General Bike/Barge Information

This is our second bike/barge trip. The first was three years ago, when we did the North/South Netherlands trip. That trip was on the barge Angeline, which does the great majority of these tours. This trip we are on the Zwaantje, which is somewhat smaller and narrower than the Angeline, in order to fit through the many narrow locks on this trip. Each room has two twin beds, a closet and a tiny restroom with shower. The barges have a communal dining room and a lounge, plus a large deck at the top of the barge, which is a nice place to sit to catch evening breezes. The rails on the deck are collapsible so that the barge can fit under some low bridges. 

Prices for bike/barge are inclusive except for airfare and trips are usually for thirteen days. They furnish your bike, all meals except for one day, when the crew takes off. Beverages provided are coffee, tea and water. You can buy beer, wine, some sodas and some stronger alcoholic beverages from the ship's bar but these are not included in the trip price.  Each morning you will be provided sandwich supplies, fruit and some sort of candy bar or cookie snack, plus a boxed fruit drink and you must pack your lunch, which you then place in the pannier which is on your bike. You also receive a water bottle, which you put in the holder of your bike for drinks along the way.

There are 26 participants on the Angeline and 22 on the Zwaantje, plus two bike guides and a crew of four on the boat. Each evening you are told what to expect on the next day's ride so that you can decide overnight what you want to do. Your options are: 1) Stay on the barge and entertain yourself all day. 2) Short group: generally slower and riding fewer miles, usually around 25. 3) Long group: faster, around 10-12 mph and farther, with a more challenging route, perhaps more hills, about 30-35 miles. Routes are flexible, depending on where the barge stops. One guide rides with each group.

Unloading bikes in the morning

Bikes unloaded and ready to roll. Each has the yellow Bike/Barge panniers on the back, making them instantly recognizable. 

The guide rides in front, with a map, a compass, an odometer, a phone and sometimes a GPS on their bike. The rest of the group rides single-file behind, with one person each day designated as sweep. The sweep and the guide each have an orange pennant on a pole sticking up behind their bike seat so that participants and the guide can see where everybody is along the way. The sweep's job is to always ride at the back and signal the guide if someone is lagging behind or has trouble, such as a flat tire. Guides carry repair gear in their panniers and are experts in fixing what goes wrong.

Groups return to the barge before dinner, usually with some time to look around the city where the barge is moored. After dinner and the  explanation of the next day's route, one of the guides will lead a walking tour of the city for anyone who is interested.

During the rides, groups stop for mid morning coffee break, lunch and for toilet breaks and water bottle refills. If there are interesting sights along the way, the group stops and takes a tour or a look-see.

In the Netherlands, nearly all riding is done on bike paths. Paths are not so frequent in France, so there is a lot of rising on roads, but the guides take care not to ride on busy roads unless necessary. On this France tour, we have spent a lot of time riding through the rolling hills of Frances agricultural heartland and very little time in cities. 

Our tour groups have been quite congenial. Most have a fair amount of biking experience, but some spouses have admittedly come along with the expressed intent of spending very little time biking and a lot of time riding on the barge. The bike/barge company recommends that participants be comfortable riding for at least an hour at a time. I would say that two hours or even more are better. Helmets are not included but are strongly recommended. Although most Dutch people do not wear them, I would not come without one.