Am I fit enough for this tour?
What kind of bike do I need to ride for my tour?
Can I rent a bike from Wild Heart Cycling?
Should I use panniers or bike trailer on my tour?
What do I need to bring on my tour?
Can I store my gear that I am not bringing on the tour?
What will the weather be like on my tour?
What if I need to make a change to my trip?
Can I go on a tour if I have special dietary restrictions?
What if I have a medical emergency while on tour?
How can I “test drive” a bike trailer prior to the tour?
Can you help me get from the airport to the start of the tour?

More questions?

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Q. Am I fit enough for this tour?
A. Our tours are designed to enjoy the beauty of the area and the fun of bicycling. Typical mileage for our tours is 40~60 miles per day. The longer tours include a down day for non cycling activities. Over the course of the day, including all stops except lunch, you can expect to average 10 miles per hour. For a 60 mile day it will generally take you about six hours plus lunch to reach your next nights lodging. This 10 mile per hour pace is typical, though some groups go faster and some go a little slower and the pace will vary to adjust for terrain and weather. Keep in mind our tours are not a race. It's all about the love of cycling.

With each tour we give a detailed itinerary on the website that includes daily mileage and a description of the terrain. Generally, the climbs we do are not steep but they can be 2~5 miles long or longer on some of our more mountainous routes. Typically the longer the climb, the less steep the grade. On most tours you will have one or two significant climbs per day.  If you’re not keen on climbing, or want to get your feet wet with a flatter tour, two good choices are the Willamette Wine Tour and the Oregon Sampler. Love to climb? Check out the Wallowa Mountain Tour or the Cascade Mountain Road Tour.

On most of our tours you will be carrying your personal belongings in a lightweight Burley Nomad Trailer. On a lodge based tour your trailer weight will be +/-20 lbs. Two people can easily share a trailer on a lodge based tour. On a camping based tour your trailer weight will be +/-35 lbs. On the flats you don't really notice the trailer while on the uphills you will travel a little slower.

As with any active sport, the better your fitness, the better your experience.

Don't hesitate to contact us if you have specific questions regarding any of our tours. We're always thrilled to talk about touring.

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Q. What kind of bike do I need to ride for my tour?
A. Because you’ll be spending much of the day on your bike, comfort is the first consideration. For our tours we recommend low gearing for the various hills we will climb. We find a triple front chain ring offers the greatest flexibility and enjoyment during our tours. All our guides use triple cranksets.  Generally a road bike is a better choice than a hybrid bike or mountain bike with slicks.  If you don’t own a road bike, or have a strong preference for a different type of bike, please give us a call to discuss.  We are tandem-friendly and recumbent-friendly.  You don’t need a special touring bike. 

MOST IMPORTANTLY: Have your bike tuned at a bike shop you trust and ride it before your trip. Make sure the shifting is smooth, the tires are in good shape, the wheels are true and that there are no loose nuts or bolts, no frayed cables, etc. A field repair may jeopardize your vacation and potentially impact your fellow riders.

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Q. Can I rent a bike from Wild Heart Cycling?
A. We can provide you with a high quality road bike.

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Q. Should I use panniers or bike trailer on my tour?
A. Use of a lightweight Burley Nomad Trailer is included in the price of your tour. These lightweight trailers can attach to any bike. We prefer to use bike trailers over panniers due to the convenience in packing a trailer over panniers. As we travel along during the day it is very easy to lift the trailer cover and pull out your camera, sunscreen, or other items from your trailer. If you prefer panniers feel free to bring them instead of using one of our trailers.

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Q. What do I need to bring on my tour?
A. Travel light, but don’t forget to bring an adventurous spirit and a positive attitude. We’ll give you a detailed packing list once you register for your tour.  Feel free to call us with any questions.

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Q. Can I store my gear that I am not bringing on the tour?
A. We will arrange storage of your gear during the tour. Items we can store for you include luggage and a bike box.  Please notify us before the start of the tour that you will be storing gear.

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Q. What will the weather be like on my tour?
A. For the mountain tours, temperatures typically range from 40°F at night to 90+°F during the day with very little rainfall in the summer.

For the coast tours, temperatures typically range from 50°F to 75°F with little to moderate rainfall.

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Q. What if I need to make a change to my trip?
A. Please review our Tour Policy, then contact us.

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Q. Can I go on a tour if I have special dietary restrictions?
A. We can easily accommodate many special dietary requirements. Please contact us for more information.

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Q. What if I have a medical emergency while on tour?
A. Our guides carry a first aid kit and a satellite and/or cell phone on each tour. If the emergency requires outside assistance then your guides will activate the local emergency response system using the phone.

All guides are trained in CPR and basic first aid.  Most guides have higher level emergency care training, and some guides have advanced medical training. Our highest priority is to provide you with a safe and rewarding experience.  Call us before your tour if you have special medical concerns.

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Q. How can I “test drive” a bike trailer prior to the tour?
A. The Burley bike trailer you’ll use on one of our tours is very similar to the trailers used to pull children. So, if you’ve seen a kid-oriented trailer in your neighborhood, see if you can borrow it for a bit. Start off with the trailer empty, to get a sense of how it affects your bike’s handling (typically very little.) Then, put in some of the items you expect to bring on the tour, and pull it around your neighborhood, trying it both on flat terrain and on hills if you have any nearby. If you can, borrow the trailer a few times and add to the load each time until you have everything you would bring on the tour. Contact us if you would like a packing list -- what you bring will differ depending on whether you are interested in a camping or lodge-based tour. Once you see how easy it is to pull a trailer, you may want to purchase one, so you can do weekend jaunts in your area – we’re a Burley dealer, so feel free to give us a call toll free: 877.846.9453.

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Q. Can you help me get from the airport to the start of the tour?
A. We know how frustrating it is to rent a car only to have it sit in a lot during your trip.  If you are planning to fly in to a nearby airport, we will gladly try to arrange transportation or a carpool with another guest to the meeting point. In some cases, one of our guides may be able to pick you up. Give us a call to discuss your travel arrangements.

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More questions?

We’re just an email or phone call away.