Tours
Tours depart from and finish at the North 48 Bicycles shop located in the lower courtyard of Market Square, 560 Johnson Street in Victoria.
We start with a pre-ride coffee from Hey Happy at 0945 while we discuss the day’s itinerary and review health and safety procedures, and we roll out of Market Square at 10am. However, we ask you to arrive no less than 45 minutes in advance of your first tour so that we can make sure your bike is fitted correctly and so you have time to fill out waiver forms and be fitted for a helmet.
Our tours are typically 2.5 to 4 hours in length, however, due to unforeseen circumstances the duration could be extended beyond those estimates.
Our ride categories range from Easy to Epic, and we assume that you ride a couple of times per week, either in a group, or solo. We live in an area that has few straight or flat roads, so consequently, there will always be a little bit of climbing, even on the easy routes. However, we moderate the speed of the group to suit all riders, and our routes can be modified as required.
Experience riding in a group is not required, and our group sizes are small, typically eight or fewer riders. Prior to leaving, we will discuss typical hand and verbal signals used in a group. We will also discuss cornering and emergency braking. If you have no group riding experience, we ask that you fill in the Riding History questionnaire as thoroughly and honestly as possible.
No one will be dropped from a guided ride. If the pace is too fast, we will moderate the speed to accommodate all riders, and we will modify the route accordingly. In order to have similarly proficient riders together on the same tour, we ask that you fill in the Riding History questionnaire as thoroughly and honestly as possible.
All our tour guides are proficient road cyclists, and are trained under the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) for the Community Initiative and Basic Cycling Skills level. In addition, our guides have varying levels of racing experience as well as elite level training experience. Our guides are all currently First Aid trained under the St. John’s Ambulance OFA Level 1 certification.
We can offer women only-tours led by experienced female guides, however we do ask that you check with us before booking to make sure our guides are available for your selected dates.
While not mandatory, tipping is appropriate and our guides certainly appreciate it for a job well done! As in other service-based industries, tipping encourages the outstanding service that our guides continue to provide. Please consider this when planning your monetary needs on the tour.
In order to meet the needs of both children and adults, we ask that families with children 14 to 18 contact us prior to booking. We cannot accommodate children under the age of 14 years old.
We have teamed with the great people at Bike Tours Victoria to be able to offer you discounts on their selection of fabulous tours including The Discovery Tour, The Highlight Tour, and The Harbour to Farm Tour
Bookings
Yes! In order to ensure we have appropriately sized bikes for everyone, we need to know at least 48 hours in advance – if you are booking your accommodation with us, you will want to reserve early as Victoria hotels get busy in the summer.
To help our accommodation partners keep track of their reservations, our cancellation policy is as follows:
More than 48 hours – Full Refund (accommodation and bike rental)
Less than 48 hours – First night of accommodation will be charged, balance will be refunded (balance of accommodation plus full bike rental charge)
Less than 24 hours - no refund is possible
Please Note: We may be able to reschedule your booking if unforeseen circumstances arise. This is based on tour availability.
We want to make sure everyone who wants to experience a North 48 Bicycles Tour has the opportunity, but our tours require a minimum of two guests. You may book in as an individual, but we may get in touch in the rare case that we have no other bookings to see if you want to change tours or dates.
We can customize a private tour for you and your group. Please let us know that you would like a private group so that we can help design your tour prior to booking.
Our multi-day tours are typically on consecutive days, however if you wish to space your riding out, you can do so, however we ask that you let us know ahead of time.
Equipment
Our guided tours include a bike, a helmet, and pre-ride coffee and snacks, and if selected, your choice of accommodation. We have a selection of on-bike nutritional products (bars, gels, etc.) which are available for purchase. If you are staying at the Parkside Hotel and Spa, we will also provide you with a lock for the bike storage area.
Our brand new bike fleet is from the iconic Colnago brand, and we carry the CX Zero and AC-R models. Details can be found here.
Yes, you can keep you bike for up to two days following the last day of your tour(s). If you want to keep the bike for longer than two days, we ask that you book the next level of guided rides (see below).
| Initial Booking | Extra Days | Total Days | Booking Outcome |
| 1 day guided tour | 2 | 3 | OK |
| 1 day guided tour | 3 | 4 | Need to change booking to 3 day guided tour |
| 3 day guided tour | 2 | 5 | OK |
| 3 day guided tour | 4 | 6 | Need to change booking to 5 day guided tour |
We will ask you to pay any extra daily charges at the start of your tour to cover the additionally anticipated days.
