3 star rated Bike Tour Reviews 1 to 30 of 100
- 78% 5 star: 1805 reviews
- 16% 4 star: 376 reviews
- 4% 3 star: 100 reviews
- 1% 2 star: 26 reviews
- 1% 1 star: 19 reviews
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Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
by Donna G. 1 week ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyBest Part: Interactions with passengers from around the world
Boat: Arlene II
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Castles of the Loire
by Mik L. 1 week ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyThe Loire was wonderful, Jon the guide was wonderful and Lunch in Adon was Magnifique!
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Mainz to Strasbourg or Strasbourg to Mainz
by Geraldine D. 2 weeks ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyWe really liked the MS Arkona, the staff and our F&B head mgr. Routes were Ok, but need better route descriptions esp for English speakers. Electric bikes were excellent! Def the better way to really enjoy the ride!
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Silver Coast of Portugal
by Richard F. 2 weeks ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyOur self-guided Bruge/Amsterdam had given us a detailed book as well as GPS. This was [portugal coast] only GPS and one road was not usable due to a rock slide, so we had to go around a mountain with no real help with map. Also, they warned us of bad road conditions due to fire last year in their big forest. They were surely right as 15 miles of solid potholes and loose rock were what we got.
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Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 8 day
by chann 3 months ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyToured on the Merlijn. Kuhn and Christina, the current owners, were friendly as were the entire staff. Generally enjoyable trip but much different than expected. Agree with prior comments that much more a biking trip than sightseeing. Felt every day we were pushing to meet the boat as opposed to enjoying the sights along the way. Just stopping to take a picture in picturesque countryside or village would put you behind the group trying to catch up. Lunch stops for 45 minutes to one hour. By time you maybe bought a drink, found a spot to eat your bag lunch, found a bathroom, it was time to get back on the bike and go. Just enough time to realize what you were missing with no time to explore!
Biking is more challenging than expected at this pace. Probably little problem for experienced bikers. But just because there are few hills (there are some), don't assume it is easy. Biking with the wind in your face (which we had for most our trip) is challenging, and rain adds a whole different element (luckily only one day). Also, riding in a group of bikers with varying skill levels, particularly in congested areas, is a challenge itself, even if you are an experienced biker.
Hour long walking tours were offered a few nights after dinner if you weren't too tired to go or need to get to bed for early start. The guide was well informed, but during biking, if you weren't riding right next to or behind him, you may not even know the name of the village, what the sites were, or have an opportunity to ask questions until you stopped for lunch or were back on the boat. So depending upon where you are in the pack of riders, you may not have any information about what you were seeing. This was disappointing. More stops should be made and time allotted for sightseeing.
The food left much to be desired. While the staff clearly tried very hard to please, most of us agreed a cook/chef should be hired. Breakfast was fairly standard - cold mostly with one hot option daily. Not unusual, but lacked interest. Packed lunches were same every day - small sandwich, juice, and a candy bar. You could supplement from the breakfast buffet with an apple or banana. Juice boxes were included, as well. Dinners were three courses: soups and desserts were generally ok; main courses very bland or over cooked.
Staff was kind and did their best to accommodate requests. We had a nice group of guests who got along well and provided good company throughout the trip. Luckily, our immediate travel group added time in the beginning of the trip in Amsterdam and at the end to revisit Bruge, Ghent, and Antwerp to more fully explore these beautiful cities. But the small villages and towns you will ride through are real gems that don't get enough attention on this tour. Add more days to this tour (not more cities or villages) to allow guests to fully explore the wonderful stops that are already part of this trip.
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South Holland Tour
by Cheryl M. 6 months ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyLoved the little towns, biking through them. Really nice trails. Sadly rain a couple of days but can't control the weather.
Boat: De Amsterdam
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Loire Valley Bike and Boat - 2019
by Susan M. 7 months ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyMost memorable-one big friendly group. Chef and Pilot were fine; guide and barge were adequate.
Boat: Anna Maria IV
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Around Lake Constance
by Janis B. 7 months ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyThe scenery, hotels and food were great. People were very friendly. The maps for this self-guided trip around Lake Constance were not detailed enough, did not provide information for intersections and turns. We had many times that we did not which way to go. Definitely need better maps.
