There’s nothing like a great magazine to keep you attuned to the latest gear, places to ride, and events going on in the cycling world. I’ve subscribed to many over the years, such as Bicycling, Peloton, and Cycling Weekly, just to name a few. They also function as great motivators for your own riding.
Some of those magazines not only write about places and events you can participate in, but they also may function as outlets that offer trips you can sign up for. Rouleur Travel (magazine) is one of those publications that not only delves into showing you epic rides but also gives you the chance to take a trip and experience them firsthand.
About Rouleur Magazine and Rouleur Travel
Rouleur Travel was inspired by the British road cycling magazine Rouleur. It was launched in 2005 by Guy Andrews to highlight journalism and photography focused on locations and rides around the world, with sponsorship by the apparel manufacturer Rapha. It hosted events but not any longform travel.
Launched in 2023 by Tristram Kelly, along with Gruppo Media Limited, Rouleur Travel was an offshoot of the magazine. Rouleur Travel focuses on small group travel or corporate designed trips for 12 to 14 riders. Kelly says the reason he wanted to start a bicycle travel company was that he felt “the trips we wanted to take did not exist. Every route, every hotel, every coffee stop is chosen by riders for riders.”
Rouleur Puts the “Epic” in Epic Travel with its Destinations
10 destinations make up the places Rouleur Travel visits in either The Alps, Norway, Asia, and Africa. That might seem like a small collection of continents, but so much is contained in each area.
The Alps trip encompasses France, Italy, and Switzerland. Asia is Tibet and Japan. Africa takes in Cape Town. So, each loactation easily falls under the “epic” category.
Ride at the Base of Everest in Tibet
If you truly seek absolute isolation mixed with scenery most people never see, then one of Rouleur Travel’s epic trips is a must do: Everest Base Camp, which starts in Chengdu, China. The trip is 654 kilometers (400 miles) with 7,823 meters (25,000 feet) of climbing.
Rouleur gives a very satisfying reason to do this trip. It says the “tarmac [is] as good as anything in Europe, in a place most cyclists assume cannot be ridden at all. It’s an incredible trip designed for prepared riders only. You come home wanting nothing but high mountains and the far edges of the map.”
A “prepared rider” is someone who is probably more than a weekend warrior, more than someone who does 120 miles a week, more than a club rider, someone who might love gravel riding as much as riding on the road. Don’t let that deter you. If you like long distance riding with hard climbs mixed in, you probably would be prepared as you could be.
If you think altitude adjustment might be a problem, Rouleur says “The team will take you through a full altitude preparation programme before you travel.” For the cost of this trip, that is nice incentive that will help ensure you make it through the two weeks you are on this trip without abandoning.
Trip Duration, Inclusions, and Cost
The Everest Base Camp trip is 9,400 pounds ($12,463) and goes for 12 days. It includes the following:
- Hotel
- Tibetan tour guide
- Tibet permit documents
- Ride GuideGPS Routes
- Pro Support Van
- Passenger Van
- During ride supply
- Meals
- Airport transfers
By looking at this list of inclusions, its clear that Rouleur has prepared for every potential situation you might need support and assistance. This is not an easy trip, even for the fittest and most hardcore athlete.
Last Thoughts
If you long for the ultimate in challenging bicycle travel and consider yourself an endurance athlete, then Rouleur Travel’s offerings just might tempt you for a trip. So, if you have the time, the training, and the financial capacity to handle it, you should look into a trip with Rouleur Travel.
The trips aren’t cheap but Rouleur Travel’s choice of places to ride are unique. These are places most bicycle travel companies would refrain from visiting. That said, its inclusions don’t seem to stand out from other travel companies, except for the altitude training and travel document attention in Tibet. If you have an off day, you get sick, or you have to end a day’s riding early, Rouleur will have people in place to assist you.
The point is Rouleur Travels wants you to have a trip without any concerns other than riding your bike. If you are on such an epic and expensive trip, that’s more than you can ask for.
