Joe Laverick
Professional cyclist
An introduction to cycling holidays
Planning your first cycle tour
Thinking about planning your next great adventure and not sure where to start? Have you thought about taking a cycling trip? Cycling holidays aren’t just for seasoned veterans on two wheels. They are a fantastic way to explore new vistas, whilst staying active and out in the fresh air and glorious sunshine.
Planning a cycling holiday
Cycling holidays can take many forms. It could be travelling from one point to another or starting and ending in the same place each day. Whatever option you choose, you can expect plenty of hours in the saddle, spinning those legs and exploring your chosen destination on two wheels. Your main focus each day will be riding, and if you choose to go on a guided tour, your provider will be focused on making your time on the bike easy and, most importantly, enjoyable.
Biking doesn’t have to be a solo thing, where you load yourself like a packhorse and travel from town to town. There are experienced tour operators all over the world that specialise in group cycling holidays, for different abilities and group sizes. They will also take care of the details – transporting your luggage from A to B, and then B to C, airport pick ups, hotels and food. Often the tour operators even have bikes for you to use. So you just need to show up with some comfortable clothing and shoes and let them do the rest.
Here are some key things to consider when deciding on a cycling trip:
- Guided versus self-guided: Guided tour means that you purchase a trip package from a specialised cycling tour operator who will normally provide you with accommodation, support on the route, equipment, luggage transport and advice. Self-guided means you are on your own and need to consider all of the logistics by yourself.
- Type of roads and surfaces you plan to ride on: This depends on what kind of bike you want to use (for example, road, touring, mountain, or gravel bike). When riding in a group, all people will use the same type of bicycle.
- Cycling camp versus multi-day route: Camp means you will have accommodation in one place for a number of days and ride around always starting and finishing where you are staying. Alternatively, a multi-day route is a trip where you will sleep in a new location every day, moving between places on your bike.
Where should you go on your first cycling trip?
The stalwart cycling countries; France, Italy and Spain all have a plethora of options easily accessible for your first biking adventure. In France, it could range from cruising along the Loire river, to an epic eight days in the high Alps, taking on the legendary climbs of the Tour de France. In Spain, step away from the busy tourist beaches of the Costa Brava to find routes off the beaten track (literally!) to discover coves, or local vintners and cheesemakers in the north, just a stone’s throw from Barcelona. You could also ride around the vineyards of Tuscany in the springtime, or book a few days to see the highlights of the Netherlands, which is world-famous for its cycling culture.
Of course, if you’re more of a city dweller, check out all the amazing city hire bike schemes, from New York to Paris, Melbourne to Madrid. Hopping on a bike is a great way to explore a city. Most of the bike rentals work with apps, so download them before you go and get ready to cruise through the city without the hassle of public transport.
If the city isn’t your focus, an organised cycling holiday can be the way to go. Not only will you meet new people and make great friendships, you will come back stronger and energised from your trip. No doubt you will already be planning the next adventure on your return flight home.
There’s no such thing as too little experience for a cycling holiday. Most tour providers will give you a difficulty rating, so if you are looking for a casual jaunt just make sure it’s got an easy rating and you should be good to go! If you are looking for a harder challenge, check listings for the big days, the mountain passes or the competitions.
If you have some of your own equipment, check whether it's suitable for the trip with your tour provider. First time flying with a bike? Your local bike shop can often provide you with a cardboard box to pack it in, and will sometimes pack it for you for a small fee. Then just check the conditions of carry with your airline and you are on your way!
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