Bike tour operators have long known that when friends, couples or inter-generational groups sign up for a commercial multi-day bike tours, some members have a higher fitness level or enthusiasm than others.
The good news for “easy riders?” Breakaway Adventures and BikeToursDirect.com, both well-known European tour outfitters, have group bike tours with the option of electric bikes for less energetic clients who welcome the boost that a motor on a bike provides.
What Makes a Bike Electric?
Electric bikes are more or less the same as traditional bikes except that as a rider pedals, the battery automatically kicks in and boosts the power by up to 80%. The rider thus can cover almost twice the distance with half the effort.
The battery is removed from the bike at night and put on charge, just like a mobile phone or iPod.
“The idea really is to appeal to anyone who doesn’t want to be quite as energetic while on vacation,” said Carol Keskitalo of Breakaway.
E Bikes Appeal to All Age Groups
“We often find that in groups there might be one person who doesn’t feel comfortable with the energy level required to keep up with everyone else. Instead of skipping the cycling altogether, the E bike offers an option to join in, added Keskitalo.”
While the idea of electric bikes has obvious appeal for boomers and seniors, she says she thinks “the E bike would appeal to most any age range.”
BikeToursDirect.com Lists Tours with E Bike Availability
Another option is to check with BikeToursDirect.com, which represents Europe-based tour operators and handles their bookings in the U.S. About 40 tours run by such outfitters as Donau-Radfreunde, Eurofun, France Bike and Velociped will rent electrically assisted bikes to participants. The cost is (usually between 120 and 140 Euros for a week -- about US$170-200, which is roughly twice the cost of regular rentals, said Jim Johnson, the company’s founder and president.
Finding which tours at BikeToursDirect have E bikes as an option takes only a few clicks. First locate a specific tour operator by clicking its website's "more search options" feature. Then click on a summary of a tour that sounds appealing to see if electric bikes are available. An example is the Salzburg Lakes Explorer from Donau Radfreunde.
Breakaway’s Lakes in Switzerland Tour
Breakaway provides E bikes only on its 8-night 9-day “Swiss Lakes” tour, with departures starting in May 2010. There is an additional fee of $300 for an E Bike and a limited number available. Youngsters under the age of 16 are not permitted on this tour’s E bikes.
Also, potential bike tourists should knowwhat else to look for in a commercial bike tour.
Grace Lichtenstein - I prefer "seasoned" to "senior" but whatever term you use, I have been an outdoor adventurer for most of my adult years. I am a cycling ...
