Bike Tour Reviews page 26
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★★★★★ Ryan C.
The best monuments/memorials in one tour
Washington DC Monuments & Memorials Bike Tour
I can't think of a better way to see all the monuments/memorials in one trip. Of course you can't drive your car to each of the monuments and park. I suppose you could walk it, but it would be a very long walk. So seeing them by bike is about perfect.
Despite growing up in DC, I learned a lot on this tour. For instance, I didn't realize that the Washington Monument was at one time the tallest building in the world (later surpassed by the Eiffel Tower). And that it remains the tallest unreinforced stone structure in the world (no steel, just stone). (The wording used by the guide was something about "tallest free standing" structure, but I think he meant "tallest unreinforced structure".)
Every monument and memorial is a highlight. For me the MLK one was especially cool as I had not seen before. I just thought it was really well done and the guide really described it well. Another highlight was at the end, standing on the steps of the Jefferson memorial, you could see many of the monuments/memorials visited earlier, the White House, the Potomac, National Cathedral and all over DC actually. It's a great view. I had also not seen the FDR memorial before, and while I found it interesting, its message was not quite as easy to grasp as the others, for me at least.
There were two tour guides in our group of nearly 20 people, and they were knowledgeable about each monument. During each stop, one guide would keep an eye on all the bikes so that we could walk around and explore the monument for 10, 15 or 20 minutes, depending on the monument/memorial. It was really well organized and planned. The guides were friendly and available for questions and also had tools to help adjust the bikes if needed. One guide was wearing a badge on his shirt about how he wanted tips. I didn't know that ahead of time and didn't bring cash, and wouldn't know what they'd expect even if I had. So I kind of wish there was more communication and clarity on this aspect, as it made me wonder if the guides are already paid or if they are volunteers. In any case, the guides were great.
The bikes were good quality, well maintained, comfortable and easy to ride. I think the bike I rode was a Cannondale, which I understand is a very good quality bike. The starting location was very convenient and Unlimited Biking has a great location in DC. Along the ride there were opportunities for food and bathroom breaks, and it was overall a very easy and educational day tour.
I recommend this tour if you are interested in an easy and fun way to see all the monuments. This really is the easiest way to do that. I don't recommend this tour if you are looking for lots of exercise on a bike, as there really isn't all that much actual bike riding on this tour. But luckily, we were able to keep riding the bikes afterwards (without the guides) so we rode on to Old Town Alexandria and back, which was a nice ride for both exercise and scenery. Highly recommended. SHOW MORE
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2023
- 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
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★★★★★ sacman
Organized Adventure
Three Lakes Tour: From Geneva to Annecy
Well organized trip down to the street. While normally I stay in design hotels, due to the nature of the trip and the remote locations, the team did a superb job in accommodating us. The Chateau was certainly the highlight.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France, Switzerland
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★★★★★ psteckler
Good sampler for western Slovenia
Best of Slovenia: Highlights Across the Country From Bled to Piran
No one told me about the cows. On the riding first day, in a rural area, I encountered a trio of cows blocking the road. I wasn't sure about the protocol for dealing with them, but we all managed to get by one another without any injuries.
I really lucked out with the weather. I started in mid-October, and every day ended in sunshine. There was no rain at all. For the first few days, most mornings were chilly and overcast, sometimes even foggy. By the end of the ride, I got full days of sunshine. Don't expect this weather every October!
For the most part, I liked the route. The climb on the second riding day would have been a nice challenge on my road bike; on the rented touring bike, it was pretty hard, and I had to walk much of it. The Helia truck came by and offered me a lift, but I was determined to get to the top under my own power. There were some gravel sections, and a couple of stretches along busy roads that were unpleasant. Much of the route was on lightly-traveled roads, and many roads were nearly-vacant farm or forest roads. With a couple of exceptions, the drivers gave me a wide berth.
The rented bike was predictably sturdy and heavy. I had no mechanical issues during the ride, other than a squeaky back brake.
The accommodation was very good, for the most part. Yes, I found a cockroach in one room; that gives me a story to tell. The electricity went out at Hotel Tartini in Piran on the final morning, but breakfast was already prepared; another story to tell. The hotel staff was very helpful everywhere. The breakfasts were all good, perhaps too good. Too bad I don't like to ride after eating a lot.
There were some confusing bits in the cue sheets, and I got lost a couple of times. I've written to Helia about the issues I found. For the most part, the cue sheets were adequate. Asking locals and Google Maps set me straight.
I flew in and out of Ljubljana. To get to Bled at the start, and back from Piran at the end, I used ordinary commercial bus services, which worked well.
I really enjoyed Slovenia, and hope to visit again to see more of the country.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9 October 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- Over 20
- 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?
