Mallorca

crescent

Off to Mallorca next month and I've organised a hire bike for a week - a Kuota Korsa Lite. Any recommendations for shortish routes starting in Porto Pollensa on the north of the island? It will be a family holiday so don't really want to spend more than a couple of hours at a time out cycling on my own.

Cheers

napoleond

Some amazing roads!

A quick one is out to Formentor, over a cracking climb. At the bottom on the other side of the (amazing) descent there is a bend to the left where you'll see cars parked, there's a cafe here. Continue round to the left and there's a nice climb to the Formentor lighthouse.

The north of the island has some unbelievable roads.

Head out to Pollensa along the MA2200 then in Pollensa veer right up to Lluc. Of pushed for time just come back down or if feeling adventurous do a left at Lluc on the MA2130 for some cracking hairpins. Just work out the way you want to get back to port de Pollensa.

It's a shame you can't go further afield, have a look at some of the roads around Soller!

Solis

NapoleonD wrote:

Some amazing roads!



Head out to Pollensa along the MA2200 then in Pollensa veer right up to Lluc. Of pushed for time just come back down or if feeling adventurous do a left at Lluc on the MA2130 for some cracking hairpins. Just work out the way you want to get back to port de Pollensa.
!

Would suggest best way by far is Selva to Campanet and then pick up the excellent virtual traffic free road through the valley towards Pollenca. When you meet main road take a left towards Pollenca for about half a mile then a right imediatley before the entrance to the Golf club and follow the cycle route around the quiet back lanes to the Port.

Full Merckx

I would get up early one day, head up to Lluc and over ot Sa Colabra, great day out. You can always get your family to get the boat round from PP and meet you there

Solis

Full Merckx wrote:

I would get up early one day, head up to Lluc and over ot Sa Colabra, great day out. You can always get your family to get the boat round from PP and meet you there

+1 for Sa Colabra but note no boat service from PP

galatzo

Formentor is a beautiful run but the road is absolutely awful after the first decent.
Hire shop should have the 5 euro laminated map thats widely available, just pick a route, can't really go wrong.
It'll be pretty hot by then so start early, perhaps do shortish 2 hour rides for 2 days to keep on the rightside of the missus then slip in a long one the next day, keeps mine happy when we go !
I went up the MA213 that Nap suggested coming down, a great moral boosting climb, easy gradient, good surface all make you feel really pro. Must have been 800 riders there at the top when I did it at the end of March.
You really need to negotiate at least a couple of days for bigger rides as there are just so many options.

Roll on my August hols !

Smirf

I just had a week there and wow.... Fantastic cycling.

We stayed in Puerto Soller, and spoilt for routes and climbs, but probably a bit far for a 2 hour-ish route.

I reckon you could get part way into the Tramantours and back in that time, maybe the first climb, then it would downhill back to PP!

crescent

Thanks for the suggestions folks, really looking forward to it. I love Mallorca, we've been several times before, I've just never really cycled there apart from a couple of jaunts along the seafront with the kids. Plan is to get out early before it gets too hot, ideally from about 7 to 9 am and back in time to make breakfast, keep everyone sweet

Cheers

giropaul

It may be worth checking if there are any rides going out from Tolo's bar (on seafront on road out towards Alcudia).

gsk82

I was there in march and had a great week riding. On the final day I wanted a short ride so went to formentor, it was the worst ride of the week! The first half is great, the second absolutely shocking. If you can get three hiurs head to selva then up the climb and down past lluc, great climb and rapid, open decent.

galatzo

gsk82 wrote:

I was there in march and had a great week riding. On the final day I wanted a short ride so went to formentor, it was the worst ride of the week! The first half is great, the second absolutely shocking. If you can get three hiurs head to selva then up the climb and down past lluc, great climb and rapid, open decent.

Road surface and traffic no doubt ?
It's good the first time but once you've done Formentor I doubt you'll hurry back.
Andratx to Valdemossa (or vice versa) is as good for scenery and road is wider and smoother, trouble is it's the opposite end of the island.
Nice down the south-west if you have a car you can put the bike in. Galilea, Calvia, Puigpunyent are all nice easy climbs.

akbond1973

Hi mate,
I am also off to Puerto Pollensa next month . I am over there the 23rd July for a week and am also looking at getting some early morning riding in before spending the rest of the day with the wife and kids. What dates are you over there mate ???