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Central Greek Aegean
by Kimberly H. 8 months ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyLoved the various opportunities to swim in the sea, off the boat and at the beach. It was interesting to learn the unique history of each island we visited.
Boat: Love Boat (formerly BB2)
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Innsbruck to Bolzano
by Barry N. 8 months ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyIt’s quite difficult to review this trip as there were many great experiences like the scenery after we escaped the narrow valley from Innsbruck to about Imst but there were some cons. In the beginning of the trip we felt the cycle path, even though fantastic to have, was often too close to the railway or an autobahn (and the associated noise) to make for wonderful riding.
The hotels and half board were mostly good but some noisy and the one in Imst not only noisy but also the food was definitely (for half board), poor.
Some hotels were standouts - the small excellent hotel in Mals and the food in the hotel in Meran.
The guides were not accurate with addendums with corrections and GPS (as per our previous bike trip) would have been better. -
Famous Villages of Provence
by Gloria C. 8 months ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyMy trip was the Villages of Provence. A wonderful area to bike through. I would suggest that the orientation be set for a determined amount of time to allow for complete question and answer time. Also it would be helpful to go through the use of the GPS thoroughly. The bike maintenance was not done prior to our week long trip. The tail light and the computer on my bike did not function properly. All in all the hotels, service, food, and ambience were wonderful. I’d highly recommend this trip to intermediate to advanced cyclists.
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Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
by Estela B. 9 months ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyThis is a great tour, with wonderful cities to visit and scenic bike rides. The barge was perfect, great food and service. We enjoyed the evening music and dancing very much. A heat wave happened while we were there, so we had a great time on the sun deck
I was not as happy with the bikes. I was in charge of a group of 25 and at least 6 of them had bike issues: brakes that worked only in the front or back, e-bikes that only assisted when pedaling at full throttle, and more. Even though we reported this, and we were told they would fix the bikes, in reality the bikes were not repaired by the next day, and it took time and effort to get them replaced. I expected more from Rad & Reisen, the bike company. Also there was very little instruction on how to use the e-bikes. My suggestion is to have a person at the dock on the first day to give a 10 minute one-on-one instruction on the e-bike and make the person do a little test ride. It was not as intuitive how to use them if you never have done it.
Another issue that could have been better is a bigger, clearer map on how to get to the path from the barge location. That part is usually the hardest.
All that said, it was still a nice, memorable trip.Boat: Carissima
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Bordeaux - Châteaux, Rivers & Wine
by Lee F. 9 months ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyIt was an altogether pleasant experience; the highlight was the lovely little village of Saint-Émilion.
Boat: Bordeaux
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Danube Bike Path - Passau to Vienna
by Florence B. 10 months ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyThis is a great ride, if you use the right company. We used Tripsite, who contracted Austria Radreisen, not the company to use. We were told that Austria Redreisen would meet us at the hotel in Passau the day before the trip was to start...they did not show( a competitor company, Donau, spent 2 hours with their clients, in our hotel). We tried to contact Austria Radreisen at their 'emergency' number...no one answer/no answering machine. The day the tour was to start, they delivered two bikes which were extremely heavy, and with 7 speed changers....we had specifically ordered 21 speed hybrids. The bikes were delivered by the person who picked up the suitcases, and we were told by him that he had no knowledge of how the bikes worked...we were on our own to figure them out. In spite of being in good physical condition, we found the bikes very difficult to use, as they would not coast. After 2 days with the heavy bikes, we had to take a day off as we were exhausted. Thanks to the help of a receptionist at the Courtyard Marriot in Linz, the company delivered replacement 21 speed hybrids(which we should have received in the first place) at our next hotel (we had to take the train to get there), which we used with no problems the rest of the way. The hotels provided by the company were excellent, and the travel maps adequate. We certainly will not go with this company again when we plan our next bike tour.
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Bordeaux - Châteaux, Rivers & Wine
by Jeff K. 10 months ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyBeautiful chateaus. Great wine. Not allowed to drink in cabin. Cabin extremely small. Shower barely fit one person. Guide excellent. No sauna or hot tub. I would recommend this trip but not this boat (the Bordeaux).
