Has anyone tried one of the e-bike touring holidays in europe that are now widely available from loads of bike touring companies (such as Inntravel, Headwater, saddle-skeddadle etc.)? Some of these look pretty good and fairly easy for an only moderately fit old bloke plus partner but I'm a bit worried about what sort of bikes/batteries are provided. I feel that I would rather do one on a decent conventional hybrid/trekking bike rather than a rubbish e-bike. If anyone has any experience of these holidays I would be glad to hear any opinions.
E-bike holidays in Europe
- Thread starter Andrew K
- Start date
Different companies use different bikes. I've seen all sorts used from crappy to reasonable. Either look at photos from the company you go with, otherwise ask. Note that some of the companies you book with are more like booking agents. They don't know anything much about the company actually doing the tour. You have to find out who that is and check them out.
I went on holiday in France with cycling for softies a year or so after I first posted. It was a good holiday with decent bosch e-bikes but fairly pricey. Since then I've mostly done Scottish holidays, staying in a cottage and riding local trails/roads which is a lot more cost effective and just as enjoyable. Despite being in Scotland the weather in Summer is mostly OK apart from the odd rainy day and the midges only get you when you stop. Now that I'm 70+ the lure of foreign parts has lessened but I'm still riding and enjoying both my commuter bike and hardtail e-bike doing some easy gravel.
I enjoyed my trip to the Netherlands which, whilst almost completely flat, does have some strong coastal winds which ebikes devour with ease. I think that it only cost £5 for the bike on DFDS (a few years ago). It goes without saying that the extensive network of well signposted cycle tracks makes touring a load of fun.
I try to do a couple of cycling tours every year in Europe, the past couple of years on the ebike. All independent (with my brov), train with bike down to Dover, then on DFDS to Dunkirk/Calais (foot passenger with bike £25 each way)
Ibis, Novotel, B&B Hotels group etc and rides between towns of about 60-70miles per day, mainly canal or river cycle ways (Belgium, Holland, France, Germany etc). Sometimes we'll stay in the same hotel for a couple of nights (Antwerp, Bruges, Ypres ect) and do circular day rides (or go one way on the train and cycle back)
All hotels we have found have good secure bike storage (underground secure garage with bike racks, or a secure luggage room, or a dedicated cycle lockup), we email ahead if it's a chain we haven't used before to check. Hotels come in at about £40-80 per night per room, and plenty of cheap eats during the day (baguette, pate, fruit, pastries) and beers and frites, ribs, kebabs, burgers etc for dinner
Cycling in Belgium, Holland, Germany is a real joy, the huge network of traffic free cycling routes along canals and rivers is amazing
Ibis, Novotel, B&B Hotels group etc and rides between towns of about 60-70miles per day, mainly canal or river cycle ways (Belgium, Holland, France, Germany etc). Sometimes we'll stay in the same hotel for a couple of nights (Antwerp, Bruges, Ypres ect) and do circular day rides (or go one way on the train and cycle back)
All hotels we have found have good secure bike storage (underground secure garage with bike racks, or a secure luggage room, or a dedicated cycle lockup), we email ahead if it's a chain we haven't used before to check. Hotels come in at about £40-80 per night per room, and plenty of cheap eats during the day (baguette, pate, fruit, pastries) and beers and frites, ribs, kebabs, burgers etc for dinner
Cycling in Belgium, Holland, Germany is a real joy, the huge network of traffic free cycling routes along canals and rivers is amazing
Unless you go to Valkenburg:Netherlands is great for cycling. Flat, scenic, and decent weather
The only thing I remember about Valkenburg were the Croakey crisps that I had to eat in the hotel because the restaurant was shut. You'll never guess where they were made. I'll give you a clue. Frogs might have been involved.
I'm thinking about doing a cycling tour in Egypt. In previous years, I've done a few tours around Europe staying in hotels and riding my bike between towns each day. For the European trips, my brother and I would take the train from London to France, bringing our bikes. Then we'd stay at chain hotels like Ibis, Novotel or B&B Hotels. The rooms were usually around $50-100 each night which included secure indoor bike storage. Each day we'd ride 60-70 miles on dedicated cycle paths along canals and rivers between places like Antwerp, Bruges and Ypres in Belgium, Netherlands and Germany. Sometimes we'd stay in one spot for a couple nights and do day trips from there before getting back on the bikes. The cycling infrastructure in those countries was amazing with so many traffic-free routes. We'd bring snacks like baguettes and fruit during the day. Then have burgers, kebabs or ribs in the evening at cheap local spots. For the Egypt trip, I'm thinking of contacting a local guide to help arrange accommodation and transportation between places on the itinerary from here https://gowithguide.com/egypt I think having a guide take care of logistics seemed less stressful than coordinating everything independently like we did in Europe. That way I can just focus on enjoying the rides. Anyone have experience with cycling tours in Egypt they can share?
Wow! identical Europe trips as my brother and I (see my post above), we've probably past each other on those Belgium canal paths !. Can't offer any Egypt advice, but nice to hear of your experiences in Europe, I was beginning to think it was just me on this forum who got the European touring bug! Good luck with the Egypt planning
