Gran Canaria / Tenerife Cycling

Looking for a weeks holiday road cycling next month. Enjoyed cycling in Majorca last year, but a change of scenery may be nice.

Has anyone been road cycling in Gran Canaria or Tenerife and how did you find it? Will be looking to hire road bikes as well and going on a last minute package holiday deal.

Alternative is to go back to Majorca.

Stayed near Los Gigantes on Tenerife about a decade ago, family holiday so only had a bike one day, but there were two hire places within walking distance of our hotel, both had decent enough roadies.

Aside from the beachside strip, don’t expect any flat riding, you’ll either be going up or down. Roads good, local drivers ok, but tourists in hire cars unpredictable on the steeps up the side of Teide.

Gran Canaria is great. Very mountainous though. Lovely quiet roads inland. Don’t expect any nice gentle rides outside of the coast.

I’ve cycled a lot in all 3 places.

Gran Canaria is much better than Tenerife – more variety of terrain and bigger choice of roads and routes. Fewer, less obvious cafes than Mallorca on both islands, but there are sufficient.

Mallorca is better than both, but weather could be mixed in April.

Bike hire shouldn’t be an issue on either island, but check where the shops are (Freemotion) before you book your hotel.

I hired a bike for a few days when on a family holiday in Gran Canaria. I used a Cannondale road bike from Free Motion and it was all very easy – took my own pedals and GPS. I was staying in Playa de Ingles and rode a loop of about 90km which ascended the Tauro Pass which was spectacular but a bit hot in August.

The route is as shown in the link with me cycling along the coast rather than getting a transfer.

https://www.free-motion.com/en/gran-canaria/tours/road_bike-tauro_pass_ayacata/344155

Done both in the last 2 years. Preferred GC as Tenerife roads just too busy in many places. That said, the ride up Teide is utterly incredible.

If you’ve done Mallorca I’d suggest having a look at Calpe/Costa Blanca area. Masses of routes, a mix of harder and easier stuff. Good surfaces and pretty quiet when you get inland.

Came back a few weeks ago from a few days cycling in gran canaria. Absolutely beautiful cycling, amazing views, weather and the locals in cars don’t want to kill you like here. Beware though, bring plenty of water on your rides.  I did the route up to Pico de Las Nieves which sits at about 6500 feet or so and I got really dehydrated. Cramped a mile from the top and only kept going (on foot) because a) it was the halfway point and I knew there was a 15 mile downhill and b) there is a van selling water, juice etc at the top (I was VERY glad they didn’t decide to take that day off or i would have been in trouble).

Strava will bring up loads of routes,  the heat map shows all the commonly used ones. Like was said before, the second you start going inland expect 20 mile uphill at about 5% average,  brutal, but you feel amazing for doing it.

I used freemotion,  cannondale synapse,  105 di2, discs, cost £100 for 3 days with insurance (that doesn’t include theft, only accidents).

Beware though, bring plenty of water on your rides.

It’s the only place I’ve been where I thought I might have to knock on somebody’s door for water. Definitely more of a winter destination, but also it can get pretty remote, and sandwiched between mountain passes.

Yes butcher, exactly that. I was in between 2 massive climbs so was close to being out of options and begging someone for water. I should have known when I stopped being annoyed at the sweat running into my eyes stinging them that something was wrong..

Even in February it was 25 to 27 degrees. July & August can hit mid to high 30s and it would actually be dangerous doing some of those climbs if you aren’t used to it.

I’m guessing you are comfortable with the brakes being euro style – I vowed never to ride them again after nearly going over an Armco barrier panic braking & locking the back wheel on la gomera.

Dickyboy
Full Member
I’m guessing you are comfortable with the brakes being euro style – I vowed never to ride them again after nearly going over an Armco barrier panic braking & locking the back wheel on la gomera.

I went with Freemotion about 12-15 years ago, came down from the top of the island, left-hand death grip on the bar, right hand death grip on the brake lever. 😳
Loved it!

I think Tenerife is probably out of it then.

So maybe GC (but lots of hills), Majorca (which I enjoyed and plenty of bike hire shops around). Hadn’t thought of mainland Spain – Costa Blanca. Will have a look.

Freemotion have been happy to swap brakes a couple of times when I’ve hired mountain bikes (where it’s kind of essential). You’re dealing with folks who ride bikes so I’d be surprised if they wouldn’t on the road.

From my limited experience mainly starting from the north of the islands, for road I’d rank  it GC, Lanzarote, Tenerife, Fuerte. Not that I’ve roadbiked for a couple of years now. As others have said, winter is the season, they kind of contract operations round April I think.

