Thought about Italy for that time of year? Alps would still be good for early to mid Sept with good weather likely, and October could head to sicily which has some great climbs and some nice quiet flat roads and some fantastic weather at that time of year.
Cycling Holidays
- Thread starter Kimi
- Start date
Anyone have any experience of Crete or heard from anyone who's ridden there?
Seems quite sparse of bike hire shops, even in Heraklion near where I'm staying end of July (only 2-3 places around €40-50 a day for a road bike), but there are tons of routes around...
cyclingcreta.gr
Seems quite sparse of bike hire shops, even in Heraklion near where I'm staying end of July (only 2-3 places around €40-50 a day for a road bike), but there are tons of routes around...
Download the best road cycling routes Amoudara & Heraklion Crete
Download the best road cycling routes at Amoudara & Heraklion Crete. STRAVA, alltrails, komoot, bikemap, wikiloc, ridewithgps gps files
cyclingcreta.gr
Soldato
Anyone have any experience of Crete or heard from anyone who's ridden there?
Seems quite sparse of bike hire shops, even in Heraklion near where I'm staying end of July (only 2-3 places around €40-50 a day for a road bike), but there are tons of routes around...
Download the best road cycling routes Amoudara & Heraklion Crete
Download the best road cycling routes at Amoudara & Heraklion Crete. STRAVA, alltrails, komoot, bikemap, wikiloc, ridewithgps gps files
Surely at that rate it makes more sense to ship a bike? Unless it comes down for subsequent days?
Soldato
Thoughts / recommendations on Alpine climbs? We're staying near Grenoble in August (compromise on location with non-cycling family coming!). That does mean we'll need to drive to a start point but needs must. I have a few routes mapped out so far:
1) Alpe d'Huez plus a long(ish) loop to include the Col de la Morte (127km / 3300m) - roughly based on the d'Huez triathlon route
2) Col du Mollard - Croix de Far - Col du Glandon (76.5km / 1620m)
3) Col du Pre & Cormet de Roselend (45km / 1620m) - loop with an out & back leg to the Cormet summit
4) Col de la Madeleine loop (117km / 2985m)
5) Chamrousse (110km / 2460m) - not well known but we can do ride this from "home". It's still about 20km and 1200m for the main climb up to Chamrousse.
Col de l'Iseran has been on my list but (have I asked this before?) the "full" climb from Bourg Saint-Maurice includes some un-lit tunnels which are meant to be no fun with traffic. Depending on what you class as the start on the south side, it's a 240km round trip to Modane. Lanselbourg (further up the south side) is 280km of driving. Bourg on the north side is also around 240km.
1) Alpe d'Huez plus a long(ish) loop to include the Col de la Morte (127km / 3300m) - roughly based on the d'Huez triathlon route
2) Col du Mollard - Croix de Far - Col du Glandon (76.5km / 1620m)
3) Col du Pre & Cormet de Roselend (45km / 1620m) - loop with an out & back leg to the Cormet summit
4) Col de la Madeleine loop (117km / 2985m)
5) Chamrousse (110km / 2460m) - not well known but we can do ride this from "home". It's still about 20km and 1200m for the main climb up to Chamrousse.
Col de l'Iseran has been on my list but (have I asked this before?) the "full" climb from Bourg Saint-Maurice includes some un-lit tunnels which are meant to be no fun with traffic. Depending on what you class as the start on the south side, it's a 240km round trip to Modane. Lanselbourg (further up the south side) is 280km of driving. Bourg on the north side is also around 240km.
Croix de Fer and Glandon are both fantastic climbs, but if you're thinking of those i'd look at doing the Galibier which isn't far away. Alpe D'Huez is easy compared to all 3. I'd always favour riding from home if you can though.
It comes down if you extend the days. For me far less hassle and stress hiring - when putting in hire of a bike box too (£30-50 a week), then hiring out there would work out cheaper. Plus TUI look to be £30+ for a bike and need 2 months+ notice!
It's going to be 40 degrees there for several days now. Some of the others as 'low' as 34 degrees with it being 25+ at 6am so even heading out early not really convinced is a good idea. Other half has said a firm 'no' anyway! 
All Inclusive so got lots on resort, including a gym. Current plan is hoping they have a smartbike, or at least some spin classes so I do *something* rather than the usual guilt of just stuffing my face all week and beer for liquid every meal.
