A Cyclist’s Life in Tenerife (Canary Islands)

Im really starting to admire this place [Tenerife] compared to Northern Ireland where im from in terms how cyclists are treated on the road. Ive give a few examples of what is regular at home.

Being passed by articulated lorries with less than 60 cms of room, on a corner because they cannot be bothered to slow down and wait 20 seconds till the road opens up a bit. I was that annoyed i rang the haulage company and got a lecture about how long it takes for lorries to accelerate again after slowing down for cyclists that should not be on road… and the multitude of gear changes and breaking required for a lorry to wait.. behind.

Ive been passed by mad drivers in very small cars with very loud exhausts at speeds of excess of 100kph on single lane roads.

Ive had drivers in white vans throw bottles at me, shouting tosser.
Many times ive had drivers ahead of me at busy junctions without their indicators on.

Many drivers will also wait for ages getting onto a junction while im behind breathing their lovely disel fumes while they are fixing their hair or playing with their phone.

We do have cycle lanes in some towns, and as a rule i dont use em, because pedestians walking their dogs and children are playing there (they just divide the pavement into 2) and then you have to use a pedestrian crossing to cross a road.

and yet, for 3 months solid before the weather just got totally appauling i cycled the 11km to work and back 5 days a week. I picked one day in the week were id go all out and max my speed treating it like a time trial. Then a longer club run of 50-60km on sunday. I started with a hybrid bike and switched to my ridley one in sept.

cya later

Hey mate glad to hear from ya!

I must say that I really look forward to your latest ride reports… I’ve been pretty busy organising all the bookings lately.

Yes, I’m glad you notice that drivers are extremely patient here in the Canary Islands. In 3 years of riding in Tenerife I’ve never had a problem. Amazing! But I do always try to get out of other vehicle’s paths wherever possible.

You might be interested in reading this article about why car drivers treat cyclists with a lot of respect here (it’s quite long, but it explains a lot).

They’re even nicer in Holland and other places I’m told… and probably any European country like Denmark, France, etc with a strong cycling culture. I have a had a few Germans and Finnish tell me that the car drivers are nicer here than where they live.

Back in Australia where I used to live, I’ve even had firecrackers thrown at me! [Read more →]

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
1 Comment »

Hi,

I hope you can help with some info and links. I want to know how possible it is to make a trip to Tenerife for a mountain bike trip in February.

I have never been to the Canary islands before so am a bit ignorant. Are there any specialist tour operators for mtb trips?
Any help would be cool.

Regards

Hello,

Yes of course… Tenerife is a fantastic place for mountainbiking; the best place for MTB is probably in the North. Generally the mountainbike trails are wide, rocky and hilly. We can arrange guided MTB tours from Puerto de la Cruz for you… mostly descending through the La Orotova valley (because riding offroad inside Mt. Teide national park is prohibited).

We can also arrange mountainbike hire… we have some great quality bikes in many sizes & they can be delivered anywhere in Tenerife (there is a minimum of 3 days’ rental for delivery to the South). Delivery to Puerto de la Cruz area is free…

If you are interested, please get back to me with the following information:
-your accommodation details
-will you bring your own bike & equipment or do need to rent a MTB from us?

One last thing, February is one of the busiest months for bike rentals, so you will need to book early…
Looking forward to hearing from you!

Thanks very much
-Leslie

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Hi, Leslie thanks for the initial feedback.

We were thinking of renting a car (big enough) to get the bikes in so we can easily get to the sites to do some mountain biking, although my partner had a severe skiing accident and hence should really just bike on forest rough track, volcano trails etc but not really “pure and dure” off road with all the shocks that come with it (the injury - the knee ligaments (cross ligament torn) and the rest (knee) in good stable rehabilitation building up muscle and strengthening the side ligaments. - hence I was almost contemplating for a triathlon bike ! although we just want to have some exercise to see the “paysage”. Anyway, that is were we are currently with our thoughts.

We are thinking to check in to : Gran Melia Palacio de Isora en Alcala so we can have all the exercise and possibly some comfort as well. First time in Tenerife, so we are just taking our bearings………..Possibly you can recommend a good hotel accommodation close to the mountain biking areas…………..on the web site I did see your indicated routes.

We are both about 1.72 cm tall and would need a medium frame.

Also, we were thinking possibly to make outing to Gomera and take the bikes with us !

Some thoughts appreciate your input as to where would be the best location to find accommodation to be close to the mountain biking actions. If we have the car to transport the bikes, perhaps that is not so much an issue. What do you think ?

Yes we would need two bikes from March 22 to 26 - 5 days.

Unusual, Dr. Leslie renting bikes………………are you working on your next book ?

keep smiling -

Hello Carmen,

Nice to hear from you again…

Gran Melia Palacio de Isora is certainly a grand hotel, but I don’t think it is in the best location for cycling trips. It is an isolated hotel away from all the resorts. It is similar to the Abama hotel in that respect, so have a look at that one too if that is what you are looking for: http://www.abamahotelresort.com/ (it has less cement outside and is greener than the Palacio de Isora). What’s the difference between the two hotels? It’s like the people who own Abama said “Let’s create a nice 5 star hotel” whereas the people who own the Palacio de Isora said “Let’s show people what we can do with all our money”. That’s just my opinion…

Personally I think the best mountainbiking is in the North of Tenerife. It’s more scenic & there are more tracks to explore.