I’ve done a few road days on GC and would recommend. Roads are good and gradients I’d call Alpine, as in constant but never that  severe . Agree about feeling remote. Quite busy with traffic above las Palmas, which is a proper big city.

Had a few good and v quiet brilliant smooth empty road rides on Lanzarote. Never got round to hiring a bike on Tenerife, which I wish I had now to get up tiede where the pros train. Did not feel very tempted at the time. Similar on Fuerte when we’ve been most. Some better than expected mtb when the surf’s no good, but just not been tempted by the road (but loads of riders about).

Dine a fair bit in GC, most recently last Christmas.

Most cyclists go to the southern end of the island, Maspalomas which I just don’t rate. It’s busy and touristy and a bit of a dump and you’re on the same 3 or 4 long draggy roads to get anywhere decent.

The north is cooler and has more remote parts although the comments about traffic around Las Palmas are very true. That island edge from Las Palmas down through Telde and on to Maspalomas is busy shit roads – drivers generally know to expect cyclists and they’re fairly courteous but try and stay inland a bit, it’s much quieter.

Planning a trip for next year in early/mid March. Roadie cycling trip, not a holiday with cycling on the side.

Want: OK weather as in shorts and jersey at some point; low traffic gpx routes with a bit of variety, 130k/3000m is OK but not every day; good food; good accommodation; don’t mind paying

Don’t want: big hotel / resorts / tourist urban overload; guiding or group rides; to see the same 30 cyclists at breakfast every day

Will bring bikes most likely

Gran Canaria?

Any bike friendly accommodation recs meeting the above?

I have also never been to Mallorca. No really. Should I suck it up and finally go? Any recs there?

Anywhere else short haul?

Gran Canaria is miles better than Tenerife. It’s so much easier/quicker to get off main roads onto the quieter roads. Scenery is so much better too, especially the west side of the island.

Majorca is a lot easier .. can not emphasise how much easier than it is to riding Gran Canaria. A couple nice iconic climbs like Sa Calobra and Puig Major. But downside is it’s like riding a sportive from about late February till early summer .. expect herds of bow legged pot bellied ex- mountain bikers on every climb ziz-zagging up every climb in front of you, or creating a squirrel-like hazzard on every descent.

My recommendation if your fit is definitely Gran Canaria, or mainland Spain, around Calpe area, if not too fit.

Leave Majorca to the sportive crowd nowadays.

Gran Canaria is amazing but absolutely brutal compared to Majorca. You can pedal 5 minutes out of town and it already starts feeling remote and not touristy at all. If you like climbing and heat you’ll love it. If you don’t like those things you’ll probably hate it. I’d go back in a heartbeat.

Edit: just realised this is an old thread and I replied six months ago…

Don’t want: big hotel / resorts / tourist urban overload; guiding or group rides; to see the same 30 cyclists at breakfast every day

The mountain roads were super quiet when I was there, especially if you travel further out, it feels really rural, unlike Majorca, which has some nice quiet roads but is a whole different vibe. I was on the outskirts of Maspalomas and fairly quiet around the resort with a quick ride out of town.

Further to my original reply, after a trip this year I’m now convinced Andalusia is the best warm weather destination. Hundreds of miles of wild, deserted roads, virtually zero traffic, beautiful white villages, great food. It’s a huge region so there are loads of different areas to explore. Ronda would be a great base.

Brutal as in remote and no shops/cafes? Or brutal as in mental steep gradients?

Brutal as in remote and no shops/cafes? Or brutal as in mental steep gradients?

Both. Once you’re out of town you’re out and into the mountains in blistering heat. There’s the odd cafe about but depends where you are. Lots of long, steady mountain passes but some are savage. It’s not like Majorca where you can have a flat ride one day and a bit of climbing the next. The Alps are flatter.

certainly can feel remote. The roads I’ve ridden have been ten percentish type spin away gradients but there are some steeper climbs about, I’m now told – by three mates who’ve roadbiked on three separate trips, one of whom found a steep way up the 1200m+ climb up Pico de las Nieves that sounds a worthwhile challenge. (Also, of course Freemotion swapped my roadbike brakes not just mtb).

There are many valleys without a right lot in them.

Must go back. But have Fuerte booked.

The roads I’ve ridden have been ten percentish type spin away gradients but there are some steeper climbs about, I’m now told – by three mates who’ve roadbiked on three separate trips, one of whom found a steep way up the 1200m+ climb up Pico de las Nieves that sounds a worthwhile challenge.

