Bike Tour Vacations

New things on a bike

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 12:51:13 GMT

New things on a bike

I am always on the lookout for folks doing interesting things with a bike. At a family gathering this past August, I learned a cousin of mine, Joel in Boulder, CO, is a newly appointed Captain of an electric assist trishaw. He’s tasked with giving rides to residents of some retirement homes. I got him to sit for 20 questions about this new advocation of his.

The Backstory

First let’s start with some history. Joel’s parents Brooksie (my first cousin) and Elon both earned advanced degrees and taught, so his childhood was spent at many different college campuses. As he told me, “We moved every few years and the bikes never made the move. Whenever we got to a new place, the first question was always ‘Where’s my new bike’ because as a kid, the bike meant freedom.”

He has memories of biking across the campus at UC Berkely with his friends, and out into the surrounding area.

When Joel got to college, an early and primitive mountain bike became his wheels, a quick, easy and inexpensive way to move about.

As an adult, he found a Brompton folding bike which became his companion on business travels, frequently allowing for exploration after the workday. Joel even had a gig in Lansing and explored from the capitol to the river and over to the MSU campus in East Lansing.

When his two children were the right age, he coaxed some friends to teach them how to ride a bike. I’m sure parents can see the reasons for this tactic, removing emotional barricades. A modern twist of this is being used on newly retired adults; they join their local bike club for the encouragement and support they might need to become proficient again on a bicycle, vs. hearing about it from a spouse!

Joel providing a comfortable ride on his Tri-shaw. That’s his mom Brooks and her hubby Eben.

Joel told me about one guest, about 90 years of age, who brought her daughter along. The daughter is a cancer survivor who, 5 years ago when given 3 months to live, fired her oncologist! She now has the greatest ‘one day at a time’ attitude.

The Take-away

I asked Joel when he realized a bike was a tool for outreach, for community enrichment. His answer surprised me a bit. It’s not when he was a kid out biking with his friends, or when he had the cruiser bike as a college student. Not even with the folding Brompton bike on business travels.

No, he recognized outreach as part of a bikeshare program in Boulder, where bikes are available for a fee, but free for those with the colorado.edu email addresses. This is a sponsored program which allows unlimited half-hour rentals for those in the service area. The practical application (at least for Joel) is commuting to the grocery store.

Think of the advantages. First, you eliminate a round-trip by auto where it probably operates in the least efficient range, and you clear up roadway space by one less car. Plus, it gives a small amount of active exercise time in the short trip over and back by bike.

Also, obviously, is his newfound love of being a trishaw pilot. A handful of shut-in folks will get a much needed and appreciated dose of socialization and fresh air, and the trishaw pilots in return get a sense of community and of well-being.

Do you know someone doing somthing unique on a bike? It could be a future blog post topic.

Give us a shout about it, thanks!

Part 1 of a review of our series, Who Rides a Bike?

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 14:10:18 GMT

Part 1 of a review of our series, Who Rides a Bike?

Margaret Bigham, Sue Charleville, and Sue Hansen are 3 members of a group of 5 women from Howell, Michigan who toured with us recently. These three have reached an age where their children are grown and out of the house, and they have many activities to keep up with. Horseback riding, hobby farms – they all drive trucks – book club, husbands, a few grandchildren; why put cycling in the mix? I sat down with them over coffee to find out.

Three Paths to today

When pressed for their cycling history, they gave three very different answers. Margaret has the most extensive bike story, going back over 40 years, riding a dark green Raleigh Grand Prix in the 1976 Bike Centennial ride across Kentucky. Then came marriage and children, and a career as a librarian, which put bicycling on hold a bit.

Fast forward to modern times, and children are grown and out of the house. As Margaret said, “You know, you don’t do it for a long time, because mothers…you have kids, you do what everyone else wants. Now that I’m older I have the time. I thank the lord that I have these good friends that will go with me.”

