Anyone cycled Teide before? Thinking of heading to Tenerife with family in April and wouldn't mind giving it a whirl. Reasonable level of fitness and hopefully will be getting more cycling in before I head there. 40 odd km of climbing though, for a heavyweight like me sounds daunting!
Done it 3 or 4 times, went up a couple of different ways from Los Cristianos direction. It's mostly a good steady climb of 7 or 8%, few spots where it hits 10 or 11% for very short stretches, if you're in half decent shape it's straightforward- as long as you're mentally tough! it is 25m or so straight up, with only a bit of a drop down into the caldera (you think it's over at the Teide National Park sign but its not) before you're climbing again, the last few miles inside the caldera to the peak are pretty tough mentally, that climb out of the caldera to go home is pretty painful too - then you've a 20 oddmile descent to look forward to.
The hire bikes all have climbing gears. Have used Bikepoint & Free Motion for bike hire, both pretty good, book from wherever is closest to your hotel.
Brilliant stuff. How long roughly were those spins from Los Christianos Benny as that's the general area we will be in? Did you need a gillet/jacket for the spin back down? I've managed a few of the bigger climbs around Mallorca and managed to drag myself up them albeit very slowly.
None have obviously been as continuously as long, but I'm nothing if not stubborn.
Was looking at my Strava data there, 78m but that was always us going the long way home. Straight up from Los Cristianos via La Camela, Arona, Vilaflor and back down the same route would be 55 or so. This is also the best route IMO, have went back down via a town called Chio which was very boring. You can also go from La Camela to Granadilla - Vilaflor to top for 69m which was my favourite way to top.
Some chance the descent with gilet & arm warmers, I take the raincoat as I'm a cowl champ & long finger gloves, we got drizzle for a bit last January going up & down and it can be pretty 🥶
I can pm you a Strava spin or 2 if you want a look? no records were broken!
Thanks for the advice. Managed (just about!) to drag all 16 stone of me to Teide National Park. I didn't go on down into the Caldera as i was absolutely bate at that point. I found the first part from Los Christianos to Vlla flor via La Camela and Arona to be the toughest part. Was almost going to pack it in at Villa flora but after a coffee and a bit of cake dragged myself on up.
Went early just at dawn and i was glad as it got pretty hot as the day went on. Though the spin downhill home was great to cool down. Used Freemotion bike hire who supplied a BH disc brake for 23 euro/day. But prebook online in advance of any visit as supply os limited.
Traffic around Los Christianos pretty busy during early morning and crazy later on so need to be very careful.
There were a few other slighly less hilly loops from los Christianos towards San Miguel/ las Zocas/Buzanada which suited this heavyweight a little better.
In general a great place to cycle. Roads great and wide and quieter as you move out of the main tourist centres.
You can actually hire an e-road bike which would make that Teide spin doable for most people.