Regards

Andy

DNQ

Some routes here http://www.globalspokes.com/Mallorca/ma ... routes.htm perhaps you can adapt them if they are longer than you want.

crescent

akbond1973 wrote:

Hi mate,
I am also off to Puerto Pollensa next month . I am over there the 23rd July for a week and am also looking at getting some early morning riding in before spending the rest of the day with the wife and kids. What dates are you over there mate ???

Regards

Andy

I'm here between 7th & 17th,so right now as it happens. Really enjoying it so far, this is my last day with the bike in fact then home on Tuesday. Rental bike is very good - Kuota Korsa, well spec'd with Ultegra, Deda & Fulcrum kit, well pleased with it.
I've enjoyed some nice rides, been over to Formentor, "enjoyed" the climbs there and back and the descents had me giggling on the way down -superb. Went all the way to the top of the Formentor peak although the road surface wasn't great, just to say I'd done it and got some good photos too. Other than that I've just pootled around the north of the island with some rather nice cafe rides thrown in. I can honestly say that sitting enjoying an espresso at 8.30 in 30ish degrees heat at a roadside cafe is not a bad start to the day.
thanks for the suggestions and to those who are going later - enjoy, I'm sure you will. I'm already planning my next visit.

Cheers

crescent

akbond1973 wrote:

Hi mate,
I am also off to Puerto Pollensa next month . I am over there the 23rd July for a week and am also looking at getting some early morning riding in before spending the rest of the day with the wife and kids. What dates are you over there mate ???

Regards

Andy

How was your trip? Get some miles in ?

rdt

Resurrecting this thread....

Off to Port de Pollenca in 4 weeks. I've hired from Pro Cycle Hire there once before, but only for a single day. I'm considering a longer hire period and have a few questions:-

1. I use whacky pedals (Crankbrothers) so plan to take these with me, but has anyone bothered taking their own seat? I've used a pretty whacky seat for ages too (Adamo) and don't fancy parking myself on a regular one for 4 days....

2. Has anyone experienced any grief stashing their bike at/in their apartment?

3. I'll be there with my OH, so johnny-no-mates in cycling terms. I seem to recall rides going from Pro Cycle each morning; is that still the case / what time / ride duration etc. Any other suggestions? I'm interested in climbing, but can't really go off all day leaving my OH bike-widowed...

Cheers.

andy_from_embsay

I think the regular ride goes at 9am from Tolo's restaurant on the sea front. We're there 20-23 - getting excited now!

mallorcajeff

Yes regular rides from tolos from 9am every day (on the front in pollenca) Bruce at Pro Cycle Hire does rides most days Ive been on a few in the past few weeks and the pace is quite brisk but you get to some nice places without getting lost. Very easy to find your way home though

rdt

Thanks for the feedback chaps, and have fun Andy!

gsk82

As posted on touring forum...

I'm hoping to go again in march 2013 and was after taking my bike this time as i think its silly to pay 100quid to hire an ok bike when i can take me own for 80, as long as its practical.

Our group hired a little hyundai to get across the island this year (no bikes). What do people think is the best way to get a bike across to pollensa (without unpacking it and riding as i'd still need to get my box accross anyway)? hiring a van would cost 5 times as much as the hyundai.

rc856

Has anyone gone over as a group and hired a villa in or around Puerto Pollensa?

Cheers

andy_from_embsay

We stay at the Duva - about €50 a night half board, secure bike storage and only 10 mins walk from the bike hire shop.

3Pears

RC856,
We've used 'Villa Parade' They have numerous Villa's in and around Pollensa of varying sizes.

They are worth a try, we were pleased with the Villa's we used

rc856

3Pears wrote:

RC856,
We've used 'Villa Parade' They have numerous Villa's in and around Pollensa of varying sizes.

They are worth a try, we were pleased with the Villa's we used

Cheers.

Next question...is it possible to book at places like the Duva as part of a package, which is hopefully cheaper than booking separate flights and hotels? Probably me, but any package deals I look at don't have the Duva :oops:

Cheers

andy_from_embsay

I'm sure it is possible to book Duva as a package (there were package bods there last week) but we find booking direct is pretty cheap. We paid €48 a night a head half board last weekend, £120 for flights and €30 a head for a transfer.