Canary Islands Cycling
Discussion
Hi everyone,
Does anyone have any experiences of cycling in the Canary Islands, in particular Gran Canaria and Tenerife?
I'm researching a trip for next year with a view to taking my road bike. If anyone can share their thoughts on where to stay, where to ride etc that would be super.
Kind regards,
Matt
Does anyone have any experiences of cycling in the Canary Islands, in particular Gran Canaria and Tenerife?
I'm researching a trip for next year with a view to taking my road bike. If anyone can share their thoughts on where to stay, where to ride etc that would be super.
Kind regards,
Matt
There's some fantastic cycling in Gran Canaria. I've been a couple of times and will be going back there next winter for a week.
We've always stayed in the south end of the island around Maspalomas of Playa Del Ingles, they aren't the nicest places in the world to be honest. Next year when we go back we're staying a bit further round the island in the Mogan area I think. Again there's plenty of good cycling routes from there and during the winter there's often quite a few pro teams using it as a winter training camp.
If you look on the Freemotion website they have loads of routes on there that you can download.
We've always stayed in the south end of the island around Maspalomas of Playa Del Ingles, they aren't the nicest places in the world to be honest. Next year when we go back we're staying a bit further round the island in the Mogan area I think. Again there's plenty of good cycling routes from there and during the winter there's often quite a few pro teams using it as a winter training camp.
If you look on the Freemotion website they have loads of routes on there that you can download.
I've been to Tenerife and Majorca and of the two I'd go back to Majorca as overall I found the cycling more enjoyable, the roads better and the routes more varied.
In Tenerife we stayed in Los Christianos. The route straight up from there to the crater is OK and tackling it was the main reason that we went in the first place, but the route from Los Christianos - Arona - Granadilla - Vilaflor - Crater was a bit more scenic / interesting, if longer. Beware on the descents as the road down from Vilaflor to Arona is extremely rough in places. Above Vilaflor it was much better.
Great to be able to say that you've done it though!
In Tenerife we stayed in Los Christianos. The route straight up from there to the crater is OK and tackling it was the main reason that we went in the first place, but the route from Los Christianos - Arona - Granadilla - Vilaflor - Crater was a bit more scenic / interesting, if longer. Beware on the descents as the road down from Vilaflor to Arona is extremely rough in places. Above Vilaflor it was much better.
Great to be able to say that you've done it though!
BeirutTaxi said:
Hi everyone,
Does anyone have any experiences of cycling in the Canary Islands, in particular Gran Canaria and Tenerife?
I'm researching a trip for next year with a view to taking my road bike. If anyone can share their thoughts on where to stay, where to ride etc that would be super.
Kind regards,
Matt
Puerto Mogan is a great little place to stay and the Mogan Cordial has a Freemotion bike hire in the hotel complex.Does anyone have any experiences of cycling in the Canary Islands, in particular Gran Canaria and Tenerife?
I'm researching a trip for next year with a view to taking my road bike. If anyone can share their thoughts on where to stay, where to ride etc that would be super.
Kind regards,
Matt
Easy quiet roads to the Serenity Climb which is a 13km climb right out of the front door of the hotel!
Going back to Tenerife in 3 weeks for 5 days for a training block, this is our 4th visit, agreed with the comment about Mallorca, been once (not cycling and there appears to be more variation in Terrain).
With Tenerife if you go through the crater out the East side and then follow the coast road you will experience more of the island. It is a 140-160km day with 4500m climbing. I would recommend hiring a car or van, we went right to the east side of the island and the change in scenery was amazing. Likewise if you park on the main road on the west side of the island a trip through Masca (one of LA favourite climbs) valley and loop round is recommended.
Unlike Mallorca based out of the NE of the island you do need a car, or early starts and masssive rides. You still cannot beat the 37km 2200m climb to the crater for some good suffering.
With Tenerife if you go through the crater out the East side and then follow the coast road you will experience more of the island. It is a 140-160km day with 4500m climbing. I would recommend hiring a car or van, we went right to the east side of the island and the change in scenery was amazing. Likewise if you park on the main road on the west side of the island a trip through Masca (one of LA favourite climbs) valley and loop round is recommended.
Unlike Mallorca based out of the NE of the island you do need a car, or early starts and masssive rides. You still cannot beat the 37km 2200m climb to the crater for some good suffering.
