ireland
  • Connemara Lazy Days
    (4/5) Tee Jay August 8, 2017

    Interrupted trek

    · Connemara Lazy Days Cycling

    Fabulous day and a half. An unfortunate accident resulted in a trip to the hospital. Wet grounds and inexperienced riding led to crash and 9 stitches. Great help by tour staff to get us from hotel to hotel to finish the route. We recommend warning riders of the risks of skids and to always wear helmet. BTW modify your brochure to show riders to wear helmets. It doesn't.

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 18, 2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    None
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much harder
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Ireland
    • 4/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
    • 4/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Dublin and West Ireland
    (4/5) MarcieB August 23, 2019

    The Wild Atlantic Way of Ireland is not to be missed!

    · Dublin and West Ireland E-Bike Tour

    There were two dates for the E-bike tour (Dublin and West Ireland). . . July and August. We selected the August date and packed rain/wind gear . . . just in case! When we received the advanced brochure for the trip, it was in English and the bike tour company was indicated: Rotalis ~ Die Radreise Manufaktur. Hmmm, I thought. An e-bike tour of Ireland by a German outfitter will probably be a mixed group of English and German speakers. That was true, up to a point. Of the thirteen members of the group, eleven were German speakers and we were the two English speakers. Several in the German group told us they take Rotalis trips on a regular basis and wondered how we had ended up in a predominately German tour. The good news is that I understand some conversational German. Although attempts were made to converse with us in English, among themselves it was natural to speak their own language. The Dublin city guide assumed everybody spoke German and off we went. My husband and I had to return to the hotel within 15 minutes because it was a bit overwhelming for me to try and translate all the architectural/historical details the guide was providing. She felt badly to see us go and said she could have provided an English translation, but she was providing a lot of information and we felt we would have slowed down their pace.

    So, other than the language issue, I would highly recommend this tour if the number of English speakers could bring the ratio to 50-50. The two guides (a driver/chef/mechanic and the tour guide/mechanic/group leader) were extremely helpful and always spoke to us in English.

    The E-bikes had already served several groups and were beginning to show some signs of wear. Chains would periodically fall off and need attention and some of the hand brakes were only working on one side. At one point, they ended up renting an additional bike for my husband in Clifden so he could continue riding. They mentioned that 2020 would bring a new fleet of e-bikes. With Bosch components they were pretty impressive as far as ease of use and power choices were concerned.

    Staying two nights in three different locales was fabulous. The food, snacks and activities were always locally sourced and culturally authentic. The pacing was good, the stops were timely and the adventures unforgettable! I don't think any of us will forget the turbulent little ferry ride to Inishmore in the Aran Islands. Yes, there was some rain, some wind and some challenges, but we all made it and made some new friendships.

    What was the date of your tour?
    August 3-10, 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    This was our 10th Biketours.com
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Ireland
    • Ten Germans and two Americans . . . somewhere in Western Ireland! (photo by MarcieB)
    • A sumptuous snack beachside. From fresh fruits and veggies to seafood pates, hearty breads and wine/beer/water, we were well served. (photo by MarcieB)
    • Kylemore Abbey and its Victorian Walled Garden was worth a visit. (photo by MarcieB)
    • The Rosleague Manor Hotel was home to Tyson, a very friendly black lab. The food and ambiance were wonderful. (photo by MarcieB)
    • The day we wore all our wind/rain layers to get from point A to point B. (photo by MarcieB)
    • The Killary Sheep farm demo included watching Jess run the sheep from paddock to pen, a shearing demo, bottle feeding the lambs and our group enjoying our snack in the shearer's shed. (photo by MarcieB)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Highlights of the Highlands
    (4/5) Faye October 2, 2017

    A very good trip

    · Highlights of the Highlands: Donegal by E-bike

    The trip was generally great, as we were lucky with the weather. The B&B's were generally very good, particularly the one in Glenties. All of the B&B owners were helpful and friendly and the breakfasts were great. The B&B that we stayed at in Donegal was not as good- the bed was uncomfortable, the curtains didn't block out the light, and the toilet didn't flush very well.

    Great to have an electric bike for those hills, and a GPS to navigate!