- Slovenia
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★★★★★ Stephanie Koussaya
Beautiful part of Ireland
Connemara Lazy Days Cycling
The Connemara region is truly beautiful and worth visiting. Our family enjoyed exploring the scenery and castles on the way. I wish the accommodations had been more consistent (similar from one another) and that we had been communicated that hotels/hostels would be located far from services such as restaurants, given that we had 2 children with us. We also biked mostly on a road shared with cars, which was stressful when managing kids. Overall, we enjoyed our trip but would not recommend for kids under the age of 12.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2026
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Ireland
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★★★★★ Casual Cruisers
Pedaling in the Polders
Best of Holland South: Canals, Windmills & Historic Towns
Peter of Tulip Cycling met us on the morning of our first cycling day. He was on time, the bikes were well prepared and Peter, a very personable host, was very patient and thorough in explaining everything to us.
Cycling was as described: flat, mostly trails or roads that see very little if any vehicle traffic.
Hotels were mostly fine. The Mastrichter Dom in Gouda was a disappointment: the room was clean and the attendant friendly enough but the room was small, awkward and noisy. Peter explained later that there have not been any appealing in-town hotels in Gouda but that the situation was being remedied with the opening of a new hotel presently.
The Hotel de Plataan in Delft was charmingly decorated and nicely equipped but the elevator didn’t go to the top floor (You’ve heard if such things?) and our rooms were on the top floor. Emergency egress wasn’t up to US standards but we otherwise enjoyed the stay.
The use of GPS for route tracking was nearly a winner. Peter has carefully prepared the GPS routes with many waypoints so that it’s generally very easy to know where to go. A couple practical limitations with the GPS displays caused some consternation: the displays are small and not bright enough for the brightest daylight conditions. We often had trouble discriminating between the colored line for the travelled route and those for streets in general. This necessitated frequent stops to peer at the display while shading it or stooping to get close to it.
As a route tracking strategy I think it is a great innovation (I have done half a dozen trips following the map and narrative system). With a better display this would be an obvious choice.
The cycling is not strenuous. The paths, roads and terrain were friendly. By the fourth day we had seen enough of the polders! They are charming and scenic enough but a bit repetitive after a while! The towns and cities were very interesting. We wished we had had more time to spend exploring those.
Our last day did not go according to plan as Tulip Cycling required the return of the bikes at 4:00 PM. We asked for an extension but it was not allowed. We could not complete the route in the available time so we hopped on a train for the last several miles. This was not a major disappointment for us but it certainly might be for some travelers. This detail should be clear at booking time.- What was the date of your tour?
- late Sept. 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- 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?
- Holland
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★★★★★ Steve Chodat
A "watered-down" cycling trip
Vienna to Budapest (Classic)
No fault of your operator, we arrived in Vienna in midst of Storm Boris, and historic Danube flooding. While the tour operator did great job trying to accomodate for ever changing conditions, we only managed to cycle 3 of 6 days... Flooding made sections impassable, including last couple days. What we did see while cycling was not particularly scenic. And I'd heard that the Vienna/Budapest ride was not the best of sections to ride along the Danube, but my experience was limited. Bratislava was definitely worth a stay over and Budapest is a city we enjoyed very much throughout our extended stay (5 nights).
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★★★★★ Steven
Fun trip
Florence to Rome
Great way to see Medeval towns not jammed with tourists. Nice hotels, excellent local cuisine and sights. I wish the roads were better maintained with less car traffic and the bikes were lighter.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 22-29
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Michelle2019
Provence’s History, Landscapes, and Luberon National Park
I would not recommend ChainGang as a tour operator for this area. Far better and more savvy operators with better maps and navigation are out there. At the end of the trip no one from the company checked in with us. A bit strange having all their equipment. Their printed material in a folder was ridiculous. We asked for map holders and ended up using clothes pegs and a plastic bag. Why the maps?
- What was the date of your tour?
- 17 Sept - 3 Oct
- How many tours have you completed?
- Several
- 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?
- France
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe
Hi Michelle, and thanks kindly for the review. We appreciate you letting us know that the maps and navigation left something to be desired. On many self-guided tours, the operator will not meet with you at the end of the tour. They will simply pick up the equipment from the final hotel. However, each operator handles this differently. Based on the rest of your review values, it seems like you enjoyed the other aspects of the tour. We certainly hope so!
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★★★★★ Colorado Bill
First step to the Atlantic
Loire a Velo: Orleans to the Atlantic
We arrived a day early. Orleans was great city. Big church.
The trip was seamless. Bikes hotels maps road food just what you would expect fro. FRANCE. .... We wish we had taken the time into week 2 or 3 to complete the Loire.
We will return.- What was the date of your tour?
- June 24
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much 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?
