Lanzarote - road or gravel bike
Discussion
Spending a couple of weeks in Lanzarote in December.
I own a road bike and im going to take it with me, but would I be better on a gravel bike?
Asking because I get the impression a grave bike maybe more suitable there. Or will I be able to easily avoid gravel tracks while on my road bike?
Having memories of Croatia where id stumbled across a gravel track shortly before dusk and ended up riding what would have been fun on an mtb, only I was on 28mm road tyres.
I could always sling some 30mm gravel tires on. I dont care for Strata figures these days
I own a road bike and im going to take it with me, but would I be better on a gravel bike?
Asking because I get the impression a grave bike maybe more suitable there. Or will I be able to easily avoid gravel tracks while on my road bike?
Having memories of Croatia where id stumbled across a gravel track shortly before dusk and ended up riding what would have been fun on an mtb, only I was on 28mm road tyres.
I could always sling some 30mm gravel tires on. I dont care for Strata figures these days
Bathroom_Security said:
Spending a couple of weeks in Lanzarote in December.
I own a road bike and im going to take it with me, but would I be better on a gravel bike?
Asking because I get the impression a grave bike maybe more suitable there. Or will I be able to easily avoid gravel tracks while on my road bike?
Having memories of Croatia where id stumbled across a gravel track shortly before dusk and ended up riding what would have been fun on an mtb, only I was on 28mm road tyres.
I could always sling some 30mm gravel tires on. I dont care for Strata figures these days
I mountain bike and did look at trying to organise taking my bike out with me and route, in the end I couldn’t see much worth riding (nothing technical) so didn’t take it with me. When I got there saw lots of people on road bikes but not anyone on gravel bikes though saw plenty of options. Lots of gravel routes between lava fields but I wouldn’t fully know if you could link a route - Spain does have a right to roam so would of thought it would be the same.I own a road bike and im going to take it with me, but would I be better on a gravel bike?
Asking because I get the impression a grave bike maybe more suitable there. Or will I be able to easily avoid gravel tracks while on my road bike?
Having memories of Croatia where id stumbled across a gravel track shortly before dusk and ended up riding what would have been fun on an mtb, only I was on 28mm road tyres.
I could always sling some 30mm gravel tires on. I dont care for Strata figures these days
Road bike. Its an island with roads made for cycling. There are off road bits but not well defined so more suited to MTBs, but that limits your options.
I can send you some files if you want routes but main ones to try: Timanfaya via El Golfo, volcanic rocks all around, mad landscape, nice coastal views.
Out towards Famara, the surfing beach, flatter than a lot of the island, but windy AF.
Climb to Mirador del Rio. Long but easy(ish) climb, amazing views.
Service road out to Playa Blanca, flat, wind usually behind you, can get some serious speed going. Have to cycle back into the wind though.
Tabayeso climb, longish but easy climb. Nice view and cafe at the top.
Make sure to plan plenty of rides through Tiguise and stop at Jonny Bakes. Amazing cakes and plenty of bike racks outside.
I can send you some files if you want routes but main ones to try: Timanfaya via El Golfo, volcanic rocks all around, mad landscape, nice coastal views.
Out towards Famara, the surfing beach, flatter than a lot of the island, but windy AF.
Climb to Mirador del Rio. Long but easy(ish) climb, amazing views.
Service road out to Playa Blanca, flat, wind usually behind you, can get some serious speed going. Have to cycle back into the wind though.
Tabayeso climb, longish but easy climb. Nice view and cafe at the top.
Make sure to plan plenty of rides through Tiguise and stop at Jonny Bakes. Amazing cakes and plenty of bike racks outside.
Scabutz said:
Road bike. Its an island with roads made for cycling. There are off road bits but not well defined so more suited to MTBs, but that limits your options.
I can send you some files if you want routes but main ones to try: Timanfaya via El Golfo, volcanic rocks all around, mad landscape, nice coastal views.
Out towards Famara, the surfing beach, flatter than a lot of the island, but windy AF.
Climb to Mirador del Rio. Long but easy(ish) climb, amazing views.
Service road out to Playa Blanca, flat, wind usually behind you, can get some serious speed going. Have to cycle back into the wind though.
Tabayeso climb, longish but easy climb. Nice view and cafe at the top.
Make sure to plan plenty of rides through Tiguise and stop at Jonny Bakes. Amazing cakes and plenty of bike racks outside.
Thanks allI can send you some files if you want routes but main ones to try: Timanfaya via El Golfo, volcanic rocks all around, mad landscape, nice coastal views.
Out towards Famara, the surfing beach, flatter than a lot of the island, but windy AF.
Climb to Mirador del Rio. Long but easy(ish) climb, amazing views.
Service road out to Playa Blanca, flat, wind usually behind you, can get some serious speed going. Have to cycle back into the wind though.
Tabayeso climb, longish but easy climb. Nice view and cafe at the top.
Make sure to plan plenty of rides through Tiguise and stop at Jonny Bakes. Amazing cakes and plenty of bike racks outside.
That'll do me then, road it is. Ive heard about the winds, not sure what to make of it, wouldnt road ride above about 15mph in the UK but ill have to deal with it.
