[LiamO]

I’ve wrangled a long weekend off in July for my first overseas cycling break, was thinking of Mallorca, but wondering if it’s too crazy hot that time of year? Any advice welcome on that, or hotels/bike hire/tour operators. Thx!

Topic

[Leodis]

I was over last year for the

I was over last year for the first two weeks of July.  I got out by 0615 for shorted rides to the Cap and past Alcudia, I was back around 8ish and so the heat wasnt a problem but it was best for little traffic and amazing sunrises.  I did a ride col de batalla up to the petrol station cafe and got some water, the cafe opens at 8am and the next one past there is the one before Sa Calobra next to the viaduct.

If you are riding Sa Calobra I would set off no later than 0630, you will make the cafe opening if you wanted some breakfast and a coffee and you will avoid the masses of coaches desending Sa Calobra making it horrid and dangerous.  I set off too late and pootled there last July and ended up climbing in the sun and had to contend with the coaches (which start desending from 0930-1000) and it wasnt great riding from shade to shade…

Bike hire I rented from Pinarello experience in PP.

Also do not drink the tap water, its not fully treated.

I am also back in 10 days for two weeks 

[mostly]

The tap water doesn’t taste

The tap water doesn’t taste great, I took two podium chills and just bought a bottle of water on route when I was running low. I was there last week and from 11am it was in the 30’s  foolishly did the Tramuntana  mountain route and it nearly killed me.  Invest in a good warm weather /climbers jersey and summer socks ! 

Tourist buses became a lot more common towards the end of the week and being used to pretty much zero traffic on my local climbs, found it increasingly ‘interesting’ on descents.

[Dnnnnnn]

Everyone’s different but

Everyone’s different but “holiday” and “get up really early” are difficult to reconcile in my head!

[CycleDivvy]

cookie1987 wrote:

As well as starting early, plan water stops particularly in the mountains.  The cafe next to the petrol station at the top of the Coll de sa Batalla was our choice.

 

Are cafe’s quite happy to provide water? Do they do it for free or is there a cost?

[LiamO]

Thanks all, loads of really

Thanks all, loads of really good advice there. I’ve no problems with getting up early, but I always seem to get slightly hotter than the next man when doing any sport, and I’ve never been mad keen on cycling with a flood of sweat in my eyes… Still v keen on Mallorca, so lots to think about & discuss with my cycling buddy. Thanks again.

[700c]

Lots of advice on how to

Lots of advice on how to mitigate the hot temperatures – start really early, not too much climbing in heat, don’t cycle in the afternoon etc.

This suggests that Majorca is not an ideal destination for a cycling holiday in July!

[cookie1987]

Speaking as an average (at

Speaking as an average (at best) cyclist whose typical ride is 60k in Kent, we stayed around Bunyola over the last weekend of July last year.  Managed a 100k+ ride taking in Coll d’Honor, Coll de sa Batalla, Puig Major and the Coll de Soller in temperatures which by lunchtime were around the mid-30s.  We started around 7.30am.

 

Descending into Soller from the Puig Major felt like descending into a furnace!

 

As well as starting early, plan water stops particularly in the mountains.  The cafe next to the petrol station at the top of the Coll de sa Batalla was our choice.

[Jon L]

I stayed near to Alcudia last

I stayed near to Alcudia last July and yes it’s hot, but not too hot if you take sensible precautions.  Start early, drink lots etc.

We cycled on three days, twice out to the lighthouse at Formentor and once to Sa Colabra and back.   We bought silly amounts of water in Sa Colobra and had drunk it all by the time we got to the top.

There was no problem with the hotel (http://www.eixhotels.com/en/eix-hotels/eix-lagotel.html) allowing us to take the bikes up to our room.

 

 

[rnick]

My summer holidays are in
My summer holidays are in Italy, so hot. Start early and aim to get the climbing done by 11, latest. I screwed up once and ended up with 2500ft of climbing in the late morning….dizzy spells and woozy sickness followed. Afternoons and evening are usually too hot.
I’ve not cycled in Majorca, but the coast from Andratx to Alcudia is lovely. Think practical arrangements..if you’re in a hotel will they give you a late breakfast if you’re riding, storage etc

[Luv2ride]

I’ve been a few times in

I’ve been a few times in August, all on family holidays but hiring a bike for 3 or 4 days.  Getting out by 6:30am was key, along with some evening rides due to the temperature.  However, whilst I’ve never been a fan off the heat, I didn’t find its problem once moving.  Just take plenty of  water and electrolyte tabs.  The early starts meant I’d got my “fix” before joining the family for snorkelling and swimming later in the day, a great way to recover.

Off again for a week in August, no hire bike sorted as yet but doubt ill be able to resist.

[arfa]

Just ride at dawn and freeze
Just ride at dawn and freeze your water bottles overnight. I was in Andratx last July and it was hot but rideable for 2-3 hours for a northern European like myself

[sergius]

Even in April I was going out

Even in April I was going out at 8am and getting back for 12 or so.  Started getting proper hot in the afternoon.

Cheers,

[surly_by_name]

SellMatt wrote:

Stay in Port Soller, hire a bike from tranumtana tours in the village, get up early and finish before 1.00 pm. 

This^^ is the perfect answer.

Usually only gets really hot in August. Island is beautiful and riding superb. Do it.

[davel]

How are you with the heat,
How are you with the heat, and/or getting up and out first thing?

I was there last June when it was in the 30s during the day. I got out at 6am and it was possible to get some 50-milers with plenty of climbing in by the time it started to get uncomfortable for me. It was about 20° to start with, but already 30° around 10am, when I was wrapping up. Roads were dead first thing. If you stay round Pollenca you’d be within reasonable loops of sa calobra, Lluc and cap de formentor.

If I had a long weekend in July to play with, I’d definitely be up for Mallorca – it is cycling heaven. But if you want to make entire days of your rides, you could always stay at home – cracking riding in North Wales, Yorkshire, the Lakes, Peaks, and plenty of other places… Might piss it down, but it won’t be cold.

[simonmb]

It’ll be super tough – but a

It’ll be super tough – but a lot depends on the humidity. What’s it like there? I used to ride in the Arabian Gulf – day time temperature of 50 degrees through July and August. We’d start a ride in the dark at 4.30 and finish around 8.30 – by which time it was knocking on the door of 40 degrees. VERY low humidity though – so we could breathe and just had to ensure we drank all the time. At the occasional times of high humidity it was just miserable – but not impossible. Anyway, you can’t go to Mallorca and not ride a bit!

[Author]

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