How Many days?

As we mentioned above we are focusing on tours that are at least 3 days in length. Most tours in this range are 3 days, 6 days, or 7 days. That is not to say that there are no tours that are 4, 5, or more than 7 day bike tours, just that most are 3, 6, or 7 days long.

The 3-day bike tours are designed as long weekend tours and encompass a weekend. Where as the 6 and 7-day tours are weeklong tours that start either on a Saturday or Sunday ending on a Friday or Saturday.

• The different amount of days will impact
  • How much it cost for the tour
  • How much you will spend during the tour
  • How far you are willing to travel to the start
  • How many total miles you will ride

Remember that generally you will need to get to the start the day before the first ride day to register. That adds a day of travel. For example if the ride "starts" on a Sunday, the registration day will be on the day before, Saturday.

If the ride ends on a Friday you will have the weekend to get back home or travel more in that area/state.

When looking at how many days the tour will be remember about the registration day and travel time.

Tour Size

How many riders the tour allows has one of the biggest impacts on what type of experience you will have. There are tours that take up to 12,000 rides! And some have a limit of 10.

A tour with a small amount of riders, fewer than 50, will tend to have an atmosphere in which everyone gets to know each other quickly. The organizers/guides are much easier to access. You will not have lines for food, bathrooms, showers, and other services. You will ride with the same people everyday or you will have an easy time to ride by yourself (depending on how it is organized). These tours tend to be a little quieter compared to other larger rides.

A mid sized tour, from 50-300 riders, have an atmosphere in which you will get to know a lot of people. You will get to know the organizers. There may be some waiting for food, showers, and other services (this varies according to how it is organized). You will have the opportunity to ride with many different people but still have the option of riding by yourself. These bike tours tend to be a little more energetic than the smaller tours but will still give you the option of getting away from people and commotion if you choose.

Large tours, from 500-1000 rides, have an atmosphere in which you will certainly meet a lot of people. You will know who the tour director is but may never speak to them. Instead you will get to know the support staff. You will be waiting for food and other services. You will be part of a large group of people on bikes all riding in the same area. Because of all the riders, the camping area will be entertaining.

Extra large tours, 1000 riders and up. You may never know who the director is but you will know the staff. You will wait in line for food and other services. There will be a large number of people on the road. There will be a lot of people camping with you.

Pros and Cons of different group sizes.

Pros- In a large/extra large group you have the opportunity to be with many, many other fellow cyclists. You will meet many, many interesting and entertaining people. While you wait in lines you will have many other people to talk over the day with. The towns you pass through tend to "do it up" for the mass of riders coming through. If you have a bike problem someone will always be around to help you out. Rides this size tend to be less expensive. You will be left to your own devises more.

Cons- Every Pro listed could be a Con depending on how you look at things.

Pros- Medium size rides provide you with the opportunities that large rides does but at the same time you can get away from it if you prefer. You will meet many nice and entertaining folks and than go off on your own if you choose. The local towns know that you are coming and are impacted by your presence. Prices tend to be very reasonable.

Cons- Not big enough to be a true large event and not small enough to feel completely catered to.

Pros- Small rides are set up to look after you. You will get personal attention that medium and large rides can not provide. You will not be waiting in any lines. You will get to know everyone there well.

Con- Every Pro listed can be a Con depending on how you look at it. You will pay more for the extra attention.

There are those of you reading this that did not know bike tours that take more than a hand full of people existed. Not only do they exist they are great fun. It is difficult to put into words why they are special. Simply bringing this many cyclist together just turns into a good time. Something about the group dynamic.

Another bit that the size of the ride impacts is the pace (speed) of the ride. The bigger the ride the easier it is to find someone that rides your pace. If you want to go hard and fast – you will find company. If you go slow and easy – you will find somebody to ride with.

Place or Where to go on a Bike Tour

A large part of the experience of going on a bike tour is seeing new places. And one of the best ways to see a place is by bike.

• What part of the country would you like to see?
  • North?
  • East?
  • South?
  • West?
  • Mountains?
  • Ocean?
  • Desert?
  • Forrest?
  • Fields?
  • Small towns?
  • Large cities?

