We haven't taken Rhine Enchantment but the past April, biked on the Blue Danube which I suspect may be similar.
We had the opportunity to take 4 bike rides- two along the river and two in towns. I did the longest one, a 26 mi. one-way trip from from Engelharszell to Aaschach. We met the boat which had gone ahead, in Aaschach. My wife took the short one, a 7 mi. round trip from Durnstein to Weissenkirchen and back. The town rides were in Bratislava, Slovakia and Budapest, Hungary. We didn't do either of those but friends did. Biking is big in Europe. You will see many people riding bikes (to work, etc.) in towns and cities. The bike paths are excellent in Austria and Germany and well maintained.
Long trip:
• The river boat had about 12 bikes, but ours were supplied by a local bike trek company. They were very nice multi-speed (15?) bikes with good shifters, hand brakes, and comfortable, adjustable seats.
• On the long ride, a chase vehicle met us in several locations, just in case- but no one whimped out. Total time, excluding stops and two ferry rides, was about 2.5 hrs
• I'm just shy of 70 and swim for exercise, but was not in shape for a 26. mi. bike ride. I spent a few months training before the trip. I got to the point where I could bike 26 mi. without stopping, averaging 8 - 12 mph.
• The peloton stopped 2 or 3 times for rest and bathroom/water break.
• Our group of 20+ eventually spread out into 3 groups- the rabbits (mostly younger adults, some actually wearing Spandex : ) ), me in jeans (bad choice), then the slow group (one of which was a TD). Due to bends in the Danube and long stretches between stops when everyone caught up, there were times I couldn't see either group.
• We had two bike monitors/leaders who continuously cycled between the tail-end-charlies and the rabbits, passing me in the process. This was not a leisurely bike ride, but I made it. Actually my legs weren't sore at all the next day.
• Both long and short trips were on excellent bike paths and fairly level- they follows the river and there are few minor elevation changes. Based on the photos I saw when I Googled "biking the Rhine," it looks like the paths there are much the same.
• My wife who exercises but doesn't bike had no problems with the short trip- unlike the long trip, this one was more leisurely and more focused on the scenery. They stopped at a pub Weissenkirchen for a drink before returning.
• Our friends who took the city bike rides said they weren't physically demanding either- again sightseeing was the focus.
As to your specific bike trips- call Tauck, they will have more info- distance, level of difficulty, chase vehicle, etc.. As I understand it, these bike trips are a fairly new addition to Tauck river cruises so they may still be working out the kinks. Everything on the long trip wasn't as organized as it should be, e.g. chase vehicle didn't have water, we weren't briefed on the route, etc. But a number of us including the TD gave good feedback so I suspect it will be much better the next time.
Good summary Alan. We have some bike trips in the itinerary for the Budapest/Amsterdam cruise that I'm looking forward to next summer.
FYI, Tauck has had bikes on board I believe since they started river cruising but for sure since our first cruise in 2014. In Avignon the TD led a group on an option ride during a free afternoon there and the same on the Seine last year when we spent the day near Giverny. They weren't on the itinerary just options presented while on the tour. (For those who haven't been on a river cruise, the TDs add alot of little activities that don't appear on the official itinerary - talks in the lounge, a trip to the market with the chef, a stretching class on the sun deck, etc.)
But I do think they are adding more bicycle activities to itineraries. Interesting that they are also using rental bikes which makes sense so they can adjust the numbers easier than just relying on the limited number on board.
Thank you both for your detailed comments. We have always travelled with Tauck but decided in 2019 to try another company that advertised "Classic, Active, Discover." For the bicycling day we were matched with and provided with e-bikes. I am a very small woman, 5' 100 pounds, quite athletic but the bike was just too heavy for me. Every time we slowed down and came to a stop, the bike fell over with me. So disappointing that I had to go in the chase vehicle for the next two hours.
On our musical tour of the Danube with Tauck (the best vacation of my life!), my husband and I, on our own, biked along the river with bikes that were stored under our riverboat. It was flat and the bikes were well serviced.
We are planning to take the Rhine Enchantment tour in May 2022 and wonder about plans to use regular or e-bikes. Thanks for any updates from cruisers or management.
One thing I would check out about biking on the Rhine Enchantment tour. If it is truly in the Black Forest, then it could be much hillier than a bike ride along the Danube. I doubt that Tauck would plan it that way (a hilly course) but it might be worth asking about. The Black Forest is in the foothills of the Alps.
To give a bit of an update out our biking experience from our 2019 Budapest to Amsterdam cruise.
We did op for the cycling excursion that started/returned to Durnstein. The bicycles were standard multi speed manual bikes (not electric) and were supplied along with helmets by a vendor. He met the group a short walk from the ship. The ride was mostly very easy until we went up to a tiny village called Weissenkirchen where we took a break at a restaurant and the TD bought us all drinks. That was the mid point and we returned to the ship from there.
