Mallorca road trip - ideas and advice please

Posted by: iainc

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decent hire road bikes

we hired from here, great to deal with, but then we were hiring MTBs!

https://www.bikeislandmallorca.com/en/bike-rental/

Well you have the best town to base yourself, first day a wee run up to the lighthouse would be good at Cap de For mentor but you need to warm the legs up before you hit the first hill, nothing too bad but just as you head out of the town, in the afternoon a wee run up to Pollensa to enjoy a beer and pizza at one of the many squares

The only thing I ever took was pedals and a chain tool Allen keys never needed to take a saddle, a lot of faffing about 

Keep the long day to Soller or Sa Calobra middle of the trip on a good day for weather, I wouldn't if rain was forecast

I'm heading out next Month Iain. I'll let you know what I learn.

FWIW we're staying near Palma as feedback from mates suggests the north side of the island is a bit over-run with cyclists. However, if I enjoy this trip I'd certainly be interested in heading up that way in the future. 

Just back from a weekend road biking in Pollensa. Great laugh but weather was awful. 

One of the guys was on an ebike and struggled once the motor cut out at 26kph or so, but we were going for a relaxed rather than full gas trip. We hired from Mallorca Bike Hire who are originally from Sheffield. Decent bikes (Scott Addict with Di2) and not too spendy.

Loads of places to stay and some good restaurants, but in Mid March not everything is open. We stayed at Duva and had an apartment between 4 of us.

Girona gravel riding trip coming up in a few weeks. Can't wait.

I'm heading out next Month Iain. I'll let you know what I learn.

FWIW we're staying near Palma as feedback from mates suggests the north side of the island is a bit over-run with cyclists. However, if I enjoy this trip I'd certainly be interested in heading up that way in the future. 

great feedback so far, looking forward to hearing about the trip Colin

March may be cold and wet, or might be nice. I'd probably push it back to April if possible. Mallorca bike shuttle do a great bus from pollenca to andratx with a bike trailer, so you can return on a lovely long west coast road day, highly recommended. hilly! Heading to the east is quieter and flatter. The road surfaces are lovely in the main, but some of the lesser used mountain roads can be a bit rough. We stayed twice at the sport hotel hoposa villaconcha, using their apartments but with breakfast (amazing) and a great bike garage.

Only advice I can add is to do the Sa Colabra ride early morning before the coaches start crawling up and down the road. It kills both the climbing rhythm and the downhill buzz to be waiting for dozens of  coach drivers to negotiate the tight switchbacks....

Edit:same advice applies to Cap Formentor ride as well though that's just traffic volume...

We've just got back. Stayed at https://www.duva-pollensa.com/ and hired bikes from https://www.pinarelloexperience.com/. Going back with the club in 2 weeks and we'll be staying at Bahia Pollenca. We've previously stayed at the Hotel Sis Pins which was great, but they are currently closed for refurb. The Pinarellos were great, but we did slightly regret not renting Madones from https://www.bikeexperiencemallorca.com/en who we used before - they just look so cool 😁

Obviously it was mid-March, it wasn't particularly warm and there was quite a bit of rain which we mostly managed to dodge. Didn't quite have the right gear as we were doing it on the cheap with £15 Easyjet flights and had to manage with just an underseat bag. At that time of year you'll probably find a hire car cheaper than a transfer - we got 5 days in a Fiat 500 for £15.39.

<Edit>I don't really want the website previews, just a link. How do I stop it doing that?</edit>

Thanks, it’s easy to slide back to April, or even early May, when would folks think is optimum ? 

Don't get me wrong, we had a brilliant 3 days riding. If we weren't being such cheapskates with the luggage we'd have been absolutely fine, and there are advantages to going in March - flights are much cheaper, there's the above-mentioned hire car prices, the restaurants aren't crowded (although not all are open), you get the bike of your choice and there are no queues at bike pickup, the roads are really quiet - we saw maybe 3 cars on the Cap Formentor ride.

Mid April was perfect 2 years ago. Pollensa Park and Spa was all inclusive, pool and bike storage, but most of us kept the bikes in their rooms. Hotel and food were great.

I'm also back there in 2 weeks time so I can update you then. There are a lot of cyclists in the north but never so much that it spoiled things. I did feel sorry for the locals, but it is good for their business.

Crewlie, I knew you had local knowledge, and you’re in our group for next year too - you may be the event manager … 😁

This is a brilliant hotel. Bike hire on site and a secure bike store. Nice rooms and a proper swimming pool if you're that way inclined as well as a leisure pool.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Lq1RZKjkk8qHurBb6

Edit - no idea why that link is in German.

You need to visit Tollos restaurant, it's like a locals cycling clubhouse. 

I think most of the other good advice is covered above. Ooh, apart from stop at the orange man open air cafe near the top of the Sa Colobra on the day you ride that. The coffee and orange cake is awesome. 

Few of us went couple of years ago, hired a beautiful apartment right on the beach, next to restaurants etc, can’t remember what it was called, but got it through airbnb, reasonable price too.

Used Mallorca cycle shuttle for transfer to anthrax for outstanding ride along the coast road.

