Cycling Retreats in Ireland

cyclic

Hi Folks,

Friends thinking of setting up a cycling weekend retreat- nice accommodation in a nice location tailored for Roadies an hour or so from Dublin. What facilities/ services would tempt you?

cyclic

Ok, so what they are thinking is a venue dedicated for cyclists, good healthy meals cooked by nutritionists, post ride massages available, stretching and yoga sessions pre and post ride, rustic, cool accommodation, maybe close to big cycling sportives/ other events, reasonable money, good fun. Are they barking up the wrong tree?

HivemindXX

Personally yoga and massages don't appeal to me. I will probably base where I want to go off a particular ride I want to do and then get the cheapest, handiest accomodation available.


Some things they could consider:

• Making it more of a couples thing by having cycling as just one thread of a pampering weekend. The assumption is that one person wants to cycle and the other doesn't
• Offer tour guide / coaching. Someone that will go along on your cycle and advise you on technique or tell you about the local history. They could also make sure you don't get lost!
• Offer a bike fit and/or bike maintenance class
• They probably already intend this but be sure to emphasise that you offer excellent bike storage facilities, cleaning facilities and same day laundry service for sweaty lycra

studiorat

I'd be looking at the mountain biking market. Bike hire, trail guides etc.

redzerredzer

I'd be interested in something like this with some coaching.
This might be selfish but if you are paying to be there you don't want to wait for people or get dropped so the company would need a few "leaders" for different groups. Which will make it expensive.
Would be interesting if some ex or current pros were there to give some insight to the peloton. Again would add to cost.
So in conclusion. I want good food and accommodation and Sean Kelly to coach and act as domestique for me for €99.

Squidgy Black

It's a good idea, I'd say somewhere like Wicklow where there's a lot of decent scenic routes etc, and it's not too far from Dublin.

I'd also ditch the idea of massages and yoga, think that's more aimed towards professionals more than cycle tourists. If it had a workshop space where guests could do their own servicing/repairs with a few tools and the owners were decent enough mechanics for bigger jobs or if there was a LBS nearby, that'd be a big plus.

shaka

Never done it myself but brother in law been doing bikram ( excuse spelling) during winter and he has gone back hurling this year and has never been as fit of flexible.

My preference would be.

Guided tours with different levels and distances.
Good food is a must , may even throw in some healthy food cookery classes or just cookery classes if the other half can't cook
Laundry service a must.
Bike rental to attract any foreign tourists.
Massage therapist available if your planning a week of it.
Bike fit would be nice little earner.
Jacuzzi with endless supply of wine

studiorat

I think they are barking up the wrong tree. My feeling is a retreat like this would be used out of season. Pre season training if you will. I'm guessing anyone serious would go abroad for the better weather to get a couple of weeks head start on training in Ireland.

I can't see foreign cyclists coming over to use it in the middle of winter really. Particularly when the option is there to do it in the canary islands or somewhere like that.

That's why I'd suggest trying to pull the MTB crowd as well as roadies and cycle tourists also. Being close to a big sportive is only going to happen once a year. And one you're booked for that there's no other income streams from your accommodation.

smacl

I think you need firstly to figure out your target market. I love cycling in Wicklow, good food, and even the odd bit of yoga, but I can do it all from my house for free. Similarly, if I'm doing something like this elsewhere in Ireland, I'd tend to do it as part of a family or group holiday and organise it myself. Going abroad presents more complications, such as shipping the bike, and organising accommodation and decent routes in an area you don't know. As such, I reckon you're better aiming your efforts at foreign tourists maybe visiting Ireland, and would certainly include bike rental as part of the package.

There's quite a few companies out there already doing guided cycling holidays, e.g. explore, either point to point or based around a central location. I haven't done any cycling trips like this, but did a bunch of similar walking trips some years ago. They worked well, based on having a guide to make sure you'd have a good route, nice food, and decent accommodation. Basically, a solution for those (like myself at the time) either too lazy or inexperienced to organise their own tour, who want the company of some like minded people.

I suspect you'll find it difficult in current times to provide enough added value for an Irish tourist to visit a local location to warrant significant costs over and above what they'd spend getting to the same location under their own steam.

cyclic

Some interesting reflections here guys, thanks. Hivemindxx-never thought about laundry considerations; pampering weekends- personally, go against the grain of activity/ adventure weekends but maybe there is a trail of filthy lucre there. Bike storage, guides, bike fit and maintenance- great stuff.
Studiorat- you could be right- but aren't mountain bikers teenagers with no money?
Redzedder- Sean Kelly onboard already. 90 euros for a week!
Stetyrrell- onboard mechanic is doable and a good idea.
Shaka- Jacuzi and tons of alcohol is always a good idea.
Studiorat- probably right about full on cyclists. Maybe tailor to recreational riders/ improvers. Also, while we all dream of getting out of here and the climate, Ireland seems (for some reason) to have rather a good image as a 'beautiful' country, and rather a poor one as an activity one (obviously thinking NZ here as a comparison).
SMACL- Of course, something you can do for free in your own backyard- well it's just cheeky to try and charge you for it. What about somewhere new, you don't know, meet some keen cyclists you hadn't met before, in a groovy joint, that's going to cost you a fraction of your dream location in tuscany/ france/ somewhere else with a plane ticket cost?
Plenty of good stuff here- thanks again.