This was one of the options you were suppose to pre-select weeks prior to the tour. However, when we arrived on day 1 they gave out forms to fill out. In addition to the pre-selection tour options there were other questions like meal choices for the dinner in Vienna, etc. They provided a briefing session so you could ask questions. So you do have some flexibility once the tour starts.
I'm glad there are more options even though it does make you have to chose.
I am not a small, older woman as Choc describes (I'm a 6'6" older man). Biking, while on tour for me is problematic. I can see the possible allure of it, if it is done at a leisurely pace. I'm not on a Tauck tour to maintain a regular, at-home, type of workout. I'm traveling to see things, people, take pictures, experience the cuisine. I'm not sure the bikers - especially the ones described above as rabbits, are experiencing anything that I go on a Tauck tour to experience. Even for the other speed riders, as described above, I don't envision being able to stop along the way to take pictures, have a bite to eat, etc. as you desire, since it was described as there being pre-described stops for the bikes. In addition, as Claudia states, if you choose bike riding then you aren't choosing something that more closely matches a typical Tauck experience. That said, if the alternate choice to bike riding is something that I had already done or had no desire to do, then I certainly would do the bike ride, but I certainly wouldn't be one of the 'rabbits'.
I would be curious to the posters above that chose to do a bike ride, what was the alternate choice that wasn't selected and why. One reason that pops to mind is that perhaps the choice was ride a bike from point A to point B along the river or simply stay on board the riverboat and enjoy the transit from point A to point B. This would be a condition where I could see the bike ride having more appeal, in addition to the condition I described previously.
Our cruise - whish was a 2 week one - had 3 different chances for a bike ride option.
Instead of the bike ride you could go on a walking tour of Durnstein - pleasant small riverside village and/or climb up to the ruins of a hilltop castle. Bike ride sounded like a nice change to walking.
In Passau, you could take a walking tour or a 15 mile ride around the town. "Your ride will take you along the River Inn which is mostly traffic-free and includes some gravel paths and partly forested are". Don't know anyone who took this. I actually took off on my own for a walk which is easy since we we tied up right next to the old town. Needed a break for all the tour togetherness.
In Bamberg, you also had a choice of a walking tour or a city bike ride. When I saw the line about Bamberg being "perched atop seven hills" I decided I could see the city better if I wasn't worried about crashing a bike. After seeing the town I don't regret my choice.
I think there is a different between short and long cruises about what might be important to you. If you've been doing alot of walking and reached the "which German town are we in they all look alike" point, a bike ride might be a nice change of pace. Kind of like the stateroom question - on a short cruise I'm fine with a small room as you're seldom in it, if it's a long cruise with significant day time cruising then having a bigger room might be worth the money.
Oh yeah, I'm also one of those weirdos who's actually used the gym on river cruise ships and hotels. Go figure.
As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I biked on the Blue Danube cruise.
The boat stopped in the small town of Engelhartszell for morning activities- walk around town visit with locals, etc. The bike ride was in the afternoon. The alternative to the long afternoon bike ride was to ride the river boat to the Aschach locks where the boat stopped to pick up the bikers and attend a lecture on "birds or fish of the Danube." My wife who rode the boat, doesn't remember whether she sat for the lecture, but if she did, it must have been extremely engrossing. So for me, I didn't miss anything. For both bikers and those who rode the boat, that stretch of Danube was very boring. I took my camera and stopped to take a few unremarkable photos.
My wife did the bike from Durnstein to Weisenkirchen and back. She missed a tour of the Augustinian Monastery (the iconic one with blue trimmed tower) and an optional hike, afterwards, up to the ruins of Kuenringerburg, a hilltop castle above the town where Richard the Lionhearted was purportedly held for ransom during the Crusades. Only a TD plus three hearty souls and me made the hike. The ruins were not much, but the view of Durnstein and the Wachau were great.
These were a few of the "best" views I encountered during my bike ride!!!
The Abbey at Durnstein and the ruins were more interesting
Jill, one of our TD's and me.
So, my recommendation is to research your options, ask questions, and pick what interests you most. You can always change your choice once you get on tour.
Choc
Sam. Maybe we could get a bicycle built for two. I could pedal and you could snap photos.
I like your idea. If the bikes were like we had in a couple of different spots during the Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand tour then I'm all for it.
Choc - In the photo below you'd be the one on the back and that's me in the front. Great for taking photos, relaxing, seeing the sights and people. This is Tauck bike riding!!! NOTE: None of the actual bikers on the VCT tour wanted the 6'6", north of 200 pound man in their bike. They all would have fought over having you as their passenger.
