Canary Islands trip

plapping
plapping Posts: 29
edited December 2007 in Tour & expedition
My good lady and I are looking into a week on one of the Canary Islands in November 2008 (I know its a long way off but its a special trip for my 40th!!). Anyway I was wondering which island is the best for road cycling thats, while a bit lumpy is not going to knacker me out too much. We are looking at having a base (villa or aptmt) and doing day/two day rides out 50+ miles per day. Any advice and experience of previous trips etc would be great.
Thanks in advance!
Cheers
Paul

Comments

  • 4candles
    4candles Posts: 240
    Gran Canaria (the roundish island) is good for biking... can be challenging off road though check it out on google earth... !
  • plapping
    plapping Posts: 29
    4candles wrote:
    Gran Canaria (the roundish island) is good for biking... can be challenging off road though check it out on google earth... !

    Thanks, will do. We are strictly on road cyclist though. :D
  • 4candles
    4candles Posts: 240
    It's quite hilly and very varied scenery sand in the south and green in the north, should make for a good week or two on the bike.. or in the bar.

    ed.
  • tarpaullynn
    tarpaullynn Posts: 146
    Try Lanzarote, its not to big, hills aren't to bad, no mountainous areas like Tenerife or Gran Canaria.

    Club La Santa on the west coast is a top class sports resort, click this link for the cycling part of their website.

    http://www.clublasanta.com/Biking-6163.aspx
    Tarpaullynn
  • videoman
    videoman Posts: 29
    Don't come to Tenerife unless you like climbing as unfortunately there are very few flat areas to ride here.
  • clayface
    clayface Posts: 90
    You won't see much off-road in Gran canaria unless you go for it. In the old forum, someone described the roads here as being like the ones in the Alps, but with better weather.
    If you're considering Lanzarote or Fuerteventura, bear in mind the nasty headwind there. I remember riding a whole morning just to cover 35 flat kms in Fuerteventura.
  • 4candles
    4candles Posts: 240
    clayface wrote:
    You won't see much off-road in Gran canaria unless you go for it. In the old forum, someone described the roads here as being like the ones in the Alps, but with better weather.
    If you're considering Lanzarote or Fuerteventura, bear in mind the nasty headwind there. I remember riding a whole morning just to cover 35 flat kms in Fuerteventura.

    Basically the Canaries rule.... !! :D
  • synchronicity
    synchronicity Posts: 1,415
    I would consider La Gomera. It's very scenic, less tourists, great roads, hills of 1000m, (not 2000m plus like here in Tenerife). El Hierro is too small to explore for more than a day or two, but very very beautiful.

    Gran Canaria is similar to Tenerife in terms of terrain. I can only speak 1st hand about these 4 islands. :)
    vertebr.ae | precision braking & shifting
  • craigenty
    craigenty Posts: 960
    Where's Richieboy when you need him?
    He posts on here fairly regularly. He went to Tenerife last year with the Missus and he posted on here an excellent account of the cycling he did.
    Be warned though he did do most of the major climbs. Sounded hard but great fun!

    Craig
    Craig


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  • videoman
    videoman Posts: 29
    Richyboy was here in Tenerife in July 2007 as I met him and his family a few times whilst he was here. He did two formidable climbs from the south side of the island, Mount Teide and Masca and I have just been trying to find his very descriptive write ups but have failed so far. It's bad enough in the car and you have to admire his ability and determination to ride these climbs as he was supposed to be on holiday enjoying himself!!!!
  • synchronicity
    synchronicity Posts: 1,415
    http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12538995

    http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12538997
    vertebr.ae | precision braking & shifting
  • culverwood
    culverwood Posts: 256
    I would not agree with synchronicity about La Gomera. All roads there will start with a climb 1000m to the central plateau. The road system is like spokes on a bicycle there are no roads going around the island. If you like climbing its great if not strike it off.
    http://www.pilgrimstorome.org.uk/index.html
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    videoman wrote:
    Richyboy was here in Tenerife in July 2007 as I met him and his family a few times whilst he was here. He did two formidable climbs from the south side of the island, Mount Teide and Masca and I have just been trying to find his very descriptive write ups but have failed so far. It's bad enough in the car and you have to admire his ability and determination to ride these climbs as he was supposed to be on holiday enjoying himself!!!!

    Thanks Alan, but your words 'ability' and 'determination' should be replaced by the one that sums it all up...'stupidity' :D

    Good to hear from the good man Craig aswell.....For a mere mortal like me I found Tenerife very very tough, Craig regularly is a Marmotte/Etape man and 'train's up Ventoux :shock: so he would just love this place...don't know if Vicky would agree right enough...so he would be in absolute element.

    Tenerife is a an outstanding destination not to be under estimated ...forget all the seedy wee places in Playa Americas etc...90% of the island is gorgeous....the ascent to the Teide Crater is a must...but the sheer lenth of the climb and the heat really took its toll on me...it is however a treasured memory and I regard it as one of my major acheivements...in this weeks Cycling Weekly the Climb of Mount Teide is the killer climb feature...the guy does it from San Miguel which is a good bit further up the mountain than where I started (at the beach!)...I didnt have a clue how good a climb I did as it took me 3.10 to get up...the guy on the comic states 5 1/2 hours so I gotta be happy with that...I reckon someone like craig would do 2.20-2.30 or something....still a long haul...

    More beautiful than the Teide climb is The Teno Mountain range...simply put this surpassed any scenery I'd ever seen before...it was awesome!...no words describe it properly...the climbs around here are very steep 20% etc...but well worth it... Never got to the Anaga Mountain range but supposed Excellent aswell.

    Syncronicity 'Les Brown' gave me major support and help/info for my trip which i'm eternally grateful for....so if going to choose Tenerife then check Les's smashing website out. Allan gave me major support aswell....support in keeping me company over a good few beers;-)...

    If you do choose Tenerife then go prepared...thers not much flat...in fact the flattest run I did had a small '650 meter' climb;-)

    I'm going to Gran Canaria next July...taking my bike again...gonna have a pop at the infamous Pico Las Nieves climb from Carrizel.....1910 meters ascent...24% sections...oh dear lord my 'ability' and 'determination' will be tested...but I reckon my 'stupidity' will win thru :wink:

    Last year I cycled Lanzarote...not nearly as big climbs...in fact I did both the toughest....
    ~600 meters...upto the Mirador De Haria...both ways I did it....not too hard climbs but really take afore mentioned advice...the wind is never ending and is like cycling in a gale force storm...I barely managed home a few times...and I did 60-70milers and was pretty fit....theres a good reason why they say the Lanzarote Iron Man is toughest out the lot...

    Can't say about Gran Canaria but for what i've read it'll be same deal as Tenerife...enormous climbs with very little wind...

    All tough going.

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