FAQs
We understand that you may have questions before booking a tour with us, so we’ve put together this FAQ page to cover the most common queries. Whether you’re wondering about the type of groups we organise, accommodation options, or our guides’ qualifications, you’ll find the answers here.
If your question isn’t covered below, feel free to get in touch, we’re always happy to help!
Do I need to bring my own bike on my tour?
Most of our riders bring their own bike, but you don’t need to. We can organise a hire bike for you – we have an ongoing arrangement with a bike shop here in Geneva and can supply anything from an entry level bike right up to a pro-level racing machine.
If you do bring your own bike we always have a full set of workshop tools and a bike stand to enable you to build up your bike. We will also either store or transport your bike box so that you have it ready once the tour is over.
Can you organise a hire bike?
Yes, we have an ongoing arrangement with a bike shop here in Geneva and can supply anything from an entry level bike right up to a pro-level racing machine. We can also advise on bike hire in locations in the Dolomites, Ventoux, the South of France or elsewhere if your tour doesn’t start from Geneva.
What do I need to pack?
We have an exhaustive packing list which can be found [here]. The weather in the mountains can change extremely quickly and we always advise our guests to bring a variety of clothing on our tours.
Even if the weather forecast looks great for the week, the mountains can always spring a surprise. For that reason we always have our support vehicle close by carrying your “wet bag” in which you’ll have your rain jacket, arm / leg warmers, overshoes, buff, etc.
What does a typical day on a Borne Cycling tour look like?
Each day we leave from our hotel after a cycling specific breakfast and spend the morning riding – with coffee and pastry stops built in. We meet our support team who have prepared lunch for us and stop for 30-45 mins to eat. We start again on the bike to complete the day’s route and arrive at our hotel around 4:00pm.
Then there is time to relax, get a massage and recover. At 6:30pm we’ll typically have a drink and a debrief plus a briefing of the day to follow ahead of eating dinner around 7:30pm.
What do the Borne Cycling difficulty levels mean?
Easy – this level of tour typically features very little climbing. Each day you will cycle around 60-80km – and very rarely more than 100km. This tour is suitable for riders looking to do their first multi-day cycling adventure – and is possible on touring / hybrid bikes, road bikes are not essential. Ideally you should be in reasonably good shape, and if you are concerned about how fit you need to be please get in touch with us. We would normally ride around 22-25km/h on the flat on these tours.
Medium – this level of tour is designed for introducing riders to the mountains. Each day you will ride 70-100 kilometres with around 1000-2250 metres of climbing. These tours are suitable for road cyclists looking for a challenge, but ensuring that you still have time and energy to enjoy the afternoons and evenings. We would normally ride around 25-28km/h on the flats (and everyone climbs at their own pace). If you have any doubts about the experience / fitness required just let us know.
Hard – this level of tour is for committed cyclists who are really looking for some challenges on the bike. The tours feature back to back days of 80-120km with 2000-3000m of climbing. We would normally ride around 28-32km/h on the flats (and everyone climbs at their own pace). Ideally you should have already done some grand fondo type rides or multi-day bike adventures. If you have any doubts about the experience / fitness required just let us know.
Extreme – Extreme tours are a serious challenge for an experienced rider. They are often longer than 6 days, with every day being 80-130km with up to 3500m of climbing. These tours feature long days in the saddle, with the goal of completing a truly extreme multi-day ride. You need to have trained hard for one of these tours, and be comfortable with climbing multiple cols in a day – day after day. If you have any doubts about the experience / fitness required just let us know.
How fit do I have to be to come on a tour?
It all depends on the level of tour you want to participate in. For any of our tours you should at the very least be able to ride your bike for 3-4 hours, and be comfortable in the saddle for at least 60km per day. We can advise on a training plan for any of our tours – just drop us a line. We also advise you to visit your doctor in advance of coming on one of our tours to get a check up and ensure you’re in good shape.
Can you supply me with a training plan?
What kind of bike do I need?
Almost all of our tours are designed for a road (racing) bike. This can either be your own, or we can organise a hire bike for you. Only our “easy” tours can usually be ridden with a touring / hybrid / mountain bike.
What is a “Wet Bag”?
Your “wet bag” is a small bag for your rain jacket, arm and leg warmers, overshoes, buff and similar items. You’ll bring it with you each day to go in the support vehicle, keeping it close at hand if needed and, importantly, reducing what you have to carry on the bike.
Can you organise a bespoke tour for us?
Certainly. Just get in touch with us with your dream routes / areas and dates and lets start a conversation. We organise numerous bespoke tours every year for riders for whom our organised tours don’t fit. Find out more on our bespoke tours website page.
I’m in Geneva for a few days, can you advise on routes and bike hire?
Yes we can. We have been based in Geneva since 2006 and have ridden pretty much every road, climb and gravel track around the city. You can get some inspiration from our ride reports on the website, specifically our Riding in Geneva blog.
Simply send us a message stating when you’re coming and we’ll be able to arrange a bike and a guide for you.
I have some dietary requirements, can you ensure that these are taken into account?
No problem at all. We ensure that all our guests are catered for and any dietary requirements are handled by our hotels and support staff.
Are there any other ways to pay for the trip than credit card or bank transfer?
Currently not, but if you are having trouble with either of these methods send us an email or give us a call and we will make sure that it gets sorted out.
What happens in case of bad weather on a tour?
Bad weather can sometimes be an unwelcome guest on our tours. There are a few things we do to ensure that you still manage to complete your day’s riding.
Firstly we will always check the weather in the morning and ensure that the route is safe for you to ride. Secondly, you will always have your “wet bag” close by in the van so you can quickly get on some more appropriate clothing if the weather does turn bad.
Finally, if the weather does get so bad that the route has become dangerous, your guides and tour leader will ensure you get safely to your destination that day.
What happens if I have a crash or a mechanical incident?
At the start of each of our tours we ensure that you have the phone numbers of all our guides and tour leaders (we typically organise a WhatsApp group for you all). They should be your first point of contact in case of emergency.
You will also be given the local emergency services phone numbers. Of course we also have on the road guides with you who will never be too far away and whose job it is to ensure you’re ok.
What insurance do I need to come on a Borne Cycling tour?
It is mandatory that you have your own accident and medical insurance (valid in Europe) to come on one of our tours. We also recommend taking out trip cancellation insurance in case something unforeseen happens ahead of the tour which means you can’t come along.
What if I want to add on hotel nights before or after my tour?
We can help you organise any additional nights in the start/finish locations of our tours. Please contact us for more information.
Can I ride an e-bike on one of your tours?
Yes, this is possible. Typically people who come on the tours ride traditional bikes, but if you want to participate on an e-bike this is no problem.