Comments
We had the opportunity to take 4 bike rides- two along the river and two in towns. I did the longest one, a 26 mi. one-way trip from from Engelharszell to Aaschach. We met the boat which had gone ahead, in Aaschach. My wife took the short one, a 7 mi. round trip from Durnstein to Weissenkirchen and back. The town rides were in Bratislava, Slovakia and Budapest, Hungary. We didn't do either of those but friends did. Biking is big in Europe. You will see many people riding bikes (to work, etc.) in towns and cities. The bike paths are excellent in Austria and Germany and well maintained.
Long trip:
• The river boat had about 12 bikes, but ours were supplied by a local bike trek company. They were very nice multi-speed (15?) bikes with good shifters, hand brakes, and comfortable, adjustable seats.
• On the long ride, a chase vehicle met us in several locations, just in case- but no one whimped out. Total time, excluding stops and two ferry rides, was about 2.5 hrs
• I'm just shy of 70 and swim for exercise, but was not in shape for a 26. mi. bike ride. I spent a few months training before the trip. I got to the point where I could bike 26 mi. without stopping, averaging 8 - 12 mph.
• The peloton stopped 2 or 3 times for rest and bathroom/water break.
• Our group of 20+ eventually spread out into 3 groups- the rabbits (mostly younger adults, some actually wearing Spandex : ) ), me in jeans (bad choice), then the slow group (one of which was a TD). Due to bends in the Danube and long stretches between stops when everyone caught up, there were times I couldn't see either group.
• We had two bike monitors/leaders who continuously cycled between the tail-end-charlies and the rabbits, passing me in the process. This was not a leisurely bike ride, but I made it. Actually my legs weren't sore at all the next day.
• Both long and short trips were on excellent bike paths and fairly level- they follows the river and there are few minor elevation changes. Based on the photos I saw when I Googled "biking the Rhine," it looks like the paths there are much the same.
• My wife who exercises but doesn't bike had no problems with the short trip- unlike the long trip, this one was more leisurely and more focused on the scenery. They stopped at a pub Weissenkirchen for a drink before returning.
• Our friends who took the city bike rides said they weren't physically demanding either- again sightseeing was the focus.
As to your specific bike trips- call Tauck, they will have more info- distance, level of difficulty, chase vehicle, etc.. As I understand it, these bike trips are a fairly new addition to Tauck river cruises so they may still be working out the kinks. Everything on the long trip wasn't as organized as it should be, e.g. chase vehicle didn't have water, we weren't briefed on the route, etc. But a number of us including the TD gave good feedback so I suspect it will be much better the next time.
FYI, Tauck has had bikes on board I believe since they started river cruising but for sure since our first cruise in 2014. In Avignon the TD led a group on an option ride during a free afternoon there and the same on the Seine last year when we spent the day near Giverny. They weren't on the itinerary just options presented while on the tour. (For those who haven't been on a river cruise, the TDs add alot of little activities that don't appear on the official itinerary - talks in the lounge, a trip to the market with the chef, a stretching class on the sun deck, etc.)
But I do think they are adding more bicycle activities to itineraries. Interesting that they are also using rental bikes which makes sense so they can adjust the numbers easier than just relying on the limited number on board.
Thank you both for your detailed comments. We have always travelled with Tauck but decided in 2019 to try another company that advertised "Classic, Active, Discover." For the bicycling day we were matched with and provided with e-bikes. I am a very small woman, 5' 100 pounds, quite athletic but the bike was just too heavy for me. Every time we slowed down and came to a stop, the bike fell over with me. So disappointing that I had to go in the chase vehicle for the next two hours.
On our musical tour of the Danube with Tauck (the best vacation of my life!), my husband and I, on our own, biked along the river with bikes that were stored under our riverboat. It was flat and the bikes were well serviced.
We are planning to take the Rhine Enchantment tour in May 2022 and wonder about plans to use regular or e-bikes. Thanks for any updates from cruisers or management.
Perhaps LeeW has an input?
One thing I would check out about biking on the Rhine Enchantment tour. If it is truly in the Black Forest, then it could be much hillier than a bike ride along the Danube. I doubt that Tauck would plan it that way (a hilly course) but it might be worth asking about. The Black Forest is in the foothills of the Alps.
To give a bit of an update out our biking experience from our 2019 Budapest to Amsterdam cruise.
We did op for the cycling excursion that started/returned to Durnstein. The bicycles were standard multi speed manual bikes (not electric) and were supplied along with helmets by a vendor. He met the group a short walk from the ship. The ride was mostly very easy until we went up to a tiny village called Weissenkirchen where we took a break at a restaurant and the TD bought us all drinks. That was the mid point and we returned to the ship from there.
This was one of the options you were suppose to pre-select weeks prior to the tour. However, when we arrived on day 1 they gave out forms to fill out. In addition to the pre-selection tour options there were other questions like meal choices for the dinner in Vienna, etc. They provided a briefing session so you could ask questions. So you do have some flexibility once the tour starts.
