The Bicycle Adventure Club - Come Ride With Us!

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The BAC is for serious cyclists and is operated by its volunteer members

WHO WE ARE

The Bicycle Adventure Club (BAC) is a non-profit, bicycle touring club for serious cyclists with a current membership exceeding several thousand. Members volunteer to create and lead a variety of bicycle tours, both domestic and foreign for each other. Our heritage goes back over 40 years to the International Bicycle Touring Society; the club as it currently exists began operating rides in 1983. We have a large number of members who have been with the club for many years. We enjoy the camaraderie of exploring the world with our cycling friends on tours developed by club members for other members.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership in BAC is open to experienced touring cyclists over 18 years old. The membership fee to join is $30 for an individual and $60 for a couple; renewal fees each year after that are $20 for individuals and $40 for couples and is due on the anniversary of your join date. Members that allow their membership to lapse will need to rejoin the BAC at the full rate. Only BAC members can sign up for and participate in rides. New BAC members are required to have email access in order to receive club communications and to apply for club rides.

STANDARDS OF MEMBER CONDUCT

BAC supports the concepts of tolerance, fairness, and acceptance of all members regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, age, disability, color, creed, national origin, sexual preference or any other personal characteristics. BAC requires all members to treat others with respect, and to behave in a safe manner while on a ride. BAC does not accept harassment of any kind from any member. Membership may be terminated at any time for intolerant, unacceptable or unsafe behavior in violation of this section.

RIDES

• BAC rides are usually developed and led by volunteer club members (“Ride Directors”). On some overseas rides the volunteer member (called a “Ride Coordinator” in this case) will plan the tour in conjunction with a commercial tour operator and the commercial operator will lead the ride.
• The volunteer Ride Director or Ride Coordinator makes all decisions concerning the features of the ride and the qualifications of the participants.
• Rides vary widely in difficulty. View our Ride Rating System.
• Rides are posted on the BAC web site. BAC members have access to a detailed description of each ride, including difficulty, cost estimates and other pertinent information. Club members apply to join rides through the club website.
• Lodging is pre-arranged in motels/hotels, two to a room with private bathrooms when available. Lodging and meals vary from modest to deluxe and trip costs vary accordingly.
• Ride costs include a fee to the club ($50 for US/Canada and $100 for International), lodging as specified, any planned group meals, daily social hours, luggage van rental and other group expenses. Ride costs may also include expense reimbursement to the Ride Director, and, if applicable, expense reimbursement for a van driver. Any funds remaining after the end of the ride are returned to the participants.
• Normally, the group rents a van to carry luggage from one town to the next so that riders do not have to carry anything on their bikes except their needs for the day. On some rides, each rider is expected to share the van driving; on others a van driver may be hired.

RIDER RESPONSIBILITIES

• Each rider brings his/her own bicycle or rents one suitable for the ride. The bicycle should be in good condition and each rider is responsible for performing his or her own bike maintenance as necessary.
• It is up to each participant to determine that he or she is able to do any ride for which they sign up. However, the ride leader makes the final determination as to who is accepted for each ride.
• Maps and cue sheets are provided by the Ride Director. We do not ride as a group so the ability to read maps and cue sheets is essential. Riders start in the morning at the time of their choosing and each rider is responsible for getting himself or herself to the next destination on their own, rain or shine.
• The luggage van is not a sag wagon, although it can be used for support in an emergency.
• Industry approved helmets are mandatory on all rides.
• Riders are expected to have a positive attitude, be congenial with other tour participants, be flexible in those cases where things don't quite turn out as expected and cooperate with the Ride Director and other riders in the course of the ride.
• Riders may sometimes be required to share driving of the luggage van, host a social hour or otherwise contribute to the efficient conduct of the ride.
• Any participant whose conduct during the ride is unacceptable to the Ride Director may be asked by the Ride Director to leave the group.
• Participants undertake rides at their own risk. BAC and Ride Directors are not responsible for participants' possession or for any personal injury, death, property damage or other loss, whether arising from accident, cancellations, delay or any other reason.

LEADING RIDES

• The club relies upon its volunteer members to create and lead its rides. Our volunteer leaders are the life blood of the club.
• A library of past rides is available to assist in organizing a tour.
• Ride Directors Guidelines are available under "For Ride Directors and Coordinators" on the "Docs" page of this web site.
• The BAC Ride Coordinator and Ride Leader Mentors are available to assist in organizing and conducting a ride.

JOIN US

If you're a serious cyclist and this sounds like your type of club, please join us. You can do it on-line now.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Additional information about the club can be obtained by contacting the club from Our contact form.