Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
What trips are a good fit for me and my current ability/fitness level?
While “Rider Levels” aren’t exact science…we’ve developed a simple guide to help you determine the best match for your current ability/fitness level. If in doubt, please give us a call! We’d love to chat: 406-219-1318.
I want to do this trip but I’m worried it’s too intense. Can I keep up?
Our cycling trips are for all kinds of athletes, and you don’t have to be an elite racer to enjoy our camps, or benefit from them. That said, if you have questions about which camp you’d feel most comfortable in, we’d love to talk to you! Different camps do work better for different riders. We can help you pick out the camp that will suit you best.
Are all meals covered by The Cycling House?
Yes, all the meals are covered by us. Please see each specific trip page for food details or drop us a line if you have any questions about the food.
What is not included in the price of the trip?
Airfare, staff gratuity, massage, alcohol and any other incidentals along the way. We strive to make our trips all-inclusive and limit additional expenses for our guests.
My partner wants to join, but doesn’t ride. Do you accept non-riders?
Yes, we can accommodate non-riding guests at most of our trip locations. Please email our office before booking a non-rider to discuss details, or call us at 406-219-1318.
We suggest non-riding guests book their own transportation. Our guides will be busy leading guests on our daily scheduled rides. Non-riding guests will be responsible for planning their own adventures while the group is cycling.
How do you accommodate different riding abilities?
Our bottom line is we want every guest to feel safe out on the route and enjoy each ride to its fullest. Our staff is well-versed in accommodating guests of different riding abilities and we pride ourselves on being very adaptable to different rider’s wants and needs. We typically have a guest-to-guide ratio of 4:1 or smaller, which means 2-4 ride guides and at least one support vehicle out on the road each day.
Multiple ride guides and at least one support vehicle means that we can make sure that different groups of riders are getting the support and ride options that is best for them.
Most rides will have longer or shorter options as well. Our trip leader will brief guests on route safety, details and options the evening prior to the ride as well as the morning of.
Our rider level types can be helpful in identifying which trip best fits you. However, the best gauge is calling us at 406-219-1318 for a chat or dropping us an email.
How big are the groups?
Most of our trips will have between 7-16 guests.
How are the rides supported?
Our rides are fully supported by one or two vehicles and professional ride guides that will be out on the route with you. Our support vans are stocked with a variety of sports nutrition items, real food (PB&J sandwiches, fruit, etc.), water, sunscreen, tools, sunscreen, first-aid and more. If you prefer a specific brand of sports nutrition, please email us to see if we supply that brand.
Can you accommodate my dietary restrictions and allergies?
Yes. One of the most unique features on our trips is we keep most of the food preparation in-house. During the reservation process, we collect all of your dietary restrictions, allergies and food preferences. Our chefs are incredible at keeping guests well-fed and happy, and that definitely doesn’t exclude guests with special dietary needs. It starts with a conversation on day one between our chefs and you. That way, they can fully understand your restrictions and meet your dietary needs.
Can I come on a trip by myself?
Yes. In fact, approximately 40% of our guests are solo travelers. Our friendly staff and guests combine to make a fun environment for all riders. We’ve had plenty of guests attend trips solo, and by the end of the week, they are planning their next adventure with their new friends.
All of our rates are based upon double occupancy, so if you are traveling by yourself and you’d like your own room, we offer limited single occupancy rooms for an additional charge. Please contact us regarding a single option on your trip.
Booking A Trip
What is the payment policy?
- A $500 deposit is due at the time of booking.
- The balance is due 120 days prior to the trip’s start date.
- If you sign up within 120 days of any trip, the full amount is due at the time of booking.
- Our custom and private trip payment policies can vary. If you’ve organized a private or custom trip with us, your payment policy will be outlined in your trip summary document.
What is the cancellation policy?
Our cancellation policy can be viewed here.
How do I choose the right trip?
The most important factor in choosing the right Cycling House trip is making sure you are honest with yourself and what you like on a vacation. We prefer to have a chat on the phone at 406-312-5770 or an email conversation discussing the trip details. Ponder the question: What do I love the most about a good bike ride? We can go from there when we talk to you.
Preparing For Your Trip
Do you offer travel insurance?
The Cycling House sincerely wishes for every trip participant to attend and complete the cycling trip of their dreams. In an effort to plan for unexpected personal emergencies, health issues, weather, and transportation problems that might cause you to cancel or shorten your trip, travel insurance is recommended. We use Travel Guard. If you’d like to purchase travel insurance through them, follow this link. Our Travel Guard account number is 315635.
