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WHAT KIND OF RIDERS SIGN UP FOR IMAGINE TOURS?
The majority of the people who go on our tours are in their 40s, 50s and 60s, but some are younger and a surprising number are older. There’s a fairly wide range of abilities, but most people are regular cyclists who are able to ride 45-50 miles comfortably, usually including some hills.
DO I HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH THE GROUP?
Cyclists ride at their own pace, alone or in small groups, and generally meet up when there’s a sag stop or café … and rarely do we pass up a bakery! Folks usually average about 10 MPH for the day, including short breaks. Factor in a little more for a lunch break. Most people’s “cruising speed” on flat terrain with no wind is about 14-18 MPH. Everyone is given daily route maps and written instructions (except in China, where the vans stay right with us).
WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT DOES IMAGINE TOURS PROVIDE CYCLISTS?
Unless specified otherwise, at least two vehicles will provide road support, one to take care of the first riders and the other to sweep the tail end. One of these or an additional truck will carry your baggage, depending upon the size of the group. The vehicles carry water and snacks like bananas, cookies and trail mix. On our China tours cyclists can choose to ride all or part of any day, and non-cyclists are welcome to come along. Our Chinese hosts provide a van or bus that follows along with the cyclists with a seat for each participant. The bus also carries the luggage and a separate truck carries the bicycles when the distance to our next destination is farther than we pedal.
WHAT FOOD IS PROVIDED?
We serve a buffet breakfast almost every morning (except layover days). In camp the breakfasts consist of coffee, juice, fruit, oatmeal, cereal, pastries, etc. You can also make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to take with you. If we stay in hotels that don’t provide a breakfast (or a large enough breakfast), we lay out a small spread by the gear truck so you can load up on food when you load your bags. In China the hotel always provides an all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast with a vast array of eastern (and usually western) breakfast foods. On the road we don’t have predetermined rest stops, but the vans stop occasionally along the route to hand out water and snacks, especially at the top of major hills. We also stop on demand, so if you especially need anything (water, food … a ride!) we can help. Dinners may be cooked for you in the campgrounds or we’ll go to a nearby restaurant. Dinner will often be on your own on layover days and/or when we stay at popular tourist destinations with a variety of cuisines. Please let us know if you have diet restrictions, and although we sometimes provide energy bars or powdered energy drinks, it’s best to bring your own favorites if you’ve become accustomed to riding with their help.
WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING?
You’ll bring your own bicycle, helmet, accessories and personal items (plus a sleeping bag and tent for camping tours) and we always carry it for you. A packing list is posted on the website. Sometimes it’s helpful to stash a lightweight tote or duffel bag in your traveling suitcases to separate your gear once you’re on the tour (camp equipment, cycling togs, laundry, souvenirs, etc.). We ask that you keep it down to about 2-3 bags per person, depending on their size. Small and medium soft-sided bags are easier to pack in the truck or van. For most stateside tours you can ship some of your larger gear along with your bicycles to our start location. Again, the China tours are an exception – a bicycle will be provided for you, but you’ll need to bring a helmet and water bottle. Some people also bring their own pedals and seat.
HOW DO I TRAIN FOR A TOUR?
There’s no substitute for miles in the saddle. It’s best to ride the bike and the saddle you’ll use on tour so your three major pressure points (seat, feet and hands) will get used to the position on that specific bike. But this is not to say that other forms of exercise won’t help you get conditioned. Spinning or aerobics classes at the gym, running, stairmasters or any exercise that increases your heart rate and respiration will improve your stamina and endurance, no question about it.
For training rides, try to select routes with hills (if that’s possible in your area), because you’ll be encountering some hills on most all our tours. If you have the luxury of several months to train for the tour, you can build up gradually and really enjoy the process. Start out with short distances and try to ride a couple of times during the week with a longer ride or two on the weekends. Your routes might be as short as 10 or 20 miles at first, but you’ll soon find that you have what it takes to comfortably pedal longer and longer distances. Just bicycle as often as you can, and keep things interesting and enjoyable like riding with friends to breakfast or lunch. There’s also lots of useful conditioning information on the web, and some of the best articles are in Bicycling magazine online.
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