Tag Archives: biketrips

Freewheel Holidays Satisfies Surge in Requests for Electric Bike Option on Self-Guided European Bicycle Vacations

Freewheel Holidays is meeting the surge in demand for electric bikes on its self-guided European bicycle vacations.

MANCHESTER, UK– Nobody gets left behind on self-guided bicycle vacations in Europe when E-Bikes (electric bicycles) are added to the mix.

Freewheel Holidays (https://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/), a trailblazer in two-wheel, self-guided European vacations, reports that requests for E-Bike rentals are on the rise. So far in 2018, sign-ups for E-Bike options represent over 12 percent of all cycling holiday bookings being made. They outpace requests for regular bicycles in some countries such as Holland. When itineraries call for cycling 50km a day, E-Bikes are a security blanket for some clients.

This growth is reported worldwide. According to Cycling Industry News, the global electric bike market is projected to increase 60+ percent by 2025, on course to generate a value of $8.5 billion.

What’s driving this expansion?

“Our active travelers often defy the common definition of ‘senior travelers,’” said Steven Rittey, Freewheel Holidays spokesperson. “They’re fitter than ever with surprising energy and stamina. But there seems to be a growing segment that appreciates the fall-back position of an electric bike. Some clients, regardless of age, simply prefer the no-strain comfort of riding E-Bikes. The stigma about them as an easy option or ‘cheating’ is fading. E-Bikes actually encourage travelers above the age of 50 to continue cycling later into life.”

E-Bikes come with a supplemental fee, but the enjoyment outweighs the extra cost, he explained. Using a power-assisted bike helps smooth out inclines or longer days in the saddle. Each E-Bikes features an LCD display, removable batteries for easy charging and assistance up to 25 km/h with a range of around 120 km for each full charge depending on usage.

“These are lightweight aluminum frame bikes with a lithium ion battery-operated motor that when engaged, boosts a rider’s natural human power, enabling him/her to pedal with less effort farther and faster. When the route gets steep and a rider is ready for extra power, they just hit a button and select an assist level and continue pedaling. At day’s end batteries are removed and charged for tomorrow’s ride,” explains Rittey

Following is a sampling of Freewheel Holidays’ self-guided bicycle vacations offering E-Bikes options. Tour rates include accommodation, breakfasts, sometimes other meals, bike rental with option to upgrade to E-Bikes for an extra charge, itinerary-related fees, luggage transfers, detailed route notes and cycling maps, emergency phone service and more.

Bike & Barge: Venice to Mantova is an eight-day cycle (up to 50km daily) available from now through Oct. 13 that embraces Venice before journeying on a barge hotel on the Po-Bračdolo waterway, along an avian sanctuary in the wetland formed by the Po delta. Guests hop on bicycles to imbibe centuries of life in waterfront villages. A guided tour of Mantova, a vibrant Renaissance town, concludes the tour. A per person double rate is from £909. For details see http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/tour/venice-to-mantova-7-nights-boat-amp-bike-vita-pugna

Berlin to Copenhangen over 12 days engages cyclists in both cities and for up to 80km daily on bicycles on canal paths through Germany’s lake district to the Baltic Sea between Germany and Denmark. They explore national parks and villages enroute to the half-timbered houses and fairy book gables of Rostock, known for international regattas. Guests ferry from here to the white cliffs of Insel Møn (Isle of Man) and on to Copenhagen. A per person double rate June 4-Aug. 27 is from £1,269.  For details see http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/tour/berlin-to-copenhagen-cycling-holiday

Canal Du Midi – France is a seven-day cycle of up to 45km daily on a shaded (thanks to 60,000 trees) route from Toulouse to the Mediterranean. Vineyards, culinary surprises, cathedrals, palaces and Roman ruins offer detours aplenty. The seven-day itinerary begins in Sète, called the “Venice des Languedoc” where the canal flows to the sea. Next up are a wine-growing region near a flight of locks and Carcassonne, one of Europe’s best-preserved fortress towns and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Available through Sept. 22, the per person double rate is from £799. For details see http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/tour/canal-du-midi-cycling-holidays

