Mountain Biking in Lanzarote, advice?

Darth Biker

Hi,

I am going to Lanzarote with the family in April, and we are staying in Arrecife. I am unable to take my own bike as I need to help the older relatives with their luggage.

I have seen this site for rentals - http://tommys-bikes.com/ - I am thinking of renting a Trek Fuel (or similar FS trail bike) My usual bike is a Scott Scale 30 2008. Has anybody had any experience with this shop or can recomend anywhere else?

Also I have seen this route - http://www.lanzaroteinformation.com/content/mountain-bike-routes-lanzarote . I might print and take the maps. Again has anybody tried this route and is it well sign posted? (not that I am expecting the standard of a Sustrans route . . .)

Any help/advice would be hugely appreciated!

Andrew

VWsurfbum

Ask welshkev I'm sure he's either been or going?

weeksy59

TBH mate it's not great.

The terrain is rubbish for MTBing with just dirt/dust trails, no trees you see.

Also the routes are not very exciting...

Personally i wouldn't bother.

lm_trek

Im going in 4 weeks and tommys have been useless, i tried to get a tour last time i was out there and they bailed on me, and ive been contacting them recently to see if they could spare a day or morning for one of there tours they have advertised on there website but again nothing.

I think cycleactive or sportactive do proper holidays, im going to try and see if i can get a tour one day while im out there. Dusty dry trails eh! something very different to cannock.

carbonfiend

I've raced in Lanzarote 2 day marathon. There is great riding there you just need to hook up with somebody that knows the terrain. There are some epic climbs and some really cool drops/descents on the powered lava/dust. Yeah there are no trees but there is single track in the lava fields and it really tests your skills

There is an off road climb up the tabyesco volcano that I've done believe me its a killer

check this out and see if this can help you out its a link for the race I did and there was plenty of lanzarote based xc riders turned up for it so there is a communtiy out there.

http://www.clublasanta.co.uk/events/2-s ... bike-races

Darth Biker

Hi,

Thanks for your notes. I greatly appreciated all the help available here. I am not really too concerned about technicality of the trails, but I do love a good climb!

@ Im_Trek - Thanks, I will have a look at some other places also. Have they just been unhelpful with your tour or bike rental as well?

Andrew

lm_trek

With the bike they were great, dropped off a Trek Fuel ex8 at my hotel the afternoon i arrived, it was just the tour. When i went in the summer it was over 40 degrees, so no solo biking out in the wilds, just to be on the safe side. I used the bike up and down the coast but it wasn't the fun i wanted.

I got just 3 weeks to find a tour before i go, still not having much luck!!

Darth Biker

Thanks your help, much appreciated.

welshkev

VWsurfbum wrote:

Ask welshkev I'm sure he's either been or going?

sorry dude, i used to live in tenerife and i'm off there again in about 10 weeks

not been to lanzarote but if it's anything like tenerife, take pads, it's rocky as fook in some places :shock:

Lanzachris

Hi There is some great riding here in Lanzarote I´ve been living here for the last 16 years. Got back into mountain biking a few years ago and bought a cube ams 125 2years ago which i am lovin. I ride 20 to 30 km two or three times a week which consists of about 90% off road on trails and singletrack. Some of the best trails can be hard to find! Plus with the good weather and stunning seanery its a big change to England!!!!
Arreciefe has a couple of good bike shops like tribike and if you want to hire a bike Puerto Del Carmen has lots of hire companies where you can hire treks, ghosts, meridas ,felts to name but a few!!! Hope this helps

lm_trek

Chris, any tips on a guided tour?? or some route maps you point us in the right direction? staying in Costa Tequise, i know there is some trails that way.

VWsurfbum

welshkev wrote:

VWsurfbum wrote:

Ask welshkev I'm sure he's either been or going?

sorry dude, i used to live in tenerife and i'm off there again in about 10 weeks

not been to lanzarote but if it's anything like tenerife, take pads, it's rocky as fook in some places :shock:

Pah its all the same

Lanzachris

Try the bike station at www.mylanzarote.com they do tours and are based in costa teguise. I'll try to find a link for routes around the island!!

welshkev

VWsurfbum wrote:

welshkev wrote:

VWsurfbum wrote:

Ask welshkev I'm sure he's either been or going?

sorry dude, i used to live in tenerife and i'm off there again in about 10 weeks

not been to lanzarote but if it's anything like tenerife, take pads, it's rocky as fook in some places :shock:

Pah its all the same

Lanzachris

Also try www.lanzabike.es this is a local mtb club. I f you go to the link routas you can download info on routes around the island!!

Icyseanfitz

Hey Chris i saw some of your replies on the forum about Lanzarote bike hire and tours, me and a couple of friends are going to Lanzarote for a week in may and we are staying in Puerto del Carmen and we are wondering if there are any shops / groups that would rent out a mtb and equipment for a day and also take us on a guided tour;
any help or advice would be very welcome

Lanzachris

Hi....There are lots of bike hire places here in Lanzarote! Here are a few links you can try as I cannot recommend anywhere due to never having had to hire a bike,
lanzarote-bikes.com
mountainbike-lanzarote.com
papagayobike.com
kayakdelmar.com
Also in Arreciefe there are a few bike shops one called vadebicis who rent bikes aswell as sell the likes of Trek and Mondraker. All the above also offer guided tours so have a look and I hope this is of some help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Give me a shout if you have anymore questions!!!

Icyseanfitz

thanks for that chris i was talking to the guy that runs tommy's bikes but i figure it should be easy enough to actually rent a bike its the trails that will be the problem il try and find out more closer to the date anyway

m*sh

Mountain-Biking on Lanzarote is challenging but lot of fun.

Challenging? Well, some of my customers state that you have to multiply any km of distance with 2 (esp. when going offroad). Additionally any meter of climbing needs to be multiplied with 2. This is due to the harsh terrain and the strong winds that often may be worse than 45 km/h - usually in the wrong direction (-;
Anyway, you have the option of using tarmac roads when going up - so you're not exhausting yourself completely b4 the fun part starts.

Another challenge is the nonexistence of good bike maps. You're better off taking a guide who will show you around for two days and then try it on your own.

But there are a lot of tracks that are definitively great. Single trails sloping through the fascinating surroundings of volcanoes, descends on alternating terrain (dirt, sand and rocks). Technically interesting slopes and great views every now an then.

The best bike service is currently 2b found in Arrieta: http://lanzarotefreeride.eu/.
Isabelle will deliver the bikes to your hotel/hostel provide you with anything you may need - even bike racks for your rented car. If you need help with planning your excursions don't bother contacting me.

Saludos