Sa Calobra? This year? Go on!

tramuntanacycling
tramuntanacycling Posts: 67
edited January 2015 in Road general
A gallery of Sa Calobra pics to wet your appetite https://www.tramuntanacycling.com/en/sa-calobra-gallery

Hope you enjoy the pics.

We had good day there yesterday, 18°C at the bottom, 13°C at the top. No wind, bright and sunny. With that awesome Mallorca blue sky. Brilliant!

Are you on it this year? When?

Comments

  • Dippydog3
    Dippydog3 Posts: 414
    tramuntanacycling wrote:
    A gallery of Sa Calobra pics to wet your appetite https://www.tramuntanacycling.com/en/sa-calobra-gallery

    Hope you enjoy the pics.

    We had good day there yesterday, 18°C at the bottom, 13°C at the top. No wind, bright and sunny. With that awesome Mallorca blue sky. Brilliant!

    Are you on it this year? When?
    Great site. Love the videos.

    We are there in a couple of weeks. Some good new routes for me.
  • neal1984
    neal1984 Posts: 240
    I bailed last year as I wasn't anywhere near fit enough. I waited for some friends at the cafe by the archway. I'm going back with unfinished business this year in May. Trouble is I have very little time to train this year but I am hoping to drag myself up.

    Life is like riding a bicycle: you don't fall off unless you stop pedaling.


    Scott Foil Team Issue HMX Di2
    Boardman Team Carbon LTD
  • tramuntanacycling
    tramuntanacycling Posts: 67
    Neal1984 wrote:
    I bailed last year as I wasn't anywhere near fit enough. I waited for some friends at the cafe by the archway. I'm going back with unfinished business this year in May. Trouble is I have very little time to train this year but I am hoping to drag myself up.

    Good luck, hope you manage it. I heard a rider the other day at the bottom saying to his mate "start slow and taper off!" makes sense the first time to just get a comfortable rhythm and enjoy an iconic climb.
  • rc856
    rc856 Posts: 1,144
    Did it for the first time last year on our club trip.
    Actually found the descent quite mentally taxing at the start as there are a lot of tight bends.
    Nice bit of lunch with fantastic views before starting the climb.

    Within the first couple of kms I wasn't enjoying it, knowing this was the only way out!
    Got into a wee group and we got into a tempo and I enjoyed it the higher up we got.

    Glad to have it ticked off :)
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    I've posted this link before, but it's so good why not twice?

    A great way to learn the descent and the bends.

    http://vimeo.com/110609619
  • Paul Stumpy FSR
    Paul Stumpy FSR Posts: 59
    thats bringing back some great memories from October when we did it. was 28degC at the bottom. really hot for it but glad i dragged myself up it.
    Looks alot quieter than when we did it mind.
    hoping to go back in October again!
  • rodgers73
    rodgers73 Posts: 2,626
    I've done it twice now, in 2013 and 2014. I'm back there again in May but hoping to do the 320km circumnavigation of the island and I think including SC in that ride might be a bit daft. It's a lot of fun though!
  • Bar Shaker
    Bar Shaker Posts: 2,313
    I'm there in May with Neal. First time for me too.
    Boardman Elite SLR 9.2S
    Boardman FS Pro
  • rudivoller22
    rudivoller22 Posts: 492
    Few of us going out for the first time in April and this is definitely on my to do list. Can't wait!
  • tramuntanacycling
    tramuntanacycling Posts: 67
    rodgers73 wrote:
    I've done it twice now, in 2013 and 2014. I'm back there again in May but hoping to do the 320km circumnavigation of the island and I think including SC in that ride might be a bit daft. It's a lot of fun though!

    Whew, the circumnavigation is long enough without adding SC!

    Have you thought of doing the Mallorca 312 sportive? Well organised, but with the 14 hr deadline there is less time for all the views, but with the added pull of loads of determined cyclists its an excellent day for the memory bank.
  • pippi_langsamer-2
    pippi_langsamer-2 Posts: 1,470
    I'd agree, the descent is almost as taxing as the ascent :lol:
  • rodgers73
    rodgers73 Posts: 2,626
    tramuntanacycling wrote:
    rodgers73 wrote:
    I've done it twice now, in 2013 and 2014. I'm back there again in May but hoping to do the 320km circumnavigation of the island and I think including SC in that ride might be a bit daft. It's a lot of fun though!

    Whew, the circumnavigation is long enough without adding SC!

    Have you thought of doing the Mallorca 312 sportive? Well organised, but with the 14 hr deadline there is less time for all the views, but with the added pull of loads of determined cyclists its an excellent day for the memory bank.

    I'm going to do the sportive route (if possible) but I'm restricted by family as to when I can go out there so wont be taking part.
  • t4tomo
    t4tomo Posts: 2,643
    bernithebiker wrote:
    I've posted this link before, but it's so good why not twice?

    A great way to learn the descent and the bends.

    http://vimeo.com/110609619

    They are on skate boards, they can't spell and the sound track is shocking.

    That apart thanks for posting :D
    How long did it take them to scoot back up?

    On the list for this years lads Mallorca trip.
    Bianchi Infinito CV
    Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Ultegra
    Brompton S Type
    Carrera Vengeance Ultimate Ltd
    Gary Fisher Aquila '98
    Front half of a Viking Saratoga Tandem
  • tramuntanacycling
    tramuntanacycling Posts: 67
    Pro teams are all over Sa Calobra and Col dels Reis climbs at the moment - if you listen carefully you can hear the anguished cries of Strava users being pushed down the rankings!
  • Tjgoodhew
    Tjgoodhew Posts: 628
    How does it compare to Puig Major ?

    Went up that for the first time in September with the intention of doing Sa Calobra after. I had the start of man flu and bottled it and chose to ride home.

    Regret that decision now :(
    Cannondale Caad8
    Canyon Aeroad 8.0

    http://www.strava.com/athletes/goodhewt
  • tramuntanacycling
    tramuntanacycling Posts: 67
    Tjgoodhew wrote:
    How does it compare to Puig Major ?

    Went up that for the first time in September with the intention of doing Sa Calobra after. I had the start of man flu and bottled it and chose to ride home.

    Regret that decision now :(

    Its not always easy to fit in all the routes we want, hopefully you can do more in the future.

    There are 2 sides to Puig Major - the easier is from the Sa Calobra / Lluc side. As you have already done most of the climbing by the time you reach the aquaduct, its not difficult to carry on. The more difficult way is from Soller. This is 14km long.

    How do Sa Calobra and Puig Major from Soller compare? Sa Calobra has many more hairpins and longer steeper sections but is just 10km long. It is more scenic and harder to get a permanent rhythm going because of the corners and changes in gradient. Puig Major is easier to get into a rhythm but is longer.

    Remembering that to get down to Sa Calobra you first have to climb Col dels Reis, so there is not a huge difference in height gained between the 2 routes once you have finished.

    On the descents, the one into Soller goes on forever and you can get a good speed up. Sa Calobra is difficult to go quickly, is much more technical but has the benefit of dropping almost 700m in 10km via 20 odd hairpin bends.

    https://www.tramuntanacycling.com/en/cl ... rom-soller
    https://www.tramuntanacycling.com/en/cl ... -from-lluc

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