City Bike Tours
Plenty of Bike North members travel overseas and we have seen a number of stories in Chain Reaction covering multi-day tours through amazing countryside, often with huge mountain passes being conquered. But what if you see this as torture and you just want to enjoy seeing a city? Have you considered doing a city bike tour when you are away?
Touring a city by bike generally is a low speed activity that almost all Bike North members could do, as they are not designed for highly experienced cyclists. However, they do allow you to cover more ground than walking, often with a guide who reveals the inside picture on what the city is really like. Some years back, doing a tour of Moscow suburbs, it was possible to discuss the political situation in Russia, with opinions expressed in a way they never could be on a formal tour.
Selecting a good tour is not easy and there can be duds, as well as surprises. Simply use your search engine and look for a bike tour in the city you are interested in. Price isn’t always a good guide, as I recently found out in London, with a high price tour not being value for money. On the other end of the scale, tours in Tokyo, Rome and Cambridge being brilliant. Have a good look at photos of the bikes and descriptions of where you go. Then, give it a go!
The Tokyo ride was brilliant, as it took you away from city tourist spots to ancient areas where streets were only two meters wide. Rome was memorable, as it was a night tour, taking us through narrow alleys and into piazzas filled with light, cafes and music. The ancient areas of Rome look very different by night. Yes this one included antipasto and a glass of wine, which was an added benefit! Barcelona also provided fascinating history of the Catalonian independence movement. Each one, from Cambridge to Zagreb were enjoyable and provided a different way of getting to know a city.
So if you want to see as much of a city in a short time, try doing a city bike tour.
Brian Lynne, Ride Leader |