Cycling

[Orior]

10 of us heading to Gran Canaria this weekend. Pico De Las Neves is the Teide equivalent there, never done it before, more up and down than Teide apparently.

I climbed Teide today, thankfully I was on a bus.

There were a few professional cycling teams out training, but for the amateur it's nuts lol

[grounded]

Did the Pico climb, that would tighten you much harder than Teide imo, altho there was a lot more up and down which some of our crowd liked but doesn't really suit me tbh, from half way up there was a significant increase in the % gradient, sat at 11-15% for miles. Could only do so much in the 4 days we were there but think there are a lot more interesting climbs there to he done, one brute called the Valley of Tears.

Winter miles summer smiles! Sounds like a great trip.

[scout]

Anyone know the ring of Kerry date for the year? Have seen no official date yet

[grounded]

10 of us heading to Gran Canaria this weekend. Pico De Las Neves is the Teide equivalent there, never done it before, more up and down than Teide apparently.

I climbed Teide today, thankfully I was on a bus.

There were a few professional cycling teams out training, but for the amateur it's nuts lol

Are you not going to cycle it when you're there. One for the bucket list

[majestic]

I’ve just purchased a Ribble CGR, it will be used mainly for commuting but I would sort of like to try out a few trails! Anyone know where abouts in belfast would be best for this type of riding?
Also be interested if anyone had one, I went for titanium frame, so hoping it’s the last bike I buy! Also treated myself to 105 di2, any reviews?

[grounded]

I've just purchased a Ribble CGR, it will be used mainly for commuting but I would sort of like to try out a few trails! Anyone know where abouts in belfast would be best for this type of riding?
Also be interested if anyone had one, I went for titanium frame, so hoping it's the last bike I buy! Also treated myself to 105 di2, any reviews?

Thats a beauty, with the titanium frame. Titanium bikes have been around for a while but have got ferociously expensive. Always wanted one but couldn't afford it.   
    The whole gravel bike thing is a funny one here in Ireland. In England and Scotland there are huge numbers of interconnecting bridal ways and paths that suit these bikes. Too rough for a road bike but you'd be too slow on a mountain bike.
   Here you end up cycling or driving on the main roads in order to access fire roads in parks or tow paths etc. The mournes is ok for this sort of gravel riding. You can make up a few routes using fireroads in parks, roads and parts of the ulsterway.  Parts of fermanagh are supposed to be pretty good as well and i think they run the gravel grinder there. Im not sure about around Belfast though.
     For me, i just like the comfort of the gravel bike with the much wider and grippier tyres particularly in winter. I can spin from the house and im lucky enough to live close enough to a few parks that i can dip in an out of.

[illdecide]

I'm for Albir on Saturday for a week of cycling, can't wait. The climbs and scenary is def not the Alps but the weather we're getting at home just now anything is a bonus. Have any of you guys done this area before?. I've been once before and it's decent but comparing it to the Alps and the Pyrenees it's like day and night.

[grounded]

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.

[bennydorano]

Good man,, it's not saft!   Cycling abroad in warmer climes is just fantastic, I absolutely love it. Have done a fewsl spins to & from Buzanada and around San Miguel / Granadilla. You can do a reasonably flat route ( for Tenerife) to El Medano which is a lovely spin but the traffic can be mad everywhere and I'm shite with the maps on the Garmin!

Heading with the Mrs to Tenerife in September, will hopefully get a spin or 2 but might be too hot for me then tho.

[grounded]

Good man,, it's not saft!   Cycling abroad in warmer climes is just fantastic, I absolutely love it. Have done a fewsl spins to & from Buzanada and around San Miguel / Granadilla. You can do a reasonably flat route ( for Tenerife) to El Medano which is a lovely spin but the traffic can be mad everywhere and I'm shite with the maps on the Garmin!

Heading with the Mrs to Tenerife in September, will hopefully get a spin or 2 but might be too hot for me then tho.

Definitely pre book the bike well in advance before you go. Your man in freemotion was saying they had a number of supply issues with the main brands which led to a reduced number of bike hires available. They also switched to the Spanish bh manufacturer in order to get bikes to rent.
      They were turning people away when i was collecting/leaving off the bike. 
     

[downexile1]

Anywhere about Lisburn or Belfast that is good at cycling repairs (need a new rear wheel) - bought road bike from Halfords and took it there and a week later still waiting and they are saying I might need to order the rear wheel online and take it to them to fix?!

[imtommygunn]

Belfast bicycle workshop on ormeau road is somewhere I have used before and they seemed grand. Ormeau road over the bridge on the way out of town. I don't think they have a website but if you  google them on address.

[LeoMc]

Yeah, I think they are or were beside the Errigal on Jameson street.

[grounded]

Very unlucky for Ben Healy today. Pogacar might be doubtful for tdf after his spill.

[grounded]

For anyone with Amazon prime , Wolfpack is a really enjoyable watch.