Canberra Bike Tours - FAQ
Below you will find answers to the most commonly asked questions about our Canberra Bike Tours. If your question is not listed below, please do not hesitate to Contact Us.
To find answers to questions about our Australian fully supported multi day bicycle tours and holidays, click here.
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Are there minimum numbers required for a tour to operate?
To pay the advertised tour price for our Capital Highlights tour we require a minimum of two people.
We can run a Private Guided Bicycle Tours of Canberra for one, a couple, your family, your friends or groups of up to 10.
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Do I need to book a Canberra Bike Tour in advance?
Yes. Our tours are run on demand. Unless a tour has already been requested by another guest we require a minimum of 48 hours notice to run a tour.
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How do I request a Canberra Bike Tour?
To request a tour please telephone or SMS us or use our Contact Us form.
Once we have confirmed we are able to provide your tour we will email you an invoice that you can pay online. Once this is paid you will receive a booking confirmation with details on where to meet.
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How much do Canberra Bike Tours cost?
Tour prices vary and are listed on our tour information page.
If you require a Private Guided Bicycle Tour of Canberra the tour price will depend on the inclusions you ask us to provide.
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What does the tour price include?
The tour price for our Capital Highlights tour includes your guide, a bike, a helmet and a small bike mounted bag to carry your gear.
Meals are not included in the tour price for our Capital Highlights tour.
Our Private Guided Bicycle Tours of Canberra will include whatever you ask us to provide.
In the circumstances where meals and drinks are not included we stop at cafés frequented by the locals and where the prices are reasonable.
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Can Canberra Bike Tours customize a tour?
Yes we can. We can create a tour just for you, your family, your friends or groups of up to 10.
You can request a tour anywhere in the ACT or surrounding NSW based on the time you have available as well as the places you would like to visit. Your options are not only limited to urban Canberra with some very nice rural rides also available to you. Please see our Private Guided Bicycle Tours of Canberra listing for some destination ideas.
Just give us a call and we can talk through the options available.
Please keep in mind that due to the logistics involved in bringing bikes to the start of a tour route prices for tours of 3 hours or less will be the same.
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What size are the tour groups?
Our tours are limited to 10 guests unless you have made prior arrangements with us.
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What is your cancellation policy?
If you need to cancel your tour we will try our best to accommodate your change. Our cancellation policy is explained in our Canberra Bike Tours Terms and Conditions. Click here to read our Canberra Bike Tours Terms and Conditions.
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Is there a discount if I want to do more than one tour?
Yes. If you book a second Canberra Bike Tour to be taken within 7 days of your first Canberra Bike Tour we will credit you $20.00 towards your second tour.
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Where do Canberra Bike Tours start and finish?
The start and finish locations vary between tours and are listed on our tour information pages. Once we have accepted your booking, we will email or text you the location of the meeting point for your tour. If you need help with getting to a start location, do not hesitate to ask.
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How long are the tours? How far do we ride?
Our Private Guided Bicycle Tours of Canberra can be as long or as short as you wish.
Our Capital Highlights tour ranges between 4 and 5 hours including stops for lunch and snacks. The length of the tour route is dependent on the tour group’s interests and the riding abilities of those on the tour. Distances vary between 14 and 20 kilometres.
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Do I need to be an experienced cyclist? I haven't ridden a bike in years.
To join our tours you only need to be reasonably fit and feel comfortable riding a bicycle. Our Capital Highlights tour route is mostly flat with gentle inclines. We travel at a very leisurely pace averaging about 6 kilometres an hour and almost exclusively use a mix of shared cycle and walking paths and quiet streets. We stop frequently for drinks, talks, questions, photos and toilet breaks along the tour route.
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What happens if I have a problem on the ride?
We have the tools to repair a flat tyre or fix minor mechanical problems. If you cannot physically complete the tour, we will arrange transportation for you (at your cost) and the bike back to the starting location.
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Is there a support vehicle on Canberra Bike Tours?
No. Unless you request a support vehicle to be included in your private guided tour we only provide support and escort vehicles on our multi day tours.
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Do we stop along the way?
Yes. We make regular stops to learn about locations and the history of Canberra, to take in our surroundings, for drinks and toilet breaks.
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What should I wear and bring?
