Casual Self-Guided Tours – an introduction
Self-guided bicycle tours continue to grow in popularity – many travelers choose this formula as their preferred way to experience Europe from the saddle of their bike, whilst many are trying out self-guided tours for the first time. It works for all traveler types:
- Solo travelers, couples, groups of friends and even families;
- From very experienced cyclists and travelers to first-timers;
- For easy to moderate cycling as well as challenging, more difficult itineraries
- Especially for those who want the freedom to set their own schedule every day and get off the track on detours.
All of this can be had, without needing to worry about planning a tour, spending countless hours online trying to find the best cycling routes and perfect scenery, or deal with countless emails and phone calls to find great local hotels, B&Bs or country houses, or luggage transfers in between each ride. We’ve been doing all of this for decades, and will help you get on the right self-guided bike tour, so that you only have to worry about enjoying!
Self-Guided bike tours have also been a great alternative since the pandemic began. Travelers choose not only when to travel and on what schedule, but also who to travel with, for example your significant other, or immediate family, thus creating a “travel bubble”. Although you are without a tour leader, we provide the information and suggestions to help you experience enriching local activities (cooking classes, visiting a parmesan cheese factory, an introduction to the renowned balsamic vinegar in a local cellar), the local food and drink, or visits with an expert local guide – but always with your own travel companions, as opposed to an open group of travelers.
In 2021, we launched our new Casual self-guided tours, allowing us to provide the same great cycling routes and travel experiences, at a lower price point. So far, the results have been very encouraging! We’ve been able to attract more traveler types, for example those who are happy to sleep in a cozy family-run B&B without any frills (of course, with the same cleanliness and a smiling owner or receptionist ready to offer local tips) instead of a 4-star hotel. In addition, this type of traveler does not need to meet our staff at the tour start to have the bike personally fitted, and can make the basic adjustments such as saddle height, or stem reach on their own.
New for 2024: in an effort to offer more sustainable options, we now offer this great tour package without luggage transfers between hotels. Self-supported cyclists can enjoy this bike itinerary carrying their belongings in bike panniers, thus reducing fuel and vehicle emissions!
CASUAL vs. CLASSIC – a comparison
Casual self-guided tours
· Lodging: mostly 3-star (some 2-star) hotels, B&Bs or farmhouse stays, often family-operated, without frills but still clean, charming and with local character.
· In-person meeting is NOT included; if you need a detailed, full-fledged briefing and personalized bike fitting at tour start, our Classic tours are for you!
· Luggage transfers between hotels are not included (the option is available with an extra fee)
· Customization: very little personalization and customization is available. If you need to add or shorten days, remove or include activities, or customized routes and itineraries, our Classic tours are for you!
· Navigation: we include our “digital roadbook” provided via the app Ride With GPS Experiences (emailed to you before your start) with tour information, cultural and travel details, and navigation tracks, to be viewed on your smartphone (we provide cell phone holders and a handy handlebar pouch for your battery bank). A GPS device and printed roadbook are offered as options at an extra cost.
· Bicycles: all bicycle types are available for rent.
Classic self-guided tours
· Lodging: 3- and 4-star hotels and farmhouse stays, possibly with better views or in a central location, often with more services and room upgrade options.
· Welcome meeting: Our English-speaking staff meets customers at tour start with a personalized bike fitting and detailed tour briefing, explaining the use of the roadbook and navigation tools, as well as answering your questions in person.
· Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel are included in the package.
· We can personalize or even customize our itineraries and packages (sometimes with a service fee). Add days or shorten the tour, include additional activities and local experiences, or customize the routes and itineraries – we are experts at creating tailor-made tours!
· Navigation: we include our “digital roadbook” provided via the app Ride With GPS Experiences (emailed to you before your start) with tour information, cultural and travel details, and navigation tracks, to be viewed on your smartphone (we provide cell phone holders and a handy handlebar pouch for your battery bank). A GPS device and printed roadbook are offered as options at an extra cost.
· All bicycle types are available for rent
What doesn’t change with our Casual formula?
· We include the same great cycling routes, many of which we’ve known and refined since as far back as 1972, when our founders started running their first bike tours!
· We also include the same great tour information package. Not just precise, well-maintained navigation routes; a well-organized tour itinerary, sightseeing tips and cultural information that we’ve been curating for decades. We email a link to our “digital roadbook”, which you can print at home if you like paper! If you prefer a GPS device or a printed roadbook, these are available as options, with an extra fee.
· We offer the same great service – contact us via email or call us on the phone, and we will be here to answer your questions and help you choose the right type of tour for you.
· The same quality bikes, in various types and styles – we take great pride in having one of the best-kept touring bike fleets in Europe.
· Local activities and experiences that you can reserve prior to your tour start (cooking classes, visiting local producers, tastings at local wineries, and much more). On our Classic tours, some of these activities may even be included
Need more information?
If you have general questions about our bicycle tours (including our Guided Tours), check out our Bicycle Tour FAQ.
If it’s your first time doing a self-guided bike tour (or, for more details on how we organize this tour formula), here’s a comparison of Self-Guided vs Guided Bicycle Tours.
For more information on self-guided navigation, here’s our blog on What’s it like to navigate on our self-guided tours.
Ready to start exploring and turn your dream into reality? Click the orange button below to start browsing our tours by country or tour type, or get in touch with us – our team of specialists will help answer your questions and help you find the right tour.
If you want the insights and experience of a past bike tour customer, please ask us and we will be happy to put you in touch with a past customer reference. They can share what they liked, and what they didn’t, about tour they chose.
See you on the road!
