Bike Tours Near and Far

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New England is fortunate to have so many active cycling clubs, races, enthusiasts and great bike shops. For those who seek a bit more adventure or opportunity to soak up history and information along the ride, there are many great bike tour companies. A variety of bike tours are available through local companies to explore New England or to get you overseas to ride the legendary roads of Europe where the professional pelotons compete at the highest levels of the sport. Check out these great resources right in your own back yard.

Urban AdvenTours offers a unique spin on cycling tours. Several unique tours are available that offer a variety of ways to explore Boston by bike. Its very popular signature ride, “City View Bicycle Tour” takes you by Fenway Park, Back Bay, Beacon Hill and the North End, with a ride along the Charles River to boot. It’ll cost you $50, but bike rental and knowledgeable ride guide are included. Snacks and drinks are not. Find more information on this and their many other tours at www.urbanadventours.com.

Bike New England will take you well beyond the city limits to explore the North Shore of Massachusetts or the Berkshire mountains in the outskirts of the state. Complete with van support, lodging at historic inns and breakfast and lunch, these multi-day tours are a great way to vacation on bike. The North Shore ride covers all the great cycling spots north of the city: Jeffrey’s Neck, Topsfield, Gloucester and Cape Ann, Newburyport and Plum Island, with an excursion into southern New Hampshire—all in six days of riding. The Berkshire trip explores Great Barrington, Umpachenee Falls, Lee, Stockbridge and Williamstown with a brief excursion into Vermont over six days. Prices start at $895, double occupancy. Find more information at www.bikenewengland.com.

More serious riders may be drawn to America By Bike, an organization that offers longer tours with full mechanical support and a mult-van SAG support system providing snacks and water. Its Fall Foliage Classic will take you on a loop from Portland, Maine, down the coast through New Hampshire and into Massachusetts before looping back up to Portland through the back roads of New Hampshire. You’ll cover 319 miles in seven days for $1,750, double occupancy. Find out more information on this and many other tours–including cross-country adventures–at www.americabybicycle.com.

The most serious riders who want to explore the same roads that are used in the cycling grand tours (the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, or Vuelta a Espania) should look into one of the many New England-based companies that specialize in European cycling tours. Destination Cycling (www.destinationcycling.com), based in Marblehead, Mass., Ciclismo Classico (www.ciclismoclassico.com), based in Arlington, Mass., or DuVine Adventures (www.duvine.com), based in Somerville, Mass. are some of the many companies that can provide you with a complete cycling package with full support, lodging, mechanical support and more for all levels up to the fittest and most adventurous cyclists.

A bike tour can be a great way to explore familiar territory from a new perspective; to see new countryside and soak in some history at a leisurely pace, or to challenge yourself to reach new levels on the bike. Start making plans to join in the fun. There are many rides scheduled for this fall, and some good goals you could establish for next year’s ride calendar to keep you motivated on the trainer this winter.

Tom Catalini is the author of Road Biking Massachusetts, a cycling guide book available on Amazon.com, and cycling blog www.RoadBikingMassachusetts.com.

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