Cycling in Gran Canaria

CianDwyer

I will be going to Gran Canaria from the 18th of December until the 5th of January, and hope to get a good bit of training done while im over there.
Will anyone be out there around that time, or can reccomend a group that would be at a fairly high standard

meercat

http://www.cyclegrancanaria.com/

dont know if this suits you but raymond leddy is top man.its a great island for cycling

D33

Sorry to hijack but would be interested to hear how you get on in Gran Canaria.

Due to exams in March I'll miss most of the Winter training camps and am thinking of heading out for a 4/5 day (low-budget) intensive, hilly training camp myself (approval pending:) in GC in April, as I need climbs of 2k metres plus for a big event coming up in June. I'm hoping to not have to go with a travel-provider to keep costs down :eek:

Would be interested to hear about how you get on re renting or bring your own bike, where best to stay, is it a must to have a car if you bring a bike box or can you get away with public transport / taxis, what are the best / longest climbs etc.

Cheers & enjoy!!

Arthurdaly

I was in gran canaria a few years ago, I was based in maspalomas and found it a real good base to hit all the major routes. Free motion or leddy might be an option in terms of getting a good training group. Make sure you do the vott, toughest climb I've done by a long way!!

1bryan

was out there last week. Fantastic island for cycling. With the upsurge in the local economy the roads have largely all been resurfaced in the past 2 years so its much better than when I first went out around 10 years ago.

The suggestions made about cyclegrancanaria and Free Motion involve you having to pay to cycle with people. Free Motion, in particular, require you to sign a lengthy contract, and pay them around 17 quid for one of their spins. Ray in CGC seems to be running more of a Tour de Gran Canaria type thing that circles the island, staying in different locations, etc. The standard of these spins would be pretty mixed and at the top end, wouldn't be all that hot.

I'd suggest popping into Free Motion (Playa del Ingles) in the first couple of days you arrive. They have a route map they sell for 5/6 euro, which is excellent. It shows each of the different routes in detail, including gradients, etc.

If you've more specific questions, fire away and I'll help if I can, but when you're over there, particularly after xmas, there'll be a lot of folks on the road. Seems a lot of Italians and British out there at the moment. No different than cycling here, you'll meet up with folks.

ryan_sherlock

Only bad thing about GC... you'll never want to train anywhere else.

For rides - look into my training in January/February each year on Strava - tons of routes/rides you can copy and I usually leave comments etc. I'm actually there at the moment. (https://www.strava.com/athletes/8492)

If you are in the mountains, don't be expecting high average speeds, the climbs are hard and the descents can be technical enough (i.e. not that fast) - mega place

Enduro

ryan_sherlock wrote: »

Only bad thing about GC... you'll never want to train anywhere else.

For rides - look into my training in January/February each year on Strava - tons of routes/rides you can copy and I usually leave comments etc. I'm actually there at the moment. (https://www.strava.com/athletes/8492)

If you are in the mountains, don't be expecting high average speeds, the climbs are hard and the descents can be technical enough (i.e. not that fast) - mega place

Ah feck! If I knew you'd be there I might have scheduled my upcoming trip to be GC rather than Tenerife.

Some really good MTBing out there too I believe. Robin is a big fan of the place. Ran down a few trails which would have been awesome on the bike.

Ryath

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL0rbxB9Lqg

Some good routes here!

CianDwyer

Thanks Ryan ,
I'll have a look at your Strava there .
Iv been to Tenerife a few times but never GC. Iv heard that alright , looking forward to escaping this weather if nothing else. Might see you on the road some day !

no1murray

Dwyer I'm gonna crush your dreams on that island.

CianDwyer

Murray your such a troll I can't even escape you on boards . Get a real job

lazywhole

I hope to go over here in the new year. Can anyone recommend any accomadation ?

Hotels or apartments please

1bryan

lazywhole wrote: »

I hope to go over here in the new year. Can anyone recommend any accomadation ?

Hotels or apartments please

just go to one of the resorts. Theres no shortage of options in those places. For a cycling trip, get somewhere not that fancy (apartment-type accomodation) that won't mind you dragging the bike in and out.

I always stay in Maspalomas. Its a quieter area, popular with old folks, but lots of cyclists base themselves there. Its the southeast corner of the island and is in good proximity to most of the good routes.

HardyEustace

Hi guys,
apologies for thread hijack.

Will be staying in the Cordial Green apartments in Maspalomas in a week or two.

