mapboyPHL

Thanks, PatMike. I never saw that link on their website. Will check it out.

MegatopLover

I've never done any of the structured rides. I always go on my own. There are plenty of bicycle-rental shops in Ubud town that will rent you a bike for very reasonable rates. I can't remember what the rates were specifically, but they were insignificant-- on the order of $5 or $10 for a whole day, no security deposit required. The bikes are usually 18-speed mountain/road bikes and they're usually in pretty good condition, but be sure to test the cables for smooth gear-changing. The rental shops typically DO NOT have helmets, so you should ask your hotel concierge if they have any for borrowing. I have a strong sense of direction and can now get around fairly well without a map. But even a first-time visitor can do fine on a self-guided tour with a map, as Bali's topography dictates the placement of roads and you can tell which way you're going just by looking at the slope of the road (upgradient generally runs north, downgradient south, cross-gradient east or west) or at the sea or volcanoes. The things to be most careful about of thick traffic in population centers and heavily laden trucks zooming by.

mapboyPHL

We ended up going with a company that I found in Lonely Planet called C-Bali. It is an Australian-Dutch couple. They picked us up and we visited a village up near the volcano, toured a village, school, etc. They did a great job introducing us to the Balinese culture and explaining village/daily life, etc. I fear we wouldn't have got as much from a do-it-your-own tour our first time to Bali. If we go back (would LOVE to), a self-tour would seem much more doable (plus I better understand the roads, etc.)