Road biking Tuscany . . . WWMG?

[KenJongIll]

I followed the Tour around in ‘03 and ‘04, I just found room for slides in my jersey pocket, for extended times off the bike. Definitely a pain in the ass, but better than trying to walk around in road shoes.

[Peruvian]

Too bad about the bike choice frankly, but so what.

I'd rather be on dirt roads on a hybrid than in traffic on a drop bar bike.

Thanks for the idea of carrying some light walking shoes. I'm not sure that will work but it's a thought.

[teledad]

I'd bring SPD pedals and some walkable shoes with recessed cleats. Something like the Giro Rumble or Shimano CT5.

[plugboots]

So much of this decision depends on info we don’t know. Does the company meet you at the locations you will visit with your stuff? If so, it doesn’t matter, change at the van. I wouldn’t buy more walkable mountain bike shoes because I would never use them again, maybe you need new shoes anyway, etc. My prejudices are always for the maximum bike efficiency and screw the rest. I’ve done 300 mile “tours” with full road bike kit, credit card, and a tiny camelback like pack with shirt, pants, and slides. It’s not like yer in the wilderness.
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[Peruvian]

^^^it’s a self guided tour. The operator takes our luggage in the morning and brings it to our nights destination. We are on our own during the day and follow maps/gps. I’m concerned about walking around the town/villages along the way.

[Ottime]

Bring shoes to walk in for sure. Lots of cobbles in Tuscany. If you are going to spend any time in Siena, I can share beta.

[teledad]

Yeah, $80 for a new pair of shoes seems pretty minor compared to the overall cost of a Euro trip. Plus you can use them for commuting or casual riding or whatever afterwards (or for the next trip). I wore road shoes to ride in the Dolomites and Italian Alps and had an awesome time but if going again I'd bring something I can walk in. I commute in the Giro Rumbles (riding 35 miles/day and walking around at work) and would have no problem bringing them as my only riding shoes on a trip like this.

[Benny Profane]

Wear bright clothes, bike together, stay close. I am in Tuscany [Chianti region] every summer...every year there is a gnarly accident involving a cyclist.

Please elaborate.

[Peruvian]

The operator said many people just ride in sneakers. I may by a new pair of kicks before the trip so they aren’t too broken in. That should make them good for riding and walking.

[Ottime]

^^^i used to bike (I’m not a serious rider by any means) I’m really stiff trail runners. I imagine something like that would work well enough. I could certainly walk around cobbles in them, but they were not nearly as pliant as a typical sneaker or court shoe.

Please elaborate.

Um, you want gruesome details? Or just need to be told the roads are narrow, curvy and hilly, lots of tour busses and plenty enough cars, espressos, plenty of cyclist, gorgeous views to take your eyes off the road and really good wine at lunch is a perfect recipe for disaster.

Not to scare the OP. But year, bright colors that don’t look like sunflowers is a good idea.

[Peruvian]

We’ve decided to bring our pedals and bike shoes. If we don’t need them, they don’t take up much room in our luggage.

Does anyone have insight into guided tours of Il Duomo in Florence?

[Benny Profane]

We’ve decided to bring our pedals and bike shoes. If we don’t need them, they don’t take up much room in our luggage.

Does anyone have insight into guided tours of Il Duomo in Florence?

Seriously, if you're going to tour a duomo, jump on a bus for 1.5 hours (not a train, the bus drops you off on top of the hill) and go to Sienna and find a tour guide to show you around that one. After all my time in Italy, still one of the grandest churches I have seen, and it has an art museum and don't forget to climb to the top for awesome views of Tuscany and lower Chianti.

A more intimate and satisfying religious landmark to see in Florence is San Marco, where Savanarola lived and prayed.

Don't forget the Uffizi, too. Stunning collection.

[Peruvian]

Seriously, if you're going to tour a duomo, jump on a bus for 1.5 hours (not a train, the bus drops you off on top of the hill) and go to Sienna and find a tour guide to show you around that one. After all my time in Italy, still one of the grandest churches I have seen, and it has an art museum and don't forget to climb to the top for awesome views of Tuscany and lower Chianti.

A more intimate and satisfying religious landmark to see in Florence is San Marco, where Savanarola lived and prayed.

Don't forget the Uffizi, too. Stunning collection.

Thanks for the insight. We will be going to Sienna on our bike tour so that's covered. I'm concerned about waiting in a 2 hour line at Il Duomo in Florence as we only have 2 days there.

[Benny Profane]

Thanks for the insight. We will be going to Sienna on our bike tour so that's covered. I'm concerned about waiting in a 2 hour line at Il Duomo in Florence as we only have 2 days there.

