Cycling Bestsellers

Fascinating trip through interesting cities and countryside in the Baltics, led by the brilliant Lina. I was surprised to read recent negative reviews of this tour as it certainly didn’t match our experience. We were lucky to have a great group that really gelled and we all thought Lina was a brilliant leader. It is more of a cruising sight seeing tour then a full on cycling trip, the cycling is incidental on some days and the bikes are heavy shopping type bikes, but the terrain is generally flat and the riding is easy. The hotels were fine, though towels in the in Baltics are very thin and cheap and the trip would perhaps benefit from a non cycling day in the middle with a free afternoon to allow time for laundry and chilling.

James Tarran Cycle the Baltics

This is a wonderful trip! So many great sights from the two cities of Porto and Lisbon and all of the beautiful scenery in between! The coast is so scenic with the rugged cliffs and blue ocean

Curtis Wierenga Porto to Lisbon Atlantic Ride

The actual rides did not match the trip notes. The description that suggested we would be on trails seeing lots of small villages and churches, the Baltic Sea; the lakes were not true. We rarely saw any of the suggested items. We cycled a lot of roads which was pressured for time and one day on a supposed coast road it was a long slog on a main road with heavy traffic with no views to the sea or lake. The itinerary stated going through forests and meadows but you might as well describe a journey from Kendal to Penrith as travelling through mountains past lakes and pastures but you’re still on the M6!
We were often late getting started on the ride( one day 5pm) and rushed for the showers and evening meals so it felt like boot camp. It needed a rest day built in. We decided to skip one ride to visit Riga as there was v little time to sightsee the major cities otherwise. The bikes were heavy and not well maintained as was the coach which finally broke down delaying the start of that days riding which meant missing the end destination of a monastery. Some people were on e bikes and were often allowed to set the speed so we were v often v spread out and this caused problems for the leader with people getting lost. The trip needs a complete revamp and possibly more initial assessment of individuals needs as these were v varied and would have helped to know peoples sizes to fit the bikes better.
Badly planned; poorly led; badly maintained bikes and dishonestly described trip notes which should fall under the rules of the trade description act. Promised a lot but didn’t deliver

Annie Rogers Cycle the Baltics