Tuscany: BikeTours Direct, quality?

I have taken 2 self guided trips with BikeToursDirect. One to Burgundy and the other through Portugal. Its true they are cheaper than many other bike tour companies. I did take a bike trip through the Dordogne with another company some years back before I discovered BikeToursDirect and while that tour company was more expensive I can't really say why that was the case. I haven't taken any bike trips to Tuscany with them but here are my general observations which might be helpful. They provided excellent bikes and panniers. Someone is there to adjust them for your height etc. Very helpful staff and in particular Jim Johnson, head of the company has always been great. Maps and supports for both self guided trips were very good. Accommodation was always clean, comfortable and suitable for us. We preferred to only have breakfasts and were on our own for lunches and suppers. Gave us more flexibility. They are linked to so many small companies offering tours that you get an amazing array of bike tours throughout Europe and now other places.
Once you know the company offering the bike tour you can always check their ratings as well. I highly recommend them.

I would not hesitate one more minute! Sign up and start planning your trip! I take a European cycling trip every summer with Bike Tours Direct and have not been disappointed once! I have traveled with my family and with friends, sometimes guided, sometimes self guided. Every time the companies have been professional; the food, lodging and guides (or guide maps) were beyond my expectations. The bicycles and support have also been very good. Prior to my trips I would contact Jim Johnson (owner of BTD) and speak to him personally. He always had great ideas for my next adventure. I think one of the reasons Bike Tours Direct is less expensive is due the fact that the tour companies are local and you are getting a "local" price. The quality is not compromised. Also, with BTD, there are so many options to choose from (daily mileage, level of difficulty, etc. and in many different countries. You will get hooked, just as I did!

I've been on a guided tour from Bike Tours Direct and 2 guided tours from other companies. You're right, the price is much less. The difference is that most tours you find online are by companies that cater to Americans who need their own bathroom, need 3* accomodations, and want everything perfect. In contract, the tour companies that Bike Tours Direct finds are more European than American, which I really like. They are in good, clean, comfortable, but not necessarily 3* accomodations. The service will be good, but not over the top. I prefer the tours that put me in local surroundings and meeting local people (or at least people from places other than the US), so they're a good fit for me and my family. Hope that helps.

My husband and I have participated in four Bike Tours Direct tours: Germany (Passau-Vienna); Sweden (Goteburg Canal circuit); Germany-Denmark (Berlin to Copenhagen) and in May 2012 Italy (Lake Garda to Milan). In every single case, we were very pleased with a) the service, i.e. suitcases delivered to next hotel in a timely manner b) the bicycles . . . we just rented the standard ones and they worked fine c) the maps/addresses/contact #'s (never had to use them) d) customer service stateside (always prompt, courteous).
Highly recommend this company . . . prices are competitive and oftentimes lower than other bike tour companies.

The above has to be complete staged. On a site where bike touring is rarely discussed, and suddenly four, first time posters, three within 45 minutes all have taken tours from the same, great company. Give me a break. It is a set up. For that reason you may want to think twice about Bike Tours Direct.

Come on, Frank.....don't be so skeptical. Would you like to see my pictures?

The following should be taken into consideration with this thread. I agree with Frank that much of this thread is highly suspect as this type of posting behavior is typical of fake promotion scams. I can add more information in that the three of the four posts from new posters happened within an hour of the President of BTD catching wind of this thread (contacting the OP via PM) after this thread popped into the top 10 search results for the company name yesterday. However, it is also because this post popped into a top 10 for any search result that I can understand how it is possible that all of these posts are legit. Posts that make it into Google search results this quickly can easily bring in traffic that is new to the Helpline. Just weigh this out before taking everything at face value on this thread. The original post does not seem staged and I will keep this thread alive for now. I would like to see if someone who was a member of the Helpline before this thread was made has had any experience with this company.

I have booked several self-guided tours with BikeToursDirect and am very satisfied with the firm. Full disclosure: this a non-prompted reply.

As president of BikeToursDirect, I'd like to respond. Yes, we did catch wind of this thread, and yes, we did alert our Facebook friends about it and posted the link. But that was the extent of our involvement. Nothing was scripted, and rare clients with negative experiences could certainly have taken the same opportunity to respond. I've been a fan and follower of Rick Steves for years, and I apologize if I violated any protocols in alerting our clients to the thread. Jim Johnson, President
BikeToursDirect LLC