I'm glad there are more options even though it does make you have to chose.
I own an ebike and find it heavy, but I would love to try one on a river cruise. I am also a small older woman.
I am not a small, older woman as Choc describes (I'm a 6'6" older man). Biking, while on tour for me is problematic. I can see the possible allure of it, if it is done at a leisurely pace. I'm not on a Tauck tour to maintain a regular, at-home, type of workout. I'm traveling to see things, people, take pictures, experience the cuisine. I'm not sure the bikers - especially the ones described above as rabbits, are experiencing anything that I go on a Tauck tour to experience. Even for the other speed riders, as described above, I don't envision being able to stop along the way to take pictures, have a bite to eat, etc. as you desire, since it was described as there being pre-described stops for the bikes. In addition, as Claudia states, if you choose bike riding then you aren't choosing something that more closely matches a typical Tauck experience. That said, if the alternate choice to bike riding is something that I had already done or had no desire to do, then I certainly would do the bike ride, but I certainly wouldn't be one of the 'rabbits'.
I would be curious to the posters above that chose to do a bike ride, what was the alternate choice that wasn't selected and why. One reason that pops to mind is that perhaps the choice was ride a bike from point A to point B along the river or simply stay on board the riverboat and enjoy the transit from point A to point B. This would be a condition where I could see the bike ride having more appeal, in addition to the condition I described previously.
Sam. Maybe we could get a bicycle built for two. I could pedal and you could snap photos.
Our cruise - whish was a 2 week one - had 3 different chances for a bike ride option.
Instead of the bike ride you could go on a walking tour of Durnstein - pleasant small riverside village and/or climb up to the ruins of a hilltop castle. Bike ride sounded like a nice change to walking.
In Passau, you could take a walking tour or a 15 mile ride around the town. "Your ride will take you along the River Inn which is mostly traffic-free and includes some gravel paths and partly forested are". Don't know anyone who took this. I actually took off on my own for a walk which is easy since we we tied up right next to the old town. Needed a break for all the tour togetherness.
In Bamberg, you also had a choice of a walking tour or a city bike ride. When I saw the line about Bamberg being "perched atop seven hills" I decided I could see the city better if I wasn't worried about crashing a bike. After seeing the town I don't regret my choice.
I think there is a different between short and long cruises about what might be important to you. If you've been doing alot of walking and reached the "which German town are we in they all look alike" point, a bike ride might be a nice change of pace. Kind of like the stateroom question - on a short cruise I'm fine with a small room as you're seldom in it, if it's a long cruise with significant day time cruising then having a bigger room might be worth the money.
Oh yeah, I'm also one of those weirdos who's actually used the gym on river cruise ships and hotels. Go figure.
As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I biked on the Blue Danube cruise.
The boat stopped in the small town of Engelhartszell for morning activities- walk around town visit with locals, etc. The bike ride was in the afternoon. The alternative to the long afternoon bike ride was to ride the river boat to the Aschach locks where the boat stopped to pick up the bikers and attend a lecture on "birds or fish of the Danube." My wife who rode the boat, doesn't remember whether she sat for the lecture, but if she did, it must have been extremely engrossing.
So for me, I didn't miss anything. For both bikers and those who rode the boat, that stretch of Danube was very boring. I took my camera and stopped to take a few unremarkable photos.
My wife did the bike from Durnstein to Weisenkirchen and back. She missed a tour of the Augustinian Monastery (the iconic one with blue trimmed tower) and an optional hike, afterwards, up to the ruins of Kuenringerburg, a hilltop castle above the town where Richard the Lionhearted was purportedly held for ransom during the Crusades. Only a TD plus three hearty souls and me made the hike. The ruins were not much, but the view of Durnstein and the Wachau were great.
These were a few of the "best" views I encountered during my bike ride!!!
The Abbey at Durnstein and the ruins were more interesting
Jill, one of our TD's and me.
So, my recommendation is to research your options, ask questions, and pick what interests you most. You can always change your choice once you get on tour.
I was thinking you were the one who did the hike up to the castle. Nice photos.
I like your idea. If the bikes were like we had in a couple of different spots during the Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand tour then I'm all for it.
Choc - In the photo below you'd be the one on the back and that's me in the front. Great for taking photos, relaxing, seeing the sights and people. This is Tauck bike riding!!! NOTE: None of the actual bikers on the VCT tour wanted the 6'6", north of 200 pound man in their bike. They all would have fought over having you as their passenger.
I love it
Is that BKMD I see in the middle bicycling in Jerash or Petra? Or perhaps Morocco? It kind of looks like how they dress in Colorado.
😂😂😂
Touché
But no, it's not me. I wear a fez-shaped helmet when I bike.