Winter Cycling Destination?

[Glasgow44]

Hi there

I usually have a week's holiday cycling in the Canaries in the winter. I've been to Gran Canaria and Lanzarote and I'm thinking this time going to Fuerteventura. Has anyone been and, if so, have they recommendations on the best places to stay on the island (best resort, etc for access to the roads), bike hire, routes, etc. Any recommendations would be really helpful and useful

Thanks in advance

 

[Alex321]

We went there for a holiday one November, but not cycling.

My main memory is how windy it was - there are hardly any natural plants above waist height because of that.

Most of the resorts have reasonable access to the main roads around the island - we stayed in Corralejo, which is towards the North East corner.

There is a gravel road runs across the North coast to El Cotillo, which we gave up on in the hire car we had, but if you like gravel would be good on a bike.

 

[Animo]

Don't fancy Tenerife?

 

[lifeonabike]

Fuerteventura works, but go in knowing that it swaps the climbing of Gran Canaria for wind. It is the windiest of the islands and the trade wind blows from the north-east most of the winter, which means the classic mistake is riding south down the coast feeling like a hero and then grinding back into it for three hours. Plan the loops so the exposed leg is the outbound one.

On a base: Corralejo in the north gives you the best riding within reach of the door. The Lajares and El Cotillo loop is the one you will do twice, the dunes road south is flat and fast, and you can reach the FV-30 over Betancuria from there for the only proper climbing on the island. Costa Calma and Morro Jable in the south are quieter and better for long straight kilometres, but you are a long way from anything varied. La Pajara in the middle is the compromise nobody takes.

The roads themselves are better than Lanzarote for cycling - the FV-2 has a real hard shoulder for most of its length and the surface is good. Traffic is light away from the resort strips.

On hire, book earlier than you would for Gran Canaria. The rental fleets there are smaller and the decent road bikes go first in January and February.

If you ever want the same guaranteed winter sun with more to look at, southern Andalusia inland from Malaga and the Algarve both work from January onwards and have proper hill roads without the wind. Worth keeping for the winter after next.