Hi All

Just booked a week cycling in Lanzarote and have a couple of questions.

We are hiring bikes but I was planning/hoping to take a mulitiool as you never know what would come with them – can these be taken in hand luggage or might it be assumed that I would hold up a plane with a T25?

I can ride 50 miles easily on a road bike though I see this as a ‘full day out’. Would anyone be able to recommend any specific training/etc (over and above many rides, maybe something a bit more structued) that I might be able to do to make it a bit more enjoyable/easier?

Thanks

I remember taking a multi tool on hand luggage a few year ago, instantly got pulled aside and said multi tool was taken off me (the reason being it had a flat headed screwdriver and this could be used as a weapon). If possible I would use hold for that sort of thing.

Sorry, can’t help you out with any of the other stuff

I was planning/hoping to take a mulitiool as you never know what would come with them – can these be taken in hand luggage or might it be assumed that I would hold up a plane with a T25?

I wouldn’t risk it. The airline might say it’s fine but then security might kick off. For the sake of booking a piece of hold baggage where you can put shoes, helmet, tools, pedals etc vs the chance that you might be there in security having stuff confiscated. No direct experience I’m afraid, I always take my own bike and everything goes in the bike box with it.

Would anyone be able to recommend any specific training/etc (over and above many rides, maybe something a bit more structued) that I might be able to do to make it a bit more enjoyable/easier?

When are you going? And do you have access to a turbo trainer?
The basics is simply to ride your bike but that rather depends on where you live, weather, how much spare time you have and so on – if it takes an hour of slogging through city traffic to get anywhere decent it’s rather less appealing to go and ride. Also if you’re going next week then nothing you do now will help at all!

Thanks – think we will give the multitool in the hand luggage a miss…

WE are going mid May so a bit of time yet. YEs I do have a turbo trainer set up but at a bit of a loss to what would be ‘worthwhile’ training rather than just spinning the legs. It seems as though there is so much advise out there that it is somewhat overwhelming

Simple option

Ride more

Slightly less simple

Ride but do most rides in zone 2. That’s a comfortable pace where you can talk fairly normally. Google it loads of advice

Then add some higher effort. Can be intervals on a turns. Could be once a week. Could 30 second sprints at the end of each ride

Google 80 20 training

As above, lots of Z2…don’t get too drawn into intensity unless you specifically need it (ie. you’ll be riding hard)

As above, decent length rides at Z2, with some bits of Z3 thrown in.

When I was getting fit for a tour a few years ago, I aimed to do 100km rides at a 4.30hr pace, and made sure I pushed myself on a few of the hills.

Nothing too scientific, just make sure you’re not redlining the whole ride 😉

Once you’re used to that kind of distance and pace then you can ride all day as long as you fuel and hydrate appropriately.

In the past, I used to change trainer difficulty in Zwift and other turbo apps to 100% as the outdoor season got closer, to get me more prepared for the effort needed on real hills.

With 8+ weeks until your Lanzarote hol, there’s no reason you couldn’t do an erg workout plan and get real gains before you go.

Evolution (Costa Teguise) give you a spare tube, pump and a multi tool attached to the bike if I recall correctly.

Would be surprised if the other hire places didn’t do similar.

Edit: if you’re on Zwift, the Gran Fondo training plan is not too onerous (weekly time wise), and 8 weeks long.

Lanzarote isn’t that big, just be prepared for wind, and make sure you use sun screen. Climbs aren’t ridiculously steep, but make sure you’ve got a few longer rides in before going.

I’ve signed up for the Mad Manc in May – 203km and 3000m of climbing. I can do 8 hour days on the MTB back packing, so not too worried, and can rattle off 50 miles road rides within 3 hours. I just need the weather to improve to get the distance in.

How often are you riding now. I commute 3-4 days a week by bike, 20 miles a day, plus weekend rides.

If you can already ride 50 miles easily then you are pretty much sorted anyway as that would get you nearly half way around the island :-)

Lanzarote can be a really easy ride if you stay in the middle or south, head north and it gets tough as some of the climbs are up to 15%

I think most people get caught out by the wind over there and if you stay near the coast you always have to start the ride with a climb.