Fuerteventura cycling hol - trip report
Courage Monsieur
Posts: 534
Spent a great week on Fuerteventura at the end of January. Still got my cyclist’s tan 
Thought I’d summarise things here for future reference.
The weather was great – bright, blue skies, early to mid 20s in the day, strong breeze but nothing mad. The roads are fantastic. You forget (well, I sometimes do) just how bad things often are in the UK. Smooth surfaces, little traffic, considerate drivers. Here and there the tarmac turned from silky smooth to slightly knobbly, but no potholes, and no bother. No traffic lights, lots of space. Very rare to p******e, I was told.
A few roadies about but I suspect it’s way quieter than G Canaria and Tenerife, and certainly Majorca. Cycling still feels fairly ‘new’ on Fuerte, a few resident roadies told me. On a two hour ride I’d see ten or so other riders, maximum, sometimes just one or two. Some days I spotted a small group peloton from a tri camp in the north (not Las Playitas). Some quite serious amateurs around and I was told the pros have started going too.
Mostly the roads I tried were gently rolling with the odd stretch of short climb / descent. I stayed in the village of Villaverde in the north. The best cycling is in the southern half of the island so if you're going then consider staying there.
Got six days’ cycling out of seven. Mostly on rides of around 2 hours, but one recovery ride of 1 hour and a longer ride to Betancuria of around 3.5 hours (50+ miles or so). I had a lot of other things on during the day and my endurance base isn’t that good at the moment, so I didn’t explore longer rides this time. This wasn't a training camp by any means.
Betancuria was the only real hill I saw, and it was a sweet climb, nothing on mainland Europe or Tenerife, of course. There was also nice short little lip near a village called Vallebrun near where I was staying, which I squeezed a few hill reps out of. Once in Betancuria the number of cyclists rose as lots of (mainly German / Scandinavian) cyclists from the south and particularly Las Playitas came into range.
I stayed in a villa that had no connections with cycling holidays. I then hired a superb Giant TCR Composite 1 from http://www.fuerteventurabikehire.com/
The owner, Mark, was really helpful and went (a long way) out of his way to deliver the bike, which was in superb condition. Great price too. Highly recommended. There was a hire place in Corralejo I was initially in contact with but their bikes were nothing on the Giant.
The only downsides really could be the limited route options. I worked out a few figures of 8 and trips, but there were a few bits of out and back, and if I were a better rider I might’ve got bored. The scenery is interesting at first but some might find the arid, volcanic landscape, much of it flat, a bit dull after a while. Feels like you’re riding through some vast American desert.
Also the wind - it was noticeable when you came into a brisk headwind but never really an issue for me and I never had to face it too long. I was a bit worried about it before arrival but it was fine. However, you could be unlucky and get a very windy day. I don't think I got one.
Some of the major roads can get a bit busy and I was told to avoid the island's main one. Again, nothing like a major A-road here.
Would definitely go back. Might try Gran Canaria or Tenerife next time for some steeper routes...
Cheers
Thought I’d summarise things here for future reference.
The weather was great – bright, blue skies, early to mid 20s in the day, strong breeze but nothing mad. The roads are fantastic. You forget (well, I sometimes do) just how bad things often are in the UK. Smooth surfaces, little traffic, considerate drivers. Here and there the tarmac turned from silky smooth to slightly knobbly, but no potholes, and no bother. No traffic lights, lots of space. Very rare to p******e, I was told.
A few roadies about but I suspect it’s way quieter than G Canaria and Tenerife, and certainly Majorca. Cycling still feels fairly ‘new’ on Fuerte, a few resident roadies told me. On a two hour ride I’d see ten or so other riders, maximum, sometimes just one or two. Some days I spotted a small group peloton from a tri camp in the north (not Las Playitas). Some quite serious amateurs around and I was told the pros have started going too.
Mostly the roads I tried were gently rolling with the odd stretch of short climb / descent. I stayed in the village of Villaverde in the north. The best cycling is in the southern half of the island so if you're going then consider staying there.