For instance, there are about 5 flat roads that cross the La Orotava valley & it is mostly sheltered by the trees so it doesn’t get too hot. These are simple tracks with just a few small rocks and they won’t present any problems for your partner. Of course there are also other roads which have a greater difficulty level…

The only problem with taking the car is that you need to do a loop to go back to the starting point where the car is … this sometimes means lots of climbing is involved if you don’t plan it well (unless you are lucky enough to have someone drop you off and pick you up again). [Read more →]

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

I will be in Tenerife north between 20 to 30 July and would like to hire a mountain bike during this time. What cycling trips will you have available during this time and how much would they be? What locations would they be in, what grade and for how long?

The offorad cycling trips depend on the fitness of the other riders, but I can say that normally they are about 40km long and mostly “downhill”. We almost always start from 2000m altitude and head back down to sealevel over that sort of distance. The routes are mainly firetrails, with some rocks. Maximum ascent is usually 300 metres or so. We usually complete the rides in 2 to 3 hours.

Where we go is not set in concrete, and really depends on the day. For example if some riders find some parts too steep, too rocky, too easy, or the weather changes, we will alter the route right there and then. None of the rides are what I’d call “freeride” (so there are no big jumps or dropoffs).

To do the guided MTB rides, we request that you stay in either La Orotava or the Puerto de la Cruz resort area. We also have numerous MTBs available to rent, no problem.

Thanks very much,

Leslie.

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Is it possible to arrange a guided mountain bike tour for 1 or 2 days? Road biking is pretty easy to do on our own, but we have found that with mountain biking it is nice to have some time with people that know the terrain.

Yes I offer guided MTB rides also, provided that you are staying in Puerto de la Cruz; these will cost an additional ~€35 each day per person.

Normally we catch the bus up to 2000m altitude, and start the MTB rides from there so the majority is going down… it is a special bus capable of taking a lot of bikes, but on public holidays & weekends, it is packed with downhillers!! If we don’t take the bus, someone has to go back up to the top to collect the vehicle, or I need to get another driver, and it isn’t so good for the environment either.

Metting point: Puerto de la Cruz bus station.
Departure time: usually 8:30am weekdays, 8:15am weekends.

If you are staying in one of the resorts in the south (Las Americas / Los Cristianos / Golf del Sur / Los Gigantes etc), then I can contact another MTB guide for you. It is more convenient for us if you can stay somewhere in the North of Tenerife, because otherwise we have to charge a small delivery fee to cover the cost of taking bikes to the South of Tenerife.

Anyway, I’m happy to advise you on different routes you can take on the other days you have the rental bikes… I also have some good maps to show you the MTB routes, but like you said it is preferable to do the rides with someone that knows the trails.

Thanks,
-Leslie.

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Do you know of any good cycling shops out there, I couldn’t find any last time I was there, I really like exteondo clothing I think it’s spanish but its really hard to find over here, so was hoping to pick some up in tenerife.

Yes there are several decent bike shops on the island. The most noteworthy are:

- Gofis bici in La Longuera / El Toscal (road & MTBs). This is the one I go to most often!
- Bicistar in Puerto de la Cruz (road & MTBs)
- Bicicletas Gil in La Laguna (road & MTBs)
- Vadabici in La Laguna (mainly mountainbikes)
- Bicisport in Los Cristianos (mainly road bikes)
- Bike Point in El Medano (focus is on MTBs)

Have a look here for the exact street addresses & contact details.

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
2 Comments »

Hello good day from Amsterdam!

I am planning a trip to your island and I would like to know if you have large framesets (racebike) for hire. I am 1.96 cm and use frames of 65 cm. Do you offer this kind of sizes as rental bike ?

Looking forward hearing from you soon,

We have become well aware of just how tall some cyclists are, especially from the Netherlands and Germany!
The largest bike we have measures 65cm from centre-top. It is certainly big enough to fit you! Actually you might be interested to know that the tallest client so far had a height of 203cm!!

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

The directions to the hostal seem a bit confusing. I’ve got to get to la Orotava somehow from the South airport, I’m not too sure how long that will take, maybe an hour or so? add another hour to get out of the airport, probably add another hour or two for getting lost…….

Well I can help you with the arrival. At least I hope this clears things up.

Option 1)
Direct from TFS to El Puerto de la Cruz. Titsa bus 340 is a direct service from TFS airport which also stops at TFN onroute Journey time is approximately 1 hour, depending on how crazy the bus driver is. Yes it’s convenient, but there are only 4 daily services which leave TFS airport at the following times: 09:45, 14:00, 20:00 and 23:30 [last time I checked when I wrote this].

Then there are a fair few regular lines that go from El Puerto de la Cruz to La Orotava. Numbers 101, 350, 352, 353 and 345 are the most common. The most you’ll have to wait in Puerto de la Cruz bus station is 30 minutes. Or you can catch the taxi from El Puerto to La Orotava for about €10-12.

Option 2)
Transfer at Santa Cruz. The bus 341 goes directly from TFS to Santa Cruz. It leaves TFS at 15:50, 16:50, 17:30, 18:30, 19:30…. then from Santa Cruz, you have a another choice: go direct to La Orotava (101, 107 & 108), OR go to El Puerto de la Cruz (102 or the 103 “without stopping”). Once in El Puerto de la Cruz, see above on how to get to La Orotava. The 101 bus from Santa Cruz, while interesting, goes via the old road, and stops at every little town along the way (and there are many). It’s the equivalent of an “all stations” train. While it’s a great way of getting to know how to avoid the busy TF5 freeway, I think after your journey, I’d give it a miss & wait for one of the other buses… cross your fingers and hope for the 103! Both the 107 and 108 lines also stop at TFN airport on the way to La Orotava.