Boat: Bordeaux
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Paris to Reims
by Pam M. 10 months ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyA great trip in many ways. Good staff - helpful and friendly. Good scenic route with chances to visit places of interest, very good food. Only draw back was problems with 3 out of 4 'E' bikes and a lack of expertise in how to fix them causing stress to some riders.
Boat: Feniks
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Amsterdam to Bruges
by Howard H. 11 months ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyThe Magnifique II was fine and the food was good. One thing I found odd was the staff joined us at the bar at night. The bar had limited seating and they took up the stools while passengers stood. Not cool. I found the biking boring. There were no interesting stops other than the cities. Amsterdam, Ghent and Bruges were very nice. The Netherlands were rather dull. On other tours we stopped at wineries, Chateaus or interesting landmarks. Here the guides just stopped and said there is coffee or a church you can visit. Not very organized. Their goal seemed to be to keep us out long enough to reach the boat. I would not recommend this tour.
Boat: Magnifique III
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Mainz to Strasbourg or Strasbourg to Mainz
by Brad W. 1 year ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyMuch of the bike ride was difficult to navigate. Signs on the road are not always clear. Expected more country rides but much of the bike ride was through cities with many vehicles (somewhat dangerous). If we elect to travel with Tripsite again, we will do more research to determine ease of navigation along the bike route and how much of the route is through traffic.
Boat: Arlene II
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Along the Danube-Iron Gates
by Mary R. 1 year ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyThe cruise through the iron gate was a highlight of this trip. Cruise director did a great job throughout the cruise. Weather was much warmer than average and many days of biking were at 90 degrees F on roads and trails with little cover or shade so were somewhat more difficult than anticipated. It was a great experience but people need to be aware that most of the riding in the Eastern European countries are on the side of roads sometimes without a bike lane and there was some traffic.
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Around Paris
by Howard B. 1 year ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyThe attentiveness and skill of the crew was most memorable. Chris was an awesome guide, encouraging everyone and being a wealth of knowledge about the environs. Conor was personable and available to share her knowledge and experience. Kim is a great cook and quite a character. Together, they overcame the limitation of an outdated too small barge to create an environment that allowed the riders to really enjoy the countryside and each other.
Boat: Clair de Lune
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Tulip Tour - 4 Day
by Karen B. 1 year ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyI am a very experienced cyclist (raced in my younger days). The condition of the bicycles left something to be desired. For example, the headsets of the bikes were not tightened after the handlebars were straightened out as they were distributed to the group. The loose headset contributed to an accident that resulted in an injury.
I suppose it is a common type of bicycle in Holland, but the upright positioning and lack of rake on the front fork made the bike inherently unstable. I got used to it pretty quickly, but some of the group never did. Only about half of our group were regular cyclists, and that made riding in/with the group an exercise in self-protection. Fortunately, my brakes worked well.
Also, lessons on how to cycle in the Netherlands (rules of the road, etc.) could have been more complete and reinforced each day. Our group tended to bunch up whenever stopped, blocking the way for others, and again, verging on dangerous. The guide said nothing. After one of our group said something to the guide, he finally started paying more attention to keeping the group together at traffic signals. Another part of the group tended to ride in the pedestrian lanes- they stopped doing that after getting a thorough tongue-lashing from a Dutchman walking his dog.
All this said- the general content of the trip was wonderful- the tulips, the cities, the countryside... we thoroughly enjoyed that. Would we do it again? Unsure... perhaps if we could be with a more experienced group.
Boat: Flora (formerly Jelmar)
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Amsterdam to Bruges
by Julie R. 1 year ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyOverall, it was a great trip - boat and crew, bikes, guide, fellow passengers. Where this trip fell short of a previous bike boat trip that I did, was that this trip lacked interesting stops along our cycle route. It felt more like getting from point A to point B with a brief coffee or lunch stop - no tours along the way. From my understanding in talking with the boat owner/captain, the cycling routes and stops are planned by Bike Boat Tours.
Boat: Zwaan
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Tulip Tour - 10 Day - Amsterdam to Bruges
by Tom L. 1 year ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyThe Quo Vadis was super! The food, accommodations, staff and bikes were all terrific.
