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I don't normally holiday to this sort of place (sun+beach+booze) but is it possible to pick a smart hotel (not the noisy yob type) and go for decent winter riding in the Canaries?
Just before Christmas?
Gimme your experiences - good food/accomodation and near to bike rental. Happy to ride gravel and unsurfaced roads.
In my experience it's usually better to book hotel and flight separately - had a quick look at Jet2 + hotel and was cheaper for 5 star type hotel, rather than package.
I'm not on a tiny budget but can't justify mega £££ after Colorado this year etc.
But don't want a chav fest around me. Always weary of these sort of locations but I'm sure it's possible to get a quiet set up.
Thanks!
Club magic life at the bottom of Fuertaventura is a good hotel to look at as they seem to have road and mountain bikes + guided tours.
I've been twice, several years apart and wasn't disappointed.
The highest point on the island is right outside the hotel and a good walk up and down.
Thanks. Will take a look.
Buy
This raises a question for me as someone who doesn't really do sun holidays (quite happy with the booze!)
Is there much in eg gran canaria beyond beaches? A quick Google turns up playa x u z and a marine park, fine for me if I'm on the bike for most of the day but not for the non riding days.
We went here:
Hotel Lanzarote village in el Carmen. Hotel was great, and right next door to a quality bike rental place
El Carmen is a strip resort, but it was chilled out in February and there were lots of nice options to eat.
You could get completely hammered on Guinness in dodgy night clubs, or you could go to fancy Italian restaurants. I enjoyed it, and I can't stand "Brits abroad" type places.
Didn't do any MTB, but, apart from the wind, the road riding was excellent. Would definitely go back.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/NtobC2jTRP256zd88
<p style="text-align: left;">Pondering similar having been to Madeira with family this summer and having all our fears of chavfest dismissed. Jet 2 hotel was lovely, half-board no booze so no chavs, mountains were epic and the riding looked brilliant.</p>
Is there much in eg gran canaria beyond beaches? A quick Google turns up playa x u z and a marine park, fine for me if I’m on the bike for most of the day but not for the non riding days.
The canary islands are pretty good for cycling, I've only ever done road riding on Gran Canaria and Tenerife, but Free motion seem to cover all the islands and will hire you a road bike or an MTB.
You can get out early, crank out a couple of thousand meters of elevation and roll back to your hotel/villa to flop in the pool mid afternoon-late. Then saunter along to a sea front taverna for a bite to eat, rinse and repeat for a few days. I've done it with mates and the family a couple of times now.
Club la Santa to mix it with the triathletes (not chavs, but kind of weird in their own way), or Sands Beach i think it’s called near Costa Teguise for more family vibes (but still a smattering or Roadies and triathletes last time I went in 2016 ish.
Club la Santa also do MTB hire, and host the 4 day stage race (XC whippet type) in January each year I think.
Been out to Lanzorote for some winter sun MTB for the last couple of years staying on the outskirts of Costa Teguise. Riding is ok from there for some long days in the sun and it has always seemed quiet at that time of year.
We go to Lanzarote twice a year - Easter and OCtober and I ride the roads a fair bit. I've booked a MTB for a day for this October, so will report back! We stay at Sands Beach in Costa Teguise. It is used by loads of pro triathletes and cyclists as a base. It's not the poshest plaxce in the world, but its clean, food is good and its right on the beach. There are some great places to eat out within 400m walk too.
Lanzarote has miles and miles of great gravel riding. Mainly in the middle and North. Suggest getting the 'Tour and Trail' map (ISBN 9781782750413) and exploring.
This is great. Thanks everyone.
+1 for Club la Santa - road bikes and mtbs available at no extra cost when there last year. Not a whole lot of things to do nearby in the evenings, but good restaurants on site and useful small supermarket.
Everything is uphill from there, but lots of options both road and mtb
I don’t normally holiday to this sort of place (sun+beach+booze) but is it possible to pick a smart hotel (not the noisy yob type) and go for decent winter riding in the Canaries?
I think you've got totally the wrong end of the stick with the Canaries. Yobs? The Canary Islands are just full of retired golfers 😂
We've been out there a few times and ridden every time. You can't go wrong. Loads of on and off road riding. Nothing GGGNAARRRRR, just miles of trails that are great on a XC Hardtail
Free-motion are great for bike hire
Done MTB in Lanzarote from Costa Teguise a couple of times in December. Followed Planet Bikes on Strava and borrowed a couple of their routes and hired 29" hardtails from Vulcan Bikes. A lot of the trails are double track but discovered a lot more singletrack last time doing days out towards the west and north. The rental shop suggested that there was a lot more in the south of the island but didn't bother to find out. Would be tempted if I went again to take my own bike just for a dropper and tyres I have greater faith in.
<span style="color: #ffffff; font-family: Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, 'Noto Sans', sans-serif, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; background-color: #595959;">I think you’ve got totally the wrong end of the stick with the Canaries. Yobs? The Canary Islands are just full of retired golfers 😂</span>
Ha ha. Same thing.
I've a low propensity for anything reminding me of the UK on holiday.
Plenty of good recommendations on here to calm my nerves. Thanks.
I'm guessing jet2 is the better airline for this sort of trip.
Just back. Had a good week. Weather and hotel good.
Plenty windy though - bike hire was excellent and cheap in next door hotel. Stayed in Puerto Calero - no kids hotel (Secrets 5* my arse - but good standard.) Nice and quiet. Chose to not fully inclusive just B&B and went to the local marina for food.
Made my own routes up - biking was mainly exploring. Couple of windy days where we had to come back in to head wind.
Jet2 plane and flight good for low cost airline - but had to come back a day earlier for work - on Ryanair. Filthy plane but only 31 people on board. Did the job. But would recommend Jet2 all the way, and prefer to go nowhere near Ryanair mostly. People expect and complain so much for their 50 quid flight.
Easy transfer 15mins.
Super smooth pre Xmas break..
Cheers
Flow Trails La Palma looks ace and is very well priced. I have been considering it for a while. Enduro magazine gave it a good write up, but they had a free holiday and I doubt they would complain about it.