Why go on a cycling retreat?
Organizing a team-building event means giving your employees a real break from the office. An outdoor sports retreat gets the team moving, and the beer shared at the finish line tastes even better.
But cycling has something extra. On the road, office labels fall away. The intern who climbs like a mountain goat finds himself waiting for the director at the top of the pass, and everyone laughs about it. It’s exactly in these moments—the effort, the mutual support, the little struggles—that a team truly bonds. It’s also the best way for new hires to fit in quickly and build confidence. Bonus: some leave wanting to bike to work, and for that, the planet says thank you.
Which format should you choose?
Good news—a cycling team-building event can be tailored in all sorts of ways depending on your time and budget:
- Half-day: a leisurely loop around the office, followed by lunch. Perfect for a first-time event or a large team.
- Full day: a real outing with a goal (a summit, a lake, a village), a picnic along the way, and plenty of stories to share on the way back.
- The multi-day seminar: the adventure option. You tackle one stage after another, sleep on-site, and share a campsite. It’s the kind of experience people talk about for months afterward.
The idea isn’t to turn your colleagues into Tour de France cyclists, but to create shared memories.
Do you have to be athletic? Who is this for?
That’s the number one fear—and it’s often unfounded. With e-bikes, just about anyone can keep up, regardless of their fitness level. The trick is to tailor the route to the group, not the other way around: a reasonable distance, gentle elevation changes, and regular checkpoints so no one feels left behind. A successful team-building event is one where the last person arrives with a smile, not dragging themselves along.
Alicia’s story, from the Lokki team
Alicia took part in a three-day cycling retreat shortly after joining Lokki:
“We all set off from the office on our bikes. Very quickly, small groups formed, because some people ride faster than others. A few ended up alone at the back, a bit lost, but it was better to laugh it off! Every climb became a challenge: who would reach the top first? At least for the first few kilometers. The route was 80 km long: the first riders arrived at the camp around 2 p.m., the last ones around 6 p.m., because they’d gotten lost along the way. Personally, this ride helped me fit in really fast—I’d joined the team just a few weeks earlier. ”
It just goes to show that even getting lost along the way ends up making for a good story.
Have they done it yet
Team-building bike rides aren’t just for cycling clubs. Companies like , Hiresweet, , Alice & Bob, and Reset have already organized their team-building events on two wheels. Now it’s your turn to get excited.
Is it complicated to organize?
No excuses like “no time” or “too complicated.” In practice, it just takes a few steps:
- Choose your format: half-day, full day, or multiple days.
- Reserve the bikes in advance, making sure there are enough for everyone.
- Notify the team a few weeks ahead of time to confirm availability, dates, and times.
- Plan a route that’s suitable for your group, with a great finish line.
And there’s no need to think big right from the start: even just an afternoon is enough to create memories.
Looking for concrete ideas? We’ve listed 9 types of corporate cycling seminars to get you started. And as for the bikes, Lokki takes care of everything.