“We’re new to intense cycling” said Sue Hansen, “just in the last few years, that’s when we started riding as a group. We needed an instigator, and that was Margaret…”

Margaret the Instigator

Margaret added: “Because the miles go faster with your friends. Sometimes you just have to ask people, to put out the invitation, and most people will say ‘yeah, I’ll try that biking’. Sue Charleville jumped in: “She’s a natural leader. I have a hobby, which is horses, and I met Margaret through that. But then, my kids were out of the house, and hers were too, and I wanted to hang out with Margaret. She put on Facebook ‘I’m going on this bike ride, does anybody want to come along’ and I’m in! I wanted to spend more time with her.”

Margaret and Sue, Niagara Falls

Sue C is the most recent adult cyclist in the group, only joining in about 2 years ago. She also is a nurse. Said Margaret: “Shes strong, from riding those horses, she’s a strong rider! Margaret is the instigator, Sue C is the newbie, and Sue Hansen is the analyzer. A yoga instructor, she started adult riding about 7 years ago, when her husband Joe got her a bike (he rides at Kensington Metropark after work, and also goes to spin class ). Sue would ride the dirt roads near her home, and then something changed. “Margaret organized the library event, on the ( Lakelands ) trial. Then we had the big one, when we went to Missouri, that was my first big ride.”

The Katy Trail

The group in Sedalia, MO

It’s a pretty big ride, taking on the Katy Trail. Stretching 230 miles along the Missouri River, this limestone trail offers challenges. “I didn’t think that we were going to be able to ride 60 miles in one day, but we did! We were always trying to be at the end (of the group) so we didn’t have people saying ‘move over’, we wanted to be at the end so we could enjoy ourselves” said Sue H.

“We were always the last one’s out of camp” Margaret reminded Sue with a laugh. “But we had so much fun! It was like a vacation because we didn’t have to cook, or clean, or take care of anybody else.”

All 3 women are able to change a flat. Each has studied maintenance at clinics sponsored by a local bike shop. “I like to try to repair bikes, because I think hands-on is a good thing” said Sue C.

They also have a pretty good fit to their bikes. One could use a new seat, and another maybe should look at handlebars. Regardless, these 3 are capable and ready for whatever their next bike challenge might be. This includes introducing newcomers to the sport.

I asked about how they would entice people to join. “I would go with them and ride slower” said Sue H, “just get them to enjoy it. After they accomplish something, they get a little confidence, and the try something else.”

Self-Reliant Riders

Margaret chimed in: “I think that’s a good plan, Sue. We had a plan, this is how many miles we’re going to do, this many days a week, to build up to that longer trip. And before you know it, you’re doing 30, 40 miles and saying ‘this is nothing!”

Safety

We chatted about safety on the roads, and the differences between riding a horse and riding a bike; the horse sometimes has a mind of its’ own! All 3 are familiar with the new Michigan law requiring vehicles to leave 3′ clear when passing bicycles, and the new driver training requirement for an hour of class time devoted to non-motorized road users.

One new safety feature that has their attention: the use of rechargeable flashing lights during daylight hours. These three are still more comfortable on bike trails, where interface with traffic is nearly non-existent.

Look to the future

We were reaching the end of our time when I asked about upcoming events, a topic which quickly got Margaret and Sue C planning a ride across America! Closer in terms of the calendar, their plans include a decorated bike parade in Lansing in a few days, and renting fat-tired bikes for some winter fun.

“I hope I’m still biking into my eighties” said Margaret, “I really love it”. She added “I could get obsessed and go on all kinds of trips and never see my husband (laughs)”. I need to talk to him, because you know, cycling is for everyone!

Final Note

Three adult women, having grown their families and had successful careers, have come back to bicycling in a big way. They have created their own support group; they’re willing to share this knowledge with others; and they’re planning more great events on bikes. Way to go, ladies!

If you’d like more information on our weekend or week-long tours, please check out our website. Thanks!

