What are the top adventure travel companies geared to bicyclists?
The National Geographic Adventure magazine studied 200 adventure travel outfitters and came up with a list of 157 that received a score of 80 or above in their five-category survey.
Eleven of those were purely bicycle-touring companies that offer adventures in the US and abroad. The list, based on overall scores:
3. BackRoads
There are more than 40 other adventure travel companies listed under the bicycling category, but these are the only ones that primarily offer bicycle tours.
You might be surprised that your favorite bike tour outfitter isn't on this list. The magazine's editors don't explain how they arrived at their original list of 200 travel companies that they parsed into different categories and ranked based on five issues:
- Education: The extent to which clients learn about destinations (geology, culture, history, etc.) from guides, locals, and pre- and post-trip information
- Sustainability: The emphasis outfitters place on practices that help protect the planet's cultural and natural heritage while also benefiting local communities
- Quality of Service: How well outfitters take care of clients, from providing up-to-date gear and high-comfort accommodations to developing solid emergency plans
- Spirit of Adventure: The degree to which trips involve outdoor physical activity and introduce clients to innovative experiences in classic and emerging areas
- References: Customer reviews of a company's education, sustainability, service, and adventure (multiple clients were interviewed for each outfitter)
Just scanning through these results, I see the accommodations offered on these bike tours run the gamut from yurts to swank hotels and bed & breakfasts. No camping, for instance. And no carrying your own gear; they all offer sag support.
The top companies in each category:
Quality of Service — LifeCycle Adventures
Sustainability — Back Country Excursions
Spirit of Adventure — BikeHike Adventures
Education — Backroads
Client references — Aegea Adventures
Check here for a list of bicycle tour outfits that offer tours in the Pacific Northwest and here for a list of week-long across state bicycle tours.
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