Got six days’ cycling out of seven. Mostly on rides of around 2 hours, but one recovery ride of 1 hour and a longer ride to Betancuria of around 3.5 hours (50+ miles or so). I had a lot of other things on during the day and my endurance base isn’t that good at the moment, so I didn’t explore longer rides this time. This wasn't a training camp by any means.
Betancuria was the only real hill I saw, and it was a sweet climb, nothing on mainland Europe or Tenerife, of course. There was also nice short little lip near a village called Vallebrun near where I was staying, which I squeezed a few hill reps out of. Once in Betancuria the number of cyclists rose as lots of (mainly German / Scandinavian) cyclists from the south and particularly Las Playitas came into range.
I stayed in a villa that had no connections with cycling holidays. I then hired a superb Giant TCR Composite 1 from http://www.fuerteventurabikehire.com/
The owner, Mark, was really helpful and went (a long way) out of his way to deliver the bike, which was in superb condition. Great price too. Highly recommended. There was a hire place in Corralejo I was initially in contact with but their bikes were nothing on the Giant.
The only downsides really could be the limited route options. I worked out a few figures of 8 and trips, but there were a few bits of out and back, and if I were a better rider I might’ve got bored. The scenery is interesting at first but some might find the arid, volcanic landscape, much of it flat, a bit dull after a while. Feels like you’re riding through some vast American desert.
Also the wind - it was noticeable when you came into a brisk headwind but never really an issue for me and I never had to face it too long. I was a bit worried about it before arrival but it was fine. However, you could be unlucky and get a very windy day. I don't think I got one.
Some of the major roads can get a bit busy and I was told to avoid the island's main one. Again, nothing like a major A-road here.
Would definitely go back. Might try Gran Canaria or Tenerife next time for some steeper routes...
Cheers
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Comments
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cheers for that, an interesting read! Good point about road conditions - we Brits just put up with owt.http://www.snookcycling.wordpress.com - Reports on Cingles du Mont Ventoux, Alpe D'Huez, Galibier, Izoard, Tourmalet, Paris-Roubaix Sportive & Tour of Flanders Sportive, Amstel Gold Xperience, Vosges, C2C, WOTR routes....0
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Another trip report
we went to corralejo first week of december, climate perfect, like england in a warm june/july. The locals thought it was awful and kept apologising for a recent storm. it was not too hot for cycling but one-layer weather throughout.
thomas cook package tour to oasis dunas hotel complex. price was about £250 each inc flights , self catering.
we had a little flat with a bedroom and large sittingroom and patio on 1st floor . bikes kept in sitting room at the suggestion of the staff, and the shiny floors etc meant there was no problem with marking the decor with them. kettle and two hot plates and a toaster.
pools shop restaurant and bar on site or 15min walk into town which is very pleasant .
go to Rock Cafe for drinks after dinner, best music starts 9pm.
wear your wallet close to you and zipped and carry no handbags I would say , from experience. Fortunately we lost only a bit of cash and a handbag.
we hired two BH carbon road bikes from Pro-action cycles 200 yards away, which we spotted while walking from the bus stop. Their fuerte shop, has a low profile on the web , very difficult to find , so here is the address http://www.corralejo.info/en/item/pro ; the lanzarote branch is better known.
the chap we saw initially is ex-professional racer.
you can pay £50 for a taxi or abut £10 for two for the bus, number 3 from airport just outside depatures to puerto del rosario bus station evry half hour then number 6 to corralejo every hour. On the return trip I could imagine the bus getting a bit full some times of the year so leave early or perhaps book an airport coach for more money .
the coast road is passable on a road bikebut much easier on mtb.
lajares has a great little cafe stop , Mana:tapas cake filled rolls home cooking
wetsuits and boardhire on the beach at a hut 2 mile out of town south east, see it from the road.
bike riding as previously described . mtb around the volcanoes and coast road looks fun too.Raleigh Eclipse, , Dahon Jetstream XP, Raleigh Banana, Dawes super galaxy, Raleigh Clubman
http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z122 ... =slideshow0