Please bring a bottle of water, wear comfortable clothing (worn in layers) and fully enclosed shoes (no high heels). There will be many photo opportunities throughout the tour so don’t forget your camera! We also suggest you bring a small amount of money for additional purchases.
You should also bring and use sunscreen and reapply it every 2 hours. The Cancer Council of the ACT recommends that sun protection be used in Canberra from the beginning of August through to the end of May.
If there is a chance of rain we also recommend you bring a rain jacket.
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What happens if it rains?
Our tours are all weather events. If Canberra Bike Tours deems it safe and there are guests who wish to go on the tour, we will still run the tour.
The Bureau of Meteorology reports the percentage chance of rain in its daily weather forecasts for Canberra. The percentage being reported is the likelihood of rain for the forecast period. For example, if the chance of rain is 30%, there is about a one in three chance of getting wet or conversely a 70% chance of not getting wet. When rain is forecast we do recommend you bring a rain jacket.
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Do you have tours in the winter months?
Yes, if it is dry and it is not too cold for you, it is not too cold for us! In winter it is very common to have bright sunny days and even though the maximum temperature may only reach 10 degrees Celsius the clear blue skies mean you stay warm whilst riding. The key is to dress appropriately in layers, wear warm socks and not to forget your gloves.
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Is Canberra really bike friendly?
Canberra is unusual among Australian cities in that it is an entirely planned city. With its design incorporating large areas of open space and natural bushland, Canberra is truly a “city-in-a-park” earning it the title of the "Bush Capital".
Canberra also has the finest network of sealed cycle and walking paths and designated on-road bicycle lanes in the country, making it the most cycle-friendly city in Australia. As a further incentive to ride a bike, cyclists of all ages in the ACT are permitted to ride on the footpaths as long as they give way to pedestrians.
To top this off in November 2015 the Australian Capital Territory introduced new laws that allow riders to remain on their bicycles when crossing roads at pedestrian crossings. When approaching the pedestrian crossing cyclists must slow to 10km/h, check for any approaching traffic and be prepared to stop if the approaching traffic fails to stop at the pedestrian crossing. Keeping to the left of the crossing cyclists can then ride slowly across the road.
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Are Canberra Bike Tours suitable for children?
Currently our tours are restricted to children 15 years of age and older.
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What types of surfaces do we ride on?
Our tours use a mix of shared cycle and walking paths, on road cycle lanes and quiet streets and country roads. Most of the shared paths are often marked with a white centre line.
The surfaces of the shared paths used in our Capital Highlights tour are either concrete or bitumen with some sections of paving. All are in good condition. The roads are all bitumen and in equally good condition. After all, most of the area through which you will be riding is the showcase of Australian democracy and maintained at the highest standard. All of these surfaces can be slippery in the rain.
Some of the paths we will use outside the Parliamentary Triangle do have some uneven surfaces caused by tree roots but all are safe to use.
To ensure you have a pleasant experience when riding on the shared paths you must follow a few simple rules:
- Keep to the left
- Travel at a safe speed so you can stop within a safe distance
- Give way to pedestrians
- Be careful around young children, dogs and older pedestrians, as they often move unpredictably
- Use your bell to warn of your approach and be prepared to use your voice in the event people have not heard your bell.
- Pass pedestrians on the right and leave a metre of space when passing.
- Say “Hello” and “Thank you” to your fellow path users
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Can you supply a bike that is the correct size for me?
Yes. When you place your booking we ask for the height of each member in your party. We use this information to determine the size of the bike we should bring for you. Once you arrive we will adjust the height of the saddle to suit.
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What sort of bicycles do you have?
We use our own Specialized Sirrus and Vita bicycles for our Capital Highlights and Private tours. These are comfortable hybrid bikes with a wide range of gears. We are confident the gearing on our hire bikes will enable you to ride all of our Canberra Bike Tour routes. All our bikes come with front and rear flashing lights that we use during the day, a rear rack and bag and a water bottle cage.
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Do I have to wear a helmet?
Yes. It is compulsory for all cyclists to wear an Australian Standards approved helmet in Australia.
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Can I bring my own bike?
Yes. At the conclusion of the tour we will refund you $20 if you use your own bike without mechanical mishaps.