When do you suggest I book my plane tickets?
We suggest booking your tickets within 90 days of your trip departure date and no later than 4 weeks prior to your trip departure. This allows for ample trip planning on your end and enough time to get your trip coordinator your travel plans.
Do you suggest I fly with my own bike or rent from you?
There are pros and cons to both. Bringing your own bike means that you know it will fit you perfectly and it’s what you’re used to. For our U.S. trips, we have our own fleet of Cervelo Aspero carbon road/gravel bikes and Specialized Vado SL e-bikes. Here is a link to our rental bike page. That said, traveling through the airport with a bike can be a hassle. A rental bike is likely going to be a little bit different geometry from what you are used to but we’ll make sure it fits you properly so you can get used to it quickly. Renting makes travel easy because you get to travel light, show up, and ride!
Shipping your bike: We use an online service called Bike Flights. This is a great, inexpensive, and easy way to ship your bike ahead of time. Worth noting: if you ship your bike, be prepared to be without it for about a week before and after your trip.
For our European trips, we recommend renting a bike. The cost is typically $300 for the trip and the rental bike details can be found on each trip page.
What nutrition and support are on the rides?
When at all possible, we believe in eating real food and filling our bodies with freshly prepared, nutritious and delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Out on the rides, we provide fruit and PB&J sandwiches, as well as a variety of gels, bars, gluten-free options, drink mixes and electrolytes.
What kind of shape do I need to be in?
It all depends on where your starting point is. For an experienced rider who rides 3,000-plus miles a year for multiple years in a row, there is less getting ready for a week-long cycling vacation. If you are not doing that type of mileage year after year, then most of our locations will require 2-3 rides a week for about 8 weeks in preparation (more is better). Regardless of your prior cycling experience, we always recommend consistent training leading up to your trip. For someone newer to cycling we suggest calling us at 406-219-1318 or emailing us to discuss your trip.
How do you support different types of riders on the trip?
We almost always have at least 5 staffers on a trip, which is unique in the cycling industry – especially for a group of 15-20 riders. We keep the staff-to-guest ratio low, mostly for support reasons along the ride routes. We mark corners with riders and check in with each rider every 45 minutes to an hour. The support van stops ahead and waits for the last rider to check-in. The gap between riders can be 2 hours sometimes, and we have no problem supporting everyone on the trip.
How do I tip the guides?
Many guests ask about gratuity for the team. If you feel our team went above and beyond to create an exceptional experience, tipping can be a nice way to reward their hard work. Gratuity is greatly appreciated but not expected; see the general guidelines below.
Guests generally consider a 10% gratuity for the staff – the trip leader divides gratuity equally amongst the team. You can also use Venmo, Zelle, or PayPal if you don’t have cash; the trip leader will write their account information on the whiteboard on the last day. If you prefer to leave a gratuity via credit card, let the trip leader know or call/email our office.
Do you have a packing list?
Yes. We can email a packing list for your specific trip.
Bikes & Gear
What do I need to bring if I rent a bike?
You will need to bring your cycling shoes, helmet, pedals, Garmin/Wahoo or other bike computer and mount. We also suggest bringing your saddle, as this is an easy way to feel right at home on a new bike.
If I bring my own bike, what are my options?
You can bring your bike on any of our trips. The two most common options are flying with your bike or shipping it (driving your bike is easy). In either instance, the first step is having a well-tuned bicycle with good tires. We suggest having your local bike shop check over your bike before packing it up for shipping or flying.
Check out our flying with your bike article and shipping your bike article to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of both options.
How do I get fit to my rental bike?
Our guides help guests get their rental bikes ready to ride. We will make sure your bike fits you well. We have a variety of stems to help dial in each individual rider’s fit. If you’ve had a professional bike fit, printing out your most recent fit form can be helpful in the rental bike-fitting process.
Do you rent bikes?
Yes. We rent high-quality full carbon road/gravel bikes on all our trips. European locations typically cost $350 and domestic locations are $350 for the trip’s duration. For domestic trips, we rent Cervelo Aspero full carbon road/gravel bikes. Read more about our Cervelo rental bikes here. We also have a fleet of Specialized Vado SL e-bikes. Please inquire directly if you need something even more special.