Lora Wegman photo illustration

For many, bicycling is an ideal mode of transportation.

"How many opportunities do people have throughout the course of their day to get their workout in, save some money, cover their transportation needs to and from work or school, and have fun all in one?" said Tom Brinker, owner of Cyclextreme the Bicycle Warehouse. "Cycling’s pretty fun."

And the fun doesn’t have to stop with your commute to work. Bicycle tours provide travelers the chance to slow down, enjoy the scenery, get some exercise and spend time with friends and family.

This weekend, Mark Livesay is leading a two-day bike tour. The tour, called the Tour de Vin, is a fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. If all goes as planned, there will be two groups: one leaving from Columbia and one from St. Louis. The Columbia group will travel by road, and the St. Louis group will travel the cross-state Katy Trail. They will meet in Hermann, where they will take a bus tour of Hermann’s wineries, enjoy some live music and watch a cyclocross race before heading back on Sunday.

As owner of Ultramax Multi-Sport Series, Livesay is responsible for producing multisport races and triathlons. But after as many as 40 events in a season, he wanted to plan something more relaxed. When Hermann officials approached him last year about organizing an event to bring more bicycle traffic to the area, Livesay knew he had something. "I thought, ‘This is perfect,’ " Livesay said. "They’ve got all the wineries."

Although some of the cyclists are competitive athletes, Livesay says most are recreational riders. He doesn’t expect everyone to travel at a race pace. "Part of the fun of the tour is it’s not to hurry and get to Hermann," he said. "It’s to take your time, stop at different places and socialize."

The ability to slow down and truly explore an area is what makes bicycle touring attractive to Henry Curran. He and his wife, Sandy, have cycled all over the United States, Canada and Europe.

"When you’re traveling by car, you’re racing somewhere to get to your vacation. Here, your ride all day is part of your event. You see places up close; you see people up close," Curran said.

After years of traveling in this manner, the Currans decided to start Independent Tourist, a bicycle tour company that specializes in self-paced excursions.

Karl Kimbel, owner of Klunk Bicycles & Repair, used to work as a trip leader on backpacking and bicycle tours in Nova Scotia, leading teenagers across the province for a week at a time. These days, Kimbel doesn’t have time for long trips, but he says even a short junket through the area can be satisfying.

"If I had more time off, I would do it," Kimbel said. "I’ve been pretty keen on the idea of little local tours."

Even a one-day trip allows the chance to enjoy the day and the company of others. Lindsay Parsons, a sales associate at Walt’s Bicycle Fitness and Wilderness Co., sometimes takes one-day trips to Rocheport with her friends. "It’s just a good way to get together and have a nice time on a beautiful day," she said.

Although it’s certainly possible to plan your own tour, guided tours offer some advantages.

One of the biggest is the staff support. For instance, Livesay’s staff will have box lunches ready at halfway points, as well as water stops along the way. The staff also will transport the cyclists’ luggage, and cyclists who only want to ride Saturday can hitch a bus ride back on Sunday.

Independent Tourist also offers luggage transport service as well as turn-by-turn directions, area information, accommodations and assistance in emergencies. However, no guides lead the tour, giving travelers the option of creating their own schedules while enjoying the convenience of staff assistance.

If you prefer traveling your own routes on your own schedule, picking the right route is one of the most important parts of a successful trip. "Your route can pretty well make or break a trip," Kimbel said. "If you get stuck on horrible roads, you’re not going to have a good time."

Parsons said many trail maps include information such as camping spots, restrooms and convenience stores along the way.

But you have to be ready to change that route at a moment’s notice. Recent rains flooded 20 miles of the Katy Trail along Livesay’s planned St. Louis route. He checks the Missouri Department of Natural Resource’s Web site daily to see whether conditions have improved, but he’s also prepared to reroute or even cancel that route.

When packing for a bike tour, assess your needs. If you’re camping for several days, you might need a utility wagon to carry your gear, which might include a tent, water purification setup and stove.

However, if your plans include just a few days of camping or staying at bed-and-breakfasts, you can get by with packs and panniers, Kimbel said.

And if you don’t already have this equipment, fear not. It’s readily available in Columbia. If you plan on touring often, it pays for itself in no time. "The cool thing is, even if you’re starting from square one, the entire expense of your trip could be less than if you drove or flew to a destination for a few days," Brinker said.

To prepare for any mechanical malfunctions along the way, Parsons recommends carrying spare inner tubes, tire levers, an Allen wrench and lubricant. If you’re not familiar with bicycle repair, consider a crash course at a bicycle repair shop, Curran said.

"You need to become at least pretty good at" repair "and very good at changing a flat tire," Curran said.

Although bicycle touring is a low-impact activity, it might help to train for longer trips.

"Weight training would be a good idea, as in being prepared to take the amount of weight with you that you’ll be taking on your bike," Parsons said. "If you’ll be taking a backpack, put a backpack on and ride with it."

Still, a big part of being comfortable is to take your time.

"There’s no reason to be afraid of the distance," Livesay said. "If someone can go out and ride 20 to 30 miles consistently without stopping, you can do a 60-mile tour that takes multiple hours if you pace yourself."

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