CardiffCycleTours: slow and stylish

Alt.Cardiff caught up with Pol to find out more:

Why did you set up CardiffCycleTours?

I came up with the concept whilst I was working for the charity Pedal Power as an idea to make more money. It didn’t work out so I set it up on my own.

Why did you choose Cardiff?

First and foremost, I live in Cardiff, but it’s also a very compact city. It’s flat, safe and a very interesting place.

Would you like to expand the tours into other cities?

It’s a very niche market and not something that many people think about but I know that similar tours exist in London, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Amsterdam and Paris. I would love to expand maybe into Swansea or the Mumbles.

What do you think makes Pashley bikes so special?

I chose to use Pashleys for the tours because they fit all my criteria: low maintenance, perfect for city cycling and striking visually. A friend recommended them to me and the fact that they are British adds to the experience. They are very good.

Do your customers give you positive feedback on using the Pashley bikes?

Yes, the customers love them. Sometimes they think the saddle will be uncomfortable, but they are proven wrong! They are very easy to ride and great for novices or people getting back into cycling.

The tours operate come rain or shine, but does the mood of the tour change if it is raining? 

The mood is different every time. I think it depends more on the people than the weather. I had a group of people visiting from Canada [take a tour] when there was really, very heavy rain but they all still enjoyed it a lot.

Is The Bute or Bay Tour more popular?

The Bay tour is slightly more popular, probably because it is shorter [than The Bute Tour.] I receive very good feedback from both though.

Have you had any particular experiences whilst leading a tour that stick out in your mind? 

I’ve had many great experiences on the tours, and it’s always good to have contact with people visiting from all over the world. A rugby team from Holland took the Bay tour and ended up swimming [in the bay] to get their rugby ball back when one of them threw it in there! I’ve also had the poet, Peter Finch take a tour and he recited poetry as we cycled around which is an experience I won’t forget.

Visit CardiffCycleTours to book your place on a tour.