Our tours are designed to satisfy experienced riders and beginners alike. All cyclists were once beginners, and we enjoy the enthusiasm of people discovering themselves on rides. Two-pig tours are enjoyable for early season riding, and less fit or newer riders. Three-pig tours are for fit or experienced cyclists comfortable with riding hilly terrain, and appreciate our rhythm of a long day followed by a shorter day. Four-pig tours are for very experienced riders who are comfortable riding mountain passes and demanding descents.
GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR CYLISTS
We want everyone to come on a tour that is right for their abilities and we do our best to steer you toward one we think will work well for you. We access each tour’s difficulty honestly but we cannot determine your riding fitness without your help, which is why we encourage you to read the following information and answer our questions fully on the booking form. During our 20+ years of enjoying riding in Italy with thousands of guests, we have seen youths in their 70’s ride within their limits, and we have suffered the spectacle of people half that age on fancy racing bikes feeling very uncomfortable and disappointed about their physical condition.
The difficulty for the routes/terrain of each tour will be assessed at a one-to-five-pigger fitness level. You should come prepared for your selected tour’s fitness requirements. As this is a group tour we hope to maintain a guide-to-guest ratio of 1-6. If you are less fit and unable to keep pace with a larger group of guests we may require you to start or finish a ride in the follow vehicle when we feel it is necessary.
TRAINING GUIDE
Nothing can replace the fitness you will gain by training outside on your bike. Please keep in mind that if you primarily use an indoor exercise bike to stay fit that will not be enough to prepare you for one of our tours.
To successfully participate in a Cinghiale tour please ride for a MINIMUM of:
6-10 weeks consistently before your tour
Hilly rides or as many hills as you can find
At least one ride per week with other people to get used to riding in a group
BEGINNERS
Beginners should go on our 2-pig tours. If you are a beginner and you want to do all the rides BUT have never cycled on hilly terrain we recommend reading through our fitness check. We will also ask for your cooperation in knowing when to hop in our follow van so that our tour may run as smoothly as possible for everyone in the group. We aren’t looking for heroes on our rides and deeply appreciate cooperative people with great attitudes.
EXPERTS
We encourage expert and very fit riders to come on our three and four pig tours. If you are over trained for a tour or perhaps joined by a less-fit partner we ask that you to assume the appropriate pace for the tour. Guests whose pace is beyond the majority of the group will be asked to ride the social pace of the group.
We will not chase down riders who choose to ride ahead of our guides. You will be provided with maps at the start of the tour to help you navigate the route in the event that you choose to ride ahead of the group.
If you are more fit and seeking extra miles there will be some flexibility in accommodating your needs.
RIDE POLICY
Cinghiale Tours operates with care and consideration for every cyclist. We are not a race-to-the-next-town, leave-em-in-the-dust kind of tour company, but make sure everyone is accounted for, supported and having a good time to the best of our ability. Our guides are courteous, professional, expert cyclists and lead each tour with your safety in mind. We appreciate you coming with the appropriate fitness for your tour, riding safely, and being a courteous companion.