Bike Tour Reviews  page 100

  • Best of Northern Zealand
    (4/5) Bruce Kozarsky July 8, 2023

    Terrific trip under unexpected circumstances

    Best of Northern Zealand

    One week before our trip was to start, something happened that made it impossible for my wife to bike. The tour was non-refundable at that point, and while we had purchased travel insurance, we weren't sure what they would cover. So we went ahead anyway and in retrospect, we're glad we did. Thanks to Denmark's remarkable rail network, it was very easy (and cheap) to go from hotel to hotel via train. We decided that I would bike for two of the five days and the local tour operator, Ruby Rejser, was wonderfully accommodating, delivering my bike at the start of my two biking days and picking it up at the end. Whether riding or not, the luggage transfer was seamless. The destinations were great, specially the Louisiana Museum, Helsingor (Elsinor), the day in Helsingborg, Sweden, and the Fredericksborg castle in Hillerod.

    On the two days that I rode, the routes were great, combining seaside vistas with forests, parks, farmland, small towns and castles. Most roads have dedicated bike lanes and the bike trails were great, too.

    My only complaints were two: the bike I rode was OK but not in optimal shape because the gears occasionally slipped, and the Garmin didn't always work properly. Written cue sheets would have served well as a backup but there were none -- just some printed maps. Still, I was able to get where I needed to go with just a few wrong turns and confusing moments. Nothing wrong with a couple of extra miles given the short routes on this tour.

    All the hotels were great except for one (Best Western in Hillerod, though that was still fine). And the breakfasts were great.

    Overall, we had a great time and I want to give a special shout-out to the Ruby Rejser representative in charge of the tour who was exceptionally flexible and accommodating to our unusual circumstances.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2023
    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, Families with young kids
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Denmark
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 2/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
  • Dolomites to Venice
    (5/5) Rob Russell July 9, 2023

    Fantastic bike trip - downhill all the way!

    · Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track

    I did this trip with my daughter who had never been to Italy. The folks at ''Fun Active Tours" were exceptional. They let us have the bikes a day early, call our hotels to make sure we had two beds as some of the hotels thought 'double' ment one bed! They let my daughter ride with the luggage transfer guy in the middle of the tour as her U-?-What was sore ;). Hotels were great and the route was unbelievable. Frendly Italians and some of the best food we've ever had. Go for it!

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    15
    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?
    Italy
    • Super helpful bike rental crew (photo by Rob Russell)
    • First day is on compacted dirt but the Dolomites are awesome! (photo by Rob Russell)
    • The old train grade was mostly paved and separated from traffic (photo by Rob Russell)
    • bike paths through towns are well marked and the phone app let us know when we went 'off route'! (photo by Rob Russell)
    • Many beautiful small villages on the route - perfect cappuccino stops! (photo by Rob Russell)
    • Oh, and don't forget the gelato! (photo by Rob Russell)
    • 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) Harvey Wilds July 11, 2023

    Wonderful tour of Czech and Austrian countryside

    · Prague to Vienna via Cesky Krumlov

    My wife and I had an excellent time on our self guided tour. The accomodations and logistics were perfect! We are definitely planning our next trip already.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Czech Republic
  • Stockholm Round-Trip
    (5/5) Kimberly Geritz July 12, 2023

    Peddling in Paradise!

    · Stockholm Round-Trip Across Swedish History

    A wonderful way to experience a slice of Sweden. Each day was a new adventure. Castles, cabins, fika , beautiful scenery and people filled our days. Each night we had a very different and wonderful accommodation. We enjoyed a nature reserve , a boutique hotel and a wonderful hotel in Stockholm city. Cycling through southern Sweden was a trip of a life time!

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    First time on a bike tour with a company.
    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?
    Sweden
    •  (photo by Kimberly Geritz)
    •  (photo by Kimberly Geritz)
    •  (photo by Kimberly Geritz)
    •  (photo by Kimberly Geritz)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Bolzano – Verona – Venice
    (5/5) Michel July 12, 2023

    Six days of great cycling!

    · Bolzano – Verona – Venice

    Beautifull scenery. Well organized despite my last minute booking. Most helpfull staff.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2023
    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
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Amsterdam to Bruges on Magnifique IV
    (5/5) Katherine Fackler-Chapman July 12, 2023

    Perfect trip to combine cyclists and non cyclist friends

    · · Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Magnifique IV (and reverse)

    Our guides Corrie and Hetty were knowledgeable and friendly, the crew of Chris , Alexis, Hella, and Ingaborg were helpful and gave great service, and the meals from chef Michel were outstanding. We will definitely do another trip with this company. Flat terrain and e-bikes or comfortable hybrids allowed people of all cycling levels to enjoy trip, and the small size allowed all of us to make new friends!

