Advice on training in Majorca

bennyboyh

I'm planning a week in Majorca and wondered if anyone could suggest-

- best area to stay?
- Hotels/B and Bs?
- routes?
- any rides on garmin ?

Basically organise my holiday for me, I'll check back in 2 weeks!

GF22

Bennyboyh,

As a frequent visitor to Majorca, the short answer really does depend on your budget. I regularly stay just outside Arenal at the Hotel Barcelo Pueblo Park in Playa De Palma. The reason for this is there is a Max Huerzeler cycling centre at this hotel. If you pay a little extra, you can use all their facilities - bike cleaning, tools, maintenance etc. They also have a map you can purchase for about six euros which details loads of rides and their topography. Both Barcelo and Max Huerzeler have websites.

The joy of staying where I do is that all of the great rides/ride landmarks are reachable in relatively short distances, however, if I was recommending rides, here's my top three:

1. Arenal to Soller summit, down the other side and then up Puig Major (Soller is about a seven k climb @ 5%, Puig Major is the highest point in Majorca and is around a 15k climb @ about 7%) and then back - around 80 miles
2. Arenal to Andratx to Deia back to Arenal - long lumpy ride and beautiful scenery
3. Arenal to Puig Major down Sa Collabra and back - long ride and beautiful climb up Sa Collabra with loads of switchbacks
4. Arenal to Arta loop - shortish flat ride

There are also a number of monasteries which you can ride out to - the monasteries are at the top of a short but steep climb which make it interesting.

The other great thing is that there are plenty of coffee shops and cafes where you can stop for a quick espresso or bite of lunch, and, more importantly, soooo many people cycle in Majorca or have cycling holidays that all the car drivers are very tolerant so I have never seen any trouble in the four years I have been going.

All in all, I would thoroughly recommend it - it's so good, I go back every year!!!

If you want any other info, please feel free to PM me.

Cheers,

Gavin

synchronicity

Anyone hear about today's ETA car bombing in Mallorca?
Two civil guard agents dead, and less than 24hrs after this other terrorist attack in mainland Spain. :shock:

desperate73

I've got a place in Alcudia but for a cyclist the best place by a mile would be Porto Pollenca. You've got the road straight into the mountains - awesome roads and scenery. You've also got the run to cap de formentor the lighthouse. there's also the zig zag up to the monestry. Plus it's coastal and a nice place at that.

hammerite

desperate73 wrote:

I've got a place in Alcudia but for a cyclist the best place by a mile would be Porto Pollenca. You've got the road straight into the mountains - awesome roads and scenery. You've also got the run to cap de formentor the lighthouse. there's also the zig zag up to the monestry. Plus it's coastal and a nice place at that.

I came back on Monday from Alcudia on Monday (I didn't ride though, it was late 30's/early 40's most days!), You are right about Porto Pollenca, although Alcudia is only a few miles, away and it's a pretty nice (if windy!) coast ride between the two.

Agree with most of the rides suggested. Over to Cap de Formentor, on the flat from either Palma area or Pollenca/Alcudia out to Inca then up into the mountains past Selva to Lluc. Pollenca to Lluc then Sa Calobra, or to Soller and back up and over.

As I say last week was very hot so you'd either have to get out early in the morning if you are planning a mid summer trip (even then it was early 30's through the night), or perhaps go ealrier/later in the year. I also noticed that up in the mountains even though it's height of tourist season the roads are pretty quiet (we sat for 45 mins by the road eating a picnic and only one other car went past), you might want to look at riding with others just in case.

Are you going to take a bike out there or hire one? I looked at a few places and the quality of the bikes was very good and I'm pretty sure the better places will offer a call out repair or recovery service.

Gavin mentioned Max Huerzeler earlier, one of the hotels round the corner from where I was staying had a load of MH flags outside it, didn't catch the name of it but it's probably in this list http://www.bicycle-holidays.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.27 (notice they miss July off the climate chart on the MH website!).

Also check these out - list of hire companies operating on Majorca....
http://www.tenerife-training.net/Foro-Ciclismo/viewtopic.php?t=166

BR thread about cycling in Majorca http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12616934&highlight=majorca

hammerite

In fact I bought some Wilier bibshorts from this place in Alcudia, guy was very friendly and helpful and they also hire bikes out http://www.sportbequi.com/locations_eng.html#alcudia

desperate73

Excellent i'm glad you found it. the ride out the cap de formentor is ace i think. Also up the mountains from pollenca there's a right turn which takes you to the best roiads i'v e ever encountered.. although on a bike i'd be gasping for breath and praying for flat roads!!

When i go next will probably be November but during then it's much, much better riding conditions. Coolers, friendlier and the bikes are more easier available (and cheaper).

I think i'll get a road map and mark out the routes from memory that'd be awesome biking routes. Although we've had the appt in alcudia in the family since the 80's but i've never cycled there keenly, only leisurely - i think what i should do when i'm a much better cyclist is organise a fortnight over there with like minded guys from the forum to have a cycling holiday.. that'd be cool for the future during the winter breaks.. and good for me to have the company rather than dragging 3 naughty kids around

Over to Cap de Formentor, on the flat from either Palma area or Pollenca/Alcudia out to Inca then up into the mountains past Selva to Lluc. Pollenca to Lluc then Sa Calobra, or to Soller and back up and over.

:shock: :shock: these roads especially the sa colobra one is killer !! I simply wouldn't atm be physically able.. no where near !! Did you see big double decker buses driving that route ?? :shock: :shock: :shock: Some people sit on the top front, over hanging the cliffs!!! Scared me seeing them.

hammerite

desperate73 wrote:

Over to Cap de Formentor, on the flat from either Palma area or Pollenca/Alcudia out to Inca then up into the mountains past Selva to Lluc. Pollenca to Lluc then Sa Calobra, or to Soller and back up and over.

:shock: :shock: these roads especially the sa colobra one is killer !! I simply wouldn't atm be physically able.. no where near !! Did you see big double decker buses driving that route ?? :shock: :shock: :shock: Some people sit on the top front, over hanging the cliffs!!! Scared me seeing them.

I've been on a bus up Sa Calobra as a kid and yes it was quite scary. Probably even scarier was driving up and down there last week and having to avoid the buses - the car we hired was small enough but probably not up to the job - a Renault Twingo (the hire company called it a cabriolet - it had a roll back canvas roof )

I think it's manageable to ride if you are fit enough, the down would probably be quite tough all the braking required for the bends. The gradient looks pretty gentle to start but kicks up towards the end I think.

Some good info on climbs on the island http://ciclismo.sitiasp.it/motore2.aspx?lista=true&pagina=1&url=sp&ID=0&quanti=20&come=af&da=az&lingua=eng&commenti=False&regione=Islas%20Baleares

tailwindhome

Just came back from Majorca a couple of weeks ago.

I hired a bike for 5 days from http://www.procyclehire.com/pch/index.html, very friendly excellent service.

Followed a couple of the routes on this site http://www.globalspokes.com/Mallorca/mallorca-routes.htm


Top tip is be prepared for the heat and bring plenty of water each day

garetjax

head for pollenca.
hire a bike from probikehire
do first few routes here: http://www.globalspokes.com/Mallorca/ma ... routes.htm, and you will soon know the place like the back of your hand.
Out and back to the lighhouse is a good one, plus around the monastry.