Just wondering how people got transport from airport? We'll have a bike box each.

Did people hire a car or use resort hoppa or another alternative?

Thanks

1bryan

HardyEustace wrote: »

Hi guys,
apologies for thread hijack.

Will be staying in the Cordial Green apartments in Maspalomas in a week or two.

Just wondering how people got transport from airport? We'll have a bike box each.

Did people hire a car or use resort hoppa or another alternative?

Thanks

A car, definitely. I think its well worth getting one. A taxi to Maspalomas might cost 30/40 quid each way. A car big enough for 2 bikes will cost ~170 quid for the week. And, you'll have the use of it the rest of the time you're there. The Cordial Green Golf is in the Campo International area. Its well located but you'll still be relying a good bit on taxis to get around.

I use this crowd - http://www.cicar.com/ - they're an idigenous Canary Islands company. Really great crowd to deal with. If you opt for a car, be sure to mention the bikes when you're collecting it and they will make sure you have something big enough.

Fian

HardyEustace wrote: »

Hi guys,
apologies for thread hijack.

Will be staying in the Cordial Green apartments in Maspalomas in a week or two.

Just wondering how people got transport from airport? We'll have a bike box each.

Did people hire a car or use resort hoppa or another alternative?

Thanks

There is a bus that leaves regularly from the airport directly to maspalomas, if you tell the driver where you are going he will let you out at the right spot. Tell him "campo international" or just cordial green golf. You will have a bit of a walk but no more than 10 minutes or so. The buses seem to be synchronised with flight arrivals so grab your bags, ask for directions and head straight out. the buses leave from the car park outside the airport door. Bus is only a few euro.

I have stayed in Cordial Sandy golf (opposite side of road) a few times, they are nice places to stay. If you plan to hit the beach hire a crap bike to cycle down there. There is a cycle hire shop that hires out crappy bikes with baskets (which is what you want for the spin to beach /shops) in the FARO 2 shopping centre beside your complex. They will tempt nobody to steal them even left abandoned locked to railing at entry to beach all day.

You should check out Samsara restaurant near the beach and in the FARO 2 complex the best one is the first on your left in the inner ring - not the outer ring. Can't remember the name of it but you head past the supermarket into the inner ring and it is the first one on your left. There is another nice one nearby down by the roundabout which you pass heading towards the beach.
No need for a hire car, you have supermarket near you and the public transport is good. You can hire a small car pretty cheap if you want though - for not much more cost than a taxi to maspalomas and back. I guess if you are planning to drive to the start of cycle routes that would be helpful.

first time i went we got a taxi. Second time hired a car for about the same price (we were only staying 4/5 days), 2/3 times since it has been a bus.

I have hired a bike in free motion nearby a few times, but I have never brought my own. I have always gone with my wife as a break for the two of us, not as a cycling break. We always hire crappy bikes though to go on local cycles and back and forth to beach/restaurants etc.

The roads in the mountains are great. Some of the locals seem to be impatient with tourist cyclists on the coast road but nothing too bad.

HardyEustace

Thanks guys, I really appreciate all the info. I'm kind of tempted by the freedom a car offers and it's our first time to the island so would be nice to explore a bit.

Restaurant advice is very welcome! Nothing better than a nice meal after a day on the bike.

1bryan

HardyEustace wrote: »

Thanks guys, I really appreciate all the info. I'm kind of tempted by the freedom a car offers and it's our first time to the island so would be nice to explore a bit.

Restaurant advice is very welcome! Nothing better than a nice meal after a day on the bike.

Meloneras for the restaurants. Lots of options there. 5 mins from where you'll be staying, by car.

no1murray

HardyEustace wrote: »

Hi guys,
apologies for thread hijack.

Will be staying in the Cordial Green apartments in Maspalomas in a week or two.

Just wondering how people got transport from airport? We'll have a bike box each.

Did people hire a car or use resort hoppa or another alternative?

Thanks

There are bus company's that will sort you out. The original poster booked our bus. 120 euro 6 of us with 5 bikes to and from the airport. Book before you go. Taxis will cost you a fortune

Fian

1bryan wrote: »

Meloneras for the restaurants. Lots of options there. 5 mins from where you'll be staying, by car.

Generally more upmarket / expensive though. Though Samsara is not very cheap (excellent quality and value though.) If you do eat there be aware that one starter and one main is plenty between two people, they are intended to be shared.

Try the "dorado" local fish. Generally seafood is the way to go if eating out - most meat and veg have to be imported.