It all depends if you like to be on the move or sit around twiddling your thumbs waiting for buses… generally they are on time or running 5-10 minutes late, but they always show up. Not like sydney trains which seem to get cancelled all the time. Hehehe.

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Do you deliver and collect bikes from Torviscus, as I am staying there next week and would like to hire a 56cm road for a day.

Is not usually practical for us to deliver a bike just for just one day since it’s quite a drive over there to the South and back. It means we’d have to either stay in the South until you’re finished with the bike, or else make 4 trips of almost 1.5 hours each. For that reason, we normally request 3 days minimum bike hire.

Most people that do decide to rent from us for 1 day come and hire a bike from La Orotava… for instance, there’s a great climb to the volcano crater just from where we’re located (with ~1850m ascent) that many people do starting right outside our place. They then they return it later in the day on the way back down. Once again, it’s best if you can schedule that, as I’d need to send you some arrival instructions.

Keep in mind that sometimes it is possible to arrange a days’ hire if we happen to be over in the direction over two consecutive days… best to check with us via e-mail in any case.

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Dear Sir/Madam

I am going to stay at Costa Adeje Gran Hotel from Saturday 8th to Friday 14th, and I wondering if your company can help me with hiring two bikes?

Best Regards

Yes we can definitely rent you 2 bikes. Please provide your current frame sizes, heights, and whether you prefer to hire road or MTBs.

Alternatively, you can reserve our rental bikes here.

Do you requre hotel delivery & pickup? (we are located in the North but we are happy to arrange it for you)

Thanks,
Leslie

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Hi Leslie!

We aro so sorry
We should put off our arrival till summer because its a crisis here
my friend lost work
so…its changed all our plans
but i hope we will do smth to change the situation and make it better for ourselves
thanks a lot for your efforts
and hope to visit Tenerife in summer or next year!

Hello,

Don’t worry - there is a crisis all over the world … it’s global … for example one of the weeks in January I had just one bicycle rented! Normally I have 5-10 or more bikes rented then, if not more. Luckily last month [February] was okay.

My Spanish partner also worked for Iberia and her work contract expired early and is now unemployed. Unfortunately she isn’t entitled to unemployment benefits because she hasn’t worked more than 365 days… incredible! Where I am from -Australia- the goverment automatically helps us when we don’t have enough work.

Anyway, that’s one of the reasons I sent the last newsletter - it’s times like these that we have to work harder than ever, especially if individuals & businesses want to survive. Instead of complaining about the crisis and wondering about why the economic situation is the way it is, I always try to maintain a positive, optimistic attitude for the future and keep working to find new clients. I’ve found that it certainly helps if you have clearly identifiable and reachable goal.

Thanks for your email & hope to see you one day in the future training in Tenerife!

-Leslie

Tags: That's Business, Inspiration., The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Dear Sirs,

We are an Italian travel operator focused on sport. Please could you send us as soon as possible offers on bike training camp in 2009?

Thanks cooperation

We are not planning any cycle training camps yet for 2009.
Most of our business concerns pro-quality road and mountainbike hire.

We can of course offer discounts for large groups of cyclists hiring bikes…

Thanks,
Leslie.

[cyclists are of course welcome to express their interest in Tenerife training camps using the comments function below]

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Having never been to Tenerife, we would appreciate any guidance on places to stay - we prefer to stay away from booming nightlife but would like reasonable access to a beach and some good places to eat.

The best place to stay is probably Puerto de la Cruz. Puerto de la Cruz is not like ugly Las Americas. It’s a more upmarket resort aimed at German & Scandinavian toursists. There are two beaches within El Puerto, and several better black beaches within easy cycling distance from there. I’d suggest the quieter “El Botannico” region of El Puerto to stay.

Garachico is a very tiny little town with just one or two places to stay (Quinta Roja), and a tiny tiny beach. Mainly tourists pass through there but don’t stay more than a day… there are also a bunch of traditional houses but they are generally not close to any beaches or restaurants.

Thanks very much for your enquiry,

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
2 Comments »

What we would hope to do is a mix of road and mtb. Would it be feasible to rotate the bikes?

Swapping bikes is also okay with me - provided you stay close by or are prepared to drop the bike(s) back here yourself. Otherwise it will likely incur an additional delivery charge…

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Hello Leslie,

I can use your reservation form of course, but I have to know little more about possibilities. So I am pleased if you can give me your answers for the following questions.

Do you think that I could find suitable routes for three days (or even more if I like)? And so that the starting and finishing point is my own hotel Barcelo Varadero at Los Gigantes?

I have seen and planned your easier routes from PdlCruz to Teno and El Tanque or something like that. Is it possible to cycle from Los Gigantes via TF454 to Santa Barbara or somenthing? And what about TF47 to Adeje?

I am willing to have a pleasant trips for appr. 4 to 6 (more if necessary) hours per day?

And I am not a pro cyclist, anyway I have had road bicycle (with pedals) 8 years, but just a hobby. The total climbing is new matter for me, that is one reason to be so curious.

Thanks,

Hello,

Yes I think you will find some inteteresting routes for 3 days…

Firstly, I would cycle from Los Gigantes first to Santiago del Teide, then Masca, El Palmar valley, Buenavista, Garachico, El Tanque, Erjos and back to Los Gigantes. Click here for the route map. Another way past Santiago del Teide is via Los Llanos and La Vega.

