SAN ANTONIO — When you think of a bike tour - you probably imagine a typical bike, the distance and time involved.
But there's a company in San Antonio that's put a different spin on that concept. San Antonio Bike Tours has a unique peg to lure people to their tours. They offer a chance to see the sights by using a recumbent bike.
The minimum age is 13 and during the coronavirus pandemic, the tours are limited in size to just nine riders. They are running throughout the week, even on Thanksgiving. Equipement is sanitized and face masks are required during times of close contact (while getting geared up for the tours) and any time riders are off the bikes. Temperature checks are required as well.
There are several options of tours to choose from - at a minimum, riders can choose a 2-hour slot. There are also 4 and 6-hour tours available.
Steve Wood, who owns San Antonio Bike Tours, got the idea to try out a recumbent bike about 20 years ago when he decided to take up cycling and realized he just wasn't comfortable using a standard bike.
He bought a tandem recumbent tricycle that was able to disassemble for air transport and began touring western Europe. Wood spent several weeks exploring different regions - riding a few hundred miles checking out France, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the Czech Republic.
In San Antonio, he started giving some people informal tours of the city and then about 10 years ago, he ended up taking some courses to become a professional tour guide and start his business.
To learn more, check out San Antonio Bike Tours' website or visit their Facebook page.