Bicycle Touring

Biking can be very cost effective and enjoyable touring Europe, imagine this, immerse yourself in Europe's timeless landscapes. Pedal along quiet country roads past fields scarlet with poppies and stone farmhouses encircled by elegant cypresses. Discover the treasures of medieval villages perched on hillsides cloaked with dark forests hiding truffle secrets. Listen to the splash of fountains in sunny squares or the sweep of the waves on the shore.

In Cities, pedal along the cycle-paths to explore the loveliest of the cities, visit timeless castles, buildings and monument is awe inspiring and with friendly locals to welcome you, it will definitely fill you with top-notch memories
Seeing cities such as Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Munich are great by bike. Within cities, bikes cut transportation times in half, giving you more time to spend at the sites. Wherever it's worth biking, you'll find a bike rental shop. Bikes are bargains at €5-10 a day.

Guide Bike Tour

In general, you'll find three types of bicycle touring in Europe:

• Guided tours, usually with a van to carry baggage and provide emergency bike repairs.
  These tours, ranging from 6 to 12 days, are a great way to see Europe. The tour usually includes accommodation and food would cost about €1600 - €2000. A good change from travelling by cars or trains.
• Self-guided tours, where you're given a bicycle and a pre-planned itinerary that includes accommodations along the way.
• Local excursions, which range from short city tours to rural day trips.
  Guide bike tour is popular in Europe's cities such as Amsterdam, Bruges, Paris, Munich, and Vienna. Usually range from 2 to 5 hours, the guided tour offers an entertaining, and informative tour to the back streets and treats of the city. Tours are fun, reasonable (about €15-30), good exercise, and an easy way to meet other travelers as well as get a fresh angle on an old city.

A good website that compare Guide Bike Tour is Bike Tour Review
While bicycle touring is one of the cheapest ways to see Europe, most bikers choose to pedal for the sheer joy of it. Imagine low-gearing up a beautiful mountain road on a bike (smell the freshly mown hay), then picture an air-conditioned Mercedes with the windows closed and the stereo on (smell the upholstery). The driver might think, "Masochistic nut!" but he also might notice the biker's smiling face--the face of a traveler who can see clearly from mountain to village and hear the birds singing while anticipating a well-earned and glorious downhill run.

Be Prepared

Expect rain and bring good bikers' rain gear. A Gore-Tex raincoat can double as a cool-weather windbreaker. You'll also be exposed to the sun, so plan on using plenty of sunscreen. A bell is generally required by law in Europe, so you should have one on your bike--for giving a multilingual "Hi!" to other bikers as well as a "Look out, here I come!" Even if you never ride at night, you should at least bring a strobe-type taillight for the many long and unavoidable tunnels. Smaller Presta tire valves are standard in most of Europe, so if your bike has the automotive-type Shraeder valves, take along an adapter. To guard against unsightly road rash (and worse), always wear a helmet and biking gloves.

Obey Europe's Traffic Rules

Bikers generally follow the same rules as drivers. Some countries, such as the Netherlands, have rules and signs just for bikers: A bike in a blue circle indicates a bike route; a bike in a red circle indicates bikes are not allowed. Be alert, follow the blue bike signs, and these required bike paths will get you through even some of the most complicated highway interchanges. Beware of the silent biker who might be right behind you, and use hand signals before stopping or turning. Stay off the freeways. Little roads are nicer for biking, anyway.

Use Good Maps

Michelin's Europe and individual country maps are fine for overall planning. In Europe, use local maps for day-to-day navigation. Michelin, Touring Club Italiano, and Die Generalkarte 1:200,000 maps reveal all the quiet back roads and even the steepness of hills. Don't be obsessed with following a preplanned route. Delightful and spontaneous side-trips are part of the spirit and joy of biking.

Bring Your Bike from Home

Although you can buy good touring bikes in Europe, they're no cheaper than here, and you're better off bringing a bike that you're sure is the right fit for you, your racks, and your panniers. Cyclists debate whether to tour on a thick-tired mountain bike or a touring bike with skinnier tires. Mountain-bike tires are much more forgiving on the occasional cobblestone street, but they are more durable than necessary for most European roads and the chunky tread design will slow you down. In addition, straight mountain-bike handlebars will limit your hand positions, increasing fatigue on long riding days. If you already have a mountain bike, go ahead and take it, but add some bolt-on handlebar extensions.

Some Airlines Will Ship Your Bike for Free

To determine the airline's bike-checking policy, call the airline directly. More airlines are charging a fee for your bike and for the "bike box" they provide. Some airlines will fly it to Europe free, considering it to be one of your two allotted pieces of checked baggage. Most airlines require that bikes be partially disassembled and boxed. Get a box from your local bike shop, the airline, or from Amtrak (which sells cavernous bike boxes). Reinforce your box with extra cardboard, and be sure to put a plastic spacer between your front forks (any bike shop will give you one). Airlines require that pedals be taken off the bike; never leave them loose in the box. Attach them either to your rear rack or put them in one of your panniers. You can toss in your panniers, tent, and so on for extra padding, as long as you stay under the airline's weight limit. Or consider a folding bike, which packs neatly into a suitcase (Green Gear Cycling Inc. makes a nifty "Bike Friday," tel. 800/777-0258, www.bikefriday.com). Bring the tools you'll need to get your bike back into riding form so you can ride straight out of your European airport.

Taking Your Bike on a Train Greatly Extends the Reach of Your Trip

Every hour by rail saves a day that would have been spent in the saddle (and there's nothing so sweet as taking a train away from the rain and into a sunny place). To make sure you and your bike can travel on the same train, look for trains marked in timetables with little bicycle symbols, or ask at the station's information window. In some countries, trains that allow bikes require advance reservations.

Bike Thieves Abound in Europe

Use a good Kryptonite-style bike lock to secure your bike to something sturdy. Never leave your pump, handlebar bag, panniers, water bottle, or computer on your bike when you can't see it. Keep your bike inside whenever possible. At hostels, ask if there is a locked bike room, and, if not, ask or even plead for a place to put your bike inside overnight. Remember that hotels and many pensions don't really have rules against taking a bike up to your room. Just do it unobtrusively. You can even wheelie it into the elevator. Rich and Risa found campgrounds to be safe, but they always locked their bikes together. Travel

Light ...or Camp

Unless you really love camping, staying in hostels or hotels makes more sense, since it frees you from lugging around a tent, sleeping bag, and cooking equipment. European campgrounds tend to be more crowded than American ones, so if you're willing to sacrifice privacy in order to mix with Europeans, camping can add a fun dimension to your trip.

A Bike Makes You More Approachable

The most rewarding aspect of bicycling in Europe is meeting people. Europeans love bicycles, and they are often genuinely impressed when they encounter that rare American who rejects the view from the tour-bus window in favor of huffing and puffing through their country on two wheels. Your bike provides an instant conversation piece, the perfect bridge over a maze of cultural and language barriers.