Venice to Florence offers departures through Sept. 29. Over eight days guests follow the rivers Adige and Po, cycling up to 65km daily by fields of melons, sunflowers and vines. On the Delta del Po flamingos nest just steps away from cycle paths. In Cornacchio on the Adriatic ornate palazzi and churches testify to the once-thriving salt industry. Near Faenza (think collectible ceramics), a train jaunt through the Appenines leads to Florence. The per person double rate is from £799 per person. For details see http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/tour/siena-chianti-region-and-florence-7-nights

Majorca Coast to Coast is available over eight days through Oct. 31. This itinerary is also suggested as a bicycle vacation for families because accommodations all include swimming pools. The tour starts on the south of the island, with routes of up to 41 km daily along the Mediterranean Sea and inland on flat country roads where bicycles have priority. A flamingo-inhabited lagoon, historic villages and the cobblestoned medieval town of Pollenca augment the pleasures of nightly hosts displaying island charm. The per person double rate is from £919. For details see http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/tour/majorca-coast-to-coast-cycling-holiday

To check trip availability, make reservations, or to find out more about Freewheel Holidays’ leisure cycling tours call +44 (0) 161 703 5823, email [email protected] or visit www.freewheelholidays.com.

Freewheel Holidays, a division of Sports Tours International, specializes in self-guided, expertly supported European cycling holidays that strike the perfect balance between leisure pedaling and immersive sightseeing. The company offers easy to moderate cycling programs designed with special appeal to European and North American travelers. Guests cycle on their own, with enroute assistance and distinctive accommodations expertly chosen and secured by the company. A portfolio of nearly 50 established European holidays offers riders of all levels a freedom of choice. The company features a range of 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9-night itineraries to 12 European countries including the UK, Austria, France, Holland, Czech Republic, Italy, Malta, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Sweden and Portugal. The majority of tours are self-guided with the exception of a few fully-guided vacation packages in Croatia, France, Italy and Prague to Vienna.  The company also offers family-focused, coastal, wine lover and solo traveler holidays plus the option of adding E-Bikes.

 

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L’Étape du Tour Gives Amateurs a Chance to Ride a Stage of the Tour de France

Sports Tours International is taking reservations now for amateur cyclists who want to participate in L’Étape du Tour 2018, an opportunity to tackle a mountain stage of the 2018 Tour de France.

MANCHESTER, UK– Sports Tours International, the UK-based provider of vacations built around nail-biting, world-class cycling and running competitions, is taking reservations now for amateur cyclists who want to participate in L’Étape du Tour 2018, an opportunity to tackle a mountain stage of the 2018 Tour de France.

L’Étape du Tour 2018 is scheduled for Sunday, July 8, 2018, in Annecy, France. The finish is at Le Grand-Bornand, a resort in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. This finish was used in the 2009 Tour de France on Stage 17 when Alberto Contador famously went against team orders and left Lance Armstrong on both the Col du Romme and the Col de la Colombière.

Riders experience highs and lows while traversing a distance of 169km and climbing to heights of up to 4,000km, just like the pros when the 2018 Tour de France begins on July 7 and runs through July 29. For example, the Col de la Colombière will be the final climb for Stage 10 (Annecy to Le Grand Bornand, 159km) on July 17.

Riders and their guests will enjoy a festival of cycling over the weekend in Annecy. Lake Annecy is a focal point of Annecy, an alpine town known for canals and cobbled streets. Annecy is well known for the heritage of its buildings and natural landscape. It is situated beside one of the purest lakes in Europe, at the foot of the Alpine massifs of the Aravis and the Bauges, but close to Switzerland and Italy.

