Cycling trips in Asia

chipperleenie

Has anyone used any of the organised cycling trips - road or mountain biking in Asia?

I am looking for a company that organises tours and provides bike to save me taking one over, somehwere like Vietnam, Japan or Thailand. Would be interested in any experiences good or bad you have had.

Thanks

jc4lab

Explore, Exodus, Skedaddle.Red spoke.CTC holidays are companies ..Expect to part with megabucks however..Also group mix,agemix.friendliess of the group is always a risk..also easiness/seriousness of the ride differs between companies..All have detailed intineries to download..Diy would be my first choice however..Another option is there are sometimes charity bike rides but these usually want £3000 mininum fundraising..Went to Japan this year..You can hire bike at many stations there.for about £10 a day..

GyatsoLa

Very few organised trips will supply you with bikes in Asia - its just too difficult to get sizing right. The exception are some small local Indian companies, but these supply very poor quality locally made bikes. Some do in Japan too, which is fine if you are Japanese sized, not so fine if you are not.

I've done mountain biking in the Indian Himalaya with Out There Biking, but they are taking a break this year - they may be organising trips next year so far as I know (but Cass Gilbert, who organises them, is currently cycling down through America so its pretty much out of contact).

Otherwise, there is such a huge variety of bike companies its impossible to advise you unless you give us an idea of what you are interested in - there is a range of options from hard core mountain biking in the Himalaya to gentle cruises with old ladies around Kyoto. But the great majority of people who go to Asia organise things themselves, there is no real need to fork out for a tour company unless you are a very nervous traveller.

dpiper

I've toured Cambodia, Malaysia & Thailand as part of a world tour, so you might get a few ideas from my site:

www.tra-velo-gue.co.uk