Bicycle Tours
 

I am planning a bicycle tour, likely in Italy, in Summer 06. We are interested in one of the tours that carries your luggage from inn to inn and provides routes and some meals and/or extra tours, wine tastings, etc. There are so many companies out there (Trek, VBT, Backroads). I would love to hear from people who have experienced these tours and how it went. We have been to Europe, but not Italy and not on bikes. We are prepared to ride up to 50 miles per day with the option of shortening on some days. We are going with a group of couples (40 - 50 year olds) with varied riding experience and may include two teen aged boys (great riders and lovers of travel). Also interested in preferred months for this type of thing as well as the region of travel. Thanks! This board has been very helpful to us in the past!

Perhaps you would like to check: www.inntravel.co.uk. I am afraid no personal experience, but some of my friends have had positive feedback.

I don;t think midsummer is the time to do this - just too hot for comfort. I would go for May or June at the latest - unless you want to be biking all that distance in 95 degree temps.

Hi Cindyj,
My favorite bicycle trip thru Tuscany was with Erickson Cycle Tours, ecycletours.com. l6 days, 600 miles.
The route began near Pisa, headed south ending up on the island of Elba.
We then headed west towards Pienza,Montelpulicano, Cortona, Arezzo, Castellina, San Gim.,etc., doing a complete loop. I went in late Sept. to avoid the heat and to have all summer to train. This is not an easy ride, all hill towns, average 50 mi. per day.
I would do this trip again in a heartbeat. Well supported, good lodging. Can't say enough good things about Erickson.

Oh yeah, I also had a good experience with Ciclismo Classico out of Boston.
They travel all over Italy, pricey, more hand holding. My tour leader had run a bike shop, is fluent in Italian,
is an art major, very knowledgable about regional wines, and lives in Rome. He was fabulous, but you pay for this.

OK Let's start here....http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34635540, Here's another http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34622997
and another, http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34604038 and one more since I asked a similar question myself not that long ago.
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34596354