The 5 Key Steps for a Seamless Cycling Tour
- Lisa Meester
- Oct 1
- 3 min read
When you sign up for a supported bicycle tour, the tour experience feels seamless because of the important steps taken before, during and after each cycling tour.
A riding day starts when you wake up, enjoy breakfast, ride your day’s miles, and your luggage magically appears at the destination hotel. But what does it take to make that happen? There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work that keeps a tour running smoothly.
Route Planning & Scouting
Months before the first rider clips in, the team has been dreaming, planning and mapping routes, and contracting hotels. Before the tour hits the road we scout the routes, confirm road safety, check trail conditions, make notes about points of interest, verify rest stops, and talk to locals. Every turn on your day’s route has been ridden or driven in advance to make sure your experience is safe and the most enjoyable. Part of the process gets repeated prior to the day’s ride to make appropriate route changes if construction or conditions require a route adjustment.
Luggage Transfers
Each morning, you’ll enjoy a hearty breakfast before dropping off luggage at the tour trailer. The crew is there to carefully pack gear so it can be transported to the next overnight stop. By the time you arrive at the next hotel, your bags are waiting in the lobby—no stress, no hassle, no extra weight. When you start pedaling the day’s route, the crew is on the move.
Support
After leaving the hotel, part of the crew heads straight to the first SAG (Support and Gear) stop. They will set up a nice spot for you to take a break, hydrate and gobble some tasty snacks. The on-road support team is your safety net. Whether it’s a flat tire you can’t fix, a sudden storm, or simply the need for a quick break, SAG vehicles and staff are never far away. Knowing there’s help close by gives you the confidence to focus on a pure bike ride without tons of gear weighing you down.
End of the Day’s Ride
So, you completed the day’s route…time to check-in to the hotel, grab your luggage, get cleaned up, and relax. As you check in, look for the posted ABJ schedule in the lobby area for important announcements and the rest of the day’s events, such as times for route rap and planned group meals. You’ll usually have a couple of hours to explore the town, nap or do whatever you want to do. During those couple of hours, the staff will be shopping to restock the SAG vehicles with supplies, electrolyte drinks, fresh fruit and those very important pick-me-up snacks. They also might be working on bikes or checking the next day’s route to manage any surprises and be able to communicate any adjustments during route rap.
The Goal: A Seamless Ride for You
All of this behind-the-scenes work—scouting, luggage transfers, support, plans for meal, and more—is done with one goal in mind: letting you focus on the joy of the ride. You pedal the miles; we’ll handle the rest.
When every detail is taken care of, you’re free to simply enjoy the journey untethered and unfettered.
Gerard Boisse
Crazy Bear Bikes
La Verne, California
909.654.6684
Gerard is an experienced tour leader and bike mechanic. He has led cross country and other multi-day tours. He is co-owner of “Crazy Bear Bikes” in La Verne, California.
See the upcoming CBB tour schedule at -- https://www.crazybearbikes.com/upcoming-events
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