Road TF-47 is OK but a little busy with traffic. There are several loops you can do around Adeje / Guía de Isora initially via TF47. I would ride to up to Chio via Playa San Juan, Guia de Isora and return via Arguayo and Tamaimo.

Although it is very scenic, the road TF38 to Mt Teide is quite bumpy… I think most people don’t enjoy riding down that road. It would be much better on a MTB / hybrid. Also the side roads to Teno Alto and Punta de Teno are interesting + scenic…

Thanks very much!

Leslie.

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

To whom it may concern,
I was wondering if you have a women road bike for me to rent while I am in Tenerife. I am only 5 feet height and I think I am only comfortable for a 17.5″ frame. if you have a bike that fits me, please let me know. Thank you very much.

Hello,

Yes we do have 1 extra small 46cm road bike available. We also now have a 14″ MTB. Both bikes are a great fit for people 5′0″ - 5′5″ tall. I.e. women and children.

They have an alloy frame, alloy rims & good components. The most important thing is that they are XXXS size, with an ultra-short stem, so I know either one will fit you well. I’m not sure of the exact geometry … I can go and measure them if you like and get the exact top tube lengths. Plus they’ve both only been used once before!

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

I am staying in Las Americas during the week. I wont have a bike with me. I would like find some guided/group road rides about 3-4 hours steady winter pace, I usually ride with one of the foreign owned companies and I not checked the web for years. It would be nice to ride with a group I can understand.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Hello,

Well we can certainly supply you with a quality road rental bike + equipment, but group rides are not happening at the moment.

Regarding group rides, may I suggest you try the following:

1) Look at the following list of bike clubs in Tenerife and the Canary Islands. There are a few cycling clubs located in the South of Tenerife, such as Chaveña Cycle Club in Granadilla de Abona and Club Ciclista Chineje near Guía de Isora. You can then contact them directly for further info about group rides…

2) Failing that, consider joining the forum to post a question about meeting other cyclists here (just ask for help if you’d like to sign up).

3) Post a comment below with your intentions, in the hopes that other cyclists read it and respond.

Do please get back to me regarding your bike sizing + equipment needs. It’s best if you fill out the bike hire reservation form for that.

Thanks very much & happy cycling!

Les.

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Hello. Do you speak italian? If yes:

Salve.
Volevo sapere se mi potete noleggiare una bici Merida Road 905 o una Merida TFS 300, per tre giorni. Vorrei sapere il prezzo, e se la bici ha un bikecomputer.
Io dovrei essere al Jacaranda Hotel di Tenerife di Costa Adeje.
Grazie

If no:
Hello.
I wanted to know if I can rent a bike Merida Road 905 or 300 TFS Merida, for three days. I would like to know the price, and if the bike has a bikecomputer.
I should be at the Jacaranda Hotel in Tenerife Costa Adeje.
Thanks

Hello,

Unfortunately I don’t speak Italian, but naturally I would like to learn.

Many of our road bikes are already reserved/booked from next week. Yes we have a 300 TFS Merida in large size available whenever you need…. yes we can also install a cycle-computer for no extra, and you have a choice of slick or offroad tyres…

Thanks, Leslie

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Having found your web page very useful a trip to Tenerife is certainly being considered for a week of road cycling. Do you know if there any organised training camps on the island, or is it just a case of organise it all yourself?

Many thanks

Hello,

There aren’t any dedicated training camps organised on the island that I know of. This isn’t for the lack of trying, because I’ve been googling words like “cycling tenerife” etc for over 3 years. I have only ever seen a few cycle training camps in the Canary Islands, over in Lanzarote. These are usually organised in the UK & Germany; for that reason, I can’t see how they would be able to offer the best possible experience if they aren’t actually based there.

Tenerife Training camps and guided road rides were my original business plan. Since then, people have requested bike hire only so I’m happy to specialise in that now. When I’m a little more well known and have a bit more capital, I’d eventually like to get back to my original goal (probably after the economic crisis) and offer all-inclusive packages, including the neighbouring island La Gomera. For now, I think it’s easier and cheaper for people to organise their own cycling holidays in Tenerife. That way, you have more flexibility about where you want to stay, where you go & your travel dates. I provide a lot of free information & offer quality road and mountain bike hire.

Hope that helps.

Thanks,

-Leslie

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

I am hoping you can help me I am arriving in tenerife south on Friday 14th March and I am staying in Puerto De La Cruz.

What is the best, quickest and cheapest way to get there from South Airport? Can you get from South Airport to North Airport and how?

I would be grateful for any help at all.

Many thanks

Hi,
The cheapest way is to catch the 340 bus right outside the airport terminal building. It goes pretty much directly to El Puerto & I it also stops at the North airport on route. But the trouble is there are only a limited number of services per day.

The alternative is to get the 341 bus to Santa Cruz, which comes each hour. Then from Santa Cruz, it’s best to get the 103 direct bus to El Puerto, or else the 102 which also goes via La Laguna & the North Airport - they leave every 30 minutes or so. The 101 bus from Santa Cruz to El Puerto is basically an “all stations” service so it takes much longer to arrive.

It’s best if you can buy a bono bus card first as it saves a bit of money. Have a look here for more info about other airport transfer options (you can also download the bus timetables there too).

Even from Santa cruz a taxi will cost > 45 Euros. Not much less from the North Airport, depending on the traffic.

Thanks,
Les

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

You may have noticed that the rides I have on the site are all based in the North, because that is where I am based.

