Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Rides and Touring => Topic started by: Mrs Pingu on 01 October, 2019, 06:15:27 pm
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I am pondering going cycling instead of skiing next January :o
Thinking Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote that sort of thing.
Anyhoo I'd really like as little hassle as possible so somewhere we can just turn up, rent bikes and they will feed us would be ideal. (A bit like a chalet skiing holiday really).
A lot of places I've found are 'training camps'. While I'm quite happy to return to a base and scoff food with other cyclists, I'm not up for riding up volcanoes at 22kph all day so I don't really want 'led', we're quite happy to pootle about on our own.
So does anyone have any recommendations that would fit my bill?
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Most training camps as you call them will not force you to join in group rides. They provide accommodation, food, airport transfers, a bike (if you want to hire one) and a choice of led rides at various intensities. You are free to join one or do your own thing. That was the deal last time I did one and I don’t think it’s changed. In January, Gran Canaria probably has the most predictable good weather than the other Canary Islands. Avoid Mallorca until mid March at the earliest.
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I had a good experience in relation to the bike hire, in Puerto Soler Majorca. Can't remember the name of the bike hire place but Gary Google should be able to help. Lots of nice routes round there and they were happy to have a good quality hire bike ready to fit my own pedals and saddle (toe clips, straps, Brooks). Obviously I let them know about this in advance.
The only issue was snow in April, for the first time in 12 years. The locals enjoyed the novel experience of snow. A road crew halfway up one of the mountains on the North coast clearly thought I was crazy to be cycling in those conditions. And the hire place let me return the bike a couple of days early. For the rest of the week we were forced to spend time in bars drinking beer.
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I go to Tenerife at least twice a year and either take my bike or hire one there. If we go to visit father in law then we stay in a small village called el Medano which is lovely and rent an Airbnb apartment. There is a great bike hire place with seriously good bikes. https://bikepointtenerife.com/# (https://bikepointtenerife.com/#). They now have shops all over the island.
We are going with friends in January and I have just realised the hotel has a bike room with a link to the bike rental company! Other hotels may do it as well.
Medano is a lovely seriously chilled village but very windy. (World championship kite surfing level) so you are better off staying round the west side to avoid the winds.
The downside is that it is HILLY. there are literally no flat rides. The upside is that every cafe is geared up for cyclists and will fill your bottles.
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I had a good experience in relation to the bike hire, in Puerto Soler Majorca. Can't remember the name of the bike hire place but Gary Google should be able to help. Lots of nice routes round there and they were happy to have a good quality hire bike ready to fit my own pedals and saddle (toe clips, straps, Brooks). Obviously I let them know about this in advance.
The only issue was snow in April, for the first time in 12 years. The locals enjoyed the novel experience of snow. A road crew halfway up one of the mountains on the North coast clearly thought I was crazy to be cycling in those conditions. And the hire place let me return the bike a couple of days early. For the rest of the week we were forced to spend time in bars drinking beer.
I've used the outfit you are probably talking about http://www.tramuntanatours.com/ - hire included pedals of choice and helmet - just took my shorts, gloves and jersey. Lots of good rides nearby including the infamous Sa Colobra. I have been in late October when cycling - been to Majorca at Christmas and mid Feb but can't really remember what the weather was like.
Rob
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Thanks folks.
Anybody used a group holiday outfit rather than just a hire place?
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Not tried any of the hire places, but Mallorca would get my vote for a place to travel, given the variety of countryside and the possibility to walk or ride as you see fit. The North West corner is clubland, and as far as I know the area from Port de Soler to Port de Pollenca is the rugged-est cycling with great rides and views (Cap Formentor has to be on your must-see list, too). Optionally explore the southern half which is again different. Flatter, for a start.
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Escapar.cc has had several visits from my fellow club members (one of the owners is an emigre from SE london) so only third party recommendations, but they seem pretty flexible if you look outside their "event weeks"