Kleine dorpjes en Kretenzische natuur. E-bike tocht

Catastrophic! We exchanged emails to reserve our bikes, we were told 100 euros if we came to pick up the bikes directly from their premises (far from the center). When we get there, we are told 140 euros ! 40% increase! No way... We came back our flat.

I'm a very experienced mountain biker, but this was my first ride using an e-bike. My wife doesn't ride much, does not ride off road and had never ridden an e-bike before. I had corresponded via e-mail with Stelios before we reached Crete and he'd answered all my questions and put my mind at ease. Ride was to start at 9am, so got there about 15 minutes before that to get bikes, helmets and water sorted out. Michailis (sorry for probable incorrect spelling) was our guide and he did all the sorting out. The bikes (Cube) and helmets (Specialized) were in good condition. 7 in our group, plus guide. Mixed abilities. Guide very knowledgeable and stopped at various points to brief us. Answered all questions. Also made sure we always had sufficient water. Most riding was either on quiet tarmac roads or dirt roads. No singletrack. No challenges for an experienced rider, the inexperienced riders coped without incident. Did not encounter much traffic and vehicles were never a problem. The scenery was great throughout. Some nice, fast descents, which you were encouraged to ride at your own pace. The e-bikes made short work of the uphills and everyone was able to get up them without difficulty. You do still have to pedal, but the bikes do all the hard work. Cafe stop in small village was nice. 4 hours elapsed time, with around 2 1/2 hours of actual ride time. So, most of the ride completed before the highest temperatures of the day. For me, this was the highlight of our week in Crete. My wife also really enjoyed - and now wants an e-bike. So, this could prove to be a very expensive trip!

Our bike tour was amazing! We appreciated many things on our trip: -The views were spectacular - Mihalis knew the area so well and gave us interesting stories and facts (and fables!) about the area. He even took us by his Olive Trees and told us about how olive oil is made - the bikes were in great condition, they really helped, but we had to put work into the bike ride! - our highlight was the coffee stop in a small village. There were a few villagers there with hearty Kalimeras!! for our tour group, and we snacked on olives, feta, bread and watermelon as we sipped coffee and learned more about the people in our group. - the ride through olive groves while overlooking the sea was spectacular and we recommend this tour highly