Chance of cycle holiday to majorca

[Trigger369]

Hi all .
Some club members are planning a trip to majorca (pollenca ) in April next year. Would like to go but don't have any experience about cycling holidays. Thought I would ask here first as it's my go to for all that's cycling related.
Any one any info or can share tips like bringing your own bike , is it cheaper or not worth the hassle. Did you share a room with mates . What to bring apart from cycling clothes .
And any thing else you think of . Many thanks.

 

[Brandane]

I expect it's a bit like any other holiday; you arrange it around what YOU want it to be!
I have been a holiday to Majorca, which involved some cycling. I hesitate to call it a "cycling holiday". I went by myself, booked the flights and accommodation, then hired a bike when I got there. As with cycling at home, I prefer to do it alone. Then I choose when to go cycling, where to go, what speed to go, when to stop, where to lunch, when to call it a day, etc..
I have also done the France touring thing, taking my own bike by ferry. Again solo, for the same reasons as above.
Just remember it is YOUR holiday so don't get bulldozed into stuff you might not want to do. I'm thinking here about room sharing with someone you might not want to share with! That would be a deal breaker for me.
As for whether or not to take your own bike, that is a difficult one to answer and you might be better to search on here for threads about taking a bike on an aircraft. If you value your bike, you might want to buy a hard case to put it in! I have flown using a soft bike bag a few times and got lucky; even once with a clear plastic bag. It's your call. Charges vary depending on the airline - about £35 per sector with EasyJet, and free with British Airways if you can keep the bike within your normal allowable weight limit.

Edit to add - the cycling in Majorca is fantastic! Quiet roads, extremely well surfaced, and terrain to suit any ability (you just need to pick your routes to suit). Good weather pretty much guaranteed, although I got 4 days of rain out of 7 (but that's just my kind of luck). It's far removed from the average UK cycling experience .

 

[steveindenmark]

Its a great place to ride. I would hire a bike and just take your saddle and pedals. A lot of pro teams train there in winter and so they are switched on to cyclists. You will need to book the bike, well in advance. Apart from cycling gear, you just need your going out gear and swimming gear. There is some great riding but practice your hills.

 

[Trigger369]

Thanks guys . Would probably prefer to take my own bike . I know I'd need a bike box and that's extra but looking at some prices of hire it's quite expensive. But if I bought a bike box I'd have it for future . Now the room sharing' it would need to be with the right person lol.

 

[grldtnr]

I expect it's a bit like any other holiday; you arrange it around what YOU want it to be!
I have been a holiday to Majorca, which involved some cycling. I hesitate to call it a "cycling holiday". I went by myself, booked the flights and accommodation, then hired a bike when I got there. As with cycling at home, I prefer to do it alone. Then I choose when to go cycling, where to go, what speed to go, when to stop, where to lunch, when to call it a day, etc..

As Brandane says, it's what you want out of it, if it's training camps for
I have also done the France touring thing, taking my own bike by ferry. Again solo, for the same reasons as above.
Just remember it is YOUR holiday so don't get bulldozed into stuff you might not want to do. I'm thinking here about room sharing with someone you might not want to share with! That would be a deal breaker for me.
As for whether or not to take your own bike, that is a difficult one to answer and you might be better to search on here for threads about taking a bike on an aircraft. If you value your bike, you might want to buy a hard case to put it in! I have flown using a soft bike bag a few times and got lucky; even once with a clear plastic bag. It's your call. Charges vary depending on the airline - about £35 per sector with EasyJet, and free with British Airways if you can keep the bike within your normal allowable weight limit.

Like Brandane says , depends on what you want it to be, your own bike for race training, a hire bike for just pootling ,far less hassle to hire, but added cost, a good idea about saddle & pedals tho'.
As to wear 3 sets of jersey & shorts ,wash one , wear one dry one, a warm bike jacket, same advice for off bike, but probably need just 2 changes,it's only a few hrs in the evening innit?

 

[Chislenko]

I have two trips booked to Europe, business not totally pleasure and the thing nagging at the back of my head is the Covid rate in the UK.

Obviously as of a couple of days ago Morocco have "banned" us, I just wonder if other countries will follow suit if our cases / deaths keep increasing.

 

[Domus]

Been twice, stayed in Can Pastilla very near the airport. Hired nice bikes and had some lovely rides. Soller, Randa etc. Not been to the eastern side which I believe to be more mountainous. Hoping to go back next spring. Fingers crossed
ps don't like sharing rooms, I'm the worlds worst sleeper.

 

[boydj]

Thanks guys . Would probably prefer to take my own bike . I know I'd need a bike box and that's extra but looking at some prices of hire it's quite expensive. But if I bought a bike box I'd have it for future . Now the room sharing' it would need to be with the right person lol.

I did a holiday like this a few years ago. As above the roads are great and there are a good variety of routes.

One very useful thing to have is a good map. There's a bike shop in Porto Pollensa that sells a rubberised one (paper ones will disintegrate with sweat eventually) with various routes marked.

I'd strongly recommend hiring a bike over there for several reasons :

1. The cost of a bike box, then the added cost on the flight is not much different to the cost of hiring a quality road bike from a specialist shop. Plus the hassle involved and the danger of damage - I've seen bikes being unloaded - it's not pretty.
2. Any major mechanical with a hired bike is much less of a problem as the hirer can be called out.
3. you can get a better bike than you normally ride.

 

[Trigger369]

Wondering about insurance bike and personal holiday. 🤔

 

[Domus]

The bike shop I hired from (Berganti) supplied GPX files of lots of routes

 

[Dolorous Edd]

Sounds grim.

My recommendation would be to book it, worry about it a lot, back out at the last minute and sell your place at a hugely discounted rate to a fellow cyclist.

PM me then.

 

[Dave 123]

You’ll have a great time. Smooth roads, great scenery, fantastic coffee stops.
I always use 2gocycling when I hire out there.

 

[boydj]

Please check out the bike shops in Porto Pollensa to get an idea of what's available. You get top class bikes and good service and advice. But you do need to book well in advance. And I'll say it again, it's so much less hassle to hire and no worries about your own bike.

As long as you are not racing, normal holiday insurance should be enough if you are hiring a bike. But check out the small print to be sure. Taking your own bike will need insurance to cover damage to the bike.

While the weather is usually good. Showers can be very heavy and catch you out in the mountains, so a lightweight waterproof is a useful thing to have in your back pocket.

 

[Rusty Nails]

Watch out for the cyclists around Pollensa/PP/Alcudia.

Can't get away from them. Taken over some of the best cafes/restaurants like Tolos in Puerto Pollensa.

But great riding if you like other cyclists

 

[steveindenmark]

I took my own bike and had a great week in Pollenca. I rode it from the airport. It was only about 60km. Riding on Majorca is good because they are used to the number of cyclists they get. The standard of bikes you can hire on Majorca are far higher than you will see in most places. I can see the appeal of taking your own bike, but if I go again I will hire. It saves all the messing and lugging about and I think it is worth the extra cost.

From Pollenca you have Cap de Formentor right on the doorstep. Halfway up this mountain the road swings sharp left at Platja de Formentor. Its worth stopping as there is a cafe there and you are back on the beach.

Sa Colabra is a road that Walt Disney must have designed. You can find it on Youtube. There is only one way in and out unless you take the ferry. I thought I was so macho hammering down there. That was until I was overtaken by a guy on a skateboard.