Experienced Leaders

Peg and Elise have led or participated in multiple bike tours - some as short as two days, others as long as three weeks. We have thousands of hours in the saddle.

We back our riding expertise with bike touring and leadership education thru Adventure Cycling Association. Our memberships include:

• Adventure Cycling Association

• League of American Bicyclists

• Bike Pittsburgh

• Women and Bike Pittsburgh

• People for Bikes

• Rails to Trails

Encourage education

We offer an intro to touring ride. On this ride, Peony Women’s Bike Tours will provide riders with a New to Touring Clinic and training materials. The clinic includes bike touring and group riding education, equipment evaluation, and a group ride.

Small Group Setting

We offer group rides that are limited to 10 – 12 riders to ensure personal service and safety to each rider.

Fun and Friendly

We encourage a fun, friendly and supportive environment. We are all in this together to encourage our participants to learn from each other and to explore new places on a bike!

Two or More Qualified and Experienced Guides:

• 2 guides, lead and sweep, carrying bike tools, patch kits, first aid kit, satellite radio and good humor

• Both guides are certified in Wilderness First Aid and Adventure Cycling Leadership Training

• You will be assured of superior service and attention throughout your adventure

Lodging:

• The hotel fees are incorporated into the ride price

• Each and every night, we will stay at 3 star or better accommodations or the best available in rural areas. The lodging varies from chain hotels to local B&Bs.

• All lodging is double occupancy

• No single supplements are available. A 10% discount is available if you travel with a companion and share a queen bed, however, some nights will still require roommates

Meals

• On several of our ride events one or more meals may be provided, please reference your ride event on which meals are included

• For meals that are not provided, riders will make their arrangements

• If a lunch stop is not available, riders will pack a lunch for a picnic along the way

• You will be responsible for bringing your own water, drink or snacks

Support

• Our rides are all self-supported, which means you carry all your gear and luggage

• There is always a guide qualified and experienced to handle most common bicycle repairs

• We start as a group and finish as a group. One guide will always lead and the other sweep, which means no riders are left behind

Maps

• We provide you a map of the route on the ride day

• We do not provide GPS data but you can google any of our routes

Transportation costs

• Your airfare or transportation costs to the ride event are not included

Shuttle Service

• There is no shuttle service to or from the event with the exception of select rides

• On select rides, we will provide a shuttle from the event back to our starting location. This is noted on the ride where this service is available and is included in the ride price

Single room supplement

There are no single-room supplements

Rental bikes. If you need to rent a bike, go to Bike The Burgh Tours. They will get you set up with a bike and everything you need for a tour.

Personal purchases

For any personal items purchased on the ride, you are responsible for purchasing and carrying these items during your ride tour

Trip Insurance

• Peony Women’s Bike Tours recommends that riders investigate travel, cancellation, medical and personal property insurance when registering for a tour event. We cannot make exceptions to our cancellation policies

• Allianz Travel Insurance offers low-cost trip insurance

Gratuity

Gratuity is not included but is greatly appreciated

• We believe you will enjoy a bike tour where the group size is small and you get to know other riders. For that reason, we limit our tour group size to 10 - 12 riders

• We do have a waitlist available for each ride

• Go to the Available Tours and select the Peony Ride Registration form. This will take you to a separate form to register for the ride

• For each ride, a non-refundable deposit is required at the time of registration

• Full payment is due 30 days prior to the ride's start

• Discounts

  • 10% is available if you share a queen-sized bed with a friend as well as have a roommate(s) on some nights. (i.e. 3 or 4 people sharing a room with 2 double beds)

  • 5% off total for previous PEONY riders

• All bike types are accepted

• Bikes are required to be in good working condition

• Ebike riders are responsible for their own battery charging and maintenance

• A working bicycle capable of carrying gear

• Bike packing or touring bags; we have a limited number of panniers for rent if needed.

• Helmet (required)

• Water bottle(s)

• Snacks

• Spare inner tube for your tire size

• Bike light

• Rain gear

• Sunscreen

• Sunglasses

• Cell phone & charger

• Personal items

  • On the bike clothes: Bike Shorts (2-3), t-shirt / athletic shirt/tank top, long sleeve shirt/light jacket, tennis/cycling shoes

  • Off the bike: Leisure clothing, including comfortable shoes for evenings (informal, casual and comfortable is the rule)

  • Swimsuit (optional)

  • Toiletries

It is best to prepare yourself for the type of cycling you will be doing on your ride. We want to offer a few suggestions to help you to physically prepare for your tour.

The best way to prepare for any bicycle tour is to ride your bike! Then, ride some more! Although, other forms of exercise is helpful, but is not a substitute for spending time in the saddle!!

Our daily mileages varies for each ride. Our average is between 25-40 miles/day with an average saddle time of 4-6 hours. We suggest you progressively spend more time in the saddle, gradually increase the distance of your practice rides each week.

Most of our rides are on a flat terrains but there are trails with slight grades, some hills or ramps. We recommend you practice on both type of terrains. Also, we suggest you practice riding with the weight you are anticipating on carrying on the ride. This will just help in your overall preparation.

Last, we are here to have FUN! We are not in race, there is no prize at the end! We will be riding at a comfortable pace, with frequent breaks. We want to ensure you are enjoying your surroundings, each other and the ride itself!

Note: If your are on the intro to touring ride, more detailed ride preparation and conditioning information will be provided to you upon ride registration.

Cancellations must be in writing and must come from the participant or a person legally entitled to act on the participant’s behalf.

Cancellations notices must be sent to peonywbt@gmail.com

For cancellations greater than 30 days before the start date of an event, you will be refunded the tour costs minus the deposit.

For cancellations less than 30 before the start date of an event, Peony Women’s Bike Tours will use its sole discretion on if a refund will be administered

Peony Women’s Bike Tours may cancel a participant registration if the final payment is not received before the tour event. No refund will be administered

We encourage riders to join our trips for the full ride. But if a tour participant must leave a ride due to a medical emergency or other issues; it is the ride participant's responsibility to find their own transportation home.

Where a participant cannot partake in the paid-for event tour, Peony Women’s Bike Tours will use its sole discretion on if the paid participant registration can be transferred to another event, rider, friend or family.

Peony Women’s Bike Tours reserves the right to decide whether it is not feasible, practical or advisable to continue with an event as scheduled. In such cases, a full refund would be administered. We will notify you within 15 days of the tour starting date.

Peony Women’s Bike Tours is not liable for additional out-of-pocket expenses such as travel or equipment costs from the termination of an event.

Your safety is our top priority while on our rides. We feel the same regarding your safety with the Coronavirus. Below is our Coronavirus guidelines:

Your tour leaders are fully vaccinated and current with CDC guidelines for boosters.

We PREFER all of our ride participants to be fully vaccinated. If you are not vaccinated, you will be required to follow the current CDC guidelines for unvaccinated individuals. You can find CDC guidance on the vaccine here.

All ride participants will be required to complete a COVID waiver form prior to the ride departure.

Note: COVID Policy will be updated, based on recommendations from the CDC