Cycling around the Marbella area?

[Grandfondo]

Has anybody cycled in this area and have recommended routes into the the hills that are not to busy traffic wise!
Is their any must do climbs in the area?

Cheers Grandfondo.

[duff]

The road up to Rhonda, not too busy iirc. Otherwise there are some good climbs in the Sierra Nevada, monster one from Granada to the ski resort. Check strava for popular segments in the area.

[Matt London]

The road up to Rhonda is very nice. I rode it on a Sunday morning and it was very very quiet. I think it was about 3500ft in total. The road through the Sierra Nevadas over to Coin through El Burgo is very nice too.

I can't wait to get over there in June and do it all again I will have a look at that Granada climb.

[TKF]

I have the utmost respect for anyone who rides up to Rhonda.

I got palpitations driving up there the first time.

ETA gulp http://app.strava.com/segments/878936

Edited by TKF on Saturday 6th April 10:39

[Riff Raff]

Ronda.

Rhonda is a song by the Beach Boys

[Riff Raff]

Being serious though, there are a couple of "Parques Naturales" near to Marbella.

One is Grazalema, just to the west of Ronda, and the other is the Parque Natural de la Sierra de las Nieves, literally just to the north of Marbella.

It'll be hard work on those inclines, but the scenery is spectacular.

http://local.google.co.uk/maps?q=parque+natural+gr...

[Grandfondo]

Cheers guys, is the A7 that runs along the coast very heavy with traffic?

[Riff Raff]

Grandfondo said:

Cheers guys, is the A7 that runs along the coast very heavy with traffic?

I wouldn't want to cycle on it. Some of the locals call it the Autovia de la Muerte. Traffic is heavy because it's free (and the motorway that runs parallel to it inland isn't). There are no proper slip roads on a lot of it, certainly not on the bit between Malaga and Marbella, so traffic comes out of T junctions straight into traffic that's doing 100Km/h.

Traffic is heavy most of the time, but particularly round about the rush hours for obvious reasons.

Quite a few people I know have had serious accidents on that piece of road. (In cars).

[Grandfondo]

Cheers Rif!

[Grandfondo]

Off to Marbella this morning, thank's for all the replies!

[Grandfondo]

Update on cycling around Marbella.

Marbella itself is a bit of a nightmare but once outside the climbs are great!

Done Istan yesterday (quite easy) but lovely and Monda today (longer and steeper)

Big to Marbella rent a bike who were first class!