The most obvious ride from Los Cristianos will be the one that goes up past Vilaflor to Las Cañadas. The best road out of Los Cristanos is via TF-28. Expect traffic up as far as La Camella. There are essential three routes to Vilaflor: TF-51, TF-563 and TF-21. From there, I think it is better to continue along the same road through San Miguel & then climb up TF21 via Granadilla de Abona (the road from there all the way to the crater is fantastic). The road surface of TF51 isn’t great and I believe it’s steeper than the other two alternatives. TF-563 probably has the least amount of cars but it is a little steeper than TF21.

Also leaving from Granadilla, you can take the old road to Arico / Güímar / Arafo. It’s an undulating road and people tell me it is great. I’ve never done it, but if you have your own transport, this would be an awesome route if you are extremely fit.

You can also get out of Los Cristianos via TF-655 to Las Chifiras and beyond.

Be aware that TF-47 to Puerto Santiago is usually a pretty busy road with no shoulder much of the way. It doesn’t stop a lot of roadies cycling along this route because it is relatively flatter than a lot of the other rides in Tenerife. A better route from Los Cristianos is to Santiago del Teide, first via La Caleta, Guia de Isora and Arguayo and then returning through Tamaimo. There is also a nice quiet climb from Playa San Juan up to Guía de Isora.

The famous Masca loop is also within reach - breathtaking scenery. Anaga is also brilliant, but far from your location.

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Do you still offer guided road training rides?

Bike hire is proving to be the popular thing, so I have scaled back the emphasis on guided road training rides, and these days I pretty much offer bike hire exclusively. I also enjoy taking people on guided MTB rides.

Road rides are a bit of a different story. Right now I prefer to invest most of my capital my ever-expanding fleet of bikes than a dedicated van + trailer, etc. In the future I will surely offer guided road rides again, when I have a regular base of customers and people wish to explore the lesser-known regions of Tenerife & La Gomera. Then I will invest in a suitable vehicle to enable pickups and dropoffs (which is what cyclo tourists really want after all). We still don’t even have an official shopfront yet, but all in good time…

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

What happens if I have trouble with the bike when I’m travelling with the bike on tenerife. Do you have a service for this like a replacement bike?

Yes I generally have replacement bikes available, except during peak periods.

My policy regarding broken bikes:

If you are riding somewhere in the North, then you can always call my mobile number, and I will come to you directly to fix or replace the bike provided I am free. I will try to get you back on the road and riding again as soon as I can, but since it is just me essentially running the whole business, I can’t be in two places at once so you may need to be a little patient and understanding. I can re-imburse (refund) you for the days you don’t have a bike (the wasted days), but so far that hasn’t been necessary. [Read more →]

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Are there any restrictions on riding a MTB in Tenerife?

Yes, there are some restricted areas as far as mountain bikes are concerned. Mt Teide National park is now a World Heritage area so riding on any of the dirt tracks and trails within that zone is prohibited! If you get caught, you risk a large fine. The closest you can get to seeing the Volcanic crater on a bike is along track number 8 called “El Filo” on this hiking / walking tracks in Tenerife. Note that this particular track is located inside a “terrain of future incorporation”, so it might not be possible in future…

Riding a bicycle on the narrower walking trails / singletrack is also technically prohibited, athough lots of local and foreign riders ignore this rule. (they’re called pistas de senderismo in Spanish)

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Is it possible to transport the bikes on public buses?

It is not possible to take the bikes inside the buses with passengers. If you can fit them under the bus, in the cargo hold, then yes you can take them (but that depends on what type of bus it is). Some have very small luggage compartments. I have written more information about this on my forum, here and included some photos of what buses can easily take bicycles on board.

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

How’s the weather looking at the moment? Will I be ok in shorts and shortsleeve jersey?

Be aware that although it’s Tenerife, in the Winter months the mountains are much colder than the coast. Right now it is still quite chilly up there above 1000m. Lengthy ascents will require single layer clothing, short or long sleeve depending on your tolerance to cold weather and also depending if you’re riding in the North or the South. When climbing, your body produces a lot of heat due to the constant excercise, so there is usually no need to wear more than a single lycra base layer. Obviously there is no wind chill experienced either. The best plan is to bring layered clothing and you can always peel it off if you get to hot. Nothing worse than freezing your fingers off though eh?

Like I always say though, at an altitude of ~2000m, frost appears in the morning. Add 30mph wind chill factor onto that plus the fact that you’re not pedalling as much going down hill for an hour and you have a recipe for disaster if you only bring a short sleeve jersey and nothing else. So definitely bring a windproof jacket, arm + leg warmers and preferably long
windproof gloves, if only used for descents from Las Cañadas to sea level.

Keep in mind that it also all depends on what you are used to; I’m an Australian, so I don’t have much tolerance to cold weather plus I’m used to riding in the North, not the South, and it’s usually a little tiny bit colder up this way. Please check the weather page for futher info (temperature forecast and more).

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

I collected some information about the weather conditions on Tenerife. And about that I am a little anxious because i found some information about the differences between the south and the north of Tenerife. South should be a lot more sun and the north a bigger chance to get al lot of rain more cloudy. What can you tell me abouth the conditions in your neighbourhood?

Personally, I think the difference between the North and South of Tenerife is often exaggerated. I refer you to this link.

Yes it is usually one or two degrees cooler in the North where I live (La Orotava, 450m above sea level). I think the difference between Puerto de la Cruz & Las Americas is even less. But I wouldn’t describe the weather as ‘cold’ here in the North. Not by European standards anyway.

