Biking
We are booked for the Warsaw, Budapest, Vienna,Prague tour. I am an avid bicyclist - there are opportunities on certain days to ride in these cities. Can someone please give me some information - what type of bike does Tauck use for these tours? I am accustom to my Cannondale touring bike. Does Tauck provide helmets? Can one use spd clips? Are you fitted for the bike? If someone has done the rides please share your experience - the positives and or negatives. Thank you for your time.
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What tour have you booked? When we took the Warsaw, Budapest, Vienna & Prague tour in 2022 cycling was not included in the tour, and I don't see it mentioned in the current itinerary. Some of the river cruises include cycling but none of them go to Warsaw.
We've only done a bike trip as part of a river cruise. Tauck works with a rental company who provides the bikes and helmets. The details could easily change from tour to tour in different countries. And yes they help you get the right size bike, seat adjustment, etc. No idea what brand but they were like 10 (?) speed generic bikes.
During the ride they make sure there is a TD or someone from the rental company in the lead and someone at the back of the group. On our Danube cruise we were basically riding along the river and it was fairly easy ride until we went slightly uphill to a small village for a beverage break at a bar. Once you get on the tour you can talk to the TD about details of the rides to make sure that's what you want to do.
We took that tour some years ago, I also don’t recall biking. The best thing to do is call Tauck and ask to speak to the person who is the tour manager for that area. The managers usually visit the areas and go on the tour to check it out so more specific answers can be given about the content of the tour when customers call. We had one of these managers on one of our tours because she was taking over from someone else at Tauck headquarters.
I have only ridden bikes on the river cruises. I suspect the bikes used by Tauck on land tours are the same. That is, bikes for leisurely rides, not the kind used by serious enthusiasts. Mentioning clips leads me to believe you are a serious rider. As British suggested, you might wish to contact Tauck to understand what is available and the level of expertise. Good luck.
eutopia - I'm an avid cyclist, as well. Last year, I finally replaced my Cannondale CAAD 5 (made in USA!) because I could no longer get parts for it. Seems Shimano stopped making triples about 10 years ago.
Everything, except the frame, had been replaced at least once. Picked up a Trek Domane with di2 shifters. Enjoying the upgrade!
Anyway, I did the Warsaw, Budapest, Vienna,Prague land tour in 2017. There were no bike rides on my tour. On several trips, I've rented a bike for half a day during free time, but not in those cities. I've always kept it simple on tours, skipping the clipless pedals, so I didn't need to pack my shoes, and getting a helmet from the rental shop. I would think any biking scheduled by Tauck would be on basic cruisers.
I did a Tauck tour last year. They use hybrid bikes and provide helmets, but you might want to bring your own for better comfort. The bikes have standard pedals, so bring your SPD pedals if you prefer. They do a basic fitting, but it's not as detailed as what you might be used to. The rides are scenic and relaxed, but the bikes aren't as high-performance as your Cannondale. Have a great trip!
I’ve just checked out the tour, there is no biking. But you do seem to have a lot of free time, don’t think we had much free time back when we took the tour. Maybe you can schedule something then.
Remember the Tauck demographic- Tauck selects vendors that will provide bikes that fit the lowest common denominator.
I've only cycled while on Tauck's river cruises... Near Les Baux-Provence, the Douro and the Rhône. As mentioned earlier, the hired local guides lead the group and Tauck's TD stays in the rear to monitor if anyone has difficulties. Part of the route may be on dirt or gravel paths. On two cruises, during late afternoon free time, a bicycle was brought down from the top deck storage for me, along with a helmet, to cycle the path along the river where the ship was docked. The bicycles are hybrids... not mountain bikes and not touring. The local guide adjusts each guest's seat height before heading out and stops periodically to check for any issues and for snacks, drinks, or sometimes a simple picnic lunch along the path.
Sometimes the hired company with the local guide brings a van and trailer with the company's bicycles and helmets. Sometimes the bicycles are those stored on the top deck of the Scylla ship. I think my most recent cycling excursions used the hired company's equipment. Maybe Scylla & Tauck have discontinued with providing the bicycles.