Sports Tours International’s L’Étape du Tour 2018 four-day/three-night tour package includes guaranteed entry when booked through Sports Tours International. With direct-to-the-public entries nearly sold out, Sports Tours will become one of only a handful of operators who can guarantee entry to the event. Also included in the package are accommodations at a range of hotels, roundtrip airport transfers from Geneva, overland bike transfer, bike rental and storage, complimentary coach accommodations for traveling companions to witness the excitement, three breakfasts, and, depending on the hotel, three dinners, staff support along the race course and more. Per person, double occupancy rates begin at £519 and go up to £699 for four-star accommodations. Self-drive packages are also available. While guaranteed, an additional cost is the actual entry fee to L’Étape du Tour 2018.

For non-riders, a free coach from Annecy to the finish in Le Grand Bornand is offered with return to Annecy later in the day.

For more information  see https://www.sportstoursinternational.co.uk/events/etape-du-tour/.
Sports Tours International (https://www.sportstoursinternational.com) suggests booking Tour de France event-viewing packages early to guarantee being in the heart of the action. For more information on available packages and to book  visit: https://www.sportstoursinternational.co.uk/event-categories/tour-de-france/.

For more information on competitions worldwide visit online: www.sportstoursinternational.com, email: [email protected], or call: (+44) 161 703 8161.

Sports Tours International is one of Europe’s leading specialists in sports travel. Since the company’s launch in 1973, it has hosted thousands of participants and spectators at major sporting events worldwide. With the tagline, Fanatical about Sport, the company’s initial roots came from a devotion to running when founder Vince Regan began taking runners to the NYC Marathon. Since the early 2000s, the company has embraced international cycling events and triathlon competitions, sports training camps and corporate hospitality. Clients often can participate in events with the pros and are encouraged to “unleash your inner hero” or when it’s not possible to compete, there’s the ability to be active spectators along the routes and “watch your heroes.”

Follow Sports Tours International on Social Media
Twitter:          @sportstoursint
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Follow the Sun on Freewheel Holidays’ Winter Bicycle Vacations In 4 Sun-Splashed Coastal Europe Destinations

Freewheel Holidays offers a family-friendly biking trip to Costa Brava, Spain in winter.

MANCHESTER, UK– As the long days of summer fade into fall, and avid cyclists can follow the sun south to warmer climates. Freewheel Holidays, a UK specialist in cycling vacations, arranges week-long bespoke, self-guided bicycle vacations in Sardinia (Italy), on the Costa Brava (Spain), in the Algarve (Portugal) and on Lanzarote (Canary Islands).

These four sun-splashed destinations have in common beckoning cultures and cuisines, wave-fringed coastlines with sandy beaches and dependable reputations for showering warmth on vacationers escaping winter’s doldrums.

Following are snapshots of Freewheel Holidays’ 2017-2018 portfolio of Winter Sun cycling vacations. Accommodating parties with as few as two adults, in some instances these vacations can be tweaked to accommodate families who enjoy traveling at their own pace on two wheels.

Sardinia Family Cycle Tour is an 8 day/7 night vacation in Sardinia bicycling over terrain graded “easy” and over distances that can be tailored to meet family needs. Daily rides range from 20km to 36km. The itinerary is also flexible with choices on one day, for example, to ride to a beach famous for its turquoise waters or to board a ferry to a village where locals fish for red tuna and where surrounding lagoons are populated by flocks of pink flamingo. On some days vineyards and olive groves vie for attention with ancient ruins, Roman roads, vestiges of the Phoenicians and always beaches. The per person double rate is from £549; rates for children ages 3 to 12 are available. Included are seven nights accommodation with breakfast, bike rental, luggage transfers, welcome meeting, detailed route notes and maps and 24-hour emergency/service telephone access. This tour is offered year-round (http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/tour/sardinia-cycling-holiday).