Once you decide what or where you want to go, think about how you are going to get there. If you have to fly, how are you going to get your bike there?

If you drive, how long is it going to take to get there?

Many tours can help you answer these questions. They will supply you with maps to the start/registration or have airport pick-up services.

We at Maine Wheels Bicycle Club recommend that you ship your bike ahead if you are flying in. This allows you the flexibility to have flights changed and delays to happen and not worrying about whether your bike is going to be there. The cost is less to ship a bike UPS than to take the bike on the plane. Most airlines are going to charge you $80 one way where as UPS is $20-$50. But the biggest reason to send it ahead is to know that your bike is already there. Some tours have you send it to a bike shop and some tours have you send it right to the tour organization.

Time Of Year

Most tours are run in the summer months. This is predominately due to weather. Do put some thought into where you want to go and when you can go or when the tour in that area happens. You do not want to come to Maine in the winter to do a bike tour. There are tours in Florida that are held in the spring and fall to avoid the extreme heat. Again the tour organization should be able to give you an idea what to expect.

Mileage

Not all miles are the same. OK, may the are in physical length, but not in effort to cover them on a bicycle. 15 miles up hill may take you the same length of time as going 45 miles on a flat road with the wind at your back. If a ride lists 95 miles per day and is set in the Rockies it is going to be demanding. If a ride lists 35-mile days and is on paved flat farmland roads it is not going to be too demanding. If a ride lists 60 miles per day and they are all off road, it will be demanding.

So when you are looking at the mileage look beyond the numbers.

What type of bike?

You can use any type of quality bike that fits you for a bike tour. The only case that you would a certain type of bike would be for an off road tour. Other than that you can use mountain bikes, road bikes, tandems, or recumbents.
Make sure your equipment is ready. After all you are going on a bike tour. Having you bike not working properly will seriously impact your experience. If you are unsure about your bike condition take it to a bike shop, tell them what you are going to be doing and have them go over it for you.

It is also worth mentioning to only use bike shops to do this work. Do not trust this service to a WalMart/Kmart type of store. Also use a bike and equipment from a bike shop. It could mean the difference between life and death, really.

What to Take

Most tours limit how much baggage you can bring, they are lugging it around remember. This limit may help you decide what you "need" to bring. Each tour may have different list of what to bring but here are the basics.

• Your bike
• Helmet
• Clothes – what clothes may depend on where you are going and when
  Rain jacket
• Tent
• Sleeping bag
• Camera
• Money

That is it really. If you are going on a tour that does not have a mechanic you will want basic tools, tubes, and a little knowledge on how to use them. If you ride a recumbent you may want to bring a spare tire as well. Sometimes it is hard to find some of the tires sizes for those bikes. Just try to keep it simple.

Another thing to consider is that if you drive to the ride you can take as much stuff as fits in your car. When you return to your car you have fresh clothes and supplies. This way if you travel more on your way back home, you have other things you may need.

How to Prepare

As silly as this may sound you need to ride your bike. Running, walking, and swimming all help keep your condition and over all fitness. Only riding your bike truly prepares you for going on a weeklong bike tour. There are certain muscles and areas of your body that need to acclimate to being on a bike for a few hours every day for a week.

Maine Wheels Bicycle Club recommends that you have ridden 300-400 miles in the mouths before the tour while having at least one day of 60-mile length shortly before the tour. This can hold true for most all bike tours.

When it comes down to it, the better prepared you are the better experience you will have. You do not want to be hurting all week. You do not have to prepare to compete at a pro level either. Just be prepared.

Who will I be with?

Who goes on these tours? If you have been involved in charity rides or on other bike tours you know who participates. If you are reading this than you are in the demographic. There are riders that go by themselves and meet new friend. There are riders that come with partners, friends, or family and also meet new friends.

Riders tend to be ready for a laugh, friendly, and helpful. The reason people go on a bike tour is as varied as each person. But when it comes down to it they want to have an enjoyable vacation, see new things, and ride their bike!

Copyright 2001 - Brian McLaughlin