News

Tuesday 29 april 2025

New rating system for our cycling tours

We recently introduced a new rating system with two separate evaluation categories. You may not have seen it before.

Previously, all cycling tours were described with a single rating, usually "easy" and sometimes "moderate."
Starting in 2026, we will use two distinct ratings: Endurance and Agility.

  • Endurance is generally rated as "easy." Only tours with significantly longer distances or more hills will receive a higher rating.
  • Agility is set to "moderate" by default. We have noticed that some people tend to underestimate a cycling trip with Merlijn. Riding in a group and navigating busier paths requires more agility than simply saying, "I haven’t cycled since high school." Only tours that demand more agility than you may have experienced on previous Merlijn tours will receive a higher rating.

A good example is Merlijn's Taste of Eastern Europe. In this region, bike paths are sometimes of slightly lower quality than what we are used to, intersections can be less clear, and it is more common that there is no separate bike lane.

Tours with a higher agility rating are not extreme or vastly different from our other routes. However, we believe it is important to mention these aspects in the tour descriptions and ratings.

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Nancy/Frouard to Koblenz

October 23 - 30 / 2021
Twenty-four members of the Space Coast Ski & Travel Club just finished a 3 Country cruise on the Saar and Moselle Rivers. I was the Trip Leader and the tour exceeded all my expectations! The boat was immaculate, comfortable and well-equipped. Coen, the Captain, and his crew were wonderful and welcoming. All of Capt. Christina\'s meals were delicious in their beautiful new dining lounge. Daniela and Clara really took great care of our group. The bike guide, Ilsa, led us on beautiful trails along the rivers stopping for photo ops and breaks. At the end of the biking day, she then led us on hikes through the villages where we docked and told us the history of each area. It was very enlightening. I highly recommend the Merlijn for anyone looking for a delightful Bike & Barge Tour!