road cycling holiday in Spain,which company to go with

eric_draven

I am looking at going to Spain for a week around easter time next year,and was wondering if anyone could recommend a company they have used,not really finding much when doing a web search,not really wanting a full on training camp for racers.

andymiller

You could try these guys (based near Granada).

http://www.cyclingcountry.com

I'm puzzled that you haven't found anything by a web search. Putting in 'cycling holidays andalucia' into google produced pages of operators. I'm sure the same would be the case if you searched for 'Mallorca' or 'Costa Brava'.

bernithebiker

Ronanpensectravel.com (ex French maillot jaune) are doing a week in Tenerife in Easter.

Excellent, well organised company.

nunowoolmez

I've just booked a week with Vamos Cycling in April. Based near Malaga, they look a great set up, can't wait!

hdow

Try www.andaluciancyclingexperience.com

Based in Montecorto just north of Ronda. Excellent area for cycling - go there for a week every year. Lots of challenging routes through the mountains but a little flatter further north. All the town and villages, there are many, worth a visit.

Have hired bike from them previously & would seriously consider using them if going solo

HarryD

andymiller

nunowoolmez wrote:

I've just booked a week with Vamos Cycling in April. Based near Malaga, they look a great set up, can't wait!

Yes I've stayed with them (touring independently) I wanted to recommend them but I couldn't remember their name or where they were based.

durhamwasp

A week in Mallorca with teletext holidays is about £170 per person, then hire a bike separately

bernithebiker

durhamwasp wrote:

A week in Mallorca with teletext holidays is about £170 per person, then hire a bike separately

All well and good, but;

a) the 'hotel' will probably be a sh*thole in Magaluf
b) you will have to organise you own transfers from the airport (taxi could be 100 Euros depending on where you are)
c) and the pick-up/drop off of your hire bike
d) then adjust said bike to fit you.
e) you may well be far from the best routes
f) you probably won't know what the best routes are anyway, so you'll get lost, miss the best bits
g) no camaraderie of riding in a group of friendly English cyclists
h) no back up if you come off/ puncture/ have a mechanical

Otherwise, what's not to like?!

durhamwasp

bernithebiker wrote:

durhamwasp wrote:

A week in Mallorca with teletext holidays is about £170 per person, then hire a bike separately

All well and good, but;

a) the 'hotel' will probably be a sh*thole in Magaluf
b) you will have to organise you own transfers from the airport (taxi could be 100 Euros depending on where you are)
c) and the pick-up/drop off of your hire bike
d) then adjust said bike to fit you.
e) you may well be far from the best routes
f) you probably won't know what the best routes are anyway, so you'll get lost, miss the best bits
g) no camaraderie of riding in a group of friendly English cyclists
h) no back up if you come off/ puncture/ have a mechanical

Otherwise, what's not to like?!

Each to their own then, that's what I have just booked for the second easter in a row, staying a self-catering hotel in Puerto Pollensa.
I hire a car anyway, as sometimes want to start a loop from a different place to hotel, so that's transfers sorted.
Picking a bike up and adjusting it take max 45mins, so no bother for me to do that.
Picked up a great cycling route map so followed that, along with reviews/guides online.
Fair enough, I travel with friends and family, so don't need an English group to cycle with, though quite honestly cycling alone doesn't bother me - I have done plenty of cycling on family holidays on my own.
Carry my own puncture repair kit and pump, should I puncture.

Not sure why you decided to try and rip my suggestion apart, its a perfectly good one if you are prepared to do things on your own, and don't necessarily want everything on a plate, and one which anybody could at least consider.

Anyway, each to their own, saves me a few hundred quid and a get to experience the fantastic cycling roads and scenery of Mallorca.

bernithebiker

durhamwasp wrote:

bernithebiker wrote:

durhamwasp wrote:

A week in Mallorca with teletext holidays is about £170 per person, then hire a bike separately

All well and good, but;

a) the 'hotel' will probably be a sh*thole in Magaluf
b) you will have to organise you own transfers from the airport (taxi could be 100 Euros depending on where you are)
c) and the pick-up/drop off of your hire bike
d) then adjust said bike to fit you.
e) you may well be far from the best routes
f) you probably won't know what the best routes are anyway, so you'll get lost, miss the best bits
g) no camaraderie of riding in a group of friendly English cyclists
h) no back up if you come off/ puncture/ have a mechanical

Otherwise, what's not to like?!

Each to their own then, that's what I have just booked for the second easter in a row, staying a self-catering hotel in Puerto Pollensa.
I hire a car anyway, as sometimes want to start a loop from a different place to hotel, so that's transfers sorted.
Picking a bike up and adjusting it take max 45mins, so no bother for me to do that.
Picked up a great cycling route map so followed that, along with reviews/guides online.
Fair enough, I travel with friends and family, so don't need an English group to cycle with, though quite honestly cycling alone doesn't bother me - I have done plenty of cycling on family holidays on my own.
Carry my own puncture repair kit and pump, should I puncture.