Make your rides more enjoyable

Sat, 02 Nov 2024 13:11:10 GMT

Make your rides more enjoyable

Things which make my cycling more fun!

What brings enjoyment to my ride?

I’m the Tour Chief, and I’m very fortunate to be able to ride a bike regularly for work. I ride for enjoyment at home, frequently with local clubs, and just as often solo or with a friend. There are a few standout recent equipment additions which have greatly improved my enjoyment of the bike, and I’d like to share them with you.

First, I’m a huge fan of Ride with GPS. Most of my pleasure rides, and ALL of my tour rides are pre-planned using this software. The pre-planning is important for safety: did someone vet the route to be bike-friendly and avoid traffic hazards?

Best new equipment addition in 2024: a phone mount on my handlebars . I have no desire to talk on the phone or check texts or emails while riding, but navigation by smartphone has become vital for me and for many others. I know there are those who want nothing to do with anything electronic and want to let the wind lead them around. That’s fine, but what about safety?

Using Ride with GPS regularly reminds me of the importance of vetting each ride for safety before ever leaving home, and having the phone announce turns as I come upon them frees my mind to think about other things while I’m riding along.

In the two photos below you can see my phone holder, found on Amazon and installed in an instant last summer. I have not a single worry about safety of the phone. While riding, the phone is normally asleep, coming to life only to announce turns when about 500′ out. It’s really delightful!

The black device with the orange button is a headlight with electronic horn; I’ve grown weary of voicing my approach to pedestrians on bike trails.

I’m also keen on ‘not’ being the needy cyclist. To help with this, I regularly use a Clickstand, a device much like a kickstand but designed for carbon-frame bikes! There are two parts: an elastic cord parking brake, and the clickstand itself. No more worries about finding something to lean your bike against! In the images you can see the clickstand resting on the top tube near the seat post, supporting the bike. The second image shows the elastic band holding the brake tight so the bike is immobilized. This is ingeneous! When not in use, the elastic band stays on the handlebar, ready for use.

Not being the needy cyclist also means providing for myself. Specifically, I’ve added a new seatpost clamp with threaded eyelets to allow for installation of a rear rack and pannier. My panniers are mostly used for wardrobe items, sunscreen, a cable lock, some tools and inner tube. As a Tour Leader occasionally I have to carry items for the tour. This rack has multiplied the utility value of the bike significantly! You can see the rack below, pannier above.

These are some relatively inexpensive additions to the bike, however they all contribute to making each ride more pleasurable. What have you done or added to your bike to give additional enjoyment?

Only the brave will look below! I think there may be some good tour options visible at the button. Please take a look, thanks!

Our Cancellation Policy

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 14:52:25 GMT

Our Cancellation Policy

Here is the Cancellation Policy we share with our week-long tour guests after they make their refundable tour deposit. This written policy also includes our recommendation for optional trip insurance.

Cancellation & Refund Policy : We have a Cancellation and Refund Policy to protect the investment of other guests on the tour, and to cover our costs for tour expenses. All cancellations are subject to a $150 cancellation fee per person. Any balance of your deposit is refundable if requested more than 60 days prior to departure. Cancellation fee is 50% between 30 and 59 days from tour. No refunds of any kind can be made for any reason within 30 days of the tour, including, but not limited to, Acts of Terrorism and War, as well as personal or family emergencies. Our tours are designed to run from start to finish, so there is no credit for partial tours. Tours are transferable from one person to another with no service charge. Purchases at our company store are final, as all goods are produced for each individual order. No exceptions for any reason. We recommend that guests have travel insurance for your own protection. There are hundreds of reasons why you might have to cancel or leave the tour early. We recommend you check this link for good travel insurance. Please note, you have extra benefits by getting travel insurance within 21 days of registering for the tour. Please click this link to see the travel insurance option: https://www.travelexinsurance.com/index.aspx?location=22-0318&go=bp

There may be occasions where we choose to cancel a tour, usually for low enrollment. If Bike Tour Vacations cancels a tour, a full refund will be made for any registered guests. The Cancellation Policy is never meant to be punishment; rather it is important protection for our other guests who register for a tour up to a year in advance of departure, and for the company as many of our contracts have fixed pay points.

