Tracey A.
Yelp
Thanks to TopBike, "electric-assist bike" has risen to the top of my most favored combination of words. Their electric-assist bikes combine the task of pedaling with a drop of jet engine propulsion and the result is simply the most fun one can have on two wheels.
Barely 5 minutes into TopBike's 6+ hour, 20 mile tour of "Ancient Appian Way, Catacombs, and Aqueducts" (79Euro; about $93US) a woman behind me, older than myself, shouted "these bikes are the best things ever!" to which I could only nod my head in agreement. TopBike also offers the use of mountain bikes but go that route and you'll be missing some serious fun.
E-A bikes make a long tour feel not so long as they'll help move you quickly over small hills and uneven terrain quite easily. Ride on the 2,300 year old, cobblestoned Appian Way and, if you hadn't already, you'll quickly grow thankful for the e-a bike.
The tour itself is excellent, well-planned, and well-organized. Booking on-line via their web site was easy and getting outfitted with the proper bike and helmet was simple. Our seasoned guide, Valaria, led us safely through Rome with confidence and competence.
A person to whom I mentioned this tour remarked that 20 miles wasn't very far to go in 6+ hours. Touché, Mr. Observant. The tour lasts 6+ hours because it features numerous stops: among them, an ancient church, a guided tour of Christian Catacombs, and a final stop at a funky farm for (cheap, white) wine and fresh Pecorino cheese. The longest one ever pedals without stopping is about 35-40 minutes.
TopBike offers other tours, both shorter and longer, and some which stay entirely in the heart of Rome. Based on my experience, I'd trust them to lead a well run tour without drama, and to keep me both safe and interested.
Despite the e-a bikes, pedaling around Rome for 6 hours is a full day. Was it coincidence or good planning on their part that ensured the sky was darkening as we exited TopBike, the perfect time for a carafe of wine? It was well earned.
TopBike runs a good and satisfying tour.