Levi’s Gran Fondo has quickly become the elite mass-start Gran Fondo in North America. We’re proud to be an Official Tour Operator of the event, and have an outstanding tour leading up to the Gran Fondo. You will experience some of the best cycling, imbibing and cuisine Northern California has to offer.
Riding across the Golden Gate Bridge, winery tasting room visits, and other inclusions are a part of our Levi’s Gran Fondo experience. Northern California is where Outfitter Bicycle Tours was founded, and we are excited to show off the world-class riding, ideal climate, and beautiful vistas along the Pacific coast.
In addition to our standard excellent guided tour inclusions, you will receive a Levi’s Gran Fondo VIP entry & jersey, VIP start area for the Fondo, OBT jersey and bib shorts, a commemorative souvenir gift bag, all the ClifBar products you can eat, and much much more. See full itinerary below.
Dates: September 26 through October 2, 2016
Length: 7 days, 6 nights
Type of riding: Varied, with significant climbing available.
Bikes suggested: Road bikes
Average daily riding: 50+ miles
Start city: San Francisco
Finish city: San Francisco
Suggested transport: Fly in and out of San Francisco (SFO)
We are visiting two hotels which are perfect for sightseeing and are excellent for ride launch points.
| Location | Hotel | Photo |
| Mill Valley | Mill Valley Inn |  |
| Santa Rosa | Flamingo Hotel & Resort |  |
Road Bikes: Our rental road bikes are a racing style with drop handlebars.
Type – Full Carbon Road Bikes- Sizes – XS, S, M, ML, L,and XL
- Components – Mixture of Shimano 105 and Ultegra with either triple or compact double cranksets. Many have road-disc brakes.
WHAT IS INCLUDED:
- Levis Gran Fondo & OBT cycling jersey, and OBT bib shorts
- Levi’s Gran Fondo VIP entry
- Pickup at SFO (San Francisco International Airport) when you arrive, and transportation back to SFO at the end of the tour.
- Commemorative souvenir gift bag
- ClifBar Products (complementary) for personal fueling and hydration
- All hotel accommodations
- Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel
- Meals as explained in the tour itinerary pages above. All breakfasts, 2 lunches, a wine tasting, and 3 dinners.
- Detailed route notes, maps, and tourist information
- Outstanding routing instructions for all rides! This includes GPS course downloads for your GPS unit, traditional cue sheet, and written prose describing each turn and the surrounding area. These methods are then supported by a road map.
- Your personal guides, helping you with support vehicles. On road support will always be near. From greeting guests when they arrive, to handling luggage transfers, mechanical issues, etc – our guides assist guests in every way. They also set you up on your rental bikes, and can help with routing, and any other questions.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED:
- Transportation to and from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) (i.e., flights, getting to SFO before tour starts and after the tour ends)
- Bikes, but we have rental bikes available
- Travel and Health Insurance
- Admission to sightseeing venues, unless explicitly mentioned as included
Tour Cost Per Person:
- Double Occupancy: US$3,195
- Single Occupancy: US$3,795
Bike Rental Per Person:
- Road Bike: Contact us
What’s Next? Registering for your tour!
Questions: First, please feel free to ask us any questions about the tour. We are happy to help clarify any details.
Registration: Once you are ready to register please go to https://outfittertours.com/registration/ and complete the registration form. EACH tour participant will need to complete the form. At the end of the registration for you will be asked for a US$800 deposit. You can pay the deposit by bank check, wire, or credit card. Once we have all registrations we will secure all of the details of your tour – hotels, bikes, etc.
Final Payment: 60 days prior to your tour we will invoice you for the balance of the tour.
Tour Packet Delivery: Once the balance is paid and approximately 30 days before your tour we will send you a complete tour packet containing all details of your tour – accommodation information, detailed routing, a suggested packing list, maps, tourist guide, and much much more!
For more information on our Terms & Conditions please CLICK HERE.
2016 Levi’s Gran Fondo Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: September 26th –Monday – Arrive in San Francisco & Transfer to Mill Valley
Welcome to Northern California! We will pick you up at the airport (SFO) and take you to our hotel across the Golden Gate Bridge, in Mill Valley. That evening we will have a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. We will also help you build up your bikes or set you up on a rental.
Day 2: September 27th – Tuesday – Ride the Golden Gate Bridge, through San Francisco and Marin County
After a brief pre-ride meeting, we will roll out from the hotel and ride across the Golden Gate Bridge, through Golden Gate Park, and through the beautiful San Francisco Presidio. We will have ride extensions through Marin County including the Headlands and Mt. Tamalpais. The ride can be as short as 30 miles (48km) and as much as 70 miles (112km). Dinner is on your own for you to discover in the lovely town of Mill Valley.
Day 3: September 28th – Wednesday – Ride to Santa Rosa
Today we will ride north to Santa Rosa. There will be two riding options: a 50 mile (80km) route that is inland and will provide rolling roads and a taste of the vineyards of Sonoma. The other options is to ride 75 miles (121km) of the beautiful and rugged US1 along California coast. Dinner is included this evening in Santa Rosa.
Day 4: September 29th – Thursday – Local Ride Through Sonoma County
Today we ride over the Trinity Grade to Napa County to visit one of our favorite tasting rooms in all of Northern California Wine Country – Clif Family Winery at Velo Vino in St. Helena. Yes, they are owned by the same fine folks as ClifBar. A private wine tasting and lunch will be included at Velo Vino! Today’s riding can be as short as 35 Miles (56km) or as long as you wish – there are many opportunities to extend and challenge. Van or ride back to the hotel. Dinner is on your own tonight, and we will provide suggestions and transport to downtown Santa Rosa.
Day 5: September 30th – Friday – Local Ride Through Sonoma County & Prep For Tomorrow’s Big Ride
Today we will have a local gentle ride, ensuring that your legs are primed yet rested for tomorrow’s big Gran Fondo. We will provide additional attention to bike tune and prep. Lunch is on your own. To properly fuel you for the next day, dinner is at Riviera Ristorante, a local cycling landmark.
Day 6: October 1st – Saturday – THE BIG DAY! Levi’s Gran Fondo
With an early start, we will head to the start of the Fondo, which is conveniently located near our hotel. We have a special VIP staging and start area, close to the front of the group. On-the-road support will be excellent. You can ride the full 102 mile (164km) Gran, the 62 mile (100km) Medio, or 30 mile (48km) Piccolo routes. Your choice!
Your lunch and a post-ride meal are included. The post ride festival is worth the price of entry! A band will be playing and great local food and beer will abound! We will have a designated post-ride gathering area adjacent to the festival to enjoy the party. Relax, enjoy the day, and bask in your success of conquering Levi’s Gran Fondo!
Day 7: October 2nd – Sunday – Departure & Return to San Francisco
We will provide private transport back to San Francisco for your departure from SFO.
