So where were the rest of you?

bompington

Some of you clearly weren't on Mallorca last week.

But judging by the look of the place, not many - it really felt like every roadie in Europe had converged on the island. You could hardly move along the sea front for all the lycra-clad hordes, every other apartment balcony had been re-tasked as a bike park, you couldn't get a table at Tolo's unless you work for Sky and you name begins with Sir. (OK, the last one was a slight exaggeration)

Our first ride (Puerto Pollensa to Cap Formentor) confirmed what I had suspected, as we were overtaken by about a thousand riders (this is an estimate, but I don't think a particularly exaggerated one) and overtook about 3. Well, at least I did - Bompette, aged 15 and out for her first ever ride on a road bike, would tail overtakers up hills for a bit and sometimes re-pass them for a laugh.

But a week of riding a mixture of serious runs throught the hills (Cap as above, Col Femenia, Gorg Blau, Puig Major, Sa Calobra) and family cruises along the flatter roads, has definitely got me fitter. Sa Calobra was an amazing experience: if the name doesn't mean anything to you then look it up - you will want to ride it.

I would heartily recommend Mallorca for anyone wanting to go out and ride amazing roads, great scenery, good infrastructure (hiring decent road bikes is cheap and simple: we went with Rentmarch as they were a: cheap, b: close, and c: were the first place I found, after several attempts, that could provide everything from kids' trailer bikes to proper road bikes) and especially if you want to combine a relaxing family holiday with it.
Although I suspect that the majority would not like you calling it a holiday, they would prefer you to say "training camp" - my regular call of "wheeeeeeeeee" whenever anyone came zooming down past us as we flogged up the hills was almost invariably met with not the slightest flicker of recognition, just the maintaining of the stony stare ahead through the Oakleys.
It was certainly great to see a far younger age profile out on the road than you get round here.

For me personally, all this plus a new job which is within reasonable commuting distance, means things are looking up after a year or two of injury, illness, motorway commuting and sitting on my fat backside eating and getting fatter. It's even looking like I might not have to hitch a lift round the 3 pistes after all.


TLDR: Go somewhere nice and ride. Or at least just ride.

mikpem

I was there a week before, the guy at the rental place said it was the start of a mad 2 months for them before it gets too hot for people wanting to do any serious mileage.

I only had a bike for one day as it actually was a family holiday which accidentally happened to be in the best place for cycling at the best time.

I rode from Alcudia to Cap de Fermentor, round to Pollenca and back. I started off on my own but ended up joining a group of Germans who were going at my pace and were quite friendly. After seeing what it was like the OH has suggested that we look into going again so that I can have a couple more days on the bike

southdownswolf

Too many people over there for me. I decided to base my ride around the Col Du Beachyhead this weekend. There were still quite a few people out on bikes and also just about every Caterham ever built was using the loop as a test track.

whoof

I used to go early season but now choose the first week in September.
Quieter (although still plenty of cyclists about), the weather is better and the is sea is really warm for an after ride swim or semi-day off in Cala Sant Vicenc. Last year the weather was in the 30s every day which I find most agreeable.

t4tomo

whoof wrote:

I used to go early season but now choose the first week in September.
Quieter (although still plenty of cyclists about), the weather is better and the is sea is really warm for an after ride swim or semi-day off in Cala Sant Vicenc. Last year the weather was in the 30s every day which I find most agreeable.

wewnet in Septmenbr last year, combo of cycling and lounging around (as some non cyclists). road are quieter and the sea is warmer! Also dont we stay in Pollenca, based down in SW so hit he mountains from that side.

mrushton

Bit sad we are complaining about 'too many cyclists'. My irritation is all the germans with their uber-kit but I'll take them over trying to cycle on some British road with a numpty revving his poxy Saxo/316 behind me. we generate millions of Euros for Majorca and it's really appreciated.

bompington

mrushton wrote:

Bit sad we are complaining about 'too many cyclists'. My irritation is all the germans with their uber-kit but I'll take them over trying to cycle on some British road with a numpty revving his poxy Saxo/316 behind me. we generate millions of Euros for Majorca and it's really appreciated.

My sentiments entirely. Of course it's easy to laugh at, or be irritated by, some of the walking (or rolling) stereotypes you see - but I don't recall actually being inconvenienced, let alone annoyed, by any.
And certainly everyone we had dealings with seemed to appreciate the business - from the apartment owner to the guy juicing oranges at the Sa Calobra turning*, they were all raking it in during what would otherwise have been a pretty quiet period. And in return we were getting good value for money.

I certainly enjoy riding my local roads, where the scenery is also great, and I often don't see any other riders at all - but it was kind of fun to be in a week long sportive, and I would go back like a shot for the roads, the atmosphere, the scenery, the climbs, the lunches, all of it.
Mind you, the Pyrenees looked pretty amazing from the plane home...

*€3 for a glass which about 8 oranges went into. I would happily have paid 30 at that point, and the taste, combined with the environment and that great melded satisfaction/exhaustion feeling, means that it's possibly the best drink I have ever had, and I have absolutely no room left for snark.

sloppyschleckonds

Cycle early in the mornings or late afternoons and you'll avoid the plentiful dickheads.

Look for the more offbeat climbs, Pepperpots, Kanarienberg, Felanitx