Tenerife Recommendations?

Johnny Jukebox

Planning on heading to Tenerife for a week in February.

Any recommendations for companies who organise cycling holiday packages?

nilhg

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058278704/tenerife-recommendations

I'll be there myself in early Feb, you don't really need a organised company there, just hire a bike and head up if you're staying on the coast. The big advantage of a company is some support and local knowledge and sometimes they will drive you and the bike to a start point that's not really feasible solo and you cycle home.

I think Activo would be the biggest

https://www.activoexperience.com/

Deagol

Hi, I go cycling on Tenerife most years for a few days. I hire a bike from https://bikepointtenerife.com/ and do my own thing. But, they also do organized cycles, if you look on the website you'll see the offerings. It will depend on where you are staying of course as to what you can do. I stay in the Northwest (Los Gigantes / Playa La Arena) area and there's some fabulous routes from there.

Personally, I prefer doing my own thing as it's less stressful than trying to keep up with others etc! But then I'm old and slow :D

One thing I love about cycling there is I just head up and up Teide until I get tired and then roll all the way down and back - means you don't have to plan / know your route and worry about getting home! (Warning, that advise stops if you go over a ridge and down the other side of course :) ) .

Benny Cake

+1 on the other comment. Unless you want to be part of organised group spins there really is no need to use a travel company. The only thing I’d warn you about with Tenerife is that it’s extremely hilly, I loved it but I preferred Gran Canaria just for the the variety in cycling

07Lapierre

Watch out for this "Junction" when descending Mount Teide.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/q4nPXAZq7UjU7GCc9

https://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/video-irish-rider-survives-nervous-moment-descending-at-speed/

nilhg

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120093543#Comment_120093543

Yes, It's horrible especially if you're going straight down to Los Cristianos, an exposed windy bit of road above it too

Wishbone Ash

Not too many destinations where you can get a 50km climb! (Well, there's a bit of a descent around the 36k mark before it rises again).

https://www.strava.com/segments/11692544

MyDarkArts

If you do go up Teide, bring a gilet, arm warmers and gloves for the descent. Even if there are people sitting on the beach when you're heading off, it can get very cold on the descent.

blackvalley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120099406#Comment_120099406

Great advice from Mydarkarts .

Did Teide a few years back and will never forget the cold while descending. Left Los Christianos at a balmy 20 oC . A few hours later we laughed at the “ wimps “ we were meeting as they were descended all wrapped up in leggings , arm warmers and full finger gloves. We passed through a fog bank on the way up, another on the way down into the crater and the reverse on the way back . I have never been so cold on a bike and would have killed for a pair of gloves. Back to Los Christianos by early afternoon for lovely pints in the sun.

Think I recall somewhere that they is approximately a temp drop of 0.7 degrees for every one hundred meters of altitude so that equals about 25 degrees for Teide. Without the wind chill.

In spite of it all we had a fantastic day and im sure you will enjoy the trip.

Daroxtar

Funnily enough, I had the opposite when I did Teide in July. I headed up early in the morning, temp was mid 20s. It felt a little colder at the very top when I went to the restaurant but as I started the descent there were fairly insane thermal updrafts hitting me. My garmin rose up to 38c coming to Villaflor, it was like having someone in front of me with a hairdryer. I drank a full bottle on the descent and it was lukewarm before I was half way through it!

Teide is a massive climb and one that probably has to be done but I'd strongly recommend checking out Masca and Roque de Ingles/Anaga national park area. Absolutely breathtaking scenery.

blackvalley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120099940#Comment_120099940

Forgot to mention that we did it in middle of January .❄️

cunavalos

They had significant snow falls on Teide on Christmas Eve and a smaller flurry New Years Eve and thats with temperatures in the 20s in the beach resorts

https://youtu.be/HAKOnClw2kM

griffin100

Masca is a brilliant climb, the scenery is epic. Don’t overlook it.

You also get to do this descent / climb depending on the route you take - you can just see the road and switchbacks.

If you don’t want to be out all day there are lots of options for shorty climbs into towns and villages inland, but be aware once you leave the coast it’s all uphill. It’s flat on the coast but I found the traffic much heavier on the coast.

I did find drivers to be pretty clued in and they would give you space, especially when descending.

harmless

I'd recommend El Medano if you want to avoid the larger louts of Le Cristianos. It also has a bikepoint if you want to rent a bike or pick up some bits and piceses you forgot to pack. Small fishing village that also attracts surfers. Not many places for boozing but has a few nice restaurants. It has a natural beach and not the imported Sahara sand the holiday resorts have.