Gran Canaria :
Granfondo is right, stay in Mogan, or anywhere ideally before Maspolomas (chav s
thole). Reasons being - the wind doesn't hit the bottom corner of the island anything like as bad as when you get past Maspolomas. The places down that way are not too (I mean, its the canaries, they're pretty ). You have the nicest way up into the hills in the road that goes up from Mogan (GC60 also good).
Bad bits, the roads are shocking in part, and if I remember there was only one way back down from the hills that wasn't very bad road. To explore the island you really need a compact, I was wishing I had one when going up to the top of the island from Ingenio. It is a great place to train but there really are not many easy rides on the island at all if staying south. For my money I actually think the cliche bit of southern Spain (around Denia etc) is better. You have the long climbs, the roads are almost all good, there are lots of more easy routes. The scenery is fantastic, and its criminally cheap when you stop for lunch.
Granfondo is right, stay in Mogan, or anywhere ideally before Maspolomas (chav s
thole). Reasons being - the wind doesn't hit the bottom corner of the island anything like as bad as when you get past Maspolomas. The places down that way are not too (I mean, its the canaries, they're pretty ). You have the nicest way up into the hills in the road that goes up from Mogan (GC60 also good).Bad bits, the roads are shocking in part, and if I remember there was only one way back down from the hills that wasn't very bad road. To explore the island you really need a compact, I was wishing I had one when going up to the top of the island from Ingenio. It is a great place to train but there really are not many easy rides on the island at all if staying south. For my money I actually think the cliche bit of southern Spain (around Denia etc) is better. You have the long climbs, the roads are almost all good, there are lots of more easy routes. The scenery is fantastic, and its criminally cheap when you stop for lunch.
okgo said:
Gran Canaria :
Granfondo is right, stay in Mogan, or anywhere ideally before Maspolomas (chav sthole). Reasons being - the wind doesn't hit the bottom corner of the island anything like as bad as when you get past Maspolomas. The places down that way are not too (I mean, its the canaries, they're pretty ). You have the nicest way up into the hills in the road that goes up from Mogan (GC60 also good).
Bad bits, the roads are shocking in part, and if I remember there was only one way back down from the hills that wasn't very bad road. To explore the island you really need a compact, I was wishing I had one when going up to the top of the island from Ingenio. It is a great place to train but there really are not many easy rides on the island at all if staying south. For my money I actually think the cliche bit of southern Spain (around Denia etc) is better. You have the long climbs, the roads are almost all good, there are lots of more easy routes. The scenery is fantastic, and its criminally cheap when you stop for lunch.
I've done a fair bit of cycling in Southern Spain (a bit further on from Denia around Murcia) and it has been really good - It could be an idea to go a bit further up the coast as you suggest Granfondo is right, stay in Mogan, or anywhere ideally before Maspolomas (chav s
thole). Reasons being - the wind doesn't hit the bottom corner of the island anything like as bad as when you get past Maspolomas. The places down that way are not too (I mean, its the canaries, they're pretty ). You have the nicest way up into the hills in the road that goes up from Mogan (GC60 also good).Bad bits, the roads are shocking in part, and if I remember there was only one way back down from the hills that wasn't very bad road. To explore the island you really need a compact, I was wishing I had one when going up to the top of the island from Ingenio. It is a great place to train but there really are not many easy rides on the island at all if staying south. For my money I actually think the cliche bit of southern Spain (around Denia etc) is better. You have the long climbs, the roads are almost all good, there are lots of more easy routes. The scenery is fantastic, and its criminally cheap when you stop for lunch.
Already done some of Mallorca and would go again - Although next time I would be more careful about where I stay on the island (i.e not the new, tourist bit of Alculdia again).
Old Alculdia though - stunning.
Gran Canaria is absolutely amazing: I've spent two weeks on road bike there. Personally, I think the sweet spot for a base is at around half the way to the top (ca. 800-1000 meters above sea level). Either on the north side (e.g. Santa Brigida, Teror) or in the mountains on the south side (San Bartalome, or even higher but lovely: Tejeda). Generally, the island is very divers: Ranging from tropical climate and green scenery in the north to pine woods on the top (up to 2000 meters) and "gran canyon" like deserts and valleys in the south. And of course epic climbs and descents...
Check out this video (music sucks, though):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo5UlRR8qwE
By the way: I've rented the bike from free-motion.com in Maspalomas. Great choice of bikes.
I need to get back to Gran Canaria!!
