Cycling in the algarve

joe14

I am heading to the algarve in a months time, Anybody have any idea where I could hire a bike or even cycle routes,I only have a garmin edge 500 so wont be able to follow maps unfortunately.
Thanks

thejaguar

Not sure exactly what you're after, but definitely worth looking at mountain biking on Monchique. It's the highest peak in the Algarve (I think) and has loads of mountain bike trails.
If you have a look online there's a few places that rent bikes and do day trips etc.

thejaguar

Have a look on Trip Advisor at 'The Mountain Bike Adventure Day Tours' - it gets good reviews and should give you an idea what they're about.

I was hoping to do it myself when I was in the Algarve a couple of years ago but didn't get the time. A friend of mine recommended it.

joe14

thejaguar wrote: »

Not sure exactly what you're after, but definitely worth looking at mountain biking on Monchique. It's the highest peak in the Algarve (I think) and has loads of mountain bike trails.
If you have a look online there's a few places that rent bikes and do day trips etc.

How high is the peak, Mountain biking is something I would also consider, Cheers

joe14

thejaguar wrote: »

Have a look on Trip Advisor at 'The Mountain Bike Adventure Day Tours' - it gets good reviews and should give you an idea what they're about.

I was hoping to do it myself when I was in the Algarve a couple of years ago but didn't get the time. A friend of mine recommended it.

Thanks I will also look at that

greenmat

Stayed in Lagos last year, great roads up to Montchique, about 600m climb, then go further to Foia which is a hair under 1000m. The road surfaces are great and practically empty, even met a local club on a Sunday morning who I joined in with. I hired a bike from an English lad, I'll dig up his contact details in a while. Very reasonable.

joe14

Greenmat-How far of a ride was it up to Montchique and to foia and back in kms, Im also staying near lagos

greenmat

joe14 wrote: »

Greenmat-How far of a ride was it up to Montchique and to foia and back in kms, Im also staying near lagos

79km, main road along coast is very busy and dangerous so best avoided, loads of other ways over to road to Montchigue. Montchique is a lovely little town half way up mountain, nice coffee stop before final push to Foia. There's a shop at top in Foia but was never open when I went because I was there before 9am mostly. Lower section of climb to Montchique is a very low gradiant so not bad at all, it ramps up a bit after on the way up to Foia. Don't miss it. Below is one of my rides to Foia on strava.

http://www.strava.com/activities/71139945

greenmat

joe14 wrote: »

Greenmat-How far of a ride was it up to Montchique and to foia and back in kms, Im also staying near lagos

Sorry it 96km, posted wrong ride.

http://www.strava.com/activities/71668333

Nuttzz

avoid the N125 road in the algrave, since they put tolls on the a22 motorway the volumes of traffic on this road are massive and the road surface is crap in places

greenmat

Nuttzz wrote: »

avoid the N125 road in the algrave, since they put tolls on the a22 motorway the volumes of traffic on this road are massive and the road surface is crap in places

I'd agree with that, but once off the N125 the roads are quiet with good surfaces.

greenmat

E-mail address of bike hire company I got bike from. A nice English guy, small operator, only has Aluminium bikes, Triban 3, basic but ok.

marilyna44@hotmail.com

Just foung this on-line, looks good.

https://www.swiftmomentumsports.com/racing-bike-hire-algarve/

kenmc

took my bike to Alvor 2 years ago, up to monchique a couple of times, also there's a nice route out to the hydroelectric reservoir at odiaxere. Looked into renting, but worked out cheaper to take my own bike out on the flight, least you know it and can trust it.

Great roads, good courteous drivers, lovely scenery and friendly locals. coffee is cheap as chips too, like 80c for an espresso. Plenty of other bikers around too.

Alvor and Lagos both lovely btw, alvor slightly more touristy. Superb seafood place on the seafront in Lagos, you'll know it by the queue outside in the evenings.

we got transfers from the airport to both alvor and lagos, 5 of us in a minivan, plenty of luggage space and room for the bike box (i was only cyclist - wife and inlaws alongside) Transfer was very reasonable, can't remember exactly but something like 30 per person return