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Hi Reader,
Time is flying, it's August already!
For some of you, this is the busiest time of the year.
For others, it's a chance to slow things down, take a few days off and recharge.
And for some, August is somewhere in between; still running tours, but trying to find a little breathing room around the edges.
Wherever you are in the season, I hope you get the chance to enjoy at least a little bit of summer.
Here's what's been happening across Cycle Cities this week.
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Symposium News ๐ค
As August gets underway, September is getting closer, which also means the Symposium 2027 early bird rate will be coming to an end.
If you're planning to join us in Hamburg, now is a good moment to secure your place.
The Symposium is one of the few opportunities in the year to step away from the day-to-day and spend time with other independent bike tour operators who understand the realities of running this kind of business.
It's about the conversations that happen during the sessions, of course, but also the ones over dinner, during a ride, or simply by meeting someone who has faced the same challenge you are currently trying to solve.
We're looking forward to bringing everyone together in Hamburg.
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Groupwork Gold Nuggets ๐
We're moving on to a new table this week!
Welcome to The Connectors: Partnerships, where Toomas Lelov, Cem Balsun, Martin Riewestahl, Jenniek Scheltens and Inga Elbers are sharing experiences around partnerships, local businesses and the connections that make a tour feel truly local.
Our first question:
How do you find and vet the best local partners for food and drink stops on your tours?
A few ideas from the group:
The following content is only visible for the Cycle Cities Members.
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- Prioritize authenticity. Look for local food and drink rather than international brands, while also considering practical details like pricing and clean, accessible restrooms.
- Empower your guides. Some operators let freelance guides choose their own stops, based on the route, the experience they want to create and the local places they know best.
- Vet the route personally. Riding the route yourself helps identify busy periods, potential bottlenecks and alternative stops in case a venue is unexpectedly full.
- Look for meaning, not just convenience. The best stops can add cultural or historical context to the experience โ such as visiting a historic cafรฉ connected to a famous local writer.
The takeaway?
A good food or drink stop isn't simply a place to pause.
It's another opportunity to make a tour feel local, memorable and connected to the city.
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Tool of the Week ๐ ๏ธ
The Bike Tour Operator Dashboard โ Part 2: Building Your Dashboard
Last week, we started with Part 1 โ From Busy Operator to Better Business Owner, looking at why tracking a few key numbers can help you move from simply managing the day-to-day to making better business decisions.
This week, we're getting practical.
Part 2 โ Building Your Dashboard helps you identify which metrics to track and how to use them, together with the monthly reflection and review tools, to understand what's actually happening in your business.
And there's a little extra this week:
The dashboard is already built for you in Google Sheets. (the link is at the end of the document)
You don't need to start from scratch. Simply make your own copy and start working with your numbers.
The goal isn't to become obsessed with spreadsheets.
It's to have a simple system that helps you step back from the daily rush and see the bigger picture.
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Community โ Highlights โก๏ธ
Whatever August looks like for you, I hope you find some time to step away from the day-to-day, even if it's only for a few hours.
The community will still be here, the conversations will keep going, and I'll be back with more next week.
Until then, keep pedalling.
Isabella
Managing Director (Interim)
Cycle Cities ๐ฒ
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