We work with only local guides, cooperating with those that have a love for cycling, and a desire to show guests the beauty of the land they call home. On our self guided tours we do not bring in guides from other destination to work with you. Having the local perspective only enhances your experience, providing insider knowledge and opportunities that only a local resident can offer.

 

From greeting guests when they arrive, to personally handling luggage transfers, to curating excursions, to problem-solving (e.g., flat tires and other unforeseen issues) our concierges assist guests daily. They also set you up on your rental bikes, and can help with routing and simple questions. Need help finding a good lunch spot? Is it raining too hard or you’re too tired to continue? The concierge is a phone call away and are there to help you! Each tour group works with a single, dedicated concierge who can be called upon for in-person assistance at any time.

We generally target highly rated local hotels and B&Bs, which we hand select to maximize comfort while minimizing cost. These are generally considered 3 to 5-star hotels using the French rating system. This rating system has proven to be the standard around the world. Therefore we use the same standards in France and beyond.

Over the years we have developed relationships with many amazing 3, 4 and 5-star properties that distinguish themselves as providing much more than their rating suggests. We have loved getting to know these hotels and sharing them with our guests. For tour groups wishing to upgrade their accommodations, we can provide custom pricing for nicer four and five-star hotels, pending availability. Below are an example of some of our favorite hotels in the region that we target using on our tours, pending availability.

Location	Hotel	Photo
Burnsville B&B	Nu Wray Inn
Asheville B&B	Chestnut Street Inn
Asheville Premium Hotel	Grove Park Inn
Hendersonville B&B	Melange
Lake Lure	Lake Lure Inn & Spa

 

All bikes come with a helmet, repair kit, pump (or CO2 cartridges), lock, and water bottles. During the registration process, you will be asked for sizing specifics to ensure we have the correct sized bike waiting for you. We can supply a number of styles of pedals – please ask if you don’t see the pedal type you’re looking for on the registration form.

Road Bikes: Our rental road bikes are mostly gravel bikes. Gravel bikes have a road bike geometry with drop bars and larger tires for all-terrain riding. It makes for a comfortable overall ride. If you prefer a racing road bike with skinnier tires, please ask us.

• Type – Carbon Road/gravel
• Sizes – 50 to 62 cm
• Components – Mixture of Shimano 105 and Ultegra with either triple or compact double cranksets. Many have road-disc brakes.

 

 

 

 

Hybrid Bikes: Our rental hybrid bikes hard-tail mountain bikes with road oriented tires. They have a relaxed style with flat handlebars.

• Type – Hybid/MTB (Aluminum)
• Sizes – XS, S, M, L, and XL
• Components – Mixture of Shimano road and mountain components with either triple cranksets or compact double.

 

 

 

 

eBikes: These semi-powered bikes allow for nonriders to share the experience with their friends and family who are stronger cyclists. We have limited supply of eBikes, so please contact us to ensure we can supply them.

• Type – Electric-assist eBikes
• Sizes – S, M & L
• Components – Mixture of Shimano Acera and Deore.

 

WHAT IS INCLUDED:

 

• All hotel accommodations – mostly 3 and 4 star but ask for custom accommodation requests.
• An OBT cycling jersey!
• The use of a Garmin Touring GPS during the tour for worry-free routing.
• Detailed route notes, maps, and tourist information. This includes standard cue sheet, and GPS courses to upload to your own GPS device.
• Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel.
• Meals as explained in the tour itinerary pages. Usually this means all breakfasts, no lunches, and some dinners.
• Access to your personal guide/concierge (See Guides/Concierge tab).

 

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED:

• Transportation to start location and from finish location.
• Bikes, but we have rental bikes available.
• Travel and Health Insurance.
• Admission to sightseeing venues, unless explicitly mentioned as included.

Included in your tour fee 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 pre-loaded, 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. We will also provide instructions that you can reference when needed. As a backup and supplement to the GPS, we will also provide a local map as well as routing instructions.

One unit will be provided to each four guests. If you need additional units they will cost $125 per unit per tour for rental.

For our Asheville Area Tours we offer several additional activities that can be added into the vacation.  Note that 1) we will need to plan these ahead and cannot be added at the last minute, 2) there may be extra costs involved, and 3) you may be joined by other participants in the adventure.

 

Brevard Mountain Biking: Experience the local mountain bike trails including Pisgah National Forest and Dupont State Forest.  A hardtail bike is included, and an upgrade to a nicer (full suspension) bicycle will cost $50 per person.  Lunch is included. Cost: $400 for two, full day. Ask if there are additional participants.

Hiking: Explore the backcountry trails of Pisgah National Forest and Dupont State Forest which surround the towns of Brevard and Asheville North Carolina, NC. We can provide you with a trip that offers spectacular views and scenic waterfalls. Timing options: 1) All day – Cost: $275 for two, $40 for each additional person; Or 2) Half Day – Cost: $200 extra for two, $35 for each additional person.

Biltmore Estate: Tour the house, visit the winery, and enjoy the complete splendor of the entire estate. We will transport you onto the estate and onto their bike paths (they do not allow bikes on the main roads). Timing: All day. Cost: $65 per person.

Brewery Tours in Brevard: The tours will consist of visits to the Pisgah Tavern, Oskar Blues Brewery, and Brevard Brewing Company. Timing: Afternoon and evening. Cost: $35 per person.

Stand-Up Paddleboard Tour: Ride the French Broad River on a SUP! Timing: Morning. Cost: Contact us.

Canyoneering & Climbing: Check our the waterfalls and cliffs of the Blue Ridge up close! Timing: Morning. Cost: Contact us.

Tour Cost Per Person: Our Asheville area tours are often custom designed and priced.  The below pricing is for the sample itinerary below during much of our tour season. Pricing can vary widely depending on the time of year. For example, October rates are higher due to the fall color season. Contact us for specifics.

 

• Double Occupancy: US$2,795
• Single Occupancy: US$3,295 (for single room occupancy on multiple person tours)
• Solo Tour: Please contact us

Bike Rental Per Person:

• Road Bike: US$450
• eBike: US$450
• Hybrid: US$300

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.