Ireland Bike Tour Reviews — 1 to 30 of 39

The scenery and Guest houses were great! The only bad day was the first day, climbing a 2400 feet gain. The bikes were not up to the challenge, did not get us up some of the steeper inclines, so we had to push the heavy electric assist bikes up those hills, which was very difficult and very slow, so slow in fact that by the time we got to the listed places to eat, they were closed. We called the bike shop, when we got to the guest house, and had them bring out one new bike and one new better charger. I suggest that trip site find a new bike shop.

We thoroughly enjoyed this trip. The hotels and inns were excellent. The people were warm and welcoming. The routes were beautiful and scenic, much of it along the Atlantic Ocean. We had a chance to experience fully this fabulous and unique region (County Clare and the Burren). We especially loved the hotel and shops in Ennis, the beach in Spanish Point, the Cliffs of Moher, the local music in the pubs in Doolin, the harbor and seafood in Ballyvaughan and the rock structures and castle near Kinvara. The routes were hillier than we expected. If folks aren't used to frequent or sustained hills, they might consider using e-bikes.

The route was very good. Avoided heavy traffic and many back roads that showed us what the area was like. Very few heavily trafficked roads. Saw the memorable sites.

The scenery on the Connemara trip is spectacular. Mostly beautiful back roads, always in sight of several mountains, lakes and ocean.

Feedback/Critique:
1) Bike-wise, the first day was pretty awful. The plan was to fit our bikes on day 2 at 9:45 AM, which took 30 minutes. The bike shop gave us one e-bike with only 1/3 of the battery charged, and another one was spotty - didn't respond every time to power request! Owner said problem charging overnight, and he didn’t really apologize… said “that’s the way it is… I don't have another backup battery, so just try to use the battery less…" Then it was at least an hour to transport us to the starting point in Cong and ready our bikes for the ride, bathroom break, etc.. Because of the 1/3 charge, the stronger of our group pedaled a lot without battery. There was no cell service so we couldn't call the bike shop until later in the day - left a message to bring us another bike and another battery. The owner brought us a replacement bike and battery the next morning - The bicycle brought to us was a different brand - and was lighter and peppier. Why not just use that brand?? 2) The ebikes were not Giant as advertised on Tripsite - they were Devron, which I suspect were heavier and less quality. Compared to the bikes we used in our Croatia bike/boat trip in June 2019, these were much heavier, and less peppy. However, the bikes given us on the Aran Islands were lighter and had more power (they really zipped along). If we hadn’t been pretty athletic individuals, I think the trip would’ve been harder. 3) The estimated route time given inside the RIDE WITH GPS routes must not include any time to take photos, get some hydration or snacks. So by the time we got to the ONLY 2 possible lunch spots - Maire Luke's Bar and O'Toole's pub, they were closed! SUGGESTION: STRONGLY recommend - in the BEGINNING of the route description to purchase lunch in Cong before beginning the route. 4) None of the 3 bikes had a bike pump as promised. One bike had an incompatible plug so we had to use a personal plug converter!!! At the end of the tour the owner gave a lame reason... 5) The ebikes were not peppy enough to carry us up several morning hills on day one, which added to our time and so we didn't make the lunch spots. THEN in the afternoon stretch we had to push our bikes up the 2.5 km long hill -- when we were pretty hungry. 6) THE FLAT OPTION ROAD WAS CLOSED, and no one told us until the end of the day. In my opinion it was unacceptable for your partner's contracted bike shop NOT to have a back up battery! In the future, if possible the bikes should be fit THE DAY BEFORE in the late afternoon, and a) the driver could take riders, luggage and bikes to Cong to stay overnight, OR, pick up riders, luggage, and bikes at Galway lodging at 9 AM day 2 then drive to Cong.

By the way after day 2 we did call your Dublin partner to report the bike problems. That's where the corrections need to be made.  SHOW MORE 

our review bike tour Ring of Kerry 8-14 June 2024
We have enjoyed our tour very much. We were also very lucky with the weather, only 10 minutes of rain!

This review is for you:

The local operator was fantastic. Maurice came to our hotel to provide us with all the necessary information and to adjust the bikes. It was personal and pleasant. The bikes are excellent and very well suited for the trip. The luggage was always there when we came to our next bed & breakfast. The route was great and worked very well in the app Ride with GPS. The trip took us form Killarney-Glenbeigh-Cahersiveen-Sneem-Kenmare and back to Killarney. It was an amazing tour in this beautiful country. Highlights for us were the isle of Valentia and the route from Kenmare to Killarney’. Sabine & Henk from The Netherlands

Then for your information.

