Bike Tour Reviews page 41
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★★★★★ Colleen Mcintyre September 6, 2022Ride is awesome! Assistance could use some assistance
· Vienna to Budapest (Classic)
The ride is one of the most amazing experiences I have had. Having the bags transferred is priceless and went very well. The hotels - both quality and location - also excellent. I got an e-bike and so happy I did because two days had a lot of dirt, gravel, and mud that bike helped power through.
The maps?!?! A book that has copied step by step from a bike app. This is great for walking, but if you never stop or detour, or in the city where there are multiple turns rapidly, it doesn’t function. The other book has pictures - excellent - except where there are multiple rapid turns or irregular intersections. They also don’t indicate the charge for necessary ferries on the map. They company needs to have someone who has never ridden it, use the book, and make indicators, or tips in it. Going between the books is nearly impossible. I reviewed both books, google maps, and a bike app (I don’t have a subscription) the night before. That with the signs that are not always available helped a lot.
Last, upon my early arrival in Budapest, my bags were not there yet. I checked in to shower and change into my spare outfit. When I returned, the bike was gone. No notification …I assumed the company. I would have assumed I had the bike, like the hotel room, through the end of the tour. -
★★★★★ Charles Curtis September 6, 2022Second great trip to Croatia
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
We loved the first bike and boat trip to Croatia: Highlights of Dalmatia - that we booked this one. This was a thoroughly enjoyable trip but not quite as outstanding as the first. Not quite as many interesting stops and the food was good but not outstanding which is why we gave it only four stars.
There were hills but not as rigorous as the Highlights rides so several had regular bikes and we ebikers didn’t have to wait too long for them to catch up after a climb. The waterfalls at Krka National Park was a highlight- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2022
- 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?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Charles Curtis September 11, 2022
Second great trip to Croatia
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
We loved the first bike and boat trip to Croatia: Highlights of Dalmatia - that we booked this one. This was a thoroughly enjoyable trip but not quite as outstanding as the first. Not quite as many interesting stops and the food was good but not outstanding which is why we gave it only four stars.
There were hills but not as rigorous as the Highlights rides so several had regular bikes and we ebikers didn’t have to wait too long for them to catch up after a climb. The waterfalls at Krka National Park was a highlight- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2022
- 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?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Terry Connolly September 12, 2022Very Smooth Arrangements
· Vienna to Budapest 5-nights (Active)
This worked pretty seamlessly. Bike rentals were in excellent shape, well equipped for storage and travel. Paper maps they gave us were good, but seems like should advise traveler to download Komoot or similar for detail of route map and GPS. All hotels were very nice. Bags got there ahead of us every day. Gyor to Esztergom is a long ride, on busy roads and non-paved surfaces. But overall a positive using BikeTours.
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★★★★★ Sara Ching September 12, 2022Beautiful scenario in the Bavarian alps
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
The route is breathtaking. From Innsbruck to salzburg, we opted for the rest day in zell am see (100% recommmended) where we got a day off to take the gondolas up to see the mountains, go to the glacier lakes in kaprun and swim in zell am see lake. The hotels and breakfasts were great! The bike company they use to source the bike was a bit disorganized, the bikes were ok though seats were the hard racer types. Bike company also an out of bags and locks. They didn’t give us enough baggage tags and when they split our groups across two hotels, the baggages were often at the wrong hotel. There weren’t a lot of recommendations on optional things to do and places to eat so you definitely have to do a lot of your own research. Overall I would recommend the tour because the itinerary and accommodations were very nice but the agency that ran the tour itself could be better organized.
Also note the second day of biking (day 3) has a lot more uphills and downhills than it seems. And it rained really hard the last three days of our tours so definitely make sure you have good rain gear if you go in September.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
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★★★★★ Jeffrey Kuhl September 12, 2022second 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
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★★★★★ Jessica Phelan September 12, 2022
Beautiful Scenery!