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 15 to 22nd, 2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    8
    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?
    Ireland
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) joseph eberly 9 months ago

    Amazing scenery and people

    · Highlights of the Highlands: Donegal by E-bike

    The North West coast of Ireland is breathtaking. For the most part, quiet country roads or bike paths. Our B&Bs were very nice and the hosts even nicer. There are some areas that were quite challenging and we were very happy to have e-bikes. A little rain but nothing that kept us from riding. We had a fun and challenging ride through the national park with a dirt path and a steep climb on a gravel path. We had some equipment issues that slowed us down but operator got us going again. The Garman GPS was amazing. We made plenty of wrong turns, but it always got us back on track. All in all, this is the most beautiful part of Ireland and we had great food at every stop.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    This is our second trip with Bike Tours
    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?
    Ireland
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 2/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Wild Atlantic Way Cycling
    (4/5) Brittany at BikeTours December 3, 2015
    · Wild Atlantic Way Cycling

    I went on this tour as a BikeTours.com staff member. Connemara is a dreamy, scenic region of Ireland! The views were magnificent. The route was 95% on quiet back roads. The cycling is definitely a level two tour, with intermittent rolling hills. As this tour has very low mileage, there is plenty of time to meander and take in the surroundings. I went at the end of the season (mid October), and I experienced closed establishments for the upcoming winter. However, there were 1 or 2 dining places to choose from in each village, even with the closures. I would recommend this tour to first-time travelers and travelers that want to have an off-the-beaten-path experience.

    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Families with teens, Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Ireland
    • Photo 1 (photo by Brittany at BikeTours)
    • The Kylemore Abbey (photo by Brittany at BikeTours)
    • Hiking on Diamond Mountain in Connemara National Park (photo by Brittany at BikeTours)
    • The Atlantic coast (photo by Brittany at BikeTours)
    • Resting near Leenaun Village (photo by Brittany at BikeTours)
    • Sheep! (photo by Brittany at BikeTours)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) Chris 77 September 6, 2018

    Good tour of the Atlantic coast

    · Wild Atlantic Way Cycling

    What was the date of your tour?
    Aug. 2018
    How many tours have you completed?
    14
    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?
    Ireland
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Connemara Lazy Days
    (3/5) Brendan July 12, 2017

    Beautiful bike ride but not a good value at the price.

    · Connemara Lazy Days Cycling

    This is a remarkable part of Ireland with an amazing history and a haunting landscape that is quickly changing as this part of Ireland attracts more visitors.

    First the good parts: we were a family of six and had a wonderful biking vacation. The people at Connemara Adventure Tours were very helpful and kind. Specific thanks to Conor and Chloe who were so thoughtful as we arrived and set out on our first day. There were no issues with baggage transfers etc.

    But here are a few critical things to consider before booking this trip.

    1. Clifden is the only true town on this trip and yet only the first and last nights are spent here. If you are looking for music, as an example, it will be difficult (if not impossible) to find at the other destinations. In Clifden there are several pubs with music every night of the week and a much wider selection of eating options.

    2. The idea of a Connemara Loop is nice in concept when looking at the map but the B&Bs we experienced were not at all consistent and a couple just seemed cheap considering what we paid. One happy exception was Connemara Country Lodge on our last evening. "Singing Mary", the host, was the epitome of Irish hospitality.

    3. At €900 ($1000) this is not an inexpensive trip for six people. But if I had friends wanting to repeat this trip, I would suggest they find a good bike rental in Clifden (€100/week per person). Get a nicer B&B or house rental in Clifden and stay put and bike north and south from there. And then work with a local guide to plan daily loops that align with the ability and interest of your group. It would also be easier to manage the weather issue since this part of Ireland is often cloudy and wet.

    4. The maps and assistance by Conor on routes and restaurants along the way were very helpful. But the condition of the bikes were just average. And when they charged for panniers and "souvenir" water bottles as we prepared to leave, I felt nickel and dimed. Note to Connemara: when a family pays more than $6k for a week of cycling, kick in the panniers and water bottles or price accordingly so basics are not being charged. Grrrr.

    Our family biked through Normandy earlier in the summer and the bikes and hotels were far better for a minor increase in cost. The lesson for me is that our next bike tour will be direct with a local operator so costs, routes, equipment and expectations about hotels and restaurants are better aligned.

