Bicycle Tour Frequently Asked Questions

Many beginner riders come on our trips. When we design your trip we match the mileage to you. So, just let us know that you’re new to riding. The minimum daily mileage is around 20 miles. When ridden with three or four breaks, any reasonably active person can easily achieve this. By arrangement, we can also organize a van transfer if you choose not to cycle one of the days. If you have the opportunity to do a few training rides before you travel, you’ll be able to do some longer detours. If not, we find that novice riders get fitter and more confident as they get into their trip.

All our areas have options to head into the mountains. When we create your itinerary, we will ask you how far you would like to cycle and over what sort of terrain. We then design an itinerary to match. For more advanced riders, there are some great rides up into the hills including lung-busting century rides. The west coast is classic cycling country and some of the longer and more remote rides will take your breath away — literally.

When we create your itinerary, we will ask you how far you like to cycle and over what sort of terrain. In addition, each day you have the option of a shorter or more challenging ride.
The minimum daily mileage we can cater to is between 15 and 25 miles. When ridden with three or four breaks, any reasonably active person can easily achieve this. By arrangement, we can also organize a van transfer if you choose not to cycle one of the days.
If you are a beginner, and you have the opportunity to do a few training rides, great. If not, we find that novice riders get fitter and more confident as they get into their trip so you will, likely, be able to tackle some of the longer detours towards the end of your trip.
For more advanced riders, there are many options for detours up into the hills including lung-busting century rides. This really is classic cycling country and some of the longer and more remote rides will take your breath away – literally.

We only use lodging that is clean, well-located and friendly. Beyond this, however, different guests value different levels of luxury. We help you find the boutique hotel, the charming B&B or the cottage in the redwoods – as best suits you. This is just one way we combine an exceptional level of personal service with great value.

See our Accommodation page for examples of the properties we recommend.

Yes. If you have a favorite bike, it would be a shame not to ride it on these classic roads. If it helps, we are happy for you to ship your bike to us in advance of your trip. We’ll then have it reassembled and ready for you when we collect you at the start of your first day.

No, that’s our job! We transport your luggage, leaving you free to explore unencumbered. You will, most likely, choose to carry some snacks and light clothing with you for use during the day. We provide panniers or a seat-post bag to help with this.

The one thing that all our guests share is a love of being outdoors. Other than that, our guests come from many backgrounds and have different levels of cycling experience.

Yes. Families with children are very welcome, but bear in mind that everyone must be happy and safe cycling on public roads. We can arrange kids’ bikes or a “tag-along” to attach to an adult’s bike. If you are traveling with kids, we ask that you and they pay particular attention to cycling safety.

Prices vary according to trip type, duration and the type of accommodation you choose. Detailed prices can be found on the following pages:

Self-guided Bike Tours
Private Bike Tours
Scheduled Group Bike Tours
Bicycle Training Camps

Your itinerary will have a detailed list of what is and what is not included in your trip price; see the table on the What’s Included in Our Bike Tours page for a summary. If you have a specific question, please phone or email us.

Our refund policy is one of the most generous in the industry. Refunds depend how much notice you give of your cancellation:

Days from Start of Trip	Refund Policy
> 90	Full refund, including any deposit.
61 to 90	90% of the full trip price is refunded. Normally we simply keep the 10% deposit. If you rebook in the future, you can reuse this deposit less an administration fee of $150.
15 to 60	EITHER: 50% refund OR: 80% of the trip cost is available towards a future trip with LifeCycle Adventures. If you rebook in the future, we'll simply credit this refund to the price of your new trip less an administration fee of $150.
< 15	Sorry, no refund.

To be fair to everyone, we adhere strictly to these policies and do not make exceptions. We strongly recommend you take out travel insurance to cover you in the event of having to cancel your trip.

During high season—May through October—accommodation and our availability can book out several months in advance. So, the more notice you give us, the better able we are to match your requirements. For couples in high season, we would recommend booking at least six months in advance. Groups of six or more should plan 12 months out if possible.

Besides cycling, there are many other great things to do on our trips – from archery to ziplining. See Other Activities while Bicycle Touring for more examples. We will be happy to make reservations for any of these activities. Typically people choose to do these activities on rest days or at the start or end of their cycling trip.

When you book your trip, we will send you a Kit Considerations tip sheet. However, the key is to bring comfortable and breathable clothing. We also sell LCA jerseys made of a light, breathable material. If you are interested in buying one before your trip, let us know in advance and we will have it ready for your arrival. Jerseys are $65

We are happy to make suggestions for where you stay before or after your trip. Often this is in a gateway city such as San Francisco or Portland. Alternatively, you may choose to stay in a smaller town closer to the start of your first day’s riding. Just let us know what style of lodging you’re looking for and we will gladly make some recommendations.

Call us, email us or fax us, we’d love to hear from you. You can contact us via the form at the top of this page, or see the Contact LifeCycle Adventures section of this site for telephone number, email addresses and fax numbers.