The cloud that people refer to is a thin stratus band that hovers over Aguamansa often between 1200-1500m or so. These are not rain clouds, so no I don’t think it rains more here in the North than in the South. Above that layer, it is always sunny with not a cloud in sight, unless there is a tropical storm brewing (in which case the whole island is affected). Sometimes the weather is even reversed and the South has more clouds than the North!

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Do you provide any support for serious mechanical failures?

Good Question.

The bikes are really well maintained and therefore I haven’t had (m)any serious mechanical failures. Three spoke breakages over the last two and a half years. A couple of broken chains. And one broken seatpost. Keep in mind there are 20 bikes in the fleet so that’s not bad going for the total amount of kilometres travelled on all the bikes. [Read more →]

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Hello
Your website describes trails mostly in the North, any mountainbike trails on the south-side of the island?

Apart from my webpage (which incidently takes a while to load fully), for further information about mountain bike routes in Tenerife I suggest you take a look at these three links in particular:
Swotch (a simple but good information site for MTB trails in the South of Tenerife… also in English)
Pista del Rayo (a fantastic website about discovering Tenerife’s trails with extremely detailed mountainbike ride descriptions and maps… in Spanish)
Freeride MTB (a MTB blog with several great mountainbike rides)

There is also this link which is normally quite a good resource:
MTB Tabai (detailed ride descriptions, but all in spanish and it’s currently offline and/or registration is required)

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Hi

Do you provide recumbent bikes for hire?

Regards

Hello,

Not at this stage we don’t, no. You are very unlikely to find recumbents for hire anywhere on the island… I have not seen a single recumbent bicycle or tricycle in the three years that I have lived here in Tenerife.

Thanks,
-Leslie

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

What are the road conditions like in the South of Tenerife?

Firstly, for general information about the condition of roads in Tenerife, take a look at this page.

Regarding quality of road surfaces, I’ve heard conflicting reports about roads in the South. Honestly I haven’t had time to explore all the roads in that region, especially the ones around El Medano and Granadilla. I tend to go as far as Vilaflor or Masca and that’s it. I can tell you to stay away from road TF38 that goes between Boca del Tauce & Chio. It’s badly in need of resurfacing, but it’s perfectly okay for a MTB! It’s best to look on the forum for other roads to avoid in Tenerife.

As you can see from this map, there are many roads in the South of Tenerife. The road surface between Granadilla and Vilaflor is excellent, but I’m not always sure what route people take to get there from the coast! I usually make a point of asking, but it’s frustrating, because people don’t always know exactly where they went. Obviously it’s in my best interests to find out asap. I’d love to explore them all, but these days I’m pretty busy with marketing & whatnot to go and explore much. Of course if I’m made aware of any other roads to avoid by my clients and other cyclists, I’ll be sure to update this.

I generally suggest that people stay in either El Puerto, Garachico, Los Gigantes or La Orotava instead of the Los Christianos / Las Americas region. Partly because they’re nicer resorts. But also because you can expect traffic around the major resorts.

Both videos I made were filmed entirely in the North. You’ll find the best roads of all in the Anaga region. But it really isn’t very easy to get to…

Thanks,

Leslie.

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Can I ask you more about the rent. Is bike covered in case of a fall/crash/accident? In real world this happens from time to time. I am sure this bike is worth a few quid, just Mavic Axiums alone probably cost 200-300. I would hate to scratch the bike and the be anxious about the consequences. Have you got a a solution?

Hello,

The bike is not insured for those kinds of accidents, no. You need to pay a security deposit of €150 to rent the bike. The idea of that is that you will take a lot more care of the bike if you have just payed close to €300.

If you crash and cause damage yourself, in theory you would lose the deposit. If you read the fine print, most places will charge you for the full replacement value of the bike.

In the case of a serious accident, I imagine the biggest cost to you would be the hospital medical bill, not the bike. I think the UK has a reciprocal health arrangement with Spain (I am unsure of other countries?). If you are worried, you should definitely get yourself travel insurance and make sure that sporting activities in particular ‘cycling’ are covered in their policy.

Remember to take care on the roads, especially on the descents. Trucks & buses commonly go to the other side of the road around corners (they have to because sometimes there is no space for them to make the turn) so don’t ride close to the central road marking unless you can see there are no vehicles coming. I check the bikes personally each time they are rented so they are in mechanically A1 condition. Steering + brakes, gears, wheels and tyres. [Read more →]

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Hi,

Thank you for your quick and detailed reply. We would most likely be looking to hire 10 racing bikes for 3 days between the 3rd and 10th of Feb I am not too sure of sizes yet but what sizes do you have avaliable? How much could you do 10 bikes over 3 days for?….and would we be able to keep them over night?…as ideally during a training camp we would like to ride early morning!

On a practical note, how far away are you from Los Cristianos/Las Americas? Is it practical to hire from you if you are far away? Finally…How easy and expensive would it be to deliver the bikes?..because we havent arranged any transport.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Hello Jonathan,

Yes you can keep them overnight. Assuming 10 bikes, here’s my discounted prices:

• 10 bikes for 3 consecutive days will cost €525 (= €17.50/day per bike).
• 4 consecutive days for €17/day
• 5 consecutive days for €16/day
• 1 week for €14/day per bike
• other rates on request.

It is no problem to deliver anywhere on the island! Directly to your hotel. That’s what we do! Delivery/pickup will cost an extra ~90€ for that many bikes - basically we have to hire a big van for a day, at least ’til we get one of our own (then the standard delivery/pickup fee of €36 applies to Los Cristianos).

