This summer many guests enjoyed the wonders of cycling around the island, so we asked Mike, our 2016 bike manager, to give us the low down on his guided cycling tours around Zakynthos.
Give a brief description of the guided tours, including length of time?
The guided tours generally end up being whatever the customers want, as in, we meet what time they want (as long as its early before the heat kicks in), ride as far or as fast as they want, either ride non stop or stop for rests or photos etc. I just give them ideas of the things we could do and let them choose what they want to do and just work round that.
How are tours adjusted to the experience and level of a rider?
Adjusting to the level of rider can start with whether they want to go out on ‘clip’ pedals or flat pedals, keen cyclists will always go with the clip pedals as they’re a lot better and more efficient. It’s just people who don’t ride that want ‘flat’ pedals as there scared they wont be able to unclip from the clip pedals, though we have had first timers that try and pick it up so it depends!
The other part of it is, I just ride faster or slower, longer or shorter, more or less hills etc, although there is NO rides you can do here without hills! You can have less hills but no chance of no hills! Even the drive out of Peli you are starting on a hill! Ha!
What’s your favourite time of day to ride?
The best time of day to ride is the early morning, the most popular time seems to be 7:30 am, I’ve had some 7:oo am’s and 8:00 am’s but generally around that time, so we can get back before it really heats up! We do offer afternoon/evening ones too, but if they want to go by themselves they are free to go whenever!
Describe what guests can see on a typical route?
What they can see depends on where they want to go, our most common one is through the Port up the hills through Volimes, down to the shipwreck lookout and back up and down the hills back to the Club. People that don’t like hills, I generally take along the coast as there are some smaller ones and nice coastal views!
What would you say to a guest who’s never been on the bike trips?
I’d say come along and give it a go, I’ve been riding various bikes almost all my life and never been on anything like this, so come and give it a try!
Discover more about bikes at Peligoni here...