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 3 - 9
    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
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Ireland
    • Kylemore Abbey is certainly a highlight. (photo by Brendan)
    • Connemara National Park is worth the uphill climb. Kids loved hiking to the top of Diamond Hill. (photo by Brendan)
    • On the way to Lough Inagh - be prepared for clouds, cool weather, and moisture. (photo by Brendan)
    • Enjoying the classic Irish pubs is part of the attraction of this trip. (photo by Brendan)
    • 2/5 Value
    • 2/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 2/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Highlights of the Highlands
    (3/5) Marge Anderson October 5, 2022

    Lots of friendly people

    · Highlights of the Highlands: Donegal by E-bike

    We had beautiful weather. This helped make the trip really nice. We had very nice hosts at our accommodations. Some of the places were much nicer than others. The Brennan B&B was excellent. Other places had some problems like plumbing, but in general the accommodations were fine. We did arrive in one town (Glencolmcille) to find there weren't any restaurants open. We thought this wasn't very good planning on the part of the bike company.
    The roads were ok. Some of the roads were a bit busy. Some were very nice country roads. There was a section that was gravel that was a bit tricky. The scenery was lovely.
    There were some errors in directions that should be fixed.
    I've been on a few other biking trips. This was my least favorite.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    5
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Ireland
    • 3/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 2/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
  • Ireland’s West Cork
    (3/5) u d i July 4, 2019

    Lovely landscape shame most of the cycling is on asphalt with fast cars ..

    · Ireland’s West Cork on Tranquil Lanes Following the Coast

    We had great time riding at CORK area, the weather was on our side also. everything was green and blooming, we all had e-bikes which was a great descision to do since first 3 days we traveled more than 70KM each day.accomodation was very good and so was the food, especially fish and sea food, we also had one night stay at a lovely castle fron 16th century on the atlantic beach.since most on the track was dedicated to the West Atlantic Way and many parts of it on the N71 we changed it and went deep into the countryside which was eaven nicer, plenty of fields and woods as we went up and downhill.it is advisable to change parts of the route to offroad routs.

    What was the date of your tour?
    june 16 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    this is our 8th
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, Families with young kids
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Ireland
    • Photo 1 (photo by u d i)
    • Photo 2 (photo by u d i)
    • Photo 3 (photo by u d i)
    • Photo 4 (photo by u d i)
    • Photo 5 (photo by u d i)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 2/5 Route selection
  • Highlights of the Highlands
    (2/5) David Anderson October 4, 2022

    Pretty location, ok organization

    · Highlights of the Highlands: Donegal by E-bike

    In general, it was a great experience. I'd never been on a bike tour, and this was a load of fun. My wife and I plan to do more bike tours. However, if I had to choose between bike tours, I wouldn't recommend this specific one.

    Going over this bike tour's organization.

    GPS / Directions.

    A few things here to complain about.

    1. The printed directions were inconsistent between people on the tour. Some printed directions said left at an intersection, others said right. They were simply out of date, and the tour didn't re-print everything. Old printouts = old directions.

    2. The printed directions were inconsistent with the web directions. We were sent PDFs of directions. Those didn't match up with the printouts. Again, likely because they were older or newer (we couldn't figure out which). Different roads sometimes, different turns.

    3. The printed and web directions were inconsistent with the GPS tracks. This was super annoying, because we were biking along listening to the GPS directions (on the unit provided), and the GPS would say "turn here!" and the printed directions indicated we should go another few blocks.

    4. The printed / web / GPS directions were out of date for actual road conditions. In two different locations, the road was literally closed, and we had to detour around an area using Google maps. In one place, the GPS road literally had grass growing on it, and had obviously moved at least 5+ years before. These directions are *very* out of date at times.

    These direction inconsistencies didn't mean we got lost, but it did mean *daily* stops to consult our map, Google maps, GPS directions, and try to figure out where the tour intended us to go, regardless of all the inconsistencies. I'd highly suggest having offline Google maps if you're going to take the tour.

    Lodging.

    Some places were outstanding and high quality. Other places were lower quality. One place in particular stank heavily of peat smoke, with smoke literally billowing in through our windows. I don't know how often the tour company inspects the places they're sending people.

    Food.

    The tour included breakfast. It was sometimes great, mostly fine, but sometimes a bit low quality. Again, perhaps a lack of inspection on exactly what they're paying for.

    While the tour didn't provide dinner, we sometimes had trouble finding any place which was open. In one town, we got *lucky* that there was a food truck open, because otherwise every single restaurant in town was closed down. The locals all said that it made no sense that we hadn't planned on dinner, because their town didn't have restaurants open in this season. Many locations only had a single restaurant option. I think if you're going to operate a tour this late in the season, you need to scout out restaurants which will actually be open.  SHOW MORE 

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    1
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Ireland
    • 3/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 1/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 1/5 Tour documents
    • 1/5 Local tour company services
    • 2/5 Route selection