We have sizes from 46 - 61cm in road bikes and 14 - 21″ in mountain bikes. It’s best to give me the sizes you need, and I’ll see what I can supply. But just a question: have you thought about staying in the North? Better roads, and better rides than the South!!

Can you provide more details about the training camp? I’m also happy to advise you with the logistics of such a big group of bikes… i.e. it might be better for you to hire some mini vans, and transport the bikes separately to your riders.

Please do get back to me with those sizes - the sooner the better. We do appreciate your business,

Thanks very much, and hope to hear from you again soon!
Leslie.

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

I’ve just found this blog (very useful!) and I am in a similar position to this person, but wanted to make sure i’ve got this right:

Just to clarify, me and my girlfriend would like to have a (road) cycling holiday in Tenerife during the last fortnight in March. As well as cycling we also enjoy walking/fell running and swimming.

Could you please suggest where in your opinion is the best location on the Island for us to stay? and whether the weather is likely to be decent during that period? (we usually go to mallorca for our cycling but we figured it’s time for a change!)

Thanks in advance!

I might be biased but think Puerto de la Cruz is probably the most scenic resort & also offers the best access to different parts of the island for both road and mountainbiking. The downhill mountain bike scene is already quite big here and is getting more popular all the time. As far as road cycling goes, the main climb to Izaña / El Portillo / Las Cañadas is exceptional, either via TF21 (preferably starting in La Orotava) or TF24 (starting in La Esperanza).

There are fantastic views of Mt Teide from all along the North coast and there are direct bus services to all the major places including the capital Santa Cruz, La Orotava, Las Americas, Los Cristianos and Los Gigantes. It has a lot of restaurants to choose from, black volcanic sand beaches and other tourist attractions… obviously it’s also more convenient for me to deliver rental bikes around this region too.

In Summer, the temperatures experienced in the North of Tenerife are usually a few degrees cooler than in the South. A lot of people [particularly the English] think that the North is always cloudier than the South. Yes there is often a thin stratus cloud band between about 1200-1500m altitude, but like the main website says, it’s always sunny above this layer (unless there is a snow storm). The most affected zone is just below Aguamansa. The reason for this is that the La Orotava valley traps clouds because of the steep sides at each end (above Icod el Alto / La Corona on the western side and Pino Alto / La Florida / Pinoleris on the eastern side). The upside of this is that it also makes it greener and more beautiful. Looking down on it from above is certainly a sight to behold. Although it’s not always true, because as I write, there is a beautiful sunny blue sky here in Los Pinos and zero cloud. Puerto de la Cruz juts out from the coast further into the ocean and is not affected as much; it’s one of the sunniest places along the North coast of Tenerife.

Having said that, all places have their advantages and disadvantages. For instance, Los Gigantes is a very cosy nice little resort located right alongside beautiful 500m sea cliffs. It’s closer to Masca but unfortunately it is really too far away to explore Anaga. Be aware that the road leading out of Los Gigantes up to Santiago del Teide is also steeper than most at around 6.5% gradient. The road TF38 to the base of Mt Teide is quiet and has few cars but is really in need of resurfacing so is more suitable for mountain bikes.

Las Americas is often sunnier than the other resorts but the terrain is a less interesting compared to the North of Tenerife. The road from Granadilla de Abona to Vilaflor and beyond is not to be missed. Unfortunately, it also has the reputation for lager louts, so if you’re looking for a more authentic place, the North of the island is probably a better choice to stay. If you’re seeking a quieter cycling holiday, be aware that there are also many small villas dotted around Tenerife.

La Laguna & Santa Cruz are the best places to stay if you want to see the Anaga mountain range. The appearance of fog is normal in the the Anaga mountains between about 800 - 1000m altitude.

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Hello,

We are coming up to Tenerife for 1 week with 3 persons and would like to rent road bikes for the week. (last week of january 2008)

I saw most of the information on your website (very nice site, by the way). But I have a question concernig how to get the bikes as we will stay near to Puerto de la Cruz. This is important to know which kind of car we have to rent.

Do we have to pick up the bikes somewhere or do you deliver the bikes ?

sincerely yours

Hello,

Thanks for the compliment about the site; I have worked very hard on it.

Yes we can deliver the bikes to any hotel in Puerto de la Cruz for no extra - that is no problem!

Thank very much,
Leslie.

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Hi there,

I have recently moved to Tenerife and I am living and working in Puerto de la Cruz as a teacher. My partner and I are interested in taking up cycling and were thinking of doing a cycling trip over the half-term holidays (first week in November). We have 10 days and thought about cycling from Puerto de la Cruz to Los Cristianos and maybe taking the ferry over to La Gomera for a few days of walking.

We do not have much cycling experience so this might be an impossible challenge for us - saying that we are both 31 and reasonably fit (at the minute I do two or three 1hr spinning sessions a week).

I was just wondering if you could offer us some advice - would this be impossible to do, which route would be best to take and do you recommend any maps that give good information about the island.

Don’t think we would be fit enough to join any of your cycling tours just yet but maybe in the future!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Kind regards

Hello,

There are a few routes to get to the South, and no it wouldn’t impossible - just think of it as a huge challenge!!!

The most direct route to take would be straight over the top, via TF21. That involves a continuous climb up to 2300m over a distance of 35km! That should take about 3-4 hours or so if you are reasonably fit. Provided you have a bike with appropriate gearing, it’s pretty much a constant 5% gradient, which is easy enough (just very, very persistent).