There is one thing that was not good and that is the parking of our car during our tour. I think an organization should organize that too for a trip like this. In Killarney there is almost no place to park your car, besides the open-air parking’s, but they are very expensive for a week. We tried several hotels to no avail. After a lot of detectives work my husband found a parking place in town, right in the centre, Hilliard House, that was very good. Only € 25 for a week and there was space. This parking place is very hard to find, but it is public. It took us a few hours to sort this out, and that is not pleasant in a holiday…

Another thing is the size of the beds. They were all 1.40 m width (except one). We Dutch are not used to this! It might be good to inform foreign travellers about this.

There was one day we had to bike on a motor way (form Cahersiveen to Kenmare). Although it was the best route, it is not very nice as the traffic is so fast and sometimes it was a bit scarry. If we make another tour, we would not like to do this again.

B&B were all good, except one. I valued them with 5 = excellent, 4 = good, 3 = average, 2 = not so good, 1 = bad (none!).
Killarney, Abbey lodge ♣♣♣♣
Good room, clean and nicely cared for everything. Large parking behind the hotel. Good breakfast and kind host who gave good tips for restaurants.
Glenbeigh. Liosderrig House ♣♣♣♣
Very friendly host and clean room with nice view. Small but comfortable bed. Good breakfast. The only place for us to charge the battery for the bike in the room.
Caharsiveen, San Antoine B&B ♣♣♣♣♣
This was the best place! Very comfortable and large bed, nice and large room. Very friendly host, who gave lots of useful information. Nicely situated. Very good breakfast.
Sneem, River Logde ♣♣♣
Beautifully situated and at a very quiet road. Small and very hard bed. Welcome of the Dutch host was not very friendly, but his wife was very kind.
Kenmare, Kenmare House ♣♣♣♣
Looked very dull form the outside and a bit dark inside, but very friendly staff, and a small but good bed and very comfortable room. Good breakfast.
Killarney, Rossmore House B&B ♣♣
This is the only place we think you should not offer any more. Although the host was very kind, the bed was awful, with a very bad mattress and with the wooden frame it was too small for us. And we waited 30 minutes for our breakfast.  SHOW MORE 

The ride along the Burren Coast Way. Spectacular views of the sea.
I am not a road biker and I personally found the trip a little more challenging than the "Easy to Moderate" rating posted on the website.
I would suggest you need to be comfortable riding on fairly busy roads at times and train for the hills, some are quite challenging.
Overall a very special way to see Ireland and well worth the challenge.

It’s hard to say because the trip was full of so many memorable moments! Particularly loved the routes through the Burrens, the charming villages and inns in County Clare, and the breakfasts! Cycling through the breathtaking scenery was the highlight of my experience. Very impressed with the quality of our touring bikes and with Thomas who got us set up on them. Organization was superb. Hassle-free check-ins at our accommodation and our bags were always there ahead of us.

We caught a spell of good clear weather, with rain on arrival and last day, so views from climbs were spectacular over ocean, especially Coomakista at 250 m. Join the loads of busses to look over the view, proud in the fact you rode there! The rest day has optional circuit through Valentia island which was a highlight. Optional steep 15% or worse grades down to lighthouse, but we would recommend doing that even if you push your bike up worst grades at bottom of hill. On the ascent back, don’t miss the road off to the right to the tetrapod tracks. The B and B owner suggested a restaurant just off the north ferry landing for sea food, to join the locals with a Guinness and red ale, waiting outside in the setting sun.

The Gap of Dunloe is a remote surreal climb on the ascent out of Black Valley, with descent back into the busy world of tourists on day trip walks, and civilization. On a cold wet day as we had through from Kenmare back to Killarney, don’t forgo a stop at the Avocado Molls Gap shop and cafe, even if you add a few kilometres to the suggested route, as it is a great place to warm up, get a hot chocolate, and look over to the Molls Gap, which you don’t get to ride through, unless you want to travel a more major route independently.

Insist on an understanding of the provided ride with GPS information, as we missed some important items at first, and also check the bikes over carefully. We had quite important problems with the bikes that we didn’t notice until into the trip, but to their credit the company responded quickly and replaced both bikes. This is my only reason for taking off a star.

Communications throughout were excellent.

Ireland is a beautiful country and we enjoyed our trip very much. Our bikes worked well. Thomas, the bike guy, was exceptional. The trip itinerary changed a bit from the time we booked, one less biking day and shorter distances, but it allowed us to stay in Doolin for 2 nights as well as Ballyvaughan for 2 nights. We used the extra day in Doolin to take the ferry to Inis Mor, which was wonderful. The biking map and directions were a bit hard to follow while riding, so we opted to use Google Maps, which sometimes routed us different ways than what was provided, but it meant we could hear and see directions from our phone. Providing GPS tracks would be a great improvement. The hotels and B&B’s were great.

