What to Expect on Tour?

One of the biggest challenges people face when making a decision to book a bike tour, is not knowing what to expect.  What if I can’t manage the rides?  What if the weather turns bad?  What if I don’t know how to work my e-bike?  I’ve never been on a tour before – what if I hate my group?

I would make a bet (only a small one, we can’t afford to lose money in these COVID times) that we have heard nearly every question under the sun – and we have an answer for them all too.

We completely understand what it is like to get out of your comfort zone and try something new.  Most of our guests are of the 55+ age bracket and are retired/semi-retired and we also get a lot of single women travelling with us as well.  And sometimes doing something new and different can be really scary.  Which is why people like to do a lot of research before they book a tour with us – and quite rightly.  We completely get that.   And it’s one of the reasons we try to talk you through as much detail as you need before the tour starts.

I suppose that one of the biggest things to expect on tour, is to expected the unexpected.  Our tours are planned meticulously in terms of travel times, accommodation, food planning, gear planning, bike maintenance and everything in between – but sometimes the weather gods aren’t listening and wipe out bridges (yep, it’s happened), bikes break down (don’t worry – our bike guides are also great mechanics and will do everything possible to get you going again), and people accidentally bike into trees (our guides are also first aid trained, so you’re in good hands there.) So basically – we control what we can, and handle with professionalism (and humour when required) what we can’t.  

We want our tours to be the trip of a lifetime and we do everything possible to make this true.  I feel confident in saying that you won’t find a more approachable, ready to accommodate and supportive company than ours.  The experiences we give our guests are not about riding from Point A to Point B – it’s about all of the magical things that happen in between; the sunrise on the West Coast you’ve always dreamed of seeing, the accomplishment in riding the best trails in the South Island (thanks for taking care of the hills, e-bikes) the lifelong connections you make with others in your tour group and all of the other millions of memories created along the way.

Oh, and to answer some of the questions I mentioned at the beginning of this article: 

What if I can’t manage the rides?  Our trails are all hand-picked for their accessibility for all riding abilities.  The E-bikes take the effort out of the hills and make otherwise unobtainable rides, very manageable. And our support vehicle is never far away if you want to rest the legs for a while (people jump in all of the time – it’s really common).

What if the weather turns bad?  Bring a raincoat.  We’re in New Zealand.  Weather happens.  But if a guide determines that the weather will make any trail or ride unsafe, then their decision to cancel a ride or change the itinerary to accommodate it should be respected and followed.

What if I don’t know how to work my e-bike?  We give a really good briefing on day one of the tour to run you through everything you need to know.  And they’re very simple to use.  You’ll pick it up in no time, I promise.

I’ve never been on a tour before – what if I hate my group?  Chances are, you will find an amazing bunch of like-minded people – after all, you’re all there because you have the same interests.  But if someone isn’t your cup of tea, then you might just need to shake it off.  It’s 10 days – why let it ruin the trip of a lifetime?  But most of our guests end up making great friends with at least a few people on the trip, and form bonds that last forever. It’s a beautiful thing to watch. 

For all other questions about what to expect on tour, we have a ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ section on our website which should help https://www.bike-nz.com/page/f... and for any questions not answered there, please just drop us a line.

We don’t just plan great bike tours (although we do), but we also create amazing experiences.  We do what we do because we have a passion for life and nature – and we want to share it with you, too.  Booking a bike tour should be a painless and stress-free thing – I can guarantee that we will make it easy, and you will be all ready to go once your trip of a lifetime departs.  Get in touch today and let’s start the conversation.