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Group cycling in Gran Canaria

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  • 11-09-2014 5:55pm
    #1
    billyhead
    Registered Users Posts: 9,594 ✭✭✭


    Just wondering has anyone ever used this operator for winter training in the Gran Canaria and if so would you recommend them for a weeks training in the new year.

    www.cyclegrancanaria.com


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    #2
    cunavalos
    Registered Users Posts: 1,383 ✭✭✭cunavalos


    billyhead wrote: »
    Just wondering has anyone ever used this operator for winter training in the Gran Canaria and if so would you recommend them for a weeks training in the new year.

    www.cyclegrancanaria.com

    Not used them personally but have seen their groups around the island when i have been there and spoken to some of their clients who were happy with their service.

    The first question is what do you want to get out of the week and do they have groups that match your aims?

    Their is no point in flogging yourself to death in a group that is too advanced and likewise some groups literally just cruise around from coffee stop to coffee stop.


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    #3
    billyhead
    Registered Users Posts: 9,594 ✭✭✭billyhead


    cunavalos wrote: »
    Not used them personally but have seen their groups around the island when i have been there and spoken to some of their clients who were happy with their service.

    The first question is what do you want to get out of the week and do they have groups that match your aims?

    Their is no point in flogging yourself to death in a group that is too advanced and likewise some groups literally just cruise around from coffee stop to coffee stop.

    It will just be a weeks training over the winter (plan to go around January) in warm weather and better roads to keep the fitness up and to set as a base for the Spring and Summer if that makes sense. I only do sportives though and no racing.


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    #4
    ford2600
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,457 ✭✭✭ford2600


    billyhead wrote: »
    It will just be a weeks training over the winter (plan to go around January) in warm weather and better roads to keep the fitness up and to set as a base for the Spring and Summer if that makes sense. I only do sportives though and no racing.

    I rented a nice cannodale from
    http://www.free-motion.net/en/roadriding-bike-rental-gran-canaria
    last May, from there base in Puerto de Mogán. There shop was within hotel complex.

    I cycle solo a lot and don't see need for group, given numbers on road/bike shop/ghotel it'll be easy to fall in so to speak.

    Strava/mapmyride/basic map reading make route finding easy, it's a pretty easy place to navigate.

    Try the Valley of Tears for a handy settle in spin! http://www.strava.com/segments/633165?filter=overall

    You also get descents like this
    http://www.strava.com/segments/3686714?filter=overall

    Empty roads, great surface, hairpins = FUN enjoy


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    #5
    meercat
    Registered Users Posts: 4,730 ✭✭✭meercat


    ford2600 wrote: »
    I rented a nice cannodale from
    http://www.free-motion.net/en/roadriding-bike-rental-gran-canaria
    last May, from there base in Puerto de Mogán. There shop was within hotel complex.

    I cycle solo a lot and don't see need for group, given numbers on road/bike shop/ghotel it'll be easy to fall in so to speak.

    Strava/mapmyride/basic map reading make route finding easy, it's a pretty easy place to navigate.

    Try the Valley of Tears for a handy settle in spin! http://www.strava.com/segments/633165?filter=overall

    You also get descents like this
    http://www.strava.com/segments/3686714?filter=overall

    Empty roads, great surface, hairpins = FUN enjoy

    I did this too shamelessly using ford2600 strava routes. I enjoy cycling solo though so it suited me. Free motion were an excellent company. Cannondale synapse carbon was well set up for those hills.


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    #6
    lennymc
    Registered Users Posts: 6,458 ✭✭✭lennymc


    did the free motion bike hire with padjo5 a couple of years ago. Cracking Island to cycle on.


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    #7
    billyhead
    Registered Users Posts: 9,594 ✭✭✭billyhead


    What time of the year did you guys go. If you went in January or February was the weather decent i.e in the late teen, early 20 degrees and of course dry?


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    #8
    meercat
    Registered Users Posts: 4,730 ✭✭✭meercat


    billyhead wrote: »
    What time of the year did you guys go. If you went in January or February was the weather decent i.e in the late teen, early 20 degrees and of course dry?

    Went 1st week in June. Hot hot hot. Took ford2600s advise and was our at 7:30 each day.


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    #9
    cunavalos
    Registered Users Posts: 1,383 ✭✭✭cunavalos


    billyhead wrote: »
    What time of the year did you guys go. If you went in January or February was the weather decent i.e in the late teen, early 20 degrees and of course dry?

