Cycling Holiday Options/Advice

Jim Stynes

Looking to head away at Easter 2015 for a holiday with the wife. I will be hoping to do some cycling while on the holiday. I am also looking to do the Marmotte or Etape next year, so this will be a good chance to get away and prepare on some good long climbs that we don't have in Ireland. I am a teacher so I can only go during the easter break, which is a pain in the ass as I will no doubt have to pay more money ffs.
Where is the best place to go then lads? Any advice for booking this sort of stuff?

I want somewhere that:
will be guaranteed good sunny weather.
That has some good long climbs.
a 4 or 5 star hotel with a nice pool and in a nice area.
Close to some cycling rental shops
And maybe somewhere that you can join groups to cycle with out there.

Cheers

jimd2

Ah come off it. A teacher complaining about holidays. I have heard it all now.

On the subject, this site might give you some ideas.


http://www.cycle-route.com/routes/England-Cycle-Routes-2.html

BGT

Mallorca, try Stephen Roche's cycling & holiday camp, stephenroche.com, great weather, lots of climbing, great routes, bike hire, a great experience.

Jim Stynes

BGT wrote: »

Mallorca, try Stephen Roche's cycling & holiday camp, stephenroche.com, great weather, lots of climbing, great routes, bike hire, a great experience.

Mallorca doesn't seem to be that warm in April. The wife is going so she will lying beside the pool sunbathing while I am away cycling for a few hours. Keep her happy!

snailsong

I went to Tenerife last february. It had all the above.

nak

Have stayed here a couple of times and love it; 4 star cycling hotel, amazing food, spa and if you drop your cycling clothes off after lunch they hand them back to you freshly laundered after dinner. Was warm enough in May, not sure about April.

http://m.belvederericcione.com/en/mobile/bike.html

Jim Stynes

snailsong wrote: »

I went to Tenerife last february. It had all the above.

Where did you stay?

Tenerife sounds like a perfect spot. Lots of diff flight options to it as well from Belfast or Dublin.

thekooman

Lanzarote, rented from http://revolutionlanzarote.com/
lots of nice climbs and good weather nearly always. 27 degrees last xmas.
http://www.strava.com/segments/621261
http://www.strava.com/segments/629679

Grassey

Jim Stynes wrote: »

Mallorca doesn't seem to be that warm in April. The wife is going so she will lying beside the pool sunbathing while I am away cycling for a few hours. Keep her happy!

I spent 2 weeks in mallorca start of april this year, temperatures were about 16 - 22. Perfect for cycling and wasting the day out beside the pool.

outfox

+1 on Tenerife. Warm there last March. Make sure you stay south side of island though (eg. Los Cristianos) as cloud can linger along the northern coast. Climbs up to Teide are longest uninterrupted climbs in Europe I think. Did a 43 km climb one day...

snailsong

Jim Stynes wrote: »

Where did you stay?

Tenerife sounds like a perfect spot. Lots of diff flight options to it as well from Belfast or Dublin.

We stayed in Puerto Santiago on the west coast but if we go again we'll stay on the south coast as the route options are a bit better from there. As outfox said there's great climbing, the biggest goes from sea level to 2400m over 43km but there's some other good climbs too. I recommend Masca. The Astana team were there training the day we went up. We rented bikes from Bike Point Tenerife. The flights are handy and the accommodation will be pretty cheap of you avoid school holidays and mid terms in Ireland and UK.
The drivers were super patient and courteous to cyclists, a nice change from home.

Donie75

+1 for Lanzarote or Puerto Del Carmen to be exact.
I've cycled there twice and it's got great mixed terrain and plenty of windy climbs.
Revolution Cycles were very good but you need to book in advance as most bikes have limited stocks. I got a nice new Spesh Tarmac Sport.
If I was going to do some serious cycling for over a week I would probably bring my own bike nex time.
The Fariones Hotel or Playa is a good option in a great location. Or you could look at the Princess Yaiza in Playa Blanca if you want to go 5 Star.

mossym

Donie75 wrote: »

+1 for Lanzarote or Puerto Del Carmen to be exact.
I've cycled there twice and it's got great mixed terrain and plenty of windy climbs.
Revolution Cycles were very good but you need to book in advance as most bikes have limited stocks. I got a nice new Spesh Tarmac Sport.
If I was going to do some serious cycling for over a week I would probably bring my own bike nex time.
The Fariones Hotel or Playa is a good option in a great location. Or you could look at the Princess Yaiza in Playa Blanca if you want to go 5 Star.

PDC in lanza would be my choice as well. some excellent routes all over the island. rented from renners bikes a couple of times at this stage and no complaints

gilleek2

Gran Canaria. Stay in Maspalomas/Meloneras and you've loads of options for quality climbs. In terms of difficulty of climbs Lanzarote isnt a patch on Gran Canaria. Arguably the hardest climb in Lanza (Femes) is short and you'll do it in a 39*25. The Valley of Tears in GC you'll struggle up parts of it on a compact with a 28 sprocket! GC is less open to the wind cos you're normally climbing up valleys.
If you stay in Mogan the Cordial Mogan Playa hotel has a bike shop on site, Freemotion that hire cannondales.can also recommend Cyclo Canaria.

Carawaystick

outfox wrote: »

Climbs up to Teide are longest uninterrupted climbs in Europe I think. Did a 43 km climb one day...

If Ireland is in Europe, then Tenerife is in Africa. And in Spain too;)