What our Ride Levels mean?

6 days ago
4 min read

"Every destination we ride is unique, with its own roads, its own weather and its own cycling culture. So the ride levels below are not a test to pass. They are simply a gauge, a way to understand how to prepare for a particular tour and whether it suits your riding skills today."

And here is the most reassuring part, so we will say it first. Every one of our tours is achievable. On each trip we bring support vehicles, so if you need to take a rest, or a hill is more than you fancy on the day, you fold up your Brompton and ride ahead in comfort. The level tells you how to train and what to pack.

It never decides whether you are welcome.

Read the levels as a friendly heads-up, nothing more. They tell you roughly how far you will ride, how hilly it might get, and how much to prepare beforehand. Match the level to where your fitness honestly sits today, rather than where you wish it were, and you will have a far happier week in the saddle for it.

Level 1 (Easy)

Under 30 KM a day. Flat, Paved or Smooth paths. Casual pace. No prior experiences required.

This is where everyone can start. Gentle distances, easy surfaces, and plenty of time to look around. If you can ride a bicycle at all, you can enjoy a Level 1 day. Our easiest getaways, such as our Kun Ming tour, sit here, and so do our weekly club rides in Singapore. The terrain difficulty is low by design, so you can relax into the rhythm of touring without any pressure.

Level 2 (Moderate-Easy)

Under 40 KM a day. Rolling hills and some Uneven ground. Moderate pace. Basic Fitness required.

A small step up, and a lovely place for a first-time tourer to spread their wings. The distances grow a little, and you will meet the odd gentle rise, but nothing that a weekend rider cannot handle. Tours like our Hsinchu Tour in Taiwan and our Okinawa islands sit comfortably in this band. A little basic fitness goes a long way, and the reward is a fuller day in the saddle.

Level 3 (Moderate)

Under 50 KM a day. Sustained inclines and varied terrain. Active pace. Good cardiovascular endurance required.

Now we are into proper touring. The days are longer, the climbs last a little longer too, and the terrain difficulty rises with them. You will want good cardiovascular endurance and a bit of riding under your belt. Our Denmark Copenhagen Tour, UK Kent Tour, and Peng Hu Tour, where the real challenge is the island wind rather than the gradient, are good examples of this level. Demanding enough to feel earned, gentle enough to savour.

Level 4 (Challenging)

Distance between 60 to 80 KM a day. Steep roads and high Elevation gain. Faster pace. Strong Physical conditioning required, and some Technical riding.

Big distances, serious climbs, and the kind of high country that stays with you for life. Our Bhutan Tour, with its climb towards the Dochula Pass, the mountain roads around Hualien in Taiwan, and our Pioneer Tours all live here. You will need strong conditioning and confident riding skills, and even then the support vehicle is close behind. Nobody conquers these roads alone.

Level 5 (Bike Packing)

Level 5 is for the seasoned travellers who ride without a support vehicle.

This is the top of the ladder, for riders who want to be tested. On top of riding long distances and covering steep roadways, these riders also pack up to an additional 10 to 12kg of luggage on top of their Brompton.

Every Level is rewarded

Whichever level you choose, the pattern is the same. Each of our tours rewards you with carefully planned dining, from long lunches to memorable dinners, and with the interesting activities and stops that make a place come alive. The riding is the thread. The food, the culture and the company are the reasons you will want to come back. A Level 1 day and a Level 4 day are equally rich in the things that matter. Regardless of the level of difficulty all tours with safety vehicle support can be completed. You select the parts that most excite you.

Want to move up a Level?

If you look at a tour you love and feel it is just beyond you today, that is not a closed door. It is an invitation. Come and join our free weekly club rides in Singapore, where we help you build fitness, sharpen your riding skills, and grow comfortable with a little more terrain difficulty each time. Riders who start on our gentlest rides often surprise themselves within a season.

And if you are ever unsure where you sit, simply ask us. We would far rather have a five-minute chat about your riding than watch you choose a tour that is a touch too gentle, or a shade too fierce, for the holiday you had in mind. Getting the match right is part of the service.

Choose the level that fits you now, and let us take care of the rest. Wherever you sit on the scale, there is a Brompton adventure waiting, and a support vehicle making sure you enjoy every kilometre of it.

Read more about our Tours here: https://www.bromptonexperiences.com/tours