Of course! Our hotel partners are all bike friendly and will allow you to bring your bike into your room (Parkside Hotel and Spa requires advance notice of this). Keep in mind that we cannot guarantee or repair any bikes on tour that are not our own, so if you bring your own bike, please make sure it is in good working order, although we can help arrange a mechanic for unexpected repairs. You will have the option of selecting "No Bike rental" in the booking process. This will automatically deduct the cost of the bike rental from your total cost.
Yes. We rent hybrid and gravel/cyclocross bikes direct from our shop, or townie bikes through one of our partners.
All of our bikes have a small saddle bag containing spare tubes and tools. Our tour leaders are proficient in roadside repairs, can replace flat tubes or ruptured tires, and make derailleur adjustments if gears are not shifting properly. Major repairs are best done back in the shop, so in the unlikely event that a major repair is required, we will call for a support vehicle to return you to your hotel.
We recommend that you bring your cycling shoes and pedals. We have a limited selection of Look Keo and Shimano SPD-SL pedals, but please check with us ahead of time if you wish to use our pedals (you will still need your shoes). You do not need to bring a helmet, but can do so if you wish. Bring your favourite kit, including wind vest, knee and arm warmers (even in summer), and a rain cape. If you are joining us between October and May, you may want to bring leg warmers and a long sleeved fleece jersey as well. Don’t forget that you can purchase your own North 48 Bicycles kit and accessories (water bottles, etc) in the shop.
Check out our current weather forecast here. We have a few rain capes on hand if you forget to pack your own. Don’t forget your Garmin (especially if you are doing a GPSdoodle) a phone and camera.
On each ride, we will have the opportunity to stop mid-ride for a coffee and snack, and if we are going to the Smokin’ Tuna, lunch as well, so bring some cash. We will also have the option of having lunch when we get back to Market Square.
If you do not own cycling shoes, we can equip your bike with flat pedals. This will not provide you with optimal power transfer and as some of our routes are quite challenging, we request that you let us know in advance if you plan to ride on flat pedals, so that we can structure the group accordingly.
Yes! It’s the law in British Columbia for all riders (adults included) to wear a helmet. Our shop will supply a helmet with your bike and you must wear it while riding. You may bring your own if you prefer.
Transportation
Our tours are typically 2.5 to 4 hours in length, however due to unforeseen circumstances the duration could be extended beyond those estimates. If you are not in Victoria overnight, we recommend joining our friends at Bike Tours Victoria.
Our accommodation partners do not provide an airport shuttle, however you can arrange for a shuttle through YYJ Airport Shuttles https://yyjairportshuttle.com/. The Accent Inn and Hotel Zed have shuttles that can provide in-town pick up and drop off.
Accommodations
Victoria hotel rooms and short-term rentals tend to book up very quickly in the summer. We have preferred rates with several hotels and short-term rental properties in town, which are of course pending availability. We can check in with our friends at:
Yes! All of our hotel bookings are based on double occupancy so your partner can sleep in, use the hotel amenities, or roam the City while you are riding.
There are no end of amazing things to see and do while you are visiting Victoria. We can put you in touch with the following great companies who will offer you a special North 48 Bicycles discount:
Whalewatching – Eaglewing Tours
Stand Up Paddleboard - SUP Victoria
Kayak Tours - Ocean River Sports
Victoria
Victoria has distinct dry and rainy seasons (you can find a daily forecast here). Victoria experiences some of the driest summers in Canada, and it is not uncommon to go for two to three weeks without a cloud in the sky. During the summer months rainfall amounts are very low, typically between 10 and 15 mm (0.4 to 0.6 inches) per month, whereas nearly two-thirds of the annual precipitation falls during the four wettest months, November to February. Precipitation in December, the wettest month (109 mm or 4.3 in) is nearly eight times as high as in July. During the summer, average temperatures are in the range of 20 to 23°C (68 to 73°F); perfect for riding. In the winter, our average daily high temperature is 7°C (45°F), while our low temperatures are around 3°C (37°F). The weather in Victoria supports year round cycling although if you choose to visit during the winter, rain gear and fleece may be needed.