Cycling Across Canada
(Not currently being offered)
Tour du Canada is a classic cross-Canada journey that has run annually since 1988. It is also Canada’s national cycling network. Members of this club have participated in the annual cross Canada bicycle tour or plan to at a future date. All have a general interest in long distance cycling in Canada. Tour du Canada® members come from all regions of the country and other parts of the world. We have been cycling across Canada ever since 1988. And we go all the way across the country – through all 10 provinces.
Tour du Canada is an adventure that puts wheels on the Canadian coureur de bois tradition.
For most people, a cross-Canada ride starts with an individual goal because such a trip is the ultimate cycling experience.
A Shared Experience:
Cycling across Canada with Tour du Canada is a shared experience that allows cyclists to see Canada at a human scale and meet people from all of its regions. Being part of a group provides individuals with the confidence and resources to meet their goals and makes possible a trip that many would not contemplate on their own. Participants become part of a small, close-knit community that moves across the continent during ten weeks of summer.
A No-frills Tour:
Tour du Canada is designed to be affordable and to appeal to a broad range of cycling backgrounds. Personal and group gear is transported from site to site. Accommodations are pre-arranged. At a few locations we stay in university dorms or hostels, but mainly it’s your own tent over your head at nights. During the day’s ride, you carry what you need for the day (typically a rain shell, camera, lunch and an on-the-road tool kit). We cook as a group. Meal plans stress the high-carbohydrate diet needed by active cyclists. Camp-style gourmet cooks are encouraged. Riders participating in a Tour du Canada ride are expected to have an active role in the trip, according to their abilities. We rely on participants to pool their skills. Riders will need flexible attitudes and a spirit of co-operation.
Fitness:
A common question is how fit or athletic must you be to cycle across Canada. In contemplating a cross-continent bike tour, a mental toughness is as important as physical toughness. A fit person is capable of doing this trip but you will need discipline to do the necessary training and a determination to keep going on those days when riding conditions are less than ideal. Participants should log a minimum of 2,000 kilometres between late winter and arrival in Vancouver in June. Cyclists contemplating this trip across the continent should be prepared for a rigorous schedule and a complete outdoor experience.
Learn more: Information on Fees and Dates
Join the Club
Discover Your Routes® with Tour du Canada and Cycle Canada. Tour du Canada is a national cycling club and a non-profit corporation. Tour riders become members of this co-operative organization and Directors are elected from the membership. The organization was founded in 1987 and is guided by the Tour du Canada Mission Statement.
Join the club: Tour du Canada Membership
The Organizer:
Administrative support for the Tour is provided by CycleCanada, The Veloforce Corporation, which is owned by Bud Jorgensen and Margot Jorgensen.
Learn more: Information on Fees and Dates