- France
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★★★★★ Susan Ferrante-Collier
Girls on Bikes
Lake Constance Classic (11-nights)
It was an amazing trip, we are very appreciative for the assistance of bike tours in making the trip as lovely as it was. My only complaint is that one of the hotels was in the middle of a huge construction situation and there were unpleasant septic issues. Choosing another hotel would have been preferable
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 4-16
- 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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★★★★★ Susana
Family trip
Danube Family Tour 7 Nights
This trip is perfect for a family with small children. We have 2 kids, 6 and 8 years old and they have enjoyed everything! The bikes, the swimming pools at Mauthausen, the swims in the Danube, the playgrounds alond the way...We hired a one tag along bike (carried by his father :) and a children bike in order to change during the trip and make it easier for them.
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★★★★★ Susan and Roger Kelly
Awesome trip.
Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
Loved it but more km than we expected. Would have appreciated personal contact when we arrived but there was some confusion. Otherwise it was a beautiful way to experience Austria.
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★★★★★ Susanne Graham
Lovely trip
Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
This was a lovely way to see various small cities along the beautiful scenery of the Danube River. The hotels were all so unique and had such character of their own. The e-bikes were perfect.
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★★★★★ Susan Roberts
Beautiful scenery!
Salzburg Lakes Tour: Around the Lakes within the Foothills of the Alps
Nice variety of towns and rural countryside. Hills on the last day especially were more like level 4 than level 2 - quite challenging, even on ebikes. Hotels were varying but adequate.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
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★★★★★ suze
Danube River Bike tour
Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
We loved this bike tour. Even though Tom and I couldnt cycle due to a recent bike accident, we followed our group by car. The villages were stunning, the hotels great, except maybe the one in Tulln. All the meals were great, except maybe the one in Linz, but I think that is because there was a wedding in the hotel. Fabulous hotel in Linz. The rest of our group loved the biking part. Highlight was definetly the boatride from the hotel in Durnstein along the Danube!!!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 30-July 7
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ Steve H
Castle Corridor - Rhine River Valley
Rhine Bike Path: Mainz to Cologne
Castle after Castle. Wine, Wine, Everywhere Wine!!! Velociped App was sensational guiding us on the route, getting us to our specific hotel, sites to see along the way. A few bike issues on the front end but Velociped finally took care of it. BikeTours followed up to make sure all was well. Hotels were 4 and 5 star (by European standards) with the exception of Hotel Sum Adler in Bad Godesberg. Good hotel, clean, good breakfast, but our room was the size of a phone booth! We actually had a bit of a chuckle about it. We were blessed with perfect weather for the entire ride. Rheinfels Schloss Hotel is a must!!!!!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2026
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Bev Langsch
Lots 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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★★★★★ Beverly Langsch
Ups and downs
Sardinia: A Mine of Memories
We had A hotels and it was wonderful to have a swim after a hot (+30°C) day of riding. But, these hotels were often away from town centers. Route was very doable on ebike, but riders do need instruction from local operater, regarding battery range. Several in our group had to do last 10 km, uphill, without battery assist. Only GPS instructions were provided; no maps or written navigation cues for backup, so cyclists need to be used to this system. The heat was difficult, so I would never consider this ride in summer. I loved the long downhills, generally low traffic, views to coast on day 5 and 6. Day 4 was a slow, easy day with 2 ferries, but was much appreciated after the hill climbing and heat on days 2 and 3.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 9, 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- Many! Probably 15 or more
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Pete baker
Great support for scenic ride
Bolzano to Verona: Orchards, Mountains & Timeless Culture
Stefan and staff gave good and prompt support when needed. Day with ferry across lake garda a bit too long. Equipment was excellent.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Tanner Welsh
Beautiful ride, a few weather-related issues
Danube Bike Path 5-nights (Active)
Overall this tour was a great experience. The scenery was lovely, basic logistics were smooth and easy to follow, and the bike was sufficient for the style of riding. Hotels were comfortable and clean, and one was way more luxurious than expected.
The only reason I didn’t give five stars is that my tour coincided with Danube flooding that closed many sections of the trail, making the route significantly more difficult to navigate. While the tour operators were very helpful when asked, there wasn’t much proactive support with information like alternate routes. I would’ve expected a bit more of a “Plan B” in place given that flooding is not an uncommon event, but instead I was often just figuring it out as I went. This made for a memorable adventure, but also that I had less time to stop along the way because I had to account for more time spent waiting and taking detours. I’d also recommend spending some time getting familiar with common bike-related road signs and relevant German words for “except” and “open/closed” - much better to know the basics before having to take an unplanned detour through a higher-traffic zone.
All this to say, if you don’t go during a flood you’ll probably not encounter any of these issues. And the scenery and tranquility of the ride are hard to beat.
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