Q: Where can I learn more about OBT's Self-Guided tours?

You have two options: Click on our SELF-GUIDED TOURS page. CONTACT US and find out more!

Question 1

If this is a %22self-guided%22 tour, why do I have a guide/concierge?

Accepted Answer

Our local contact is dedicated to ensuring that your holiday goes as smoothly as possible. Think of them as your local friend showing off their home while you’re in town for a visit. They are there from greeting you at the beginning to saying goodbye at the end. OBT concierges take care of curating excursions taking care of mechanical issues & roadside assistance, luggage transfers from hotel to hotel, providing assistance with routing, and much more. They are a phone call away, and there for you.

We deliver this level of service because you’re exploring an area unknown to you, and having a local contact provides great peace of mind. Let us streamline your holiday so that you can focus on having fun! OBT’s level of service is well above the typical self-guided experience.

Question 2

What is included?

Accepted Answer

We take care of everything except pedaling the bike….except for eBikes. The eBikes we provide will help you pedal!

All hotel accommodations – mostly 3 and 4 stars but ask for custom accommodation requests.
An OBT cycling jersey!
Comprehensive routing instructions. GPS unit rentals are available.
Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel.
Meals as explained in the tour itinerary pages. Usually, this means all breakfasts, no lunches, and some dinners.
Detailed route notes, maps, and tourist information
Your personal guide/concierge

What is not included?:

Transportation to start location and from finish locations
Bikes, but we have rental bikes available
Travel and Health Insurance
Admission to site-seeing venues, unless explicitly mentioned as included

Question 3

Why is a Private tour better?

Accepted Answer

Our tours are centered around accommodating our guests and the experience they are craving. Not the other way around.

Have you ever been stuck with a group of people you don’t know and may not particularly like? Or have been required to go along with tour plans or excursions that you were not excited about? Have you ever been in a tour group where you feel like you’re being herded along and hurried regardless of what you’d like to do? We’ve been there and don’t like it either. A private tour allows you to travel when you want and with whom you want. Bring your friends, family, partner, or simply yourself. Let us curate an experience for YOU!

Question 4

We're on your schedule? How?

Accepted Answer

From when you register for the tour through the duration of your tour, we cater to your timing.

YOU get to name the dates of your tour. You don’t have to choose from a calendar of tours that require you to adjust the timing your vacation plans. Want to start on a Wednesday? Sure! Want to be on tour for 5 days rather than the 6 days on our sample itinerary? That is OK with us.
When on your tour you are not being pushed to get on the bike at a certain time with a group. You rise, have breakfast, and roll out when you’re ready.
Want to spend more time exploring an area on a daily riding route? Sure! Just make sure you get to the hotel in time for dinner.

Question 5

Are bike rentals available? If so, what kind?

Accepted Answer

High-quality rental bikes available – road, hybrid and eBike. We will deliver the bikes to you and fit them to you at the beginning of the tour. Your guide/concierge is always available for help if you have a mechanical issue.

Question 6

How customizable are your tours?

Accepted Answer

We are very flexible in the destinations we offer tours. Customization options include the number of days/nights on tour, accommodation level (but we DO NOT go under 3-star), new towns/villages within established destinations, and much more. We are open to trying new things in new destinations! Please ask if you’re not seeing what you want!

We have a minimum of 3 or 4 nights on tour, depending on destination.

Question 7

How are you %22a step above the typical self-guided tour%22?

Accepted Answer

The level of service we deliver is beyond the average self-guided tour. You have the freedom of choosing your tour dates and the flexibility to customize your tour itinerary. During your tour, your local guide/concierge is there to help you every step of the way. We require them to have more regular contact with you, our guests, than what you’ll experience with other tour operators. In fact, some of our guides have been known to offer to ride with you on certain tour dates, if you wish.

If you’re looking to experience a polished professional tour, we are your only choice.

Question 8

How short can a tour be? Do you provide one-day guiding?

Accepted Answer

We have a minimum of 3 or 4 nights on tour, depending on destination. We do not provide one-day guiding.

Question 9

Can I have a guided rather than a self-guided tour?

Accepted Answer

Yes, for most of our destinations and most of our itineraries we can create a fully guided experience. Note that a guided tour requires extra planning lead-time and additional cost.

Question 10

Where can I learn more about OBT's Self-Guided tours?

Accepted Answer

You have two options:

Click on our SELF-GUIDED TOURS page.
CONTACT US and find out more!

Question 11

What is the pricing of the tour?

Accepted Answer

Pricing varies on several factors: Number of days on tour, double or single occupancy of rooming, and level of accommodation. To discover more about pricing click on the itineraries above and find the “Pricing” tab halfway down the page. Each itinerary will have its own pricing structure.

Question 12

If this is a %22self-guided%22 tour, why do I have a guide/concierge?

