You Spoke. We Listened. Here’s What 653 Riders Told Us.

Each year, we ask our community to tell us what we’re doing well, where we can improve, and where you want to ride next. This year, 379 newsletter subscribers and 274 past participants took the time to share their thoughts. That’s hundreds of voices impacting the future of TDA Global Cycling.

First – Thank you! We read every comment and we’re also randomly drawing the name of one lucky respondent who will receive a US$250 gift card to their local bike shop as a small thank you for being part of the conversation.

Now, here’s what we learned.

Who You Are

Our community remains wonderfully consistent. More than 80% of both newsletter subscribers and past riders are 56+. Around two-thirds are based in North America, with a growing European contingent as well.

What Your Ideal Tour Looks Like

While our epic multi-month camping expeditions continue to attract many riders, the surveys revealed a common preference for a slightly different style of tour as well.

Across both surveys, a very clear picture emerged.

The dominant preference:

• 4–6 weeks
• Moderate difficulty (“challenging but not brutal”)
• 80–100 km per day
• A mix of camping and hotels
• Mostly paved roads, with some gravel
• Scenic routes with real cultural depth

Of course, this doesn’t capture everyone’s preferences – many riders are looking for hotel only based tours, while others are happiest on long distance expedition routes.

Still, it was interesting to note how often this type of balanced tour appeared in responses.

Where You Want To Go

Yuanyang Rice Terraces on The Road To Shangri-La

Africa remains the most aspirational region, followed closely by South America, the Silk Route, Japan, and parts of Mediterranean Europe.

What stood out most was that destinations themselves remain the biggest driver of interest. Riders consistently told us that the specific countries and landscapes on a route matter more than almost anything else.

As one rider put it: “Location, location, location.”

What’s Holding People Back

TDA staff preparing a delicious lunch on the Viva Italia Tour

For newsletter subscribers who haven’t yet joined us, the biggest barriers are clear:

• Cost
• Time
• Travel logistics, including flying with a bike
• Concerns about fitness or “keeping up”
• Worries about illness or unexpected challenges during a long trip

For past participants, cost appears less dominant, but scheduling, logistics, and life timing still play a role in deciding whether to join another tour.

These are all things we’ll continue working to address through clearer information, preparation resources, and open conversations with riders. A recent blog post has already started exploring some of these topics in more detail.

Loyalty & Momentum

TDA alumni on the Island Hopping Japan Tour

The Participant Survey rated TDA very highly again this year and alumni had many positive things to say about their experiences. Nearly 40% of past riders said they are planning another group cycling tour within the next 12 months, which is encouraging to see.

Among newsletter subscribers:

• 56% say they plan to ride with TDA in the future
• 35% are undecided
• Only 3% say no (which is half less than last year)

To those undecided amongst you, we will continue to try and provide information to address some of the things holding you back.

What You Want to Read – And What You Want to See

Mt Kilimanjaro on the Tour d’Afrique

One thing is very clear: you want to feel what the ride is like.

In the newsletter, rider stories remain the most popular content. Nearly a third of respondents told us that personal accounts from the road are their favourites – the real experiences, the long days, the unexpected moments, and the quiet pride at the finish.

Tour information and itineraries follow closely behind. You want clarity about where the tours go and what the experience actually looks like.

Visual content – photos and short videos – also ranks high, reinforcing something we already know: it’s much easier to imagine yourself somewhere when you can see it.

When we asked what you’d like to see more of, many of you asked for more preparation guidance – training advice, packing tips, gear recommendations, and a clearer sense of what a typical day on tour really feels like. That suggests many readers aren’t just dreaming about these trips – you’re seriously considering them and trying to understand what it would take to join.

On social media, the message was even simpler: show us the ride.

More real footage, daily updates, more terrain, more camps. Less polish, more struggle and challenge. You want to see what it’s really like out there – not just the highlights. And honestly, we love that. Because that’s where the real story is anyway.

About 30% of our newsletter community follows us on social platforms. Among past riders, that number jumps to nearly two-thirds. Facebook remains the strongest platform with participants, while Instagram continues to grow. YouTube trails behind but still has a loyal audience.

Just as interesting: many of you openly said you’re simply not into social media at all. That’s completely fine. We know some of you prefer a long read over a scroll, and we’re not here to drag anyone into algorithms. But if you ever do feel like seeing more from the road – the daily ride clips, the camps, the behind-the-scenes moments – you know exactly where to find us.

What Happens Next

At the finish line. 2025 North American Epic

Now we sit with it.

We read it all again: praise, tough feedback, thoughtful suggestions, one-line jokes and the long, heartfelt paragraphs. Henry will ask a few questions – he always does. The kind that start with “But what does this really mean?” And then we’ll talk, and we’ll make a plan. Not just to adjust a tour here or tweak a newsletter there, but to keep inspiring you. Because this feeling goes both ways. You inspire us – to be better, to think bigger, to create smarter routes, to refine the details, and sometimes, yes, to be a little crazier in what we attempt next. At the end of the day, this is what TDA has always been about: human connection, shared effort, shared stories, and shared roads. And what we have with all of you – we value that immensely.

Thank you for riding with us. In every way that you do.