Touring
Cycle touring is great fun. At its best, it's just you and the road. All the stresses of everyday life are stripped away and all you have to do is ride.
To see a country, the bike is the best way. It's faster than walking, and the bike carries the weight rather than your back. The landscape changes at a gentle pace, and you can stop anywhere to look at the view. In a car, distance is annihilated.
Traditionally, cycle tourists are self contained travellers. They carry what they need on their bikes, and choose their own routes from place to place. This means carrying camping gear or a youth hostel card. There are many companies which organise tours, with a van to transport luggage from hotel to hotel. One of the best known of these is "Cycling for softies", which says it all really. Here we shall only consider the independent cycle tourist.