Mallorca tolos bar rides

thetoecutter

Hi All,
I am planning on heading out to Mallorca with the wife in March for a short trip - 3 days.
I have read on the Mallorca bike hire site that rides run by the local ex-pats go from Tolos Bar in Puerta Pollenca "most mornings". Has anyone tried these and if so, could they tell me anything about them? We would like to ride in a group, but not sure if these rides go every day and what standard they are. Neither of us are racers, just pretty average sportive riders.
Not sure whether to try this and pick up rides on spec; or to go on an organised tour.
Any advice greatly appreciated

sloppyschleckonds

Just pick up a map at the airport and head out through the cycle lanes/ routes.

thetoecutter

Yes, could do that, but we would prefer to ride in a group. I have heard about the rides from Tolos Bar in Puerto Pollensa and wondered if anyone had any experience of them. In particular, do they go every day and what sort of standard are they?
Basically, only there for 3 days, so going on an organised tour is a bit difficult to book as most seem to be for a week.

svetty

They vary a bit depending on who's out. When I have joined them they have been 50 odd miles at 16mph or so.

Bruce at Procyclehire has a group out most mornings in the season from the shop in Port de Pollensa. This is slightly faster IME but again depends on who's riding.

thetoecutter

Thanks Svetty, that's really useful to know. Didn't know about the procyclehire group, so that's another option to look at.
Do you know if you can just turn up and ride or is it better to go to Tolos the night before and make contact? We will be arriving late-ish at night and don't really want to miss the first day because we don't know how to make contact with them. I am presuming that you visit procycle hire to get on their rides.

svetty

thetoecutter wrote:

Thanks Svetty, that's really useful to know. Didn't know about the procyclehire group, so that's another option to look at.
Do you know if you can just turn up and ride or is it better to go to Tolos the night before and make contact? We will be arriving late-ish at night and don't really want to miss the first day because we don't know how to make contact with them. I am presuming that you visit procycle hire to get on their rides.

Just turn up and look friendly

sloppyschleckonds

Rock up at the cafe, order a cortado and go from there

thetoecutter

Thanks for all the help
Hotel booked, flight booked - really looking forward to it.
Just need the wife to decide if she wants to hire a Pinarello or a Ridley!

nellie72

Hi thetoecutter. Interested to know how you got on with this or any other group rides from Pollensa?

I am heading there again at the end of May for the 4th year running (love it). I normally ride alone but fancy tagging along with others for a few days on this trip.

joe_totale-2

If the rides finish at Tolos then I can highly recommend refuelling with their club sandwich or croque monsieur.

Thigh_burn

nellie72 wrote:

Hi thetoecutter. Interested to know how you got on with this or any other group rides from Pollensa?

I am heading there again at the end of May for the 4th year running (love it). I normally ride alone but fancy tagging along with others for a few days on this trip.

What's it like riding alone out there? I was considering it as my first foray oversees.

pblakeney

Thigh_burn wrote:

nellie72 wrote:

Hi thetoecutter. Interested to know how you got on with this or any other group rides from Pollensa?

I am heading there again at the end of May for the 4th year running (love it). I normally ride alone but fancy tagging along with others for a few days on this trip.

What's it like riding alone out there? I was considering it as my first foray oversees.

Piece of cake. There are a multitude of easy to find routes and you will no doubt end up cycling with someone at a similar pace as it is that busy.
In fact, trying to be alone will be the bigger challenge.

Thigh_burn

PBlakeney wrote:

Piece of cake. There are a multitude of easy to find routes and you will no doubt end up cycling with someone at a similar pace as it is that busy.
In fact, trying to be alone will be the bigger challenge.

Thanks, good to hear.

nellie72

Thought I’d provide an update for those interested (I’m writing this from the beach in Pollenca )

I turned up at Tolos on my second day of the holiday this week. There was a small crowd gathering of it turns out ex pats and holiday makers. On the whole everyone was pretty friendly.

We set off in a group of 8 or 9 at a pretty slow pace (13-14mph average). It was nice riding on quiet roads that I’d not been on before but the pace was too pedestrian for me. A nice coffee and cake stop in Caimari - again local knowledge helped here. It was awkward when two of the elder ex pat members of the group had a full on squabble over a messed up coffee order. For the return home myself and two others split from the group and came back via Lluc and the Col de Femenia.

The next day I cycled with one chap I’d met there but the group didn’t show.

As others have said, I think it really depends on who turns up on the day as to what sort of ride it’s going to be.

The final two days I cycled alone which also suits me just fine.

Looking forward to next year already.