Accepted Answer

Our local contact is dedicated to ensuring that your holiday goes as smoothly as possible. Think of them as your local friend showing off their home while you’re in town for a visit. They are there from greeting you at the beginning to saying goodbye at the end. OBT concierges take care of curating excursions taking care of mechanical issues & roadside assistance, luggage transfers from hotel to hotel, providing assistance with routing, and much more. They are a phone call away, and there for you.

We deliver this level of service because you’re exploring an area unknown to you, and having a local contact provides great peace of mind. Let us streamline your holiday so that you can focus on having fun! OBT’s level of service is well above the typical self-guided experience.

Question 13

What is included?

Accepted Answer

We take care of everything except pedaling the bike….except for eBikes. The eBikes we provide will help you pedal!

All hotel accommodations – mostly 3 and 4 stars but ask for custom accommodation requests.
An OBT cycling jersey!
GPS routing via RideWithGPS.
Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel.
Meals as explained in the tour itinerary pages. Usually, this means all breakfasts, no lunches, and some dinners.
Detailed route notes, maps, and tourist information
Your personal guide/concierge

What is not included?:

Transportation to start location and from finish locations
Bikes, but we have rental bikes available
Travel and Health Insurance
Admission to site-seeing venues, unless explicitly mentioned as included

Question 14

Why is a Private tour better?

Accepted Answer

Our tours are centered around accommodating our guests and the experience they are craving. Not the other way around.

Have you ever been stuck with a group of people you don’t know and may not particularly like? Or have been required to go along with tour plans or excursions that you were not excited about? Have you ever been in a tour group where you feel like you’re being herded along and hurried regardless of what you’d like to do? We’ve been there and don’t like it either. A private tour allows you to travel when you want and with whom you want. Bring your friends, family, partner, or simply yourself. Let us curate an experience for YOU!

Question 15

We're on your schedule? How?

Accepted Answer

From when you register for the tour through the duration of your tour, we cater to your timing.

YOU get to name the dates of your tour. You don’t have to choose from a calendar of tours that require you to adjust the timing your vacation plans. Want to start on a Wednesday? Sure! Want to be on tour for 5 days rather than the 6 days on our sample itinerary? That is OK with us.
When on your tour you are not being pushed to get on the bike at a certain time with a group. You rise, have breakfast, and roll out when you’re ready.
Want to spend more time exploring an area on a daily riding route? Sure! Just make sure you get to the hotel in time for dinner.

Question 16

Are bike rentals available? If so, what kind?

Accepted Answer

High-quality rental bikes available – road, hybrid and eBike. We will deliver the bikes to you and fit them to you at the beginning of the tour. Your guide/concierge is always available for help if you have a mechanical issue.

Question 17

How customizable are your tours?

Accepted Answer

We are very flexible in the destinations we offer tours. Customization options include the number of days/nights on tour, accommodation level (but we DO NOT go under 3-star), new towns/villages within established destinations, and much more. We are open to trying new things in new destinations! Please ask if you’re not seeing what you want!

We have a minimum of 3 or 4 nights on tour, depending on destination.

Question 18

How are you %22a step above the typical self-guided tour%22?

Accepted Answer

The level of service we deliver is beyond the average self-guided tour. You have the freedom of choosing your tour dates and the flexibility to customize your tour itinerary. During your tour, your local guide/concierge is there to help you every step of the way. We require them to have more regular contact with you, our guests, than what you’ll experience with other tour operators. In fact, some of our guides have been known to offer to ride with you on certain tour dates, if you wish.

If you’re looking to experience a polished professional tour, we are your only choice.

Question 19

Are GPS units provided?

Accepted Answer

Included in your tour fee in Asheville, Tuscany & Provence is the use of one of our Garmin Edge Touring GPS units for the duration of your tour. These easy to use GPS units provide an excellent worry-free routing method that you can depend on throughout your tour. When you arrive the daily routes will be preloaded, and ready for you to use each day of your tour. All you have to do is start the daily route at the beginning of your riding day, and follow the highlighted line!

At the beginning of your tour, your local guide will show you how to use the unit. Additionally, we provide instructions that you can reference when needed. As a backup and supplement to the GPS, we provide a local map as well as routing instructions.

For all other destinations, we GPS provide rental options.

Question 20

How short can a tour be? Do you provide one-day guiding?

Accepted Answer

We have a minimum of 3 or 4 nights on tour, depending on destination.  We do not provide one-day guiding.

Question 21

Can I have a guided rather than a self-guided tour?

Accepted Answer

Yes, for most of our destinations and most of our itineraries we can create a fully guided experience. Note that a guided tour requires extra planning lead-time and additional cost.

Question 22

Where can I learn more about OBT's Self-Guided tours?

Accepted Answer

You have two options:

Click on our SELF-GUIDED TOURS page.
CONTACT US and find out more!

