Ciao! ITALIA

[mtflycaster]

Hey all...

I'd like to pull the trigger on a bike tour in Italy this Fall, Sept or Oct, probably Tuscany. I understand there are a few different options, including Vermont Bicycle Tours, Hampsten's Cinghiale tour, Carpenter/Phinney, etc.

Any recommendations of tours from those of you who have done this? I would say I'm in moderately good shape, do about 125 to 150 miles a week with hills, and want to ride my own bike, but I don't want to be with a bunch of racer boys either.

Alternatively, what about going it alone, i.e., bike on your own without a tour group?

Appreciate the help!!

[Smiley]

Having done many a tour I can say do it with an organized group to maximize the fun factor. Also be prepared as Tuscany is very hilly and lots of Ups and Downs . Have fun and enjoy . I have done the phinney camps and the VBT tours , both first class groups.

[Smiley]

Happy birthday too :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

[IFRider]

A couple of years back, my wife and I did a tour with Experience Plus (www.experienceplus.com). They are based out of Colorado if I remember correctly, but have people in Italy. Unlike the boy racer tours, they had a good balance of people participating from different levels of cycling.

In researching the different options, we looked at Vermont Bike tours and some of the other fancy outfits. We chose and were happy with Exp Plus as they put more money into great dinners than fancy places to stay. All the accomodations were more than acceptable, but the restraunts at night were always great finds. They also included more dinners that other places. They chose excellent routes that each morning a rider left early and marked with chalk. This of course was in addition to maps being provided. They had a rider sweep the group for mechanicals but pretty much left you to your own devices (unless there was a specific site to get a tour of). They arranged addition guided tours some evenings and went the extra mile to help us plan a visit to Venice after their tour.

Mileage varied by day, but they would also suggest additional rides after the tour for the hammerheads. As it turned out, we spent most of the time seeing sites and enjoying the locals so we never did the extra miles.

You can always take your own ride, but as one might expect there are lots of hills. So gear accordingly. Also, it may not be fashionable, but be sure to have a bag to carry food and misc stuff.

The ride we did was a week or so long and was half a longer ride across Tsucany. They have a longer one that goes from Venice to Pisa.

Great group and highly recommended.

Warren

ps. Sundays in Italy are amazing. You see everyone out in their favorite team kits riding, even old men. Kind of like football fans at the mall during the season here in the states.

[Tom]

This was a self-guided deal, with our luggage carried from place to place by the organizers. The route was Paenza to Florence, the places we stayed were what I would think were 5-star hotels in little towns (except Siena and Florence, of course) and the trip was just unbelievably great. It was just my wife and me, and pretty cheap. The couple that run it are locals so they know all the good places.

The bikes were serviceable. While I would have loved to zoom around those roads on my own bike, it wasn't about the bike. It was about the place and I'm really glad I had my head up to see the colors and the light. I would bring my own saddle next time, though.

[jfelice]

My wife and I did the Hampsten's Cinghiale tour in 2000 and it was first rate. The guide to rider ratio was over 1:4 (6 guides and 20 riders) with all cyclists being relatively experienced although not all racers. As they do not rent bikes you are typically assured of having people that ride and there is even a fitness rating for each tour. From your post you should be fine for the Tuscany tour.

Since Andy is somewhat of a local hero and speaks fluent Italian you get treated like a king/queen at each stop along the way. In addition you get to ride and hang out with Andy who is a great story teller and has so many stories from which to draw. You also get some 1 on 1 riding time with Andy as well the other ride guides (on our tour Julie Ingersol - former mountain biking pro). There is also a cast of colorful characters such as the Mucci brothers, the mechanic (Gerardo i think), and many others that will make the trip very memorable

Beyond the riding Andy has a great affinity for fine wine and foods so the tour is also a gastronomical delight. Good food, wine, and people. Cannot go wrong there.

jeff

[Bradford]

I’ve been looking myself and will be taking a trip sometime next year. You should check out Ciclismo Classico. I know several people who have taken their tours and they rave about the experience. Ciclismo specializes in Italy and has over 30 routes that cover the entire country. It isn’t hard to find a tour of Tuscany, but Ciclismo has routes all over, including the Dolomites, Southern Italy, and Sicily. They even have a tour of the islands, although I don’t think that is enough cycling for me. I am currently planning to do their Bike Across Italy II tour, which was recognized by Outside Magazine as on of the world’s great trips. It covers southern Italy and is probably my best chance to cycle through my grandparent’s native Calabria.

Even though they are based in Boston, the people I’ve talked to say that Ciclsimo’s guides are the best. They are either Italians or expats who have lived in Italy for many years, so they are fluent not only in the language, but also in the culture. My friends have also told me that their routes are very well designed, both in finding great riding and avoiding messy city riding. I’m looking for an authentic Italian trip, not just an American guide with a map, so it is exactly what I want.

Either way you go, try to get a sense for the routes, the off bike activities, and the attitude of the company. Give each company a call and talk to the sales person to get a sense of what kind of people take the tours, what experience the company is trying to give, and what kind of cycling it is. Each company will offer a different level of luxury, cycling, and cultural immersion.

Good luck, you can't do much better than a tour in Italy.

[flydhest]

I did the Carpenter/Phinney camp. Connie and Davis are fantastic people and I thought they put on a wonderful camp. Tuscany was great. The riding was magnificent. The guides they had were a lot of fun. The only possible downside is that it is a touch pricey. Nevertheless, I wholeheartedly recommend them.

I got to ride with Andy Hampsten one day. He lives near where our camp was. Andy seemed like a really great guy to hang out with and ride with. No doubt about it. I think his groups are a touch more hard core, which could be a good thing. I got in a lot of good riding with Connie and Davis, but I would have liked a bit more intense at times. It wasn't dawdling by any stretch, and the hills were definitely enough of a workout.

[Climb01742]

i happened to speak with steve hampsten today and he couldn't have been a nicer guy. i have no experience with their tours but if you begin with a nice person...

[PhatMatt]

Going it alone is easily do-able but a working knowledge of Italian would be a huge asset. I spent 6 months in Italy last year and found the riding, in Umbria just to the south of Tuscany, to be unrivalled in my experience. What I did to get familiar with local rides was went to a bike shop and asked where they rode. And not only did they tell me but I was invited to ride with their weekly group rides from which I met people who I would meet individually throughout the week.

A group would eliminate a lot of the logistical work obviously but it also adds a buffer between you and the country you are riding in. Just something to consider. You can't really go wrong in Italy cycling-wise.

[sam]

I have done 4 Carpenter/Phinney camps. The riding is always great and there are no better hosts than Connie and Davis.........Tuscany was beautiful.....You can't go wrong with one of their camp.

[mtflycaster]

Wow! Thanks for all the inputs, folks. Lots to consider, and would certainly welcome any other comments...

Cheers!

[csb]

as if this will help (i barely get out of my own temperate forest)...

the hampstens' tours look/sound pretty sweet, and like mr climb,
i too have had a lovely conversation wid steve h.

(i tried to get flydhest to speak for me but alas he was caught
up in penning prose for dbrk)

[Andreu]

A nod to a local guy (who I occasionally ride with)...
Try....
http://www.thomsonbiketours.com/home.htm

Knows the European scene ..but you can book from the USA.
Looks good.
A :beer: