Topbike has an exciting new tour, stemming from client requests. Our September Italian Lakes tour starts at Como then heads Eastwards back towards our Italian base on Lago Iseo.

September 14 – 21 2026 | ITALIAN LAKES: Como to Iseo | $7800.00

The tour will be ‘Ride-in, Ride-out’ with rolling hills, some climbing but largely in the ‘not too hard category’. Having said that, as we are in the valley framed by mountains, there is always the option of adding extra climbing here and there, if that’s your thing. Lovely lakeside road cycling and superb Italian family-owned hotels and dinners, as is usual.

This tour now replaces the previously scheduled September Tuscan Apennines and Italian Climbs and will promise to be less of a flog fest, again at the request of those clients currently booked! Don’t worry those favs will be back in 2027.

I (Emma) am getting excited to head to Japan for our April/May tours and Dave is overlapping by heading to Europe in May. Betty says she can look after herself for the nearly 2-week gap without parents, however we have opted to use my 91-year-old father as ‘babysitter’, with some locals on standby. It’s good to keep the oldies working. We might even pay him some $$ so he can afford the fuel to get up here!

FRANCE: We still have availability on our French Alps Tour July 6-13. Get Strava likes by climbing Col de Sarenne (the ‘back way’) up Alpe d’Huez and compare your time to Pog!

JAPAN: I may schedule a November Tour (around cup period) If this is more your thing than a public holiday for a horse race, let me know!

ITALY:  Lago di Como/Bergamo/Lago d’Iseo – September 14 -21

Situated in the heart of the French Alps at the base of Alpe d’Huez, come and ride the famous (and the lesser known) climbs of the region. Dine at our ‘local’ favourites each night that Topbike came to love when we lived there in 2024. Knock over Alpe d’Huez, Glandon, Galibier, Telegraph, Col de la Croix de Fer, Notre Dame, Ornon, Col du Sarenne, Pass du Confession, Les Deux Alpes, Col de la Morte…

…take a post ride dip in the Icy waters of the Riviere Olle (no relation) and rehabilitate the late afternoon with drinks in the Garden under the Willow tree, watch the tour at the end of each day ‘In the time zone’.

(See some Tour highlights from our past French Alps Tours  in the French Alps Tours Highlights & Photogallery)

Our good friend at Forrest Hire Bikes – Michelle Davidson (as seen on ‘backroads’) has just invested in a fleet of E-Bike MTBs. If you are fairly new to MTB riding and not that fit, this is a great place to start. Michelle also runs MTB lessons, probably a good idea if you are a ‘roadie’. The trails at Forrest are great for beginners as there is nothing that will catch you out, the design is a user-friendly network of connecting trails situated deep in the Otways.

Recently, we did a day trip to Omeo. Mistake number 1 was not staying the night. Yes it’s a long way away but wow its worth it. Shuttles run daily and you can also self-shuttle. For an XC rider like myself I found the blue trails a lot of fun, we didn’t allow enough time to fully explore the place, however I can highly recommend the bakery for lunch with focaccias to rival an Italian ‘Autogrill’

Currently planning. If you have a dream, contact us early with your ideas so we can ‘slot it in’

Emma Dave and Betty Calendar

For us, the event schedule is on the light side as we head into ‘no crash mode’ however if you do like watching other people crash tune into the best bike race on the telly (IMO) Paris Roubaix. Its worth the sleep deprivation and you can see both Mens and Women’s this Sunday and Monday on SBS.

Emma Colson (AKA MBW)
April 2026

WILIER Hybrid E-bikes available, so get your non-cycling friends along to join you, so they can share in the fun.