However, we were unprepared for the traffic and city riding intensity. Marsha is an experienced recreational rider but had no idea how to deal with traffic. She completed the first day and began another, but turned back after the first half kilometer and packed it in after that. City traffic and congested cycling is something only urban folks experience, so we and others were unprepared. We were were really expecting a leisurely paced scenic tour, not the frantic paced marathon we got. The trip was listed as easy, but a 12 mph average speed for 36 miles is ridiculous for most recreational cyclists, especially when you’re there for scenery and cultural experience along with cycling.
Additionally, once you start for the day, there is no practical way to drop our.
So, if we were to look for another bike barge trip, we would be looking for:
Quo Vadis or equal
20-25 mile days maximum
8-10 mph average speed maximum
Route maps
Routing to avoid urban traffic
More short stops to smell the flowers.
Ultimately, we were disappointed in the cycling portion of the trip feeling it was not so much for tourists who like to ride. We (and others) felt the guide placed too much emphasis on covering miles and not enough on making it pleasurable.
Tripsite staff is superb and did everything they promised. Thanks.Boat: Quo Vadis
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Tulip Tour - 5 day
by Brenda M. 1 year ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyThe tulip tour trip is too short, but cycling around the flowering bulb fields was wonderful. Visiting Keukenhof gardens in bloom was great. I didn't like assigned seating for our meals and the buffet organization on the Fluvius was terrible, especially when trying to make lunches in a tiny space with everyone grabbing stuff. Food arrangements were the weakest part of the tour, although they also hired an awful lounge singer one night.
Boat: Fluvius
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Tauber River Valley Romantic Road
by Terrence Z. 1 year ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyThis potentially could be a great tour but it was not a great tour for us. The tour guide book was in German which we do not read, thus we wasted a lot of time every day being lost! Also, the provided bikes were not of the best quality, and pedaling them was not easy! The hotels were fine, but we would not recommend this tour unless you read German!
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Bruges to Paris or Paris to Bruges
by Margie A. 1 year ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyThe Elodie bike/barge trip was fabulous in terms of scenery, routes, staff, food. However, 2 couples on the barge were not able to keep up with our very leisurely pace. I would advise your company to stress level of fitness for participants, and also to recommend 2 guides for different ability levels.
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Mainz to Cologne
by JoAnn G. 1 year ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyThe Rhine Valley is a wonder to bike and very enjoyable.
Boat: Arlene II
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Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
by Karen K. 2 years ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyMost Memorable Part: The last day of our trip we cycled through small towns and vineyards. Stopped at a beautiful small church and were able to hear the choir practicing. We (6 of us) will never forget that part of the trip.
Boat: Normandie
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Loire Valley Bike and Boat - 2019
by John G. 2 years ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyThe group was excellent. We had a great time together. Jean and I were the only Americans aboard but everyone spoke English.
This trip, rated moderate, was the most challenging of the four tours we have booked thru Tripsite since 2012. It stretched us to the limits of our biking abilities.
The tour was thru pleasant countryside but lacked the highlights of our previous tours- no Eiffel Tower, Venice canals or Pont du Gard.
The barge itself was a weak point, although it was not advertised as a strength.
Most disappointing was the food, especially the evening meals featuring mostly starches- pasta, mashed potatoes, quinoa and rice. Don't know whether this was a budget or skills problem.
The guide was excellent, competent, friendly and caring.
The bikes themselves were mostly good although there were some minor problems-with a tire once and an ebike battery that didn't fully charge overnight. Giro Libero bikes were in better condition than those of Hat Tours based on our two tours with each of them.
The Loire Valley tour was enjoyable, but the weakest of the four trips we have taken.
Our fondest memories will be those of great conversations, lots of laughs with new friends we will probably never see again and a sense of accomplishment for what was for us an arduous trek.
As a tip for others, as I mentioned to bike and barge rookies, check out other trips as advertised in Tripsite's catalog.Boat: Anna Maria IV
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Provence - Wilderness of Camargue
by Gloria P. 2 years ago Verified Reviewer Permalink/ReplyThe Itinerary was very well planned out and the staff were all amazing!!!! This was the perfect trip for our group!!!!
