Five myths about bike tours | KSDK.com

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Thinking of taking an organized bike trip this summer or fall? There are dozens of tour companies out there, at a variety of price points, ready to take you to Croatia, Cuba or California on two wheels. But how about fitness, distance and bringing your family along? Here are five myths about bike tours.

1. Bike trips are only for hardcore riders.

Sure, there are companies that are geared to hardcore bike riders. But they’re in the minority. The vast majority of bike touring companies offer a range of tours for riders of varying abilities. These are active trips, but the idea is to use the bike as a way to see the destination from a different vantage point. . . .

2. I’m not that fit, I can’t ride 30 or 40 miles a day.

“It's a vacation, not a race,” says Andy Levine of DuVine Cycling + Adventure Co, a luxury bike tour operator based in Boston. “We have trained, experienced guides, e-bikes and full van support available throughout the trip. Some people might be able to ride 30 miles and others might do less. But everyone always seems to make it to lunch at the same time.”

B&R takes a similar approach, says Howe. “As long as you know how to ride a bike and can walk up and down the stairs and enjoy a casual stroll or an occasional game of tennis, you should be fit enough to enjoy a bike trip.” . . .

3. I would love to do a bike trip with my family, but that doesn’t make sense since we ride at different speeds and levels.

It’s not as big an issue as you might think. Riders on most bike tours are spread out, or ride in very small clusters, meeting up at lunch or at day’s end.

Howe of B& R says “Most kids can start to enjoy the riding from the age of eight and up. We believe in designing bike trips that allow everyone to go at their own pace and to cover their own distance. We almost never bike as a group. People have their own bikes and their own route instructions, either with a GPS or a hard copy. Really young kids can get pulled behind their parent. I dragged my two-year-old daughter Grace all over Tuscany.” . . .

4. I’m too old for a bike tour, it’s really aimed at active younger travelers.

Actually, most 20- and 30-year-olds aren’t that interested in bike tours because they’d rather save the money and put a trip together on their own.

“We see more riders in their 40s, 50s and even 60s rather than in their 20s and 30s,” says Sare of Bike Hike Adventures.

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Five myths about bike tours | KSDK.com