Cycling holiday

Chartsengrafs

I'm not sure if a service like this exists, but I'm hoping to get away for 5-7 days in early Summer in France / Iberia, Canaries possibly to do a bit of cycling. Does anyone know of any service providers who supply bikes etc and do tours? I'd be fairly reluctant to bring my road bike. I've Googled a good bit and most providers seem to cater for the 'leisure' end of things, but I'd like to do a bit of road training and to build up a bit of fitness etc. I'd be going alone because all my friends seem to be getting married this year And the special lady won't come!!

I'd currently do about 70k on a Saturday, and will be commuting to work from next week so expect to cycle a bit more. Thanks

IM0

As you have said most are geared towards the leisure end of things, if you want a more racier group/hard terrain you should go for a marmotte training trip or something similar, which goes through much harder terrain to prepare for mountains of the marmotte event in the Alps (does 3 huge cols and then finishes on alpe dhuez) there are a good few companies who do this sort of thing, probably only a few to half dozen English based ones though.

Macha

Went with these guys from Lisbon to Lagos in Portugal over 7 days.

Great guys, great service, amazing holiday.

We got hybrids but they also offer decent road bikes:

http://www.cycling-centuries.com/frontoffice/default.aspx

Sarunas

Was up in Tenerife end of Jan and rented bikes from http://www.tenerife-training.net/ . Nice bikes and no issues.

WakeyTyke

I know some Iberostar hotels are geared for cycling in Majorca, with good quality racing bikes provided and professional cyclists available on site. Plus Majorca is a great place to cycle

Chartsengrafs

Good stuff, thanks all. Taconnol- seems to be some offers that crowd have that could do just nicely.

dexty

http://www.velopeloton.com/

This guy's site seems good and he's from Navan, moved out there, he be's on here too,

also i seen a mate of mine looking the other day at Stephen Roche holidays in majorca i think http://www.stephenroche.com/index_US.html

worth checking out both
d

Macha

Basster wrote: »

Good stuff, thanks all. Taconnol- seems to be some offers that crowd have that could do just nicely.

Yeah, all the guided tours are so expensive - renting the bikes yourself is the only way to go, IMO.

You can get a GPS from them (or any other company I imagine) and they'll tell you best places to go, stop for lunch, etc.

blorg

I've cycled in Spain and Portugal and Spain is incomparably better. Portugal is a lovely country but drivers there behave like they have never seen a cyclist before. Spanish drivers behave like French ones, e.g. impeccably.

Bear in mind though that the Iberian peninsula in summer can be unbelievably hot, I have been cycling in up to 50 C with the road quite literally melting and sticking to the bike.

If you like the hills and going at that time I would tend to think Alps or Pyrenees which are really spectacular. Paddy from Velopeloton would be a very good bet.

Macha

blorg wrote: »

I've cycled in Spain and Portugal and Spain is incomparably better. Portugal is a lovely country but drivers there behave like they have never seen a cyclist before. Spanish drivers behave like French ones, e.g. impeccably.

Yes, Portuguese drivers are a bit mental. Where would you recommend in Spain? Not too many hills!

blorg wrote: »

Bear in mind though that the Iberian peninsula in summer can be unbelievably hot, I have been cycling in up to 50 C with the road quite literally melting and sticking to the bike.

Yeah, we went in early June but cycled morning and evening - about 3 hours spent waiting out the heat by the beach

blorg

taconnol wrote: »

Yes, Portuguese drivers are a bit mental. Where would you recommend in Spain? Not too many hills!

I would consider doing the Camino de Santiago, it is not without hills (you start by going over a small (1,000m) Col in the Pyrenees and there is a high point of 1,500m- but it is not crazy hilly either. Great experience. There is a coastal route I have also done which is a lot flatter but if I had to choose I'd recommend the traditional (Camino Frances) route.

We flew into Biarritz and out of Santiago.

Ryaner

I'm out in Spain with Vamos Cycling at the moment. Can't recommend them enough. Trip so far has been amazing. The place is a little hilly - our "recovery ride" had 800m of climbing, but you can take it easy. Scenery is amazing as are most of the roads.

They do seem to cater for both leisure cycling right up to full on hill training and everything in between.

Chris Peak

If you're going to Brittany, this company was great I found.
http://www.bretonbikes.com/routes97.htm

They prefer to supply the bikes, in case of repairs. But, there's nothing to stop you bringing your own. Here's the equipment they supply, not sure how it suits you. http://www.bretonbikes.com/equipmen.htm
And here are some or the routes http://www.bretonbikes.com/routes97.htm


If that's too easy for you, give Paddy from Velopeloton a call as Blorg already mentioned