    Have been in December/January twice - high teens mid twenties, short sleeves and shorts all the way , can get a bit cooler in the mountains if cloudy , pack a gilet for the descents and you will be grand. Only saw 1 rain shower either time for 15 minutes max.

    It will get dark around 6pm in January.


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    #10
    lennymc
    Registered Users Posts: 6,458 ✭✭✭lennymc


    end of feb. it was nice, but cool at night. windy but lots of sunshine. Cloudy one day I think.


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    #11
    sann
    Registered Users Posts: 341 ✭✭sann


    First week in January 2014. Dealt with free motion. Great bunch to deal with. Great bikes. Had the supersix with ultegra. Amazing roads. Weather was perfect cycling weather. Maybe a little bit hot even on the day with did the summit route😅. Was mostly high teens temp wise. Did the tours with free motion but would just do bike rental next time as I would be fairly confident of the routes now. Enjoy!!


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    #12
    sann
    Registered Users Posts: 341 ✭✭sann


    First week in January 2014. Dealt with free motion. Great bunch to deal with. Great bikes. Had the supersix with ultegra. Amazing roads. Weather was perfect cycling weather. Maybe a little bit hot even on the day we did the summit route..!!. Was mostly high teens temp wise. Did the tours with free motion but would just do bike rental next time as I would be fairly confident of the routes now. Enjoy!!


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    #13
    spyderski
    Registered Users Posts: 1,270 ✭✭✭spyderski


    Cycle Gran Canaria is a great setup, run by an Irish fella, Ray Leddy. Can't recommend them highly enough. They'll organise bike hire at discounted rates through Free Motion.Weather in Jan should be early 20's, cool enough at night. I've been over there 20+ times, and once got a week in Jan where it rained for 3 days, but other than that no more than a few showers.

    A crowd of us are heading over first week Feb. IMO Gran Canaria is one of the best cycling destinations in Europe, if not the world. Fantastic climate, great road surfaces, beautiful scenery and lots & lots of climbs.

    The big peaks are as long & nearly as high as anything you'll find in the alps. Remember you will be starting from sea level (where most of the hotels etc. are) so a 1000m climb is a fair slog, so you'll need a reasonable level of fitness to get the best out of a trip.


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    #14
    lennymc
    Registered Users Posts: 6,458 ✭✭✭lennymc


    looking back - it was actually end of january/start of feb that i went. Lots and lots of climbing. I found one route that allowed me cover over 1000 metres in 25k. Try the valley of the tears. Spectacular scenery on the way up, the damns are amazing, and 1000 meters in 10k including 1.5 km of descending. I really want to go back. Maybe 2016.


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    #15
    Fian
    Registered Users Posts: 2,188 ✭✭✭Fian


    ford2600 wrote: »
    I rented a nice cannodale from
    http://www.free-motion.net/en/roadriding-bike-rental-gran-canaria
    last May, from there base in Puerto de Mogán. There shop was within hotel complex.

    I cycle solo a lot and don't see need for group, given numbers on road/bike shop/ghotel it'll be easy to fall in so to speak.

    Empty roads, great surface, hairpins = FUN enjoy

    I also rented a cannondale from them, though from their shop in meloneras, and then two crappy bikes from the car rental place next door to bring to the beach.

    Would highly recommend free-motion, would heartily recommend against the car rental place. The bikes they gave us were in bad nick, i had to ask for a pump before we took them to bring with us and one of them was punctured so it was soft by the time we got it back to where we were staying, I had spare tubes with me so i just changed it but still you expect more when you rent a bike.

    Roads there are fantastic, ridiculously good surface even as you climb into the mountains.

    Will return to Gran Canaria again next year tbh, making it third year in a row, though honestly it is the beaches/sun rather than the cycling that brings us there.


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    #16
    MB Lacey
    Registered Users Posts: 1,277 ✭✭✭MB Lacey


    spyderski wrote: »

    The big peaks are as long & nearly as high as anything you'll find in the alps. Remember you will be starting from sea level (where most of the hotels etc. are) so a 1000m climb is a fair slog, so you'll need a reasonable level of fitness to get the best out of a trip.

    Did you go with the medium (blue) group?
    The set up from their website looks amazing.


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