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
This trip was absolutely stunning. The views were beyond beautiful form everywhere. For the most part you are riding along the river and the ride is very relaxing. Most days are fairly flat with a few small hills and many downhills. The trails are well marked and the map by the guide company is pretty easy to follow. Our group did the trip with hybrid bikes, but if I were to do it again, I would definitely get an e-bike. There is one day with some really big climbs and an e-bike would have made the whole a thing a bit more leisurely. We also did not pack helmets since they wouldn't fit in our suitcases and the bike shop ran out of rentals. I would advise bringing one with you.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- 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?
- Austria
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★★★★★ Sunil Savara September 14, 2022Time of my life with my family!
· Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option
Everything was great, except for the documentation and organisation around that. Three changes you should make, and I will share this with Carla and Thomas as well:
1. Please provide an English map and booklet. In fact, when booking the tour, you can ask preferences for languages, and ensure that its followed through by the appropriate documentation.
2. When booking the tour, check if this is a first tour and/or use of the e-bikes, and if it is, offer the option of someone spending an hour to rope the persons in... there can be a small charge for it..
3. Share information on online maps, aside of Google Maps. I downloaded on the 3rd day an application that was very helpful, and which made it easier for me to figure things out.- What was the date of your tour?
- 1-7 Sep 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
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★★★★★ Mary Partheymuller September 19, 2022Wonderful way to bike through this Lake country of France from Geneva.
· Three Lakes Tour: From Geneva to Annecy
Loved the choices of sport versus moderate rides on several days, which satisfied all participants. As a single participant, the last hotel was disappointing, but satisfactory . Most accommodations were quite nice.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Bev Langsch September 19, 2022Lots of ups and downs, super on Ebike
· Cycling Spain's Ebro River
Our group of three ebikers, average age 75, enjoyed zooming up the long, steep hills and then drifting down again. The route was on paved roads, with very little traffic. Wind and clouds in mid-September were with us, but rain came in late afternoon, and by then, we were resting in our new hotel. Scenery with mountains, very small towns and old churches was interesting. Hotels were varied, from very simple near Frias to renovated mill to luxurious in LaGuardia. The GPS routes were very helpful, but we usually read and reread the written information. The written notes would be more helpful if the actual number of the road was included. We had a bit of trouble adapting to Spanish meal times, but loved the tapas served in bars (only until 3 or 4 pm) and waited anxiously for dinner after 8.30. Three other bikers were doing the same route and joined us at mealtimes. The six of us had a wonderful time together.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 11, 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ William Sholten September 20, 2022Our Alsatian Bike Trip
· Strasbourg to Mainz: Imperial Cities and Charming Landscapes Along the Rhine
We have enjoyed 2 other bike trips in the past. This route was not easy to follow without GPS. We used a Garmin GPS to help confirm our path along the way (and highly recommend this). There are many intersecting bike paths around towns, so we had to stop often to determine which route/path to take. There were several detours due to construction (not indicated on our route plans) which made travel both longer and more challenging to navigate.
We cycled on gravel roads in addition to the bike paths, making the ride somewhat longer than anticipated.Hotels were comfortable, but not all hotels in Category A had air conditioning. Hotel staff and breakfasts were first rate!
Rental bike performed well but were heavier than expected.
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★★★★★ Mary Ricks September 21, 2022
A way to see some more of Spain.
· Cycling Spain's Ebro River
The ride was great after the first day. Three of us were together and one bike kept losing its chain and something was rubbing. We called BikeTours and they delivered a different bike and we had no more problems. Ignacio from BikeTours was great as he kept in touch with all of us during the trip.
The first day did not offer much in scenery. Would have liked to start the ride with second day itinerary and continue.- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 11-18
- How many tours have you completed?
- 20; not all same company
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Don Thain September 23, 2022Mostly fantastic
· Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
This trip used rental bikes and was self-guided. The basics worked well with hotel bookings and luggage transfers. The bikes were fine for this but had minor deficiencies. The joining instructions were incorrect but were sorted out with a phone call. Routings were chosen to highlight scenery and views while avoiding traffic. The map sets were disappointing as directions were muddled. Other cyclists had the same complaint. But it was a great trip nonetheless.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Tony VanGarderen September 23, 2022Beautiful area of France!
· Burgundy Wine Trails: Beaune to Macon on the “Voie Verte”
A great way to experience the beauty of Burgundy. Loved cycling through the vineyards as well as along the Voire Verte. The hotels had a lot of character. The bikes were great, one ebike and one regular.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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?