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 2023
    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
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Belgium, Holland
    • Strawberry rest stop (photo by Katherine Fackler-Chapman)
    • 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)
  • Swiss Lakes by Ebike
    (5/5) Christine Downing July 12, 2023

    Wonderful trip full of amazing cycling

    · Swiss Lakes by E-bike: Lake Geneva to Lake Lucerne

    We had a wonderful time! I rode an e-bike and my husband got the touring bike and that was perfect for us (as was the self-guided tour)! The tour company worked with us on changing our rest day location (to Lauterbrunnen, highly recommend) and everything was seemless. The hotels were very nice, although some of the places you stay are a little more ‘resorty’ then we would have preferred (although spending one afternoon in several saunas at a spa was perfect after some hard rides and a very hard hike—on our rest day). The provided guide and route and GPS is very easy to follow (it’s basically just an established bike route with signs). We appreciated the warnings about busy areas and climbs (although we ended up never taking any of the short cuts and we were fine)! I highly recommend the trip, if you want spent most of your days cycling with beautiful scenery (seriously amazing) with time each day to see a site or go for a bit of walk!

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 2023
    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?
    Switzerland
    • Waterfall along the route (photo by Christine Downing)
    • Lucerne (photo by Christine Downing)
    • Vevey (photo by Christine Downing)
    • View from our hotel in Gruyères (photo by Christine Downing)
    • Chataeu Chillon, on Lake Geneva (we made a special trip morning of the first ride) (photo by Christine Downing)
    • From top of the Schilthorn, on our rest day (photo by Christine Downing)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 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
  • Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
    (5/5) Pieter Van Niekerk July 12, 2023

    Quiet, beautiful and well organized.

    · Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems

    Excellent cycling roads with beautiful scenery. Well-spaced stops. Excellent GPS app. Good hotels. Good bikes and helpful upfront orientation.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Slovenia
  • An adventure to majestic Mount Trebevic
    (5/5) Jack Foley July 12, 2023

    Extremely rewarding and fun ride

    · Trebevic Olympic Mountain Bike Tour Sarajevo

    Perfect mountain bike ride on the doorstep of Sarajevo, Said from Torus Tours was a very friendly, knowledgeable and fun guide who paced the tour really well. It was a long uphill climb but felt like the perfect day on the bike with old friends, even though I was a solo traveller. Views from the top were amazing and the descent was fun. But riding down the bobsled track was the highlight, an incredible experience that you have to try if you visit Sarajevo!!

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 2023
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    •  (photo by Jack Foley)
    •  (photo by Jack Foley)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) Katya Spielberg July 12, 2023

    Fantastic Introduction to Ireland Countryside

    · Highlights of the Highlands: Donegal by E-bike

    A wonderful way to experience Donegal County in Ireland!! In spite of high winds 2 days and some rain most days, the beauty of the landscape and the loveliness of the Irish people made it one of my all-time favorite bike trips. Moreover, the customer service provided by Ireland by Bike was top notch -- from the maps and GPS to the history and daily recommendations provided, everything was made easy and accessible. Definitely appreciated the e-bikes given the number of hills and strong breezes on the coastline!! The quality of the B&B's did vary by location, but all were clean and hosts were friendly and helpful. Would definitely recommend to my friends and family!!

    Countries included in this tour?
    Ireland
  • Mosel Bike Path
    (5/5) Timothy Paradiso July 14, 2023

    The trip was well planned

    · Mosel Bike Path: Dreamy Mosel Valley from Trier to Koblenz

    The trip was wonderful unfortunately a member of our trip was injured and we had to stop our trip early. However the portion that we were able to do was wonderful, the hotels was great with a wonderful and very helpful staff. My only wish is that I would really like to have the GPS option, following the path was not difficult but would have been easier with the GPS, and made the trip more enjoyable.

    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, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Germany
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Danube Bike Path
    (2/5) May July 15, 2023

    First family cycling trip completed!

    · Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)

    Overall a satisfactory trip! The GPS is very useful for navigation. The hotels are great! Just on first day, we find that 2 of the 4 bikes are not fit. We have enter our age and height and has not been told specifically what kinds of bikes will be assigned. I found that they just give standard bikes for adult female and male disregard our height and age (Asians in average are shorter than Westerners.) The person, Robert, arrived for “bike fitting” was not helpful at all. He suggested my daughter to cycle 30km to their bike shop to change bike. When we asked him to call customer service, he said he didn’t have Wi-Fi. So, Eurobike send a staff without communication methods to help customers’ solve problems? Finally, Robert had to use my phone to call the CS number. And in the phone, he said we are “bla, bla, bla.” Is it the customers cannot voice their requests, even the bikes are not fit and customers have to take the risk of getting hurt or accident? and seems to Robert, customers’ requests are “bla, bla, bla..” And customers need to take the riding risk to go 30km to change bike? Later he mentioned it may need to charge EUR 50 per bike change if need to switch bikes in Passau. I have emailed biketour and I am grateful that next day the 2 bikes were changed without additional charges. In second day, Simon is much more helpful. Simon helps us do the testing & it works. Simon is v polite and helpful. Passau is the starting point of Danube cycle path. I feel strange that the outsource company does not have a bike rental centre there. This is our first family cycling trip and it did create stresses at the beginning. The outsource company probably need to have better communication with biketour.