Check out this video (music sucks, though):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo5UlRR8qwE
By the way: I've rented the bike from free-motion.com in Maspalomas. Great choice of bikes.
I need to get back to Gran Canaria!!
I spent quite a bit of time on Gran Canaria and now a reasonable amount of time on Tenerife.
I really like Gran Canaria but okgo is right about the compact, the climb from Ingenio is really tough. I've raced up that multiple times now and never with less than a 34 cassette. I really like around the north of Gran Canaria though, there are tons of different routes, very little traffic, very green and really different from what you get on the south side. There is also generally not too much wind in the North either.
Tenerife: I've ridden a fair amount around Granadilla, San Miguel etc and from there you have quite a few different choices to head up to Vilaflor. The last part of the TF-51 is pretty horrible and I would be inclined to avoid that then when the surfaces on the other routes are so much better. If you don't fancy HC climbs then the TF-28 is another choice and all the way between San Miguel and Guimar there is little traffic, they have recently resurfaced around Arico so this is so much better now than it was.
I really like Gran Canaria but okgo is right about the compact, the climb from Ingenio is really tough. I've raced up that multiple times now and never with less than a 34 cassette. I really like around the north of Gran Canaria though, there are tons of different routes, very little traffic, very green and really different from what you get on the south side. There is also generally not too much wind in the North either.
Tenerife: I've ridden a fair amount around Granadilla, San Miguel etc and from there you have quite a few different choices to head up to Vilaflor. The last part of the TF-51 is pretty horrible and I would be inclined to avoid that then when the surfaces on the other routes are so much better. If you don't fancy HC climbs then the TF-28 is another choice and all the way between San Miguel and Guimar there is little traffic, they have recently resurfaced around Arico so this is so much better now than it was.
One of the most stunning rides I did went down the road near Valley of Tears all the way down to that town on the left side which is VERY shabby and poor looking (presumably as its cut off road wise) vs the tourist bits. But the road was shocking. It was mad, there were times where you felt like you were in France racing through pine forests, such a marked change to the dunes area and what not.
The day I went to Pico (highest point) the weather was 100% clear - I took a photo https://www.strava.com/activities/855121989 - it was really amazing. That is tenerife you can see in the distance.
The day I went to Pico (highest point) the weather was 100% clear - I took a photo https://www.strava.com/activities/855121989 - it was really amazing. That is tenerife you can see in the distance.
Tenerife, the climb from LC to Teide is awesome, on the right day you can ride through the clouds. Then on the way down the descent to Vilaflor then sea level are quick. Venture up north to Masca, which remains one of my all time favourite roads anywhere, and you'll have a challenging ride faced with walls of rock. Look at hiring a car to head out to places, we found that by the time you have ridden a fairly dull route to Los Gigantes you end up doing 180km and loads of climbing (3000m+) which can knock you out over consecutive days. Better to drive out to a start point and properly explore it, off the beaten path you'll find some cool routes. Santa Cruz is much greener, there's a spot there which you can ride up to and see both sides of the Island, Vallesco on the east and Bajamar to the west. I'll never get bored of riding out there. Some of the roads are very hard going, and if you venture off the main routes the gradients are into mtb territory.
The best thing however is the climate. It's always decent, the same can't be said for Spain given by the camps I have seen go out there over the years. Bank on 18-20 deg C all of Decemeber.
The best thing however is the climate. It's always decent, the same can't be said for Spain given by the camps I have seen go out there over the years. Bank on 18-20 deg C all of Decemeber.
I rode both Tenerife and Gran Canaria earlier this year and wrote up both trips. You'll find detailed reviews of the routes, links to the Strava files, plus a advice on gears and tyre choices. For me there's no definitive 'winner' as they both offer different things. Gran Canaria has more options and variety; Tenerife has the single biggest draw in Teide. Ultimately you'll have a great time on both and I would alternate over time.
Tenerife blog entry: https://theadventurecapitalist.wordpress.com/2017/...
Gran Canaria blog entry: https://theadventurecapitalist.wordpress.com/2017/...
Tenerife blog entry: https://theadventurecapitalist.wordpress.com/2017/...
Gran Canaria blog entry: https://theadventurecapitalist.wordpress.com/2017/...
https://www.facebook.com/vueltacicloturista.maspal...
That shows the route from Mogan to Aldea and then to Tejeda. Some part of what okgo was talking about.
That shows the route from Mogan to Aldea and then to Tejeda. Some part of what okgo was talking about.
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