- France
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★★★★★ Ladislav Votruba September 28, 2022Italian hospitality is exceptional
· Apulia and Basilicata: Alberobello to Lecce
Disappointed that the route of the trip was changed ( took the same trip 8 years ago )
Bikes - loved the e bike , the company has to have better maintenance program I almost ran into traffic going down the hill the first day of the trip
Emergency number - called to get assistance x 3, only got one call back
Navigation- the GPS is great when it works, starting from hotel or finding hotel at the end of day is challenging- we used google map to help us- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Carol McDonald September 29, 2022
Beautiful Croatia
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
This is the perfect way to see this beautiful country! Our bike guides were great - knowledgeable, extremely competent, friendly and helpful. We felt very luck to have them with us.
The food was a combination of very good, and sometimes not quite so good as it arrived luke warm. Salads scrimped on greens and the overly used combination of purple and green cabbage only as our source of greens wasn’t very good, especially since salad greens seemed readily available at our various stops.
Most importantly, we were horrified by the number of plastic bottles used on this trip! My husband and I brought water bottles, as did most of the cyclists, and were happy to refill our bottles from the water cooler. I can’t imagine the tons of plastic waste caused by the number of bottles our ship alone used, and then multiplied by the number of boats over the course of the summer - the numbers of plastic bottles to deal with would be staggering. I am fully aware of the recycle program, but the energy used to do this is also staggering, especially for a small and financially struggling country like Croatia. I strongly urge you to commit to a more earth friendly form of water use.
Lastly, and this is a small criticism, we’ve never been on a bike and boat (this was our fifth one), that charged a premium for tea and coffee. I completely support a charge for premium coffees and teas such as lattes, chai etc, but charging for hot water and a tea bag, or a simple cup of coffee seems very stingy on your part. Especially with a 50E pp charge for water, which again is something we had not encountered in the past.
Overall, we had an incredibly wonderful trip and hope to return to Croatia again in the future!- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- Five
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Donna Reyes October 2, 2022
Overall great trip
· Vienna to Budapest (Classic)
Bikes were phenomenal, hotels were great. Only complaint was all our paperwork was in German. So then we got online English versions which could not be printed to put in the map holder. AND the new printed materials did not match the route maps. It was very confusing!
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★★★★★ Robyn Larkin October 2, 2022More 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
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★★★★★ Megan Lunde October 4, 2022
Lovely Ride through the Alps
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
Overall, this was a very good trip. The itinerary is top-notch along well-marked trails, through a variety of landscapes - farmland, ski towns, narrow gorges, along a lake. I recommend the route with the rest day in Zell am See - we had a great day there!
We did have a few concerns with the local tour company. The quality of the bikes rented from the bike shop was not great - my bike was too small for my body but they had run out of bikes, so I was stuck with it for the week. Some of our group had arranged for bikes to be delivered to the starting hotel. It's a good thing others went to pick up in person, because the bike shop had no record of delivery and half our group would have been stuck without bikes for 2 days.
As others have mentioned, the guidebook is hard to follow. However, the general routes are along bike trails that are well marked. We did pretty well by following the path signs to our destination each day.
Our biggest mishaps were with the hotel and luggage transfer. We were a group of 4. About half the time, we had two adjacent rooms in the same hotel - no problem. Other nights, we were split across two different hotels. One night, we had a really strange configuration - 3 of us had a triple in one hotel, while 1 person was assigned to a different hotel across town. Every time we got split up, some luggage went to the wrong hotel. It didn't help that the tour company only provided 1 luggage tag per room. Seems like an easy fix to include an adequate number of luggage tags per traveler. Our final night in Salzburg, our hotel had no record of our reservation. It took awhile to figure out the issue - our reservations had been made against the wrong name.
On the whole, this is a lovely trip. Unbeatable scenery and value for the price.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- 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?
- Austria
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★★★★★ Mary-lou Huculak May 9, 2024Challenging but worth it!
· Tuscany and Umbria: Cycling in the Heart of Italy
Gorgeous views over every hill and string every bend. Challenging even on ebikes but spectacular views.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May, 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
