Cycling Holidays

[Sara_H]

We used a company years ago for a trip from Vienna to Budapest. They provided bikes, maps, booked accommodation and did luggage transfer. It wasn't guided, you rode at your own pace, and chose if you wished to ride in company or not.

We were quite new to cycling then and had never done any touring. The bikes weren't very good, I'd provided my own gel saddle cover, my then husband was in agony every day!

Other than that, I couldn't fault it. The organisation was fab, the accomodation was great, we had no problems with the luggage transfers.

The only thing was the cost. My estimate was that we could have done it independantly for half the price.

Have a good one whatever you decide.

 

[Jefferson Meriwether]

I've yet to do a cycling holiday but when I do it's going to be a DIY holiday. I want to have the freedom of chosing my own route (The planning is half the fun I think.) and also the freedom of changing my route on a whim as I go along if I so wish.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Our first tour was a DIY tour. We went to Denmark and loved every minute of it.
But be careful it is seriously addictive.
Our first tour was June 2010. For our 2nd tour, starting Feb 2011 we had sold everything we owned, quit our jobs and set out to cycle around the world. We had 12 months of magic and loved every single minute before our 'dog incident' and as soon as we can, we will be back on out touring again.

 

[BrazingSaddles]

Our first tour was a DIY tour. We went to Denmark and loved every minute of it.
But be careful it is seriously addictive.
Our first tour was June 2010. For our 2nd tour, starting Feb 2011 we had sold everything we owned, quit our jobs and set out to cycle around the world. We had 12 months of magic and loved every single minute before our 'dog incident' and as soon as we can, we will be back on out touring again.

I totally agree. I hadn't been on a bike for yeeeeeeeaaaaaars before I met my OH, who, being the bike addict he is, quickly put one together for me. 2009 we did our first two week tour in France, loved it so much that we too gave notice to flat/job and pottered off for an amazing long holiday on our Surlies. We try to do a tour each year - to wait any longer I start to yearn for it... Cambodia this year but with Exodus. It will be odd not doing DIY.

 

[373157]

I am thinking for a first cycling holiday I thought the uk and I am thinking camping but like you said long weekend using B&B

I have recently (late last year!) been on a weekend trip with BicycleBreaks, a company who organise weekend breaks on the south coast (based in Bournemouth). We had two great days of cycling, they asked us what our comfortable milage was for the two trips and then decided on a route. Guides were great, slightly older than I thought they would be, but good cyclists. The price was good, a choice of accommodation, and they left nothing to chance. Worth giving them a go if you want an initial weekend to try a cycling holiday and see how you find it.

 

[Lee_M]

dont ask on a touring part of the forum i you should use a company, eberyone here is a dies in the wool beardy weirdy

personally I tend to ride on my own throught the year as my wife doesnt ride or with the only one of my mates who does (and he's reallllllllly slow) but I'm also very busy so when I want a holiday I want it all arranged - not necessarily who I ride with, but accomodation, luggage transfer etc. That way I can just ride, decide if I want to be on my own or tag along with others.

The lack of stress is great. Personally I get no enjoyment out of trawling through maps, organising routes, trying to find accomodation, worrying if my bike os going to be nicked 'cos the b&b doesnt have secure accomodation, having huge panniers fall into my rear wheel and spit me off etc etc

Each to their own, but don't let anyone tell you DIY is the only REAL way to do it

BTW I'm off for two weeks to Lefkas in May where I get to windsurf in the morning and ride up 8% hills in the afternoon - all I have to do is turn up with my bag. Its brilliant

 

[neil_merseyside]

We've done a few organised tours and loved the simplicity of everything being organised with bag transfers and routes planned (with local knowledge usually) and we've always had nice companions - I imagine that self selection is at work and so most people will be like minded and similar ability (if tour level is chosen honestly!), we've had both guided (tandem!) and many more self-led but well supported rides, and we even once even worked on a big tour for a French Cycle Holiday company - we'd love to get into that properly but our language skills are dire! Now that we have downshifted (poorer) we can only afford to DIY, but with guidance on here/CTC/YACF it is so easy to get advice on just about anywhere, with endless routes to copy from GPSies.com and the planning tools like bikeroutetoaster.com make DIY routing easy, the logistics of getting to/from 'wherever' are still a problem of course, with UK trains a real bug bear, but as our preference for not camping mean the clash of 'champagne tastes and lemonade money' complicates plans...

 

[oldfatfool]

I did my first cycling holiday as a 3 week tour in France last year on my todd, I have considered a ctc offering but then your holiday dates have to fit in with theirs and at the end of the day they are in it to make a profit.

I enjoyed my 3 week tour and I can appreciate that alone there are no personality clashes etc, however I enjoy others company and did like the evenings when I teamed up with other cyclist for an evenings chat.

This year I was hoping to team up with another cyclechatter to again tour through France but as i have been unable to secure the holiday dates required I think I will be chucking the tent and a bike in the back of the car and heading off for the south of France/ Italy/ Austria/ Switzerland, and have a couple of weeks 'col/pass bagging' wherever the sun is shining.Anyone fancies a 'road trip' is more than welcome to join me first 2 weeks in Sept.

 

[BrazingSaddles]

Each to their own, but don't let anyone tell you DIY is the only REAL way to do it

DIY IS the only REAL way of doing it

 

[andym]

dont ask on a touring part of the forum i you should use a company, eberyone here is a dies in the wool beardy weirdy

Oi! I've never got past the stubbly phase.

A supported tour with someone to carry your stuff and sort things out if you have an accident or a mechanical - what's not to like?

If I could afford it (and I can't) I'd be only too happy to go with a company.

A group tour can be great or it can be a pain - and yes it is nice to have the freedom to go at your own pace and to improvise if you want to.

...UK trains a real bug bear...

OK I know that the 2 bikes limit on many trains can be a pain, but actually UK trains are among the most bike-friendly in Europe. Carry a bike on almost any train for nothing? You certainly can't do that in France, Spain, Italy, Germany or Switzerland.