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.

Back

12 january 2024

What a phenomenal experience! We absolutely loved staying onboard the Merlijn, and the itinerary took us through some of the most charming towns along the Moselle as we made our way through France, Luxembourg, and Germany, led each day by our fantastic guide Lia. Wed booked our trip over a year in advance and my knee had significantly deteriorated in that time, so thank goodness for the e-bikes which made the rides a breeze. Cristinas culinary skills were showcased nightly in what were essentially 5-star meals something we looked forward to after a day of riding in the cool, damp fall weather. The accommodations were comfortable, always tidy, and being part of such a small tour was an absolute delight. We cant wait to join Coen, Cristina, and the rest of the crew again in the future.