All Inclusive so got lots on resort, including a gym. Current plan is hoping they have a smartbike, or at least some spin classes so I do *something* rather than the usual guilt of just stuffing my face all week and beer for liquid every meal.
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Have you ever actually been allowed to cycle on one of your holidays?It's going to be 40 degrees there for several days now. Some of the others as 'low' as 34 degrees with it being 25+ at 6am so even heading out early not really convinced is a good idea. Other half has said a firm 'no' anyway!
All Inclusive so got lots on resort, including a gym. Current plan is hoping they have a smartbike, or at least some spin classes so I do *something* rather than the usual guilt of just stuffing my face all week and beer for liquid every meal.
We did once! But that doesn't really count does it?!Have you ever actually been allowed to cycle on one of your holidays?
if you happen to do Huez, go all the way up to Lac Besson.
from Bourg d'oissane , climb up Notre Dame - if not all the way up, part of it for amazing views of Bourg.
Soldato
We're trying to decide where to go next summer with my local cycle çlub'. We need somewhere reasonably easy to get to and without spending too much money (so driveable or near an airport). We've done Mallorca, Girona, and The Alps (Bourg d'oissane) and are looking for somewhere similar but different.
Off the table are - Switzerland (too expensive), The Dolomites (expensive and a little harder to get to), Pyrenees & Andorra (appears to be harder to get to)
Current ideas are Morzine (near Geneva - we would hire a splitter can and drive there, as we did with The Alps) and Costa Blanca (near Alicante).
Are there any other good recommendations that fit our criteria?
Off the table are - Switzerland (too expensive), The Dolomites (expensive and a little harder to get to), Pyrenees & Andorra (appears to be harder to get to)
Current ideas are Morzine (near Geneva - we would hire a splitter can and drive there, as we did with The Alps) and Costa Blanca (near Alicante).
Are there any other good recommendations that fit our criteria?
Soldato
I'll get my training in!
How much does a cycling holiday cost? Or is that one of those annoying questions where it can be as cheap or as expensive as you like? I'd love to go abroad and cycle somewhere new
Me and my 1 cycling friend haha. What a romantic treat.
Me and my 1 cycling friend haha. What a romantic treat.
Soldato
Guess it’s just the same as any other holiday except add some cash for either bike courier or bike hire.
I always thought bringing a bike would be absurdly expensive but it seems it's much cheaper than hiring one.
I'll nag my friend and my partner about it. Though I know we were thinking of buying a bike rack and going to the lake district
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Soldato
We're looking at Calpe, Denia or Ontinyent.
I would suggest somewhere in Spain, for example, £350 or so for Easyjey/RyanAir flight including bike carriage (and I usually get leg room and an extra bag, sometimes it's up over £400 including parking) A cab from the airport could be anywhere from €50 to €100 (and then again to get back) then it's whatever you can find for AirBnB or a hotel, so maybe €90 a night, but can be split with someone?
I suspect it's usually around £800-£1,000, plus walking around money
Soldato
We're looking at Calpe, Denia or Ontinyent.
I would suggest somewhere in Spain, for example, £350 or so for Easyjey/RyanAir flight including bike carriage (and I usually get leg room and an extra bag, sometimes it's up over £400 including parking) A cab from the airport could be anywhere from €50 to €100 (and then again to get back) then it's whatever you can find for AirBnB or a hotel, so maybe €90 a night, but can be split with someone?
I suspect it's usually around £800-£1,000, plus walking around money
I’d probably go Ontinyent if you’re happy being inland.
That area of Spain doesn’t really have nice coastal cycling roads so you always end up heading inland and then you’re spending 20km getting away from the Coastal towns so half your ride is spent getting to the bits you want to do.
I think any of those gets you in a position to tick off the Col de rates climb and probably also the Cumbre one. Although it’d be a rubbish ride to get to the Cumbre one so just a tick box really.
There’s a brilliant Facebook group calling Cycling in Denia which will likely provide a lot of great answers on route choice.
The other option is further towards Alicante around Jumilla/Pinoso. You’ve then got some great cycling around here and up towards Jijona and Busot.
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Caporegime
Cheaper to take your own if you are going to be cycling every day for a week but there are positives and negatives to both. There is a recent GCN video about it which was quite interesting.
Soldato
I guess the other cost is buying the bike box.
If you’re going to go often it’s less of a deal but a big expense for a single trip. Unless you can buy smartly and resell.
If you’re going to go often it’s less of a deal but a big expense for a single trip. Unless you can buy smartly and resell.