If it’s the side of Pico I’m thinking of, up from Telde, it’s one of the most savage climbs I’ve ever done (and I’ve done it 2-3 times now, foolishly thinking that it might be better if you know it). It is relentless. And quite dull.

Nice as a descent but I will never do that as a climb again, it’s an absolute killer.

Further to my original reply, after a trip this year I’m now convinced Andalusia is the best warm weather destination. Hundreds of miles of wild, deserted roads, virtually zero traffic, beautiful white villages, great food. It’s a huge region so there are loads of different areas to explore. Ronda would be a great base.

I’ve just come back from there. Been to that region probably 8-10 times now for MTB initially (many years ago) and now road. Super quiet – like, if you see more than a dozen cars outside of any of the mountain towns in an entire day, that’s a busy day! Bonkers cheap as well. Coffee is about 1 euro, maybe 1.50. Maybe up towards 2 euro if you go to the coast, that’s expensive. MUCH less touristy than Gran Canaria! It’s nice in March/April and also September/October. Warm without being roasting. July/August is just too hot to ride

There’s lots of gravel potential out that way too, there’s an ultra endurance gravel race called Badlands that starts in Granada and weaves its way around that area.

 up from Telde,

Aye. Three times? Username checks out.

Looking at my mate’s strava 7.9 kmh for two hours does not sound like fun. Enjoyed what I did, circuits from Las Palmas and Puerto Mogan.

Gran Canaria is on my list, only really seen it by car but looks well worth a visit.

Rode Lanzarote a few years back, enjoyed it but didn’t seem like a lot there? North of the island was a bit more interesting, around Tabayesco, Orzola etc.

Mallorca is my usual these days, but starting to think maybe Calpe for a change.

Would recommend taking/ hiring a gravel bike for GC, the road surface isn’t always great, that notwithstanding, as others have said, the riding is spectacular.

Gran canaria has my strava uninterrupted climb record of about 5350 feet. Absolutely crazy climbing from about the 2nd mile out of maspalomas. I did a 68 mile route and the first 35 miles was basically constant climbing. I think averaged about 5mph up the climb. Even hitting about 45 to 50 mph on the way down I only averaged about 11mph for the entire cycle. Makes you realise how crazily fit the grand tour guys are.

I then decided to have a rest day cycle (instead of doing valley of the tears because I was like a burst balloon) and cycled down the coast and it was like a roller coaster too so i was still absolutely shattered.

It’s brutal climbing, seriously steep and constant but you feel amazing for doing it. I literally couldn’t do the same at home, there’s something about the weather and the surroundings that gives you that extra impetus to do it.

GC is one of my favourite places to ride, I go a couple of times in the winter months it’s my own roadcamp training through the winter, I usually stop in Maspolomas, plenty of choice to stay, eat etc. Most people tend to ride in the south because it’s less windy, there are some epic climbs, one of the most savage is the Valley of tears. I’ve done it a few times, there’s a few variations but you can reckon on 3000+ m of climbing in a big route out from Maspolomas and it’s tough! I used to take my own bike, but I just hire one these days, something with a compact & 34t cassette (believe me you wont regret it). Other than that the flat stuff is following the coast round to Puerto rico, you can take a boat to mogan (the coast road is shut due to collapse) have lunch and take the boat back or climb up to Soria and back along the coast road. You can also go the opposite direction towards the airport but you will often have a headwind all the way, better to finish off on the coast road on a trip up to Pico.

Lots of options, lots of climbing, some of the mountain roads are a little rough, but nothing unmanageable, if you are looking to hire a bike I always use this guy>>> https://bike10mil.com/ Carbon frame di2 bikes, not ‘main’ brands, but more than up to the task and considerably cheaper than Freemotion, the guy is friendly and really helpful. I have plenty of routes on my strava, pm me if you are interested, or want any other info.

Would recommend taking/ hiring a gravel bike for GC, the road surface isn’t always great

GC is weird, it has a mix of really immaculate road surfaces and ones that look like a bulldozer has been over them. There’s no in between! Thankfully (IME anyway) the former outweigh the latter and certainly the majority of popular cycling routes are all really well surfaced.

As mentioned above, Andalucia is incredible for smooth roads, some of the most consistently good I’ve ever experienced.

Done both, hired a bike from Free motion on either island (road bikes).

Plusses and minuses to each island, winching up through the clouds to pop out in the volcano park on top of Tiede was a special memory with some mates, GC seemed quieter to me, less traffic about and suited some solo rides, with some fun descending, and suited riding when away with the family.

Not sure which one I would do now TBH, but I don’t think you can go wrong with either.