Do you have a bike and fancy making the most of it? There are so many places to cycle, from the Appalachian Trail to the sunny shores of California. Are you looking for cycling tour companies to support your dreams? We can help you find one and enjoy the ride.
Touring is a popular way to experience a new country, but if you’re not sure how to get started, you could do worse than booking a tour. Although there are many ways to plan a cycling trip, from hiring a bike and mapping your own route to buying a pre-packaged holiday with all meals included, most people prefer guided cycling tours for their convenience.
When it comes to booking a cycling tour package online, there is a mountain of options available for riders to choose from. Whether you want to ride through the mountains of Colorado or explore the Pacific coastline in California, you’ll have no shortage of companies vying for your business.
Because bringing your own bike on vacation is both expensive and inconvenient, it’s not surprising that most cyclists opt to rent a bike when they’re away from home. As a result, high-quality bikes have become the norm at many well-regarded vacation rentals, making it possible for riders of all levels to enjoy a cycling getaway.
Before proceeding, you might be interested:
If you live in Florida, then you must be already familiar with the wonderful opportunities that this state provides for cyclists. However, if you’re traveling to Florida on a bike, you may want to take some of the more off-the-beaten-track routes that take you through the state’s natural beauty. You can also check out this article for a full list of bicycle trails in Florida.
We’ve reviewed 3 of the best cycling tour companies, and listed them here. Whether you’re looking for a guided or self-guided experience, we’ve got you covered.
1. Trek Travel
When you think of bike touring, you usually think Trek Travel. It’s one of the best cycling tour companies and has long been the premier manufacturer of bicycles specifically for bike touring — from overnight trips to multi-week expeditions. With a close relationship with industry leaders like Trek Bicycles, they have never strayed too far from hardware and design innovation. However, many of their competitors are starting to catch up with them in terms of quality, though.
Trek Travel has been at the forefront of the bike-tourism boom. Their bikes are always up to date and provide a comfortable ride, while their GPS-enabled computers ensure that you’re always making your path.
Trek Travel gives you much more than a trip; it’s about the experience. They promise to change the very idea of what a cycling vacation should look like, by letting you explore the great outdoors while tackling some of the most incredible trails of the place you’re visiting.
To see the world on two wheels is an indescribable feeling. Trek Travel lets you do just that with their wide range of European bike tours and national park adventures. Each tour comes complete with top-of-the-line Trek bikes like the Verve+ electric bike and the Domane SL 7 Disc road bike, perfect for exploring the countryside in style.
3. Butterfield & Robinson
Luxury hotels, deep-rooted attention to detail, and careful route planning come together in one of the world’s most renowned 5-star luxury cycling tour companies — Butterfield & Robinson. Naturally, the bikes you get to take with you are no exception. Custom made for them by Italian manufacturer Bianchi, each bike is a work of art – the heart of a machine built to complete every journey it embarks on.
Bianchi road bikes reflect the brand’s Italian roots with a beautiful, tailored design to go with their classic, lightweight aluminum frames. The carbon forks are designed to dampen shock from bumpy roads, making it as smooth and comfortable a ride as possible for both you and your wallet. With 30-speed Shimano 105 drivetrains, carbon rims, and Fulcrum wheelsets, Bianchi road bikes are versatile enough to handle any condition.
If you choose to travel by bike, then Butterfield & Robinson will deliver the most rewarding cycling trip of your life. The beautiful sights, sounds, and scents of villages and vineyards will fill your soul with delight — no longer just the stuff of dreams. Butterfield & Robinson’s expert guides will lead you through the most stunning routes in Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and Latin America.
Butterfield & Robinson has been on a trip with a bike since 1966, and they don’t plan on stopping any time soon. They’re proud of their origins as a company, and they still believe that a bike can take you almost anywhere — and bring you back again just as comfortably.
If you are planning on a cycling tour, it’s important to choose a tour company that can cater to all of your needs. This company can provide you with high-quality bikes in addition to van support and the option to select an e-bike in almost all regions. In short, they’re able to take up the challenge of managing every aspect of a bike tour so that you can just enjoy the ride.
A word of advice; when you’re on a bike tour, be sure to bring enough water to last you through those long stretches without access to freshwater. Don’t take the risk of running out — bring the best cycling hydration pack that has a built-in water reservoir so you can carry as much water as you might need.
3. Tourissimo
If you’re planning a cycling tour through Italy, Tourissimo is the company for you. Being a tour operator in Boston and Turin with over 20 years of experience in the travel industry, the company offers incredible cycling tours across the length and breadth of Italy. The tours are led by chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants along with famous celebrities and James Beard Award winners, allowing tourists to have the chance to explore Italy on two wheels with one of the country’s most popular cycling tour companies.
This company only works with the best of the best for their cycling tours. They use Bianchi — a company founded in 1885, then purchased by Dorel Industries in 2010. Bianchi is a top-of-the-line manufacturer of bicycles, and their 105 series is no exception. The Intenso Carbon frame is built for Italian roads, and it goes well with Bianchi’s own Fulcrum Racing Sport wheelset and Vittorio tires. All of Bianchi’s bikes in the fleet have been upgraded to disc brakes, which are much easier to maintain than their rim counterparts.
Tourissimo’s philosophy is simple: sharing their passion for the sport with you on their active tours of Italy. If you’re looking for one of the best cycling tour companies that will give you the best guided cycling tours (aside from the two mentioned above), Tourissimo will take you to an experience that’s not just a way to get from one place to another, but a memorable experience that can bond people together through the beauty of the Italian landscape. They create trips that you will never forget!
Conclusion
When it comes to choosing a cycling tour company, the most important thing you can do is pick one that offers tours of the areas you’d like to see. We’ve selected a few of the top cycling tour companies out there, and while every single one provides fantastic accommodations, delicious food, and an experienced guide on each tour, the scenery that they offer will be very different from one company to another.
If you’re looking for the quintessential Italy experience, book a trip with Tourissimo. For bike tours through European national parks and bike adventuring across the continent, you should probably look into Trek Travel. Finally, if you’re an extreme bike adventurer looking for a real challenge, book with Butterfield & Robinson.
No matter which cycling tour company you go with, you’ll have an unforgettable experience during your cycling vacation in the place you want to visit!