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    First bike tour
    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?
    Austria, Germany
    • 3/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 2/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 2/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Balkan Treasures
    (4/5) Andres Volosin July 16, 2023

    Is all about Montenegro!

    · Balkan Treasures

    Overall was a good trip.
    Organizer lack on some details and punctuality.
    Hotels are OK. Request upgrades for locations and quality since is a small $ difference but big jump y confort. Albania part should be removed. Not the best routes.

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    5
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Croatia, Albania, Montenegro
    • 4/5 Value
    • 1/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
  • Vienna to Budapest
    (5/5) John July 16, 2023

    Dream trip!

    · Vienna to Budapest (Classic)

    Cycling is such a great way to travel in this part of the world. It's safe - almost the entire trip happens on protected bike paths, it's flat - suitable for kids, families, and travelers interested in seeing the countryside and towns along the way as they test their fitness on the trail each day. Each day covers between 40-80k of distance and rides through beautiful natural areas, villages, and farmland. Each evening ends in a beautiful town, village, or capital city with tons plenty of sites to see, delicious food to each, or activities to take part in (like the thermal baths in many of the towns along the way). We traveled as a group of six with 2 kids and 4 adults and everyone had a wonderful time. I highly recommend it.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Hungary
  • Baltic Capitals
    (4/5) Robert Civiak July 17, 2023

    I enjoyed it

    · Baltic Capitals: Historic Cities of Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn

    Good trip with excellent guides. The trip is a combination of walking tours of historic cities and biking on paths and quiet road, mostly near the sea near the sea.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
  • (5/5) Nicci Bowley July 17, 2023

    A wonderful way to get a taste of the Amsterdam surroundings.

    · Amsterdam Extended Countryside E-Bike Tour

    We loved every minute of our tour, the riding, the stops, the views, the group! I would highly rate this activity for everyone who's able and who pays a visit to the beautiful Netherlands!

  • Strasbourg to Mainz
    (3/5) Sheryl Slone July 17, 2023

    Disappointed

    · Strasbourg to Mainz: Imperial Cities and Charming Landscapes Along the Rhine

    We were disappointed in the inability of the app to work for route directions. Several detours were encountered that were clearly not recent detours but alternate directions were not given. We ended up just doing a Google bike route to get from city to city.

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 2023
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    France, Germany
    • BikeTours.com staff reply from JV July 18, 2023

      Thanks for your feedback. We are actively working - as a cycling community in Europe - to improve the overall app experience but unfortunately it is still a very fragmented market. Thank you for your business!

    • 1/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 1/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 1/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
    • 1/5 Local tour company services
    • 1/5 Route selection
  • Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
    (5/5) Michael Schwartz July 18, 2023

    Great Exposure to a Slovenia not seen by tourists

    · Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems

    The bike tour of the Gems of Slovenia afforded us a glimpse into the hidden life of the country, at least the part we saw. The hotels were comfortable, especially the M Hotel in Ljubljana. Breakfast at the M Hotel and the Hotel Piran were great; the others middling to OK. The luggage delivery to each hotel was excellent. The routes from Ljubljana to Piran were good, although our navigation system failed us after the second day. The company faxed us paper directions but they were in black and white and were repeat documents of what we had already.

    A few suggestions for change:
    1. Provision of a cell phone holder (the plastic bag with velcro strips did not work)
    2. A better GPS app
    3. Two, not one, but two panniers
    4. A way to ensure the charger for the E-bike does not fall out or be removed (someone removed my charger whether accidentally or intentionally I don't know)
    5. A way to do laundry, either in town or at the hotel with turn around time to keep the momentum of the trip going

    I would also consider making a town in Slovenia a central location with day trips to the surrounding environments.

    Good job!

    Michael

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 4 - 11
    How many tours have you completed?
    Two including this one
    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?
    Slovenia
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Lake Constance Bike Path
    (4/5) Mark Krueger July 18, 2023

    Our First E-Bike Trip

    · Lake Constance Bicycle Path

    Lake Constance is a beautiful lake with many quaint towns, varied terrain and an active boat scene.
    Our E-bikes performed flawlessly with more than enough battery life. Each hotel provided secure overnight bike storage and battery charging.
    We are seasoned long-haul cross country hikers but experienced daily logistical issues in that using maps and GPS we were unable to follow the bike paths; we often stopped to ask for directions.
    Not sure why this route is advertised as family friendly. During our journey around the lake we did not see any young children riding with parents; certainly this route is not appropriate for pulling a child-trailer behind a bike.
    I’d recommend renting the E-Bike and enjoy the journey as we did.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2023
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    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, Switzerland
    • 5/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 1/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection