Assisted vs Non assisted

From biketrip.org

[edit] Assisted vs. Non-assisted long distance bike trips

By Stephen Shapiro

This is a sticky issue. The non-assisted riders often consider the assisted riders to be on a lower level. They say that they appreciate the journey less because they don't bear the burden of the distance they travel. On the other end, the assisted riders say, "Hey, good for you that you have that strength but I bet you you wish sometimes that you could rid yourself of your luggage and let the bike reach it's true speed." The reason I'm qualified to write this article is because I come from both camps. However, I will tell you that in my heart, I'm a non-assisted rider. The site seems to get riders from both ends of the spectrum so I invite an open discussion about the merits of each on the forum. I asked Alex to make a category for the discussion so please give your input. In any case, here some of my more detailed thoughts on the subject:

[edit] Assisted Riding:

• For the ones who have minds that wonder and wonder, there is nothing more freeing then riding yourself of all worries except you, your bike, and the road. You don't have to think about where you're going to sleep. You don't have to think about when, what or where you're going to eat. All you have to do is ride far enough to meet your guides.
• You can travel much farther distances in much less time. It is truly amazing how much distance you can cover when you have to carry only yourself on your bike. At times, it feels like the Tour de France every single day.
• The group aspect of assisted riding! Truly a key factor. With assisted rides, you usually get placed into some sort of group. Often with people you haven't met before the ride began. That has awesome potential. The company that I traveled with averaged one marriage a year from people meeting on their trips.
• Food! Don't worry, they prepare it for you (if you're lucky!)

[edit] Non-assisted riding:

• My number one feeling and one that overrides all others is that of freedom. If you see a cool town or meet a nice person that is willing to take you in, you have the option of getting off you bike and spending as much time as you want. That is a big difference compared to, you MUST ride this much each day in order to meet the van and all your gear.
• The sense of accomplishment. I'd venture to say that this is essentially equal among both groups if one has not crossed over. For the riders who need assistance, their sense of accomplishment is usually overwhelming. But if you've done your own trips and are now doing assisted trips, I promise you that you think you're wimping out.
• The people you meet! When you're on your own, free to go as you please, you end up meeting locals in whatever town you are in. That is key not only because of the potential friendships but because of the added bit of culture the locals give to your experience. I was amazed at how few local people I met on my assisted ride.

In conclusion, I'd say that if you have the strength, do it yourself. There are so many more elements to your journey if you can have the added freedom. However, long distance riding is a beautiful thing no matter which way you go about it. With that in mind, if you need the assistance, go for it. No matter what, it will be a blast!

By Stephen Shapiro