Im guessing the MTB is mainly XC so dont want to be pedalling around a 180mm slug for no reward.
There is very little vegetation on the island (compared to say Madeira) so found the wind could travel further and faster than what you may be use to home here. I think road riding there, you will have a great time compared to anything off road. There are quite a few bike shops so may be options to join others or hire a bike if you did want to do a gravel ride
mattvanders said:
There is very little vegetation on the island (compared to say Madeira) so found the wind could travel further and faster than what you may be use to home here. I think road riding there, you will have a great time compared to anything off road. There are quite a few bike shops so may be options to join others or hire a bike if you did want to do a gravel ride
The winds sure are something else out there. Its just sat right in the trade winds with nothing to stop it.Lanzarote isn't even that hillly by canaries standards. Highest peaks are only about 500m compared to 2000m on Gran Canaria for example so no shelter really either.
I've done lots of mountain biking in Lanzarote - there are a good network of trails off-road, but as others have said most are more XC than anything technical (although there are some techy trails to be found in Los Ajaches and I've heard North of Costa Teguise).
Personally I prefer to be off-road, but if you are happy to do road riding then you will find miles of decent roads to ride on.
Personally I prefer to be off-road, but if you are happy to do road riding then you will find miles of decent roads to ride on.
Was there in August, hired road bike for a week. Was based in Matagorda/Puerto del Carmen area near airport.
Hired Bianchi road bike.
My views on Lanzarote cycling
- Super windy but manageable . Ie heading north was easy out, but tough back into the headwind. Not much can do unless not doing a loop
- Hilly, staying on the coast there s always a hill at the start
- Roads in the north are MUCH quieter than near the bigger resorts
- Terrible road surface especially in the south compared to the rest of Spain, ie Majorca / Mainland Spain
- Nicest routes I found were up past Haria (mirador del Rio climb was lovely, only time was no wind) and near La Santa resort on the north coast, was fun seeing all the runners/triatheles
If taking my own bike I d take the lightest bike I own, and put wider road tyres on ie 28-30mm, to soak up some of the bumps.
Hired Bianchi road bike.
My views on Lanzarote cycling
- Super windy but manageable . Ie heading north was easy out, but tough back into the headwind. Not much can do unless not doing a loop
- Hilly, staying on the coast there s always a hill at the start
- Roads in the north are MUCH quieter than near the bigger resorts
- Terrible road surface especially in the south compared to the rest of Spain, ie Majorca / Mainland Spain
- Nicest routes I found were up past Haria (mirador del Rio climb was lovely, only time was no wind) and near La Santa resort on the north coast, was fun seeing all the runners/triatheles
If taking my own bike I d take the lightest bike I own, and put wider road tyres on ie 28-30mm, to soak up some of the bumps.
Edited by mie1972 on Tuesday 28th October 19:23
Edited by mie1972 on Tuesday 28th October 19:25
Bathroom_Security said:
Thanks again
Suprised to see comments about poor road surface. Ill be on wide, low pressure road tyres anyway.
Ive been to La Gomera and the roads I saw were buttery smooth, something to be proud of. Expected the same for Lanzarote to be honest.
Mostly the roads are fine. There are just some that need some TLC. There is one part I forget the name but it was horrific. Used to be part of the Iron-man course. If you were spectating there you would end up with a good collection of sunnies, bottles and Garmins that had been rattled lose.Suprised to see comments about poor road surface. Ill be on wide, low pressure road tyres anyway.
Ive been to La Gomera and the roads I saw were buttery smooth, something to be proud of. Expected the same for Lanzarote to be honest.
I think you'll have to cross your fingers for the wind - I went in February a few years ago and it was pretty much unrideable. I'm well used to riding in the wind in Scotland, but this was on another level, with constant 40mph+ winds and bigger gusts that meant you could be struggling to pedal down a hill into the wind, and riding in a crosswind was a zero-fun exercise in survival. I also had 3 punctures in 10 miles on the sharp volcanic rocks - if you can go low pressure and tubeless, then it wouldn't be so bad.
Having said that there were plenty triathletes with deep carbon wheels on TT bikes that were somehow staying upright, so maybe I was just in a bad mood
Plusses are that it was relatively warm, it hardly ever rains, and the roads were fairly quite outside the main towns. There was some pretty cool volcanic scenery as well. I think to be honest if my whole cycle wasn't concentrated on mitigating the wind effects it would have been pretty enjoyable.
Although it isn't famous for gravel, from a quick check on YouTube and Strava heatmaps it looks like there's a lot of it about. If I was to go again, I think I'd try and get some off-road mapping done, and take a gravel bike.
Having said that there were plenty triathletes with deep carbon wheels on TT bikes that were somehow staying upright, so maybe I was just in a bad mood
Plusses are that it was relatively warm, it hardly ever rains, and the roads were fairly quite outside the main towns. There was some pretty cool volcanic scenery as well. I think to be honest if my whole cycle wasn't concentrated on mitigating the wind effects it would have been pretty enjoyable.
Although it isn't famous for gravel, from a quick check on YouTube and Strava heatmaps it looks like there's a lot of it about. If I was to go again, I think I'd try and get some off-road mapping done, and take a gravel bike.
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