I’m a fervent road rider and firmly feel that this is among the best holidays you can have. Cycling excursions combine physical activity and fitness with the ideal speed for viewing the scenery and discovering new places, allowing you ample free time to explore the local cuisine and culture of the area you are visiting.
But I’ve heard from prospective tourists who are concerned about the caliber of the provided bikes, and this is a reasonable issue. If you ride frequently, you likely have an outstanding road bike at home and are accustomed to that standard; if not, a better bicycle will make the journey easier and more pleasurable.
Smaller tour companies might not have the greatest equipment, and up until recently even some of the more well-known and larger operators uses bikes from the mass market. The good news is that the industry has undergone an upgraded trend, and the top manufacturers are now providing very good bikes—many times better than what you presumably have at home.
This is wonderful news for bikers of all levels of experience and tour companies because carrying your own bike on vacation is both expensive and inconvenient. In 2021, a number of important companies introduced new inventories, so I looked at what the leading operators are currently offering their clients.
1. Butterfield & Robinson
The renowned Italian bike maker Bianchi has created special bikes for the award-winning 5-star luxury tour operator, which is already well recognized for its meticulous planning, beautiful lodgings, and attention to detail. The road bikes use lightweight Fulcrum wheelsets, 30-speed Shimano 105 drivetrains, and frames made of aluminum with carbon forks to absorb shock.
They also provide a customized Bianchi hybrid with bigger tires and the same parts and materials. Travelers desired a bike that performed better and is lighter. Upon request, they also provide an upgrade to a premium carbon fiber frame with Shimano Di2 (electric shifting).
2. Backroads
The biggest and most well-known bike tour company in America is famous for the caliber of its tour operators and for locating outstanding cuisine, but they have significantly increased the ante on hardware.
As of last month, they are buying the best and lightest road bikes, which feature premium Mavic Krysium Pro wheels, top-tier Shimano Ultegra Di2 electronic shifting, unique titanium frames with full carbon forks, and other high-end components.
Almost any traveler will be pleased with these bikes, but if you are a real gearhead, they offer the option of upgrading to a Specialized S-Works model, the company’s top-tier high-performance range, for $400 per trip.
3. Tourissimo
This organization, which has offices in Boston and Turin, is an expert in Italy, which is a popular cycling destination for Americans, and offers a variety of itineraries under the direction of renowned chefs, including superstars and James Beard Award winners.
They employ the premium Intenso Carbon frame with Shimano 105 22-speed gearing, Fulcrum Racing Sport wheelsets, and quick-rolling Vittorio tires because they are Italian and have a long-standing relationship with Bianchi.
They just modified the fleet to disc brakes, which function well in all conditions but particularly well in the rain. They specifically selected this bike because of its larger headtube and easier-to-ride upright endurance posture, which are preferable for those of us who aren’t racers and want to truly enjoy a string of back-to-back days in the saddle.
4. Trek Travel
Trek Travel was first introduced by renowned manufacturer Trek Bicycles before becoming a separate business. Despite this, they still have a tight working relationship and have consistently produced the highest-quality hardware. However, subsequent enhancements by rivals have essentially leveled the playing field.
The best Trek bikes have always been available from Trek Travel, and the company was also among the first to offer top-tier Garmin GPS bicycle computers with pre-loaded routes, which is now a very common practice.
They started with the best of the bunch, the Trek Domane SL 7 road bicycle, a top full carbon framework with Bontrager Race Lite TLR wheels and Ultegra Di2 electronic shifting, unlike many other brands who charge an upgrade fee.
5. World Expeditions
Trekking and adventure vacations are available from World Expeditions, an ecotourism and adventure travel business. You can anticipate high-value, top-notch, active, expedition-style adventure travel experiences on all seven continents when you embark on a World Expeditions tour.
Their first trek was inspired by the mountains of Nepal, which is when their adventure began. Their mission to offer active and adventurous travelers BIG activities that leave an impression on the people and, places they visit has inspired them to pioneer numerous firsts in adventure travel.
When you reserve one of their adventures, you’ll get top-notch services at the most reasonable rates with lots of features. There are no additional fees for single travelers, there are no hidden prices, and you will receive many “extra touches” that make your trip very affordable.
6. Adventure Centre
Adventure Center, a broker organization with its main office in Toronto, collaborates with a small number of tour companies to offer bicycle vacations in over 20 different countries. Cycling tours of South Africa’s wine districts are among the most well-liked excursions. It seems amazing that they went on a safari bike ride through the Serengeti in Kenya.
They specialize in smaller groups of 2 to 16 visitors, although they also provide solo or “self-guided” tours. Additionally, it is possible to mix cycling with other sports in a multi-activity vacation. In Turkey, for instance, riding could be combined with walking and sea kayaking.
7. Arizona Outback Adventures
Mountain bike tours are offered by Arizona Outback Adventures in Scottsdale, Arizona, to destinations such as Bryce and Zion, Utah, Death Valley, and Napa Valley, California. The most well-liked excursion is a multi-day camping trek in the Sonoran Desert near Phoenix, Arizona. In Africa, lodging options include 3-star villas, haciendas, chateaux, boutique hotels, and even camping.
8. Arbutus Routes
In Whistler, British Columbia, Arbutus Routes offers a variety of multi-day cycling excursions across the province, including the well-liked Cycling and Wine Tasting tours in the Okanagan wine region. From May through October, tours are available, and options for lodging include camping, bed & breakfasts, resorts, and villas.
9. Bicycle Adventures
Bicycle Adventures, situated in Seattle, provides year-round riding trips that last four to 10 days. There are programs available for traveling to Canada, New Zealand, Hawaii’s Big Island, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Idaho, and California. Visitors stay in luxurious lodgings that are specific to the region, including modest, quaint lodges. The focus is on choosing eateries that capture the unique local flavor of each locale.
10. Cyclegreece
A New York-based company called CycleGreece provides guided and unguided cycling tours all throughout Greece, including the Cyclades islands, the Peloponnese, and Crete. Visitors may reach a number of fabled sites on their Sacred Sites tour, which Outside magazine named one of the ‘6 Best Cycling Tours in Europe’. Another tour includes a sail on their own 82-foot traditional wooden yacht in addition to a bicycle experience.