One unique and important exception to the policy exists for guests who might contract Covid prior to departure and be contagious at the start of the tour. Bike Tour Vacations will issue a full refund upon presentation of proof of infection and being contagious at the time of tour departure. It may be obvious, but the threat of causing an outbreak to other guests or staff is much greater than the cost of a refund.

Trip insurance : Terms of Trip Insurance can be found at the link above. Bike Tour Vacations is not a licensed insurance broker, and all questions regarding coverage are referred to the provider.

Why some rides thrive!

Sat, 17 Dec 2022 15:29:02 GMT

Why some rides thrive!

Group Rides and growing participation

Why some events thrive!

The 2022 Ride Season is over. A quick look back shows many single-day and regular club events have been successful and have even grown during the pandemic. We set out to find their common traits.

Your Tour Chief is a big fan of group rides which are close to home. If you want to have a good year on the bike, one helpful strategy would include identifying and participating in local rides near you.

We’ve discussed the advantages of club rides and organized events many times in the past. First, there is safety in numbers, for a handful of reasons. A crowd of bicycles, complete with bright outfits and flashing lights, stands out to motorists vs. just one or two riders. Also, someone has already tested and vetted the route for you, for an added measure of safety. Many rides focus on some kind of food or festival event, which adds to the fun factor. Finally, group rides may provide some assistance for you if there are mechanical or other issues.

find your social media champions!

When I started this post, I realized the most vibrant rides have people who chat it up on social media. These cycling friends are doing many different rides, and they like to post about it. We’ll call these people Ride Champions. You probably know someone like them; they love being social at events, they can do anything they decide to do, and they never complain. In fact, quite the opposite! Their chatter attracts others to the rides and does much to support the bicycling community.

To help with the blog research, I spoke with Ride Champions Betty Karsten, Cindy Hung, Liza Luzod-Chubb, Dan Harrison, Greg Tarver, and Aaron Tobin. I join these kind folks as often as time allows on events from the following Ride Sponsors: Cycling for Active Adults (Farmington Hills), We’re Still Riding (FaceBook), Oak Park E-Z Roll, We Bike Detroit, Impromptu Rollers, Soul Roll Detroit, Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society, and several more groups. (The original version of this post had mis-identified Soul Roll Detroit as Slow Roll Detroit; we apologize for any confusion this may have caused. JP)

common traits of successful detroit-area events

Each of the Ride Sponsors above have made a commitment to their members to deliver a particular experience. While cycling is always included, the strategies and methods are not the same. The groups which grow their rides share some traits which our Ride Champions helped identify.

Trait #1 , be transparent about the ride requirements. Newcomers want to know the average pace, road or trail conditions, distance, and cost (if any). We see a broad range of requirements for popular rides, so the best advice is don’t copy someone else, just pick the requirements which suit the Ride Sponsor and Ride leaders and be consistent.

Trait #2 , have a Program or theme for each ride. This could be easy like cycling through a different metro park each month, or perhaps a ride in conjunction with a local festival, or stopping to enjoy a special restaurant or pub along the way. There needs to be a reason someone would come out and join your ride. Remember, sometimes it’s the sizzle, not the steak.

Trait #3 , be clear about drop or no-drop rules for your ride. New riders often want the assurance that they won’t be left behind to fend for themselves. Likewise, speedy folks need to know if it’s OK to get ahead of the pack. This is especially important when guests are coming from across town and are new to the ride area.

Trait #4 , communicate your routes. Rides which are pre-planned almost always get a better response vs. those which are made up on the fly (see also Trait #3 above).

