Can you take a bike lesson? The answer is yes... Of course, if the instructor is Dino Lanzaretti, you can be sure it will be a truly unique lesson , captivating and engaging. Lanzaretti is one of the world's leading cycle tourists. Yes, you read that right: not in Italy, but in the world. Today he travels and also works as a tour guide with his Bike Travel Experience , but he's an adventurer, an extreme traveler, and Dino has made this experience available to everyone with Bike Trac , the Bike Travelers Academy.
" I just got back from Morocco two days ago, and I'm off to Tunisia soon. I don't stop for a second . But when it's like this, I miss the back office and you have to catch up," he said while at the Eroica Caffé in Padua to talk about his adventures. "It was a BAM evening, Bike Adventure Meeting. Basically, a gathering where everyone who rides bikes gets together. But I also talked about my latest trips: Patagonia, Namibia, Morocco."
Between stories and lessons
At the Eroica Café, Lanzaretti presented the Bike Trac workshop, which will be held in June. "Me and the best Italian cyclists, the professional cyclists, are holding a workshop. It will be three days in a mountain hut. We'll teach and, above all, I like to say, we'll share everything we've learned over so many kilometers."
So let's delve into the depths of these Bike Trac workshops. "As I was saying," Lanzaretti continues, " we share our knowledge. The aspiring traveler comes and learns the differences between the various materials, how to "build" a bike, how to organize a trip, how to navigate, how to obtain visas—everything imaginable, and especially unimaginable, that might be useful for traveling to remote places independently.
"This is the third edition of this workshop, and right now , there are at least eight people around the world who have left or are about to leave following our courses. Two young people are about to leave in the next few days: one will go to Cambodia, another to South America. People come almost as a joke, but then they actually set off. If someone is afraid, we give them a pat on the back to get going."
Cycling according to Lanzaretti
Of course, talking about cycling with Dino Lanzaretti means breaking the mold—not just that of Sunday cyclists or, even more so, those of granfondo riders, but also that of travelers themselves. Freedom and autonomy are two cornerstones of his approach to cycling.
There are so many people who ride bikes, and many of them are incredibly talented. Some ride 5.000-10.000 kilometers a year, but then in the evening they go home, eat pasta, and lie down on the couch, but deep down they also want to try something else... We turn that crazy engine into an adventure. There are so many people who come to the course and then join my trips, because my trips are very selective anyway. They're tough and not for everyone. Consequently, those who come already have an idea of what it means to live outdoors, in somewhat unusual conditions, to adapt. This is also why many others come precisely to see if it's for them. Maybe they're curious, but unsure. And I also need it to get to know them.
There's also the practical side to this. Pedaling together, fixing a bike, or even sleeping in a tent. "Once," Dino explains, "at workshops, like the one next June (19-21) at the Rifugio Lausen in Lessinia, we teach how to create tracks with apps, and the next day we pedal along those tracks . We see what actually comes out of it. Even from experiences like that, you can understand whether it's right for him or not. The same goes for the night: you sleep in a tent, and it's essentially a practical lesson. Pitching it, taking it down, facing the night..."
Over time, more friendships develop. Dino's guys now have a WhatsApp group and often meet on a Tuscany Trail , on one of Dino's trips, or at some Eroica Café.
Bike Trac, absolute professionalism
Bike Trac events are structured with integrity and are led by professionals. Lanzaretti isn't the only one speaking.
"These are face-to-face lessons," Lanzaretti explains. " We have people for every area. The mechanic for bike repairs. The doctor who explains how to deal with any accidents. There's a specialist in cargo and bags . Even a cartographer... And then there's the beer! Because that's part of being a traveler, too."
And this speaks volumes about Lanzaretti's professionalism, but also his attitude. "Beyond the 20-25 hours of lessons, we spend time together. We have a bonfire, a DJ set, a barbecue, and everyone eats together.
I'll tell you this: once, after one of these BAM evenings, I said, "Guys, whoever wants to come to my house?" We set up a big table in the courtyard and hung out there. Bottom line: I found myself with 25 people I'd never seen before for four days at my house. In the end, we learned something on that occasion too! And that's when I really realized how useful Bike Trac could be.
"Looking back, what would I have given 20 years ago to know everything I know now? How much money I would have saved, how many mistakes I would not have made . That's why I say that I and other colleagues are making our experience available."
