Frequently Asked Questions

What’s a Typical Day Like?

The day begins at breakfast either in our campsite marquee or at our hotel. On a camping trip, this will usually consist of cereals, croissants, fresh fruit, bread and jams and tea or coffee. During breakfast we circulate the route notes (these detail the days riding, profile graph, maps, tourist highlights, foodie tips etc) and our tour leader talks through the day ahead.

After breakfast you put your luggage in our vehicle. You are now ready to hit the road with your route notes and/or GPS.

The day is then yours - you ride at your own pace and make your way along the course - riding with others, the crew or by yourself if you wish. The tour is not ‘guided’ but the crew are always on the road to ride with.

You can stop when you like, take photos, find a cafe for coffee. There’s always tourist highlights listed on the route notes, with suggestions for villages to visit, view spots and lunch stops that highlight the local cuisine. They also detail and tips on the climbs/cols/passo!

In the afternoon, we have afternoon tea at our hotel/camp - a delicious and nutritious selection of regional produce (cheeses, fruits, breads, cakes) to refuel (except on our Japan tours). On our camping nights we also have an eski with cold drinks. People tend to relax together , chatting about the ride and the day. The afternoons are also time to relax in your tent/hotel room, go for a swim, explore the destination village… or enjoy a peaceful onsen when on Tour in Japan.

Dinner is either a group meal or a free night. Group meals are at carefully selected restaurants showcasing the best of the region. After dinner people tend to head to bed. Some might go out for a quiet drink in a piazza or izakaya to enjoy the local atmosphere.

How fit do I need to be?

The fitness requirements vary slightly for our tours, however you will need to be able to comfortably ride around 70-80km a day for the duration of the Tour (5 days to 2 weeks).

On the mountainous tours (e.g. Nice-Alps) we climb 1500-2000m on consecutive days, so you need to be prepared for mountain riding and have trained for this.

Some of our tours (Japan) offer slightly shorter daily distances giving you more opportunity to explore the cultural highlights along the way. On our Japan tour there is an additional loop ride on most days for those wishing for more riding.

Our tours are not a group or ‘peloton’ ride. You do get to ride at your own pace. It is not a race and the intention is for people to take their time over the riding and enjoy the places we are passing through. While we do have a support vehicle for cyclists with physical or mechanical difficulties, we cannot make special arrangements and we do not have medical staff on the crew - so make sure you talk to us if unsure of your capabilities.

Some of our tours are more mountainous and challenging than others. We also have the options to ride less or more each day (detailed on our route notes). For the less experienced cyclists (or even if you just want a little break) we are happy if you want to take a ride in our support vehicle - it’s a holiday, after all!

Please contact us if you require any more clarification of the type of fitness required.

What do I need to bring?

A bicycle, some spending money, and a sense of humour! A detailed packing list will be provided upon booking.

For our camping tours, we recommend you hire one of our 2-second pop-up tents and deluxe air mattresses.

Bring appropriate cycling and casual clothing for both very hot, rainy, and potentially cold weather as many of our trips take us over mountain passes close to 2000m high.

Pack your bathers – swimming pools or beaches are at many campgrounds and we stay by the beach and river on our Aussie tours.

For our Japan Tours - hotels provide toiletries - even tooth brushes and the customs for bathing and dress are quite different than in Australia and Europe. Detailed information will be provided prior to the Tour but do get in touch if you have any questions.

Should I bring my own camping gear, or can I hire some?

For our camping tours, we offer hire of a “pop-up” 2 second tent and an inflatable sleeping mattress. This option is included on the booking form. Alternately, bring your own camping equipment (tent, mattress, sleeping bag). Please contact us if you require any further info.

What about arrival and departure?

You get yourself to the hotels at the start and away from the hotel at the end of each trip. We book comfortable 2 to 3 star hotels in each city, near the railway or drop off point for airport buses where possible.  We will provide you with hotel details closer to departure date as we do not finalise these bookings until trip numbers are confirmed. All arrival and departure cities are accessible rail and many have airports nearby.

We are able to assist you in suggesting the best flight / travel options to / from our holidays and also work closely with an experienced travel agent who assists our customers with their travel bookings and connections.

Do I need to bring my own bike?

Yes, we recommend you bring your own bicycle and are responsible for ensuring it is in good condition, recently serviced and that you have necessary spare parts (e.g. Tyres, tubes, spokes). Road bikes are most common and eBikes are welcome.

We are able to provide mechanical assistance on the tour but do not carry a large array of spare parts. We will do our best to get you back on the road as soon as possible if you have a breakdown.

Hire: We do not offer bicycle hire, however we can put you in touch with some quality companies in the regions we visit if this is something you are interested in.

For our Japan Tours we work closely with a local operator who has road bicycles for hire. In Japan you will also likely need a bicycle “rinko” bag to take your bike on the train or store it in your hotel room. These are available for purchase or hire.

How do i pack my bike for traveL?

We have travelled extensively with our bikes, and it’s easier than you may think! See our Instagram Story on packing your bike!

Bag/Box: Firstly, choose and purchase (or hire) a bicycle bag or box. There are numerous products on the market. We can recommend some of our favourites, just get in touch! Be aware of airline weight restrictions when choosing a box (some are 10kg+)!

Time: Give yourself 2 or so hours first time, and as you get more experienced it’s easy to pack a bike in around 30mins.

Dismantle bike: There are lots of You-tube videos to help with this. Local bike shops will also do it for a small fee if it’s something you don’t feel comfortable with. At a minimum:

• Remove pedals with pedal spanner or allen key

• Remove seat post

• Remove wheels and take out the skewers, partially deflate tyres and U=use a ‘spacer’ between your front forks

• Handlebars will need to be removed and turned inwards.

• Remove rear derailleur or loosen it and pack it close to the frame, well covered and wrapped in bubble wrap

Packing: Pack your bike in to the box, wrapped in bubble wrap. We then recommend you pack your clothes around the bike (usually in pack cells and plastic bags to keep them clean).