Originally Posted by
tacomee
I'd say that organized tours, by and large, are a better value than the DIY ones. Really. Good tour companies can get you great deals on food and lodging, plus all the added support of a sag wagon, mechanical help, great riding friends, ect. If you want to go ride your bike in France for 2 weeks and you have a real career that makes you good money-- don't mess around. Do the research and pick a top shelf tour company and enjoy! You will have the time of your life, believe me.
I'm not saying that the DIY tour is garbarge-- it's not. There's nothing wrong with rolling your brother's old 12 speed road bike out of the garage, strapping on whatever camping gear happen to have lying around and heading off for Uncle Mort's place Upstate. That's totally fun as well! Enjoy!
The thing to think about is....do you have extra time, or extra money? If all you can manage is two weeks away from the office all summer-- pay someone else to organize a great time for you, because it's worth it. If you just finished collage and you have a whole summer to ride, but you're short on funds, heck, ride coast to coast eating peanut butter and camping.
In the end-- it's all about the ride. Nothing else matters really.
OK, you do realize that there is something in between the two options you've mentioned.
A DIY tour does not mean that ...
1) You ride your brother's old 12 speed road bike out of the garage ... I ride a custom-built touring bicycle.
2) You strap on whatever camping gear you have lying around ... I have a fairly well thought out collection of things I bring.
3) You head off for Uncle Mort's place Upstate ... I've toured Australia, France, Wales, England, and places in Canada and the US on my DIY tours
4) You have just finished college, have a whole summer to ride, but are short of funds ... when I toured Wales (and a bit of England and France) I was working full-time in my profession and certainly wasn't short of funds, and when I toured Australia the first time, I was about to embark on another degree, and decided to spend some of the money I had put away on the tour before I did.
5) You have to camp at all or all the time ... I prefer camping, but could easily have stayed in hotels and eaten in restaurants if I'd wanted to.
A DIY tour can be as fancy or as basic as you want it to be.