Question 23

If this is a %22self-guided%22 tour, why do I have a guide/concierge?

Accepted Answer

Our local contact is dedicated to ensuring that your holiday goes as smoothly as possible. Think of them as your local friend showing off their home while you’re in town for a visit. They are there from greeting you at the beginning to saying goodbye at the end. OBT concierges take care of curating excursions taking care of mechanical issues & roadside assistance, luggage transfers from hotel to hotel, providing assistance with routing, and much more. They are a phone call away, and there for you.

We deliver this level of service because you’re exploring an area unknown to you, and having a local contact provides great peace of mind. Let us streamline your holiday so that you can focus on having fun! OBT’s level of service is well above the typical self-guided experience.

Question 24

What is included?

Accepted Answer

We take care of everything except pedaling the bike….except for eBikes. The eBikes we provide will help you pedal!

All hotel accommodations – mostly 3 and 4 stars but ask for custom accommodation requests.
An OBT cycling jersey!
Comprehensive routing instructions. GPS unit rentals are available.
Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel.
Meals as explained in the tour itinerary pages. Usually, this means all breakfasts, no lunches, and some dinners.
Detailed route notes, maps, and tourist information
Your personal guide/concierge

What is not included?:

Transportation to start location and from finish locations
Bikes, but we have rental bikes available
Travel and Health Insurance
Admission to site-seeing venues, unless explicitly mentioned as included

Question 25

Why is a Private tour better?

Accepted Answer

Our tours are centered around accommodating our guests and the experience they are craving. Not the other way around.

Have you ever been stuck with a group of people you don’t know and may not particularly like? Or have been required to go along with tour plans or excursions that you were not excited about? Have you ever been in a tour group where you feel like you’re being herded along and hurried regardless of what you’d like to do? We’ve been there and don’t like it either. A private tour allows you to travel when you want and with whom you want. Bring your friends, family, partner, or simply yourself. Let us curate an experience for YOU!

Question 26

We're on your schedule? How?

Accepted Answer

From when you register for the tour through the duration of your tour, we cater to your timing.

YOU get to name the dates of your tour. You don’t have to choose from a calendar of tours that require you to adjust the timing your vacation plans. Want to start on a Wednesday? Sure! Want to be on tour for 5 days rather than the 6 days on our sample itinerary? That is OK with us.
When on your tour you are not being pushed to get on the bike at a certain time with a group. You rise, have breakfast, and roll out when you’re ready.
Want to spend more time exploring an area on a daily riding route? Sure! Just make sure you get to the hotel in time for dinner.

Question 27

Are bike rentals available? If so, what kind?

Accepted Answer

High-quality rental bikes available – road, hybrid and eBike. We will deliver the bikes to you and fit them to you at the beginning of the tour. Your guide/concierge is always available for help if you have a mechanical issue.

Question 28

How customizable are your tours?

Accepted Answer

We are very flexible in the destinations we offer tours. Customization options include the number of days/nights on tour, accommodation level (but we DO NOT go under 3-star), new towns/villages within established destinations, and much more. We are open to trying new things in new destinations! Please ask if you’re not seeing what you want!

We have a minimum of 3 or 4 nights on tour, depending on destination.

Question 29

How are you %22a step above the typical self-guided tour%22?

Accepted Answer

The level of service we deliver is beyond the average self-guided tour. You have the freedom of choosing your tour dates and the flexibility to customize your tour itinerary. During your tour, your local guide/concierge is there to help you every step of the way. We require them to have more regular contact with you, our guests, than what you’ll experience with other tour operators. In fact, some of our guides have been known to offer to ride with you on certain tour dates, if you wish.

If you’re looking to experience a polished professional tour, we are your only choice.

Question 30

How short can a tour be? Do you provide one-day guiding?

Accepted Answer

We have a minimum of 3 or 4 nights on tour, depending on destination. We do not provide one-day guiding.

Question 31

Can I have a guided rather than a self-guided tour?

Accepted Answer

Yes, for most of our destinations and most of our itineraries we can create a fully guided experience. Note that a guided tour requires extra planning lead-time and additional cost.

Question 32

Where can I learn more about OBT's Self-Guided tours?

Accepted Answer

You have two options:

Click on our SELF-GUIDED TOURS page.
CONTACT US and find out more!

Question 33

What is the pricing of the tour?

Accepted Answer

Pricing varies on several factors: Number of days on tour, double or single occupancy of rooming, and level of accommodation. To discover more about pricing click on the itineraries above and find the “Pricing” tab halfway down the page. Each itinerary will have its own pricing structure.

Best of Provence – Relaxed – 5 Night

Best of Provence – Aggressive – 8 Night

Tuscany Bicycle Tours

Self-Guided Bike Tours

French Pyrenees, Provence, & Alps Bike Tours