Who Tuscany Bike Tours are
It is a small operator with a simple history. The brand was born in Florence in 2007, founded by Keith and Andy. Since 2014 it has been run by two partners, Alessio and Filippo. The company is Active Tours Italy S.r.l., VAT number 06053470487, with an office at via Ghibellina 34r, in the Santa Croce district. For emergencies there is the number +39 338 264 2431.
The first trap to avoid is the name. Searching for "tuscany bike tours" also brings up tuscanybiketours.com, without the hyphen, which however is not the operator and redirects to a tourism portal. The real website is tuscany-biketours.com, with the hyphen. If you book from the wrong address, the reviews and terms on this page do not apply.
The classic Chianti cycling day
The main product is the Chianti bike tour. This is how it is organised, according to the operator:
- 08:30, meet at the office in via Ghibellina;
- 09:00, departure;
- about 20 km by bike through the Chianti hills;
- lunch and a tasting at a castle, included in the price;
- back at around 15:00, about 6 hours after meeting.
It costs €95, €85 for students. If you prefer an e-bike, you can ask for one for a supplement. The minimum age is 10.
Twenty kilometres is not much for a regular cyclist, but in Chianti there are no long flat stretches. If you haven't been in the saddle for years, the e-bike is the supplement worth paying. The hills, castles and villages you ride through are described on our page about Chianti.
The full price list
| Tour | Price |
|---|---|
| Chianti by bike, classic format | €95, students €85 |
| Chianti by e-bike | supplement on the base price |
| Vespa | €140 for the rider, €95 for a passenger |
| Florence by bike | €52 |
| Private e-bike tour | €245–255 |
The €52 Florence bike tour is a good trial run if you have doubts: you find out whether cycling suits you before committing a whole day.
Refunds: the 72-hour rule
The rule is strict, and you need to understand it before you pay.
- More than 72 hours before departure: a full refund, minus a fee of 3.2% + €0.39. On a €95 tour the fee comes to about €3.43.
- Less than 72 hours before: no refund.
In practice, if your tour is on Tuesday at 09:00, you can cancel almost free of charge until Saturday at 09:00. After that, the money is lost. If your itinerary is still open, you would do better to book later, or to choose a tour with 24-hour cancellation.
Weather and season: two versions
Here the operator's pages don't agree, and it is only fair to say so.
On bad weather, the tours run "rain or shine". If it is the operator who cancels, the FAQs say that nothing is charged, while the terms and conditions say that there is no refund. The two statements are incompatible.
On the season, one page says "all year round", another March to November. If you are travelling in winter, write to them before counting on this tour.
Tuscany Bike Tours reviews: what people say
When we last checked Tripadvisor, the operator had a rating of about 4.9 from over 1,300 reviews. For an operator of this size that is a solid volume, and no recurring complaint stands out among the reviews. The real grey areas are the ones covered above: the 72-hour rule and the conflicting versions on bad weather.
Bike or Vespa: how the prices compare with other operators
If you can't decide between pedalling and riding, the prices help you choose. Among the Chianti operators we review, the €95 cycling day with lunch and a tasting is the cheapest option. The Tuscany Bike Tours Vespa costs €140 for the rider, a little above Walkabout Tours' €130 and Florencetown's €135 list price. The advantage of the Vespa here is the passenger price, €95, which makes a couple sharing one scooter better value than two full-price tickets.
The comparison is not only about price. Walkabout refunds up to 24 hours before, whereas here you need 72 hours. If flexibility matters to you more than a few euros, weigh it up when you choose.
Who it suits
Yes if you are reasonably fit, want a day of cycling near Florence with lunch and a tasting included, and your dates are certain.
Students pay €10 less on the classic tour: ask when booking which document you need for the discount. For a family with children aged 10 and over, or for anyone who wants to go at their own pace, the private e-bike tour at €245–255 saves you having to keep up with the group.
No if you haven't cycled for years and don't want to pay for an e-bike, if you are travelling with children under 10, or if you need to be able to cancel at the last minute.
The 4 out of 5 reflects this balance: an honest price with lunch included, small groups and excellent reviews on one side; on the other, the 72-hour rule, stricter than the 24 hours of Walkabout and Florencetown, and pages that contradict each other on weather and season.
Alternatives on Tiqets and GetYourGuide
If you need more flexible cancellation, compare the e-bike tours in Chianti run by other operators, each with the rule written in its own listing. Here too prices change often: we keep the ones shown up to date.
Florence: Chianti E-Bike Tour with Tuscan Lunch & Winery
(54 reviews) from €149
Book on GetYourGuideIf you prefer an engine, read our appraisals of Florencetown and Walkabout Tours, which both sell Vespa tours in Chianti. To see the same hills from above, there is Tuscany Ballooning.
All the options, from road bikes to e-bikes and the Vespa, are on our page about cycling and Vespa tours in Tuscany. To pair your ride with a more serious tasting, have a look at our Tuscany wine tours.