The cliffs of moher and Aran islands. The narrow roads were very fun as well

Riding along the Atlantic coast. Views of the Atlantic Ocean were stupendous. It rained daily so it was a difficult ride at times. When the sun came out and a rainbow appeared it was heartwarming.

The scenery was spectacular. I was happy to have some time to explore the area off the bicycle as well as on it. We were forworned to not hug the side of the road, and be respectful of the cars by not bunching up while riding. This was really helpful so that when a car needed to move around us, we didn’t feel like we were in danger.

This trip was amazing. Everything, from the accomodations to the luggage transfer worked perfectly. The routes were wonderful, especially the part between Westport and Leenane with the amazing mountains around us and the quietness while passing lakes and a Fjord made us love this beautiful country. Thank you for the wonderful trip!

The ride from Spanish Point to Doolin was spectacular. We loved seeing the Cliffs of Moher and then whizzing downhill to the Wild Atlantic Way and peddling along the coast to the beautiful town of Doolin. The craic was had there!!

We cyckled Ennis-Doolin-Kinvara-Ennis. Bikes arrived in Ennis at the scheduled time, and our suitcases was always ahead of us an waiting for us as we arrieved the next stopover. We enjoyed every place we spent the night, wether it was a cottage, a gutesthouse, a B&B or at hotel. Especially Ballyvaughan Lodge, the hosts Pauline and Gerry gave us a warm welcome and the best breakfast of the trip.
Before we got so far we visited Inisherin, recomended! and we saw The cliffs of Moher.
In Ballyvaughan we visited Burren Destillery, and got a very educational tour of the place. We enjoyed the dinner in Hylands Burren Restaurant very much.
On the way to Kinvara we split up, and took two different routes, so we got to see New Quay, Burren Perfumery, Corcomroe Abbey, and Hazel Mountain Chocolate factory.
We had a nice trip going back to Ennis from Kinvara.
The roads are narrow but the traffic is not bad, so cycling is fine. The bikes were very good, incluing helmets and bags.

My husband and I completed this tour in June 2023. (ages 63 & 73) was one of our all time favorite tours and we have done many over the past several years. It was absolutely stunningly beautiful. We were super lucky with the weather. They called it a heat wave and a drought, we called it no rain for 7 days! The last day we rode downhill in a cooling mist of rain. We stayed an extra night on the front end in Killarney so had time on our own to explore the surroundings. We met some walkers who were walking the Kerry Way and ran into them again in Sneem. The Irish people are so friendly and helpful! The lodging for the most part was great with one exception because it was on top of a pub and therefore hot with the windows closed but really noisy until 3am with the windows open. It was unusually warm and most places do not have A/C but under normal circumstances that is not an issue. We never had to put on the warm clothes we brought but very comfortable in our regular cycling gear. There was one pass that is one of the most beautiful that got so steep we had to push our e-bikes up. We had no issues with running out of battery power at the end of the day. Loved the towns we visited especially Dingle and the Dingle peninsula. We were warned about the busses and the narrow roads but found all motorists to be very respectful of cyclists. We did the self guided tour and never had an issue with the navigation. Highly recommend!!

The scenery was amazing and everything I have ever hoped for! The hills were beautiful but would have been difficult to enjoy without the help of the e-bikes.

It would be helpful if the bikes were equipped with an odometer so that including distances to the next turn. In addition or instead of a 15 page direction packet with paragraph instructions on where to turn maps of each days recommended rides would have been extraordinarily helpful. Without google gps and our own planning we wouldn’t have reached each destination in our self guided trip without getting lost and having to backtrack to see where we went wrong. The first day was frustrating without knowing we just needed to use google instead of the provided information. In addition a plastics zipper bag to carry the maps was less than adequate in a country with so much rain. We took several wrong turns and didn’t feel directions telling up to look for a blue barn where helpful. A positive is that the locals are super nice and helpful!

I would have enjoyed to have more options of where to ride with a map marked with good routes. It is easy to get turned around in the mountains and one wrong turn not caught leads to a long day.

The highlights: the accommodations were overall great, my favorites included Huntington house (right on the shore, amazing food and cocktails), Coolakay (the best views), and Glendalough (loads of places to explore).