Not sure why you decided to try and rip my suggestion apart, its a perfectly good one if you are prepared to do things on your own, and don't necessarily want everything on a plate, and one which anybody could at least consider.

Anyway, each to their own, saves me a few hundred quid and a get to experience the fantastic cycling roads and scenery of Mallorca.

I'm not trying to 'rip your suggestion apart'!

Simply pointing out some of the drawbacks of doing it that way for anyone who's not done this kind of trip before.

And that by the time you add in the extras, (such as car hire), it isn't quite so cheap anymore.

But if you're going with family/friends, then clearly it makes more sense to go down this road. But I do think that some people underestimate the work that goes into organising a successful cycling company.

(I'm booked with Stuart Hall in Majorca for early March, £400 all in for 10 days).

eric_draven

Thanks for your response folks,was looking for a company that was a bicycle specific,have done quite a few MTB holidays in the alps off my own back with friends and stayed with companies,but since first time to Spain and going over easter and going solo,thought it would be better to use a bike specific company

pedro-paul

My cycling friends and I go out Mallorca in march , arranging my own things , I we stay in Can,pastillia just 5 mins from the airport , 2 Euros on the bus to resort , and stay in a 3 star hotel for £40.00 per night HB sharing on the sea front , pre book and hire bikes from a shop there , the whole thing can be done quiet cheaply and easily , of course you haven't got the back up of the large cycle camps but most of the time your on the road . Bit of a long ride just to get to la calobra on the northern side of the island though , Porto de soller is a nice ride from there though.

bernithebiker

pedro-paul wrote:

My cycling friends and I go out Mallorca in march , arranging my own things , I we stay in Can,pastillia just 5 mins from the airport , 2 Euros on the bus to resort , and stay in a 3 star hotel for £40.00 per night HB sharing on the sea front , pre book and hire bikes from a shop there , the whole thing can be done quiet cheaply and easily , of course you haven't got the back up of the large cycle camps but most of the time your on the road . Bit of a long ride just to get to la calobra on the northern side of the island though , Porto de soller is a nice ride from there though.

That's a great way to keep the costs down, but Can Pastilla, like you say, isn't very well positioned for the best rides, and it's somewhat aesthetically challenged!

Why not stay to the West of Palma, Illetes or Palmanova? Should be almost as cheap and you have a better launch pad for the hills.

4kicks

Because the roads out from there are narrow with lots of traffic and youre a long way from anything interesting to climb. Ive always found it curious why British cyclists base themselves in Puerto Pollenca - apart from the - crazy busy- route to the Faro you have to do the same first 20/last 20 kms as you can only really head south. If it were me, Id base myself in Binissalem, Consell or Santa Maria. Sorted.

pedro-paul

Hi guys ,
yes you are correct we stay at the wrong end of the island really for the big stuff but I have familly in Calvia near palma , so thats the reason for it , but ther are some great rides near by but you do have to ride though Binissalem, Consell and Santa Maria to get to the big stuff ( and were part knakered by the time we get to the well known petrol station at Llucc ).
West of palma is good to calvia and the surounding mountains leading to dela and soller are good.

By the way palma nova/ Magaluf completely closes in the winter !

durhamwasp

Ive stayed in Santa Ponca once, and I would say it is just say doable for the hills, but probably on the maximum of distance you would want to be away.

Som10

Next spring I want to go to Barcelona with friends and we are interested in this bicycle route: http://www.laextrema.es/ciclovolta-catalunya/
4 stages - 500Kms - 14 climbs. 1st to May 4th
Very interesting!

milleman

Booked with saddle skedaddle to do their new Bilbao to Barcelona trip, looks a great 10 day route.

Been with them before and they do look after clients very well.

slowbike

milleman wrote:

Booked with saddle skedaddle to do their new Bilbao to Barcelona trip, looks a great 10 day route.

Been with them before and they do look after clients very well.

Glad to hear that - they've been great so far on the pre-holiday organisation for us - including moving the first evening meal back a day as we arrive late in the evening so can't benefit from it.

milleman

Which trip are you doing Slowbike?

slowbike

Self guided around Sardinia ..:)

Som10

milleman wrote:

Booked with saddle skedaddle to do their new Bilbao to Barcelona trip, looks a great 10 day route.

Been with them before and they do look after clients very well.

Thanks for the information Milleman, but the dates are not good for us and the price is excessive. We have Spanish friends who have spoken very well about LaExtrema road cycling tours: www.laextrema.es. Good deal, good food and wonderful routes.

milleman

Enjoy your trip to Sardinia, Slowbike. I did the Sardinia guided trip two years ago-lovely island.