Just about every type of bicycle has been used on our tours. We've seen touring bikes, racing bikes, recumbent , mountain bikes, tandems, and even triples. For safety and comfort, we strongly recommend beefy tires for paved road trips -- at least 700 x 28. We encourage you to ride the bike you're comfortable with, and to come prepared with the extra tubes and the tools you'll need to repair a flat tire on your bike. For our dirt road trips, and trips including a mix of dirt and paved roads, we strongly suggest riding a mountain, hybrid, or cyclocross bike with durable wheels and tires with more aggressive tread. On dirt trips that include technical terrain, a mountain bike equipped to handle rough ground is necessary. If you have questions about the suitability of your bike for a specific trip, please call us at 800-755-2453, ext. 3 or contact us or via email.

Some of our rides occur in the high mountains. The effects of altitude cannot be predicted by factors such as age or physical condition. If you are doing a cycling trip at higher elevations (most people can go to 7,000 feet with little or no negative effect), the best way to prepare is to arrive at the starting point a few days early to acclimatize. To identify trips with high-altitude riding, please view the "Tour Details" box for elevation alert notations. The Adventure Cycling Tours Department welcomes your calls if you have concerns about cycling on one of our higher-elevation trips.

Some tours contain very challenging riding on narrow, steep mountain passes. A high level of fitness is required to complete these routes enjoyably. To fully enjoy these amazing rides, training is required. Working up to the daily mileages over several months will help you enjoy the tour that much more once the start finally comes. Having good low gears on your bike that you can spin as much as possible will also help ease the challenge of multiple days of climbing. On supported tours a van may be available to help you mitigate this challenge, but only you can turn your pedals. If you do not consider yourself to be a strong rider and doubt your ability to complete a tour, please call us and we can help you determine whether a trip is appropriate for you. Itineraries are subject to change due to weather, road conditions, rider safety, and other factors that may affect the logistics of the trip.

You can reach the tours department at 800-755-2453, ext. 3 or via email.