Safety is important

Trait #5 , All the events surveyed for this blog post include verbal instructions to the group before riding out. It’s important to reinforce good safety practices every ride, and your ride guests will appreciate it. Pre-ride instructions can include reminders about ride etiquette, road conditions, and things to see. Never be afraid to talk about ride safety and potential risk. The Ride Leader is responsible for this, with support from the Ride Sponsor .

what about cost

Cost is a factor at some point, however for the rides we looked at it appears to be minor. Some of our Ride Sponsors have a small fee for membership, and a handful of events have a fee. Some events get marketed as a fundraiser. We Bike Detroit has a $5 charge per ride, to cover the cost of parking lot security. Excess receipts are donated to a local charity, and this seems to be well accepted by the bicyclists. In all the rides we looked at our Ride Champions were not scared off by cost.

The Take-Away

There appears to be some correlation between consistent participation and low mileage & low speed rides when trying to grow an event. Oak Park E-Z Roll gets several hundred for their typical 8-mile ride, and CFAA has many rides between 10 and 15 miles each week. Soul Roll Detroit gets a very casual crowd at low speeds in Detroit. These groups have found success with modest goals for speed and distance.

Don’t be limited by Low and Slow as a requirement for success, especially when you clearly communicate speed, distance and performance data upfront. We’re Still Riding has people out regularly between 20 and 30 miles, usually at a fast-casual pace. We Bike Detroit has a brisk casual pace, usually 20+ miles and always with a food or pub stop. The Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society has many scheduled rides at longer distances, including a Monday gravel ride at 25+ miles, and fairly regular 40 to 45 mile breakfast rides near Chelsea and Dexter. AABTS also gets good participation in the One Helluva Ride fundraiser, where guests pick their desired distance up to 100 miles!

There also appears to be little impact from repeating the same route vs. having a new route for each ride. Many folks find comfort in an ‘old reliable’ route, while others want only new routes. Your Ride Sponsor goals will help establish how many new vs. repeat routes to use.

Feedback is welcome!

Do you have additions to our 5 Traits of Successful Rides, or other comments? If so, please take a minute and click on the contact form below and set the record straight! Also, if you’re looking for some nice bike tours for 2023, please hit the button below. Thanks!

Ride Safe, my friends!

Contact JIM

Phone: (248) 345-6929

Email: jim@biketourvacations.com

Bicycle Safety

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 14:52:42 GMT

Bike Tour Vacations

Group Rides and Bicycle Safety

An interview with Dan Harrison

Your safety on our tour is Job 1. That’s why it’s important to study bicycle safety, and to explain how safety is designed into each tour. To help do this, we’re starting a series of safety discussions on our blog. This first post is from a conversation with Dan Harrison, who is a Ride Captain with the Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society.

We ride bikes for many reasons. There are great sights available on tours or on Saturday bike rides, health benefits from cycling, and the fun you have on the bike with your friends. These are wonderful things, but they’re best available AFTER you’ve designed some safety into your riding experience. To learn more about planning for safe rides, I talked with Dan Harrison, a Ride Captain and former officer of the Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society (AABTS).

Like many of us, Dan has ridden his whole life, from going round and round the dining room on a tricycle, to his first real bike, a red & white Murray, and on to become someone who rides 3,000 miles a year in retirement.

His adult cycling started in the mid 1970’s. “I remember I was working in Detroit then, and I bought my first nice real road bike. At about the same time there was Bike Centennial; that’s where many of the adults who ride today first got into cycling.”

Fast forward to 1988 and his future wife Jan. With several thousand miles under her belt, she got him to join the AABTS, and he became an officer of the club in 1989, responsible for 30 years of potluck meals. He also became a ride leader about that time.

Ride Leader Qualifications

A group like the AABTS is focused on getting people on bikes, through bike advocacy programs, regular group rides, and involvement in the community. I asked Dan about his qualifications to be a ride leader, aside from having a pulse and owning a bike. His reply: “One, I was good at routes and knowing what were good bicycle routes. I was real good at maps, and this was before we had smartphones or personal computers. The only thing we had back then, the City of Ann Arbor had a part-time bicycle coordinator, and they had a bicycle map of the city. Of course we wanted to get out into the county, so we’d buy good county maps and work off those.”

