Many tour companies, seeking the greatest number of potential customers, run fairly easy tours. Typical rides range from 15 to 30 miles over gently rolling or flat terrain. Most guests will rent hybrid bicycles, with upright seating and low gears. The van shuttles tired riders up hills and even down. Great for beginners, these tours let provide even the slowest cyclists making many stops enough time to sightsee along the way and at the end of the ride.
Some companies run more athletic tours specifically designed for more experienced cyclists.
Riders on these tours enjoy longer distances, say 40 to 80 miles a day, on more varied terrain. Participants see more of the countryside since they're covering more ground. The roads may be less traveled and more interesting roads, too. With more miles to work with and climbs an attraction instead of something to avoid the route can get away from the main roads and into the more scenic areas of the countryside. Like a faster club ride, more challenging tours attract more accomplished cyclists.