2 hours? Damn, when are you going? That's summer wait times. I travel in November, mainly because I use my birthday as an excuse, but it's an awesome time to be around touristy stuff because, no tourists, or, a lot less. It's not cold, sweater weather. Nice.
Skip the duomo and climb Giotto's tower right next door. Good view of duomo and the city.
I loved Sienna. If I went back to Tuscany, I would spend more time there. The biking is awesome around the town. Even better west to Volterra and south to Montepulciano. Beautiful place.

[plugboots]

Skip the duomo and climb Giotto's tower right next store. Good view of duomo and the city.

Jesus Bennie, it’s a bike trip, he’s not going in November.

So why not do both? Climb the tower and see the Duomo. Check the time that the Duomo is open and you only need about an hour, so go there an hour before it closes, do the self guided thing where you walk up into the dome, (read up on Filippo Brunelleschi), then go to dinner afterwards.

[Peruvian]

Jesus Bennie, it’s a bike trip, he’s not going in November.

So why not do both? Climb the tower and see the Duomo. Check the time that the Duomo is open and you only need about an hour, so go there an hour before it closes, do the self guided thing where you walk up into the dome, (read up on Filippo Brunelleschi), then go to dinner afterwards.

Thanks, plug. Supermodel had recommended we go at opening but I think the point is just avoid the midday crowds. We arrive on a Friday so we should be able to check it out for our Saturday sightseeing. Honestly maybe we can do it twice.

We are also planning on the Uffizi and/or Accadamia, ponte vecchio, and
Piazzale Michelangelo.

I want to be sure to have time to just sit and enjoy an espresso or a gelato as well.

The bike tour starts Sunday and should be more mellow since we are in smaller villages.

[Benny Profane]

Jesus Bennie, it’s a bike trip, he’s not going in November.

So why not do both? Climb the tower and see the Duomo. Check the time that the Duomo is open and you only need about an hour, so go there an hour before it closes, do the self guided thing where you walk up into the dome, (read up on Filippo Brunelleschi), then go to dinner afterwards.

November is nice. Well, maybe October. Tights and light jacket, you'll be fine. Crazy thing is that Tuscany turns green in the winter. The plowed fields grow grass. Downside is that most of the agriturismos are closed for the season, along with the country restaraunts.

[plugboots]

I want to be sure to have time to just sit and enjoy an espresso or a gelato as well.

This will not be a problem. A friend of mine just got back from a trip in Italy and France and their goal was to have as much gelato as possible, and in France as many Macarons as possible. Gotta have goals.


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[Buster Highmen]

Pitti Palace across the Arno was worthy too.
Easy to get Stendahls.

[Benny Profane]

Thanks, plug. Supermodel had recommended we go at opening but I think the point is just avoid the midday crowds. We arrive on a Friday so we should be able to check it out for our Saturday sightseeing. Honestly maybe we can do it twice.

We are also planning on the Uffizi and/or Accadamia, ponte vecchio, and
Piazzale Michelangelo.

I want to be sure to have time to just sit and enjoy an espresso or a gelato as well.

The bike tour starts Sunday and should be more mellow since we are in smaller villages.

Vivoli for gelato. Close to Uffizi. The best.

[Ottime]

Bennie is spot on regarding the duomo. Siena is a way better visit. Hell, Siena (one n btw), is an amazing town.

The doors of the baptistry in Florence is the the gem at that church. Just saying. If you want to tour the church itself, yes, arrive early. Or check if they have reserved times. I think the Duomo in Siena did.

Uffizi is a great collection. I found the Academia more to my liking. Less crowded (other than the david gallery) and nicely laid out.

When is this bike trip? Will you be in Siena for a Palio?

[plugboots]

We are also planning on the Uffizi and/or Accadamia, ponte vecchio, and
Piazzale Michelangelo.
The bike tour starts Sunday and should be more mellow since we are in smaller villages.

He also said he’s visiting Siena.

[plugboots]

Have fun.

[supermodel159]

Bennie is spot on regarding the duomo. Siena is a way better visit. Hell, Siena (one n btw), is an amazing town.

The doors of the baptistry in Florence is the the gem at that church. Just saying. If you want to tour the church itself, yes, arrive early. Or check if they have reserved times. I think the Duomo in Siena did.

Uffizi is a great collection. I found the Academia more to my liking. Less crowded (other than the david gallery) and nicely laid out.

When is this bike trip? Will you be in Siena for a Palio?

He already missed Palio....

[Peruvian]

Good stuff everyone. Thanks for the gelato recommendation too!