Touring with an Electric Bike

Touring with an Electric Bike: Active Enjoyment Without the Struggle

In the past, a cycling holiday in the mountains or hills was only for highly trained athletes. With the arrival of the modern e-bike, that is a thing of the past. Touring with an electric bike means you remove the physical barriers while keeping the experience. You are still actively moving; after all, you have to keep pedalling to move forward. The big difference is that you decide how tough you make it. Do you feel like working your legs? Then set the assistance to the lowest ‘Eco’ mode. Approaching a steep hill or facing a headwind? Then effortlessly switch to ‘Tour’ or ‘Turbo’.

This changes your holiday feeling. You are no longer focused on surviving or counting the kilometres to the hotel; instead, you look around. You see the birds, smell the blossoms, and have breath left for a conversation with your travel companion. You don’t arrive at your destination exhausted and sweaty, but rather fresh and with energy left for the evening. It also makes cycling in warmer countries like Vietnam or Spain much more pleasant, as the breeze cools you down without your body overheating from extreme exertion. It is the ultimate way of ‘slow travel’, but with a comfortable push in the back.

See More of the World Thanks to the Range of the Electric Bike

A major advantage of touring with an electric bike is the distance you can cover. Where you might stop after 30 or 40 kilometres on a standard city bike, you won’t bat an eyelid at stages of 60 to 80 kilometres on an e-bike. This literally expands your world. You can cycle from one unique village to another, even if they are further apart. Because of this, you see many more different landscapes and cultures during a tour. You are not limited to the flat valley, but can also take that beautiful route over the mountain ridge for the best view.

This greater range also gives us, as a travel organiser, more freedom when planning routes. We can choose the most beautiful, quiet backroads, even if that means a detour of a few kilometres. You don’t have to take the shortest, often busier road. Furthermore, the e-bike makes it easier to ‘just’ stop for a moment. Getting going again after a photo stop or a lunch break takes no effort. This invites you to dismount more often to visit a temple, chat with a farmer, or simply enjoy a panoramic view. You travel more efficiently than walking, but see far more details than from a bus or car.

The Electric Bike as the Great Equaliser for Travel Groups

It happens often: a couple or a group of friends want to go on a cycling holiday together, but the difference in fitness levels is vast. One cycles every week and is in top shape, while the other only cycles recreationally to the supermarket. In the past, this often led to frustrations: the fast cyclist constantly had to hold back and wait, while the less trained cyclist pushed themselves to the limit and felt guilty. Touring with an electric bike completely solves this problem. The e-bike acts as the perfect equaliser.

The less strong cyclist takes the e-bike and can effortlessly keep up with any pace. The trained cyclist can choose to ride a standard bike (road bike or mountain bike) or also take an e-bike and lower the assistance. This way, you truly cycle together. You reach the top of the mountain at the same time and can chat comfortably along the way without anyone being out of breath. This makes e-bike tours ideal for couples, families with older children, or grandparents wanting to hit the road with their grandchildren. No one has to hold back, and no one has to struggle. The shared experience is central, not the performance.

Perfect Destinations for an E-bike Tour

The electric bike has massively expanded the map of possible cycling destinations. Countries that were previously labelled as ‘too tough’ are now accessible to everyone. We have a number of destinations where the e-bike truly comes into its own.

Vietnam: Tropical Enjoyment Without the Sweat

Vietnam is a beautiful country, but it can be hot and humid. There are also substantial mountains in the north. With an e-bike, Vietnam suddenly becomes a very relaxed destination. The breeze from the electric assistance acts as natural air conditioning. You cycle through the green rice terraces of Mai Chau or past the karst mountains of Ninh Binh without the heat breaking you. The roads are often paved or consist of easily navigable concrete paths. You will visit villages where people have never seen an e-bike, leading to fun interactions. Because you easily cover kilometres, you can visit the mountains as well as the coast and cultural cities in one tour. The e-bike makes exotic Vietnam accessible to the recreational cyclist.

Uganda: Safari by Bike

You might not expect it, but the e-bike is also on the rise in Africa. In Uganda, we use robust e-mountain bikes (such as the Specialized Turbo Levo). These allow you to cycle over the unpaved, red roads and visit wildlife parks. The hills in Uganda are tough, but with the ‘Turbo’ mode, you will ride up whistling. It is a unique experience to see giraffes and zebras from your saddle without being exhausted. The e-bike makes it possible to go deep into nature, in places where cars cannot reach. Because you are quiet, the animals are less easily startled. It is an adventure with a golden touch of comfort.