Does the AABTS provide safety guidelines for Ride Captains?

“Yes, we do. We have a chair of the safety committee. On our website there is a ‘Rules of the Road’ page full of safety guidelines. Also there’s a 4 or 5 page post, Tips for Ride Captains, with general safety and how to run a ride.”

There’s more. The AABTS “offered the Effective Cycling Courses about 15 years ago, probably 3 times with 20 to 30 people each time. It also included Red Cross first aid training. I’ve also been a member of the Bicycle Adventure Club, and I’ve arranged some of the ride leader seminars for that club. For 4 years I’ve discussed safety there for 20 to 40 people.”

Safety on a Group Ride

So far we have mapping skills, bicycle safety and first aid training, and teaching skills from sharing safety knowledge with other tour leaders. But how is this information put to practice on regular club rides?

“The first thing is to pick really good routes which are safe. The second is to talk to new people (on the ride) about how to be safe on the bike. When riding, I’ll also nicely give people safety tips. On our Friday ride, there’s a mix of road and paved trail, and you have to slow down on the trail! Your road bike is a sports car compared to family bikers or walker. Cyclists need to be friendly and courteous. “

“One other point, a bicycle is very quiet on the trails. You can come upon a walker and they are shocked sometimes, they don’t anticipate quiet bicycles! So a tip for bicyclers, make sure you’re vocal, so the walkers know in advance that you’re passing them.”

Why be a ride leader?

After 30 years of leading rides, I find it remarkable that Dan is still a ride leader. I asked him, after all this time, what could be the motivation to continue?

“You know, not everyone is suited to be a leader. Many folks are very good riders, but they don’t have the social skills or leadership skills. You lead by example. I’m motivated do it, though, because I like riding with groups.”

It’s not just biking in groups, though. Dan’s level of engagement continues at a personal level.

“I really enjoy new folks who come out to ride, and I’ll spend time talking with them, telling about the club, places to ride, what to anticipate, safety and nutrition. But as a conversation, not a speech.”

Safety is a big subject

Our interview on safety covered many topics including bike clothing and rearview mirrors, electronic navigation, cue sheets, the Idaho stop, gravel riding, and recruiting new cyclists. We could have gone for hours talking about safety.

My take-away from this conversation can be distilled to a few points. First, plan your route before you go out. There are many good navigation planning aids available at no cost (drop me an email if you need a list). Next, if you’re riding with a group, be sure you’ve set expectations on rider behavior, and don’t be afraid to discuss safety when you’re out riding. Finally, be courteous and be sure to communicate with those around you.

Want to read more? Please check out the Ride SMART page from the Cascade Cycle Club, and the Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society Safety Guidelines. If that’s not enough, take a look at the full transcript of my Interview with Dan Harrison .

Looking for a tour? See some great ones right here!

Ride Safe, my friends!

Contact JIM

Phone: (248) 345-6929

Email: jim@biketourvacations.com

Bike Tour Vacations

New things on a bike

New things on a bike ﻿

Part 1 of a review of our series, Who Rides a Bike?

Part 1 of a review of our series, Who Rides a Bike? ﻿

Make your rides more enjoyable

Make your rides more enjoyable ﻿

Things which make my cycling more fun!

Our Cancellation Policy

Our Cancellation Policy ﻿

Why some rides thrive!

Why some rides thrive! ﻿

Group Rides and growing participation

Contact JIM

Bicycle Safety

Bike Tour Vacations ﻿

Group Rides and Bicycle Safety

Contact JIM

New things on a bike

Part 1 of a review of our series, Who Rides a Bike?

Make your rides more enjoyable

Our Cancellation Policy

Why some rides thrive!

Bike Tour Vacations