Discover Costa Brava for Families is a 7 day/6 night vacation in Spain’s Catalonia, a distinct, autonomous region in northern Spain known for the beach resorts of Costa Brava and for the Pyrenees Mountains. This flexible trip can also be from two to five days, giving ample time to explore this fascinating area and add on a beach or city break. On two wheels guests discover the unspoiled hamlet of Can Muni, a beautiful coastline, pine forests and the fascinating medieval, Greek and Roman architecture of the region. Must-sees are the world famous Dalí museum in the town of Figueres and the Museum of Empordà which showcases the archaeological finds of the region, including the Hall of Asclepius. Guests can also mix in horseback riding. Ambitious riders can ride up to 56km on a day; but shorter routes halving the daily distances are also outlined. The mostly flat terrain is rated as “easy.” The per person double rate is from £539; rates for children under 13 years of age are available. Included are 6 nights accommodation with breakfast, a welcome meeting, bike rental, GPS with everyday tracks and map, detailed route notes and local information and 24-hour emergency/service telephone access. (Offered year-round, for details see http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/tour/costa-brava-family-cycling-holiday.)

Guests on the 8 day/7 night Algarve Coast to Coast bicycle vacation enjoy “easy” to “moderate” cycling on the Ecovia do litoral, a dedicated cycle route in Portugal that links Vila Real de Santo António on the Spanish border with Cabo de São Vicente (Sagres) in the west. This route that requires cycling up to 40km on some days combines trails in nature preserves with stunning coastal views and beach access. There are also linked stretches on traffic-calm or car-free routes. Fishing villages that date to Roman times, Moorish architecture and cafes heralding coffee and wine breaks blend into the horizon that’s the sea. The per person double rates begin at £779. Included are 7 nights accommodation with breakfast, return transfers from Faro Airport, bike rental, luggage transfers, detailed route notes and cycling maps and 24-hour emergency/service telephone access. Departures may be scheduled any day of the year (http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/tour/algarve-coast-to-coast-7-nights).

Lanzarote in the Canary Islands may not seem an obvious choice for a cycling holiday, but here’s one island in the Canaries that offers easy access, year-round sunshine, minimal rainfall, some of the most dramatic and fascinating landscapes (think volcanoes) in Europe. Restrained development has preserved the best characteristics of this often-overlooked paradise. Fine beaches and quality hotel and rural villa accommodations are laced into this 8 day/7 night vacation on two wheels. The terrain is classed “moderate” with some daily rides covering up to 58km. Routes can be modified for families. A native son, César Manrique, who fought in the Spanish Civil War, left his mark artistically and in architecture on Lanzarote. Guests have an opportunity to view some of his work. They take in a volcanic cave and another volcanic landscape along a beach, cycle and walk under innumerable palm trees in towns with Moorish names, and they tour the wine-producing area of La Geria. A waterpark and go kart attraction add to the family fun. The per person double rate is from $809. Rates for children are available. Included are 7 nights accommodation with breakfast, bike hire, luggage transfers, detailed route notes & cycling maps and 24hr hotline assistance service. (For details on this year-round, self-guided adventure see http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/tour/lanzarote-7-nights-self-guided).

To check trip availability, make reservations, or to find out more about Freewheel Holidays’ leisure cycling tours call +44 (0) 161 703 5823, email [email protected] or visit www.freewheelholidays.com.

A division of Sports Tours International, Freewheel Holidays (http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/) specializes in self-guided, expertly supported European cycling holidays that strike the perfect balance between leisure pedaling and immersive sightseeing. The company offers easy to moderate cycling programs designed with special appeal to European and North American travelers. Guests cycle on their own, with enroute assistance and distinctive accommodations expertly chosen and secured by the company. A portfolio of over 40 established European holidays offers riders of all levels a freedom of choice. The company features a range of 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9 night itineraries to 12 European countries including the UK, Austria, France, Holland, Czech Republic, Italy, Malta, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Sweden and Portugal. The majority of tours are self-guided with the exception of a few fully-guided vacation packages in Croatia, France, Italy and Prague to Vienna.  The company also offers family-focused, coastal, wine lover and solo traveler holidays.

 

For more travel features, visit:

goingplacesfarandnear.com

www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin

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moralcompasstravel.info

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/

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