Cycling in Spain - anything I should know?

[Lien Sdrawde]

Off to northern Spain soon - are there any intracacies to cycling / traffic movement I should know about?

 

[raindog]

and steer clear of the really cheap wines.

 

[cyberknight]

if you see ladies in hi viz on street corners they are not likely to be cycilsts
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...ar-reflective-vests-for-their-own-safety.html

 

[raindog]

I have to disagree, one of my favourite wines here is only about 1.80€ but if you shop around the 3.00 - 4.00€ there are some fine spanish wines, theres no need to spend more....

Wasn't being too serious and meant to add a smiley - there, I've done it.

The local table wine we drink here is the same price as yours, and it's pretty good, but cheap crap wine is cheap crap wine wherever it comes from. Here we call it the "rouge qui tache"
Sorry OP, you really didn't ask for this info did you?

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

Apparently the local drivers give you loadsa room when passing, but if you see a GB plate, expect a very close pass as usual.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

if you see ladies in hi viz on street corners they are not likely to be cycilsts
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...ar-reflective-vests-for-their-own-safety.html

More STD than SPD?

 

[DiddlyDodds]

Dont make any Moo sounds or they may stick spears in you .

 

[smokeysmoo]

On a serious note I think you'll be amazed at the difference from riding on roads in the UK.

I've only experienced cycling on the Spanish islands and not the mainland, but I found that other road users give far more respect than you get here in the UK, (in general anyway).

Some of the best cycling I've ever done was on Lanzarote. The roads and respect I saw there was simply awesome. The Europeans seem to accept cyclists as legitimate road users, and they no doubt appreciate the huge income that cycling brings to their countries as well. I guess that helps things along as well.

 

[BrazingSaddles]

We sailed in to Santander then cycled across to France - it was brilliant. Drivers were courteous and gave loads of encoragement (two overweight cyclists at the start of a three month cycle-camping tour starting off in 'hilly' Spain!!). It really took us by surprise how much we enjoyed it there and we hope to head back sometime. BTW, the helmet law isn't that well enforced and we didn't bother wearing ours at all.

 

[HLaB]

My Spannish cycling experience is limited to the Costa Blanca and I can't recall any negative either. I wore a helmet but although they are compulsory, I thought if you argued it was too hot, you could escape any fine for not wearing one.

 

[ColinJ]

My Spannish cycling experience is limited to the Costa Blanca and I can't recall any negative either. I wore a helmet but although they are compulsory, I thought if you argued it was too hot, you could escape any fine for not wearing one.

Some riders on one of my Costa Blanca trips were stopped by the Guardia Civil and fined for not wearing helmets.

PS irish beat me to it!

 

[Boris Bajic]

Don't worry if some local cyclist overtakes you while you're out for a ride.

Odds on he'll be picked up for doping and the win will be handed to you at a later date.

Also, be careful of eating any beef where hormones or steroids may have been an ingredient of the feed.

 

[lulubel]

no shopping on back seats..

This obviously only applies if you're riding a tandem

 

[dellzeqq]

enjoy - smooth tarmac, very little traffic, lovely food, decent booze, great landscape. Avoid the N-11 if you get to Catalonia. And, if you fetch up in a little town called Vergara think yourself very, very blessed.

 

[betty swollocks]

Outside any town the traffic soon peters out into virtually nothing. Fantastic road surfaces too. Here's a pic from my ride 18 months ago:-