What could be better or I would change: Maps! Maps are a must have to navigate the mountains of Wicklow. When you pick up your bike make sure you check everything over yourself. Don’t trust that you picked it up from the cycle shop. I road about 20 miles with a loose front wheel. I assumed that picking a bike up at a shop my wheels would be secured on the bike but they were not, I feel very lucky I didn’t wreck. Longer ride days would have been fun for those of us that prefer a full day of cycling versus just a couple hours. The names of the reservations at each hotel or bed and breakfast were always different we never knew whose name to give. None of our names were listed on the room at The Bridge Tavern and we were told the room hadn’t been paid for, we were unable to reach our local emergency contact, in fact they never called us back. It was extremely frustrating, the fortunate part is that Tripsite emergency number answered the phone and solved the problem.

The actual biking in Ireland was a once in a lifetime trip for me!

This is a wonderful tour of a unique part of Ireland - County Clare and the Burren, tha extensive limestone karst plateaus of western Ireland. The tour was memorable for its distinctive landscapes, including the Cliffs of Moher and the Aran Islands, the lovely little towns, and the many ancient historical sites along the way. The cycling wsa excellent - good paved roads, great routes, rolling hills, and those lovely scenic views. The lodgings were all quaint and charming - comfy rooms, kindly, generous hosts, full, fresh, healthy breakfasts. We added extra days in Ennis and Doolin, both good decisions, and probably should have further extended the trip in some places. The music definitely added another great element to the tour, as we spent virfually every evening visiting different pubs, listening to traditional, informal Irish music sessions that are common in this region.

This was my first overseas cycling adventure. What a wonderful way to see a country! Our trip was very well organized, our Irish guide was wonderful, our fellow cyclists were interesting and fun, and the scenery was fantastic. Since riding on e-bikes is a relatively new concept, I would suggest spending a little more time up front with the features, especially the installation and removal of the battery, prior to taking off. We worked it out and the Irish Cycling company was very accommodating! Also, the most difficult ride, in my opinion was the first day...maybe consider reversing the trip and ending with the more challenging day when we are not jet-lagged and in good cycling shape. But, really, the trip was fabulous. Thank you, Hennie, for organizing it. I would definitely be interested in another one!

The people we traveled with and the shared adventures as well as the beauty of Ireland

Loved the off day in Clifden. Ireland is beautiful and the people could not be more warm. But do not recommend biking in Connemara. Many, many hills make it moderate at best, and there are no shoulders on very narrow lanes.

We only had 6 in our group so we were self-guided. From day 1, we felt the tour was incorrectly rated as easy-moderate. All 6 of us are seasoned riders but the hills, especially Day 1 were in the “difficult “ category. Four of the riders had been on previous tours with other companies. The directions for each day were lengthy and confusing, often requiring us to stop often to reread them. Some of the restaurants suggested we’re out-of-the-way only for us to later come across a nice one on our route. Caused us to question whether the person writing the directions had ever taken the trip. Luckily, we had a rider who would use his GPS which proved more helpful than the written directions. It was a fantastic trip because of the riders and the beautiful countryside. The ranking of difficulty needs to be changed as a novice biker would not be able to complete this tour.

Favorite Part: The fantastic landscapes of Connemara.

Amazing riding with different terrain each day. Wonderful scenery. Bikes good. Company good. Food good. Guide very good. Best cycling trip I have been on and I have been on a few. Can't wait to go back to Ireland.

Highlights: The scenery. The guide. The route. Loved it.

It was a lot more challenging than I had anticipated. The scenery was amazing! It would be helpful if the bikes were equipped with an odometer so that including distances to the next turn in your self guided instructions would help in making the turns without getting lost and having to backtrack to see where we went wrong. The bikes were great! The lodging was good. We have done several bike trips and I would rate this one the best of them all. You rated this trip as easy, I would say that it was the hardest one we have done, but I loved it!

Wonderful scenic cycle routes with well-planned stops and comfortable accommodation

Our rest day in Glendalough was simply amazing. So much to see and explore. We were there on Mother’s Day and it was such a perfect day.

As my family of five and I embarked on an 8-day bike tour. We started in Dublin. Landed in Enniskerry, Aughrim, Laragh (Glendalough) and back to Dublin. I would have to say the Irish emerald green countryside is the most beautiful I have seen. Our favorite place would have to be the stop in Laragh. We walked to Glendalough a whopping 10-minute jaunt. We were awestruck by the amazingly preserved Monastic City. This city was founded in the 6th century and what a sight to behold. There was St. Kevins cathedral, tower, cemetery, and an old copper mine. These were all nestled in between two mountains with a lake at the edge. Worth the trip.

The ferry to the Aran islands, over night in a surprisingly modern hotel with an excellent kitchen and the ride around the island was the culmination of a very pleasant and interesting 5 days of riding.