Caimari to lluc is my favourite hill on a road bike, Sa Calobra might be worth just stopping at the top for the well earned orange juice and catch the view but flying down just to come straight back up again might just knacker some of the group although the ride back to Pollensa is great with some fast bends to take care, mind  insurance for everyone 

I think Soller might be too tough unless you get shuttled down as there is a cracking climb to get home

I'm off to Cala St Vicente in Sept staying at los pinos 3 * apartments with a pool and 200 yards to the sea £75 a night, in Scotland you can sleep in a converted single garage air b+b and still pay more

If you like  coffee and cake La Mar Dolca in Pollenca

second the weather comments, push into April if you can.

Saying that I prefer going in the autumn, the summer warmth still kicking around and I have summer miles in the legs so I dont endup blowing out my arse all the time.

Sa Calobra might be worth just stopping at the top for the well earned orange juice and catch the view but flying down just to come straight back up again might just knacker some of the group

This is true. Before you get to the top of Sa Calobra from Puerto Pollenca you will already have climbed either Col de Femenia or the Col de Sa Batalla, neither of which are insignificant climbs.

I've just got back from 11 days with Stuart Hall Cycling Holidays. Based in Port Pollenca at a great hotel with pools, spa and superb food. Guided rides were excellent, although weather was not as good as hoped for. Took my own bike but many were on rentals. 

I can't wait to get back there!

Mallorca bike shuttle do a great bus from pollenca to andratx with a bike trailer, so you can return on a lovely long west coast road day, highly recommended. hilly!

Yep it's a great ride that one. Sa calobra is fun, the light house is best done early or late as gets very busy with cars . Up SaBatella and down Femenia is probably the best 50km ride I have ever done 

Have stayed at Apart hotel Duva which is basic but good. Bike storage is good and you have a little kitchen which means you can make own food if want. Have also stayed at Pollensa Park too, it's a bit plusher, rooms smaller but again all good, good bike storage. 

I have always done best and breakfast, eat your own body weight at the breakfast buffet, then go for a stroll into town in evening, loads of nice places to eat and prices reasonable.

Have hired bikes from procyclehire who have been very good, send them basic dimensions before hand and it's pretty much ready to go, didn't take own saddle first year..not made that mistake again, take own pedals too as I am weird and use time attac MTB on road. All swapped out with no fuss.

Loads of bike hire places, Pollensa Park have own bike hire service which was fancy Basso bikes last year.

Sa Calobra might be worth just stopping at the top for the well earned orange juice and catch the view but flying down just to come straight back up again might just knacker some of the group

IMO Sa Calobra, it's too good to miss #rightofpassage 😉 😆 

Temperature wise,I think April is best if the weather behaves, past years we have been caught in thunderstorms ,not nice on Majorca roads.

Minor point, and it might just be me but I have never had the brakes swapped around to UK style when hiring abroad- can others confirm if this is something that hire places will do? 

I will ask next time, if so. 

When I went a few years ago, one of the blokes on my trip had a hire bike from a shop that had different bikes with euro or UK brakes installed. He went back to swap bikes after day one because they'd given him a euro style one. 

We go every March, usually early and have generally had decent waether until last week which was changeable, couple of soakings but got out every day.

Prefer Palma end, some great climbing and loop options down that way but it's obviously a bigger day out if you're looking to tick off Sa Calobra where you'd be looking at the best part of a ton road trip. Good for a last day epic though!

Orient/Honor should be resurfaced for next year, believe it's scheduled for September. Have actively avoided it in recent years but went up last week out of interest, rough AF near the top but will be a fantastic climb/descent once it's all sorted.

Posted by: duggan

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Minor point, and it might just be me but I have never had the brakes swapped around to UK style when hiring abroad- can others confirm if this is something that hire places will do? 

I will ask next time, if so. 

Place I hired from had some bikes with Euro brake set up and some with UK, best with where you hire from in advance.  I can't imagine shops will faff around swapping brakes, it's not quite as simple as SRAM MTB levers (would require faffing with bar tape, cutting hoses, new olives and barbs, bleeding etc etc).

Almost all the Pinarello Experience bikes are UK style brakes. The other companies I've used have both and you just specify at the time of booking.

Posted by: razorrazoo

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Posted by: duggan

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Minor point, and it might just be me but I have never had the brakes swapped around to UK style when hiring abroad- can others confirm if this is something that hire places will do? 

I will ask next time, if so. 

Place I hired from had some bikes with Euro brake set up and some with UK, best with where you hire from in advance.  I can't imagine shops will faff around swapping brakes, it's not quite as simple as SRAM MTB levers (would require faffing with bar tape, cutting hoses, new olives and barbs, bleeding etc etc).

 

 It's not so bad if they've used J-Kit hoses. 

If you're near Valdemossa a great wee workout of the heart and lungs would be a ride down to the port and back up again

Cracking spot when it's hot for a swim in the harbour and good food stop too

Minor point, and it might just be me but I have never had the brakes swapped around to UK style when hiring abroad- can others confirm if this is something that hire places will do? 

Pro cycle hire ask you in advance when you book it.

Posted by: redmex

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If you're near Valdemossa a great wee workout of the heart and lungs would be a ride down to the port and back up again

Finally rode that last year, interesting bit of road…almost as interesting as the Sobremunt 😬 

It won't be needed in April but if you go to Mallorca in any of the hot months June to Sept freeze your water bottle over night, July August is too hot for cycling 

Thanks everyone, lots of good ideas to help our planning. One of the group, as posted earlier, has been there before on a riding trip, and is heading out again soon, so logistics will have a head start. We will start booking stuff in May I think, for next April, just after Easter holiday price peak period.