Age has nothing to do with it, because I’ve even cycled up there with a 62 year old lady!! (I’ve recently turned 31). Keep in mind though, there’s almost no respite, so you’ll be pedalling continuously uphill for at least 3 hours. If you can, start from Aguamansa!! That’s already half way up, and you cut out the traffic around Puerto & La Orotava.

After the climb, it’s down into the crater, up out the other side, and down down down past Vilaflor, then further down all the way to the coast. Keep in mind that the qaulity of road TF51 between Vilaflor and La Longuera isn’t very good. Also stay away from the road that goes from Boca del Tauce to Santiago del Teide, because it needs resurfacing, and isn’t that suitable for road bikes.

What I can say is that you should definitely forget attempting to do the return journey in a single day (for example, El Puerto to Vilaflor, then back to El Puerto). I would also forget the road that goes through La Esperanza (although it’s very scenic, the climb is even longer & mentally tougher!!!). The other way would be to go via Icod/Garachico, El Tanque, Santiago del Teide, etc… but it’s longer and still involves a lot of undulating hills which add up just the same (they can actually be worse than a continuous climb if you’re not used to it). [Read more →]

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Hi Leslie

I’m really a tandem rider but my new wife is not a cyclist. However I’d like to try taking her on a tandem along the sea front one day while we’re in Tenerife. Are tandems available for hire in Playa do you know, or for hire in Tenerife generally? When I’ve been over in Tenerife with my late wife we took our folding Tandem Two’sDay with us but I no longer have this tandem and in any event it wouldn’t be worth it just for one day!

We are coming to Tenerife for a couple of months - possible Jan / Feb and I would like to hire a tandem (non - racing). I am aware from your web site that this may not be part of your stock but could you advise us on this. My partner is quite small in stature and she has not learnt to cycle - hence the tandem.

Regards

Hello tandemers!

Well I’ve now had three enquiries regarding Tandems in the last month or so, so I’m starting to sit up & take notice!

I don’t have any tandems for rent, and I’m almost certain that no one else on the island does either. I’m not even aware of any shops on Tenerife that sell tandems. You might find it to pretty darn tough going with all the hills about. Although going downhill would certainly be a blast an a half!!! If I get more enquires I’ll look into it for late 2009, but at this stage I’m still augmenting the normal road bike fleet.

Tandem rentals were never something I would have thought of previously, but I think it could be a definite future possibility. I’ve noticed that I get a lot of couples enquiring about two bikes who obviously want to ride together… often very mis-matched sizes (latest example: man needs 60cm frame, women goes with 49cm). I suppose it’s not something they might have thought of ever trying out. And I’d certainly like to have a go with my fiancé who is a bit on the clumsy side. hahaha

Folks, I don’t want to get your hopes up for summer 2009, but I’d like to get your feedback on a few things regarding tandems: [Read more →]

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
3 Comments »

I’d like to hire a road bike, just for one day to climb Mt.Teide starting from Costa Adeje. I would need the bike to be delivered to the Bahia Principe hotel on 10/19/07 so that I can start early on 10/20/07. Hopefully I’ll be finished in time for collection that afternoon/evening but you never know!

If this sounds acceptable, I’d be grateful if you would reply with an approximate price and what I need to do next.

Regards,

I’d love to help you out, but for just one day it’s not economical for us to deliver the bike (we’re located an hour away from Costa Adeje), unless you’re willing to pay a premium for that service. For that reason we stipulate a 3-day minimum for deliveries to the South.

If you’re prepared to come and pick the bike up (normally people hire a car), I can send you directions + a map & we can certainly help you out. For what it’s worth, the ride up is probably nicer from this side of the island, starting in La Orotava.

It’s €30 for one day bike rental & you won’t find better bikes than ours in Tenerife!

Thanks,
Leslie.

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Hello could you help me with some more information Re. cycle hire. I need to tie up any loose ends and secure loan of bike before booking for Christmas holiday in Tenerife as the cycling would be main priority of holiday. I need to know if the bikes are delivered and picked up on a day to day basis or can I retain one for 7-10 days provided I can find secure accomodation.

Yes you can keep the bike for the entire duration of the rental period. You do not need to return it every single day…

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

From looking at the route maps, it looks like most all the rides could start and end in Puerto de la Cruz. Is a rental car needed to meet you for any rides or can you get by without one most of the time? I might want to rent a car for a few days to drive to other parts of the island for sightseeing.

Congratulations on Cadel Evans making the podium in the Tour. I am a big fan of Robbie McEwen, he is spunky. Here on the US race circuit one of the guys I cheer for is Nathan O’Neill, he is a very smart and funny guy.

I enjoy your blog as well, thanks for sharing all the information.

Thanks,

Yes I think it’s a good idea to hire a car, at least for a couple of days. It’s not absolutely 100% necessary, but it allows you to make the most of your cycling vacation. The rides could start & end in El Puerto without one but there are a few things to consider: [Read more →]

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Hi

I am coming to Tenerife for a holiday on Friday 21st Sept, and would like to hire a road bike for attempting to cycle up Teide. We are staying in Golf del Sur, so it would be quite a trek to get across the Island to your location. Is it possible to pick up a bike, and at which times of day can this be done?

I am thinking of renting for 3 days - 24th to 26th Sept. I currently ride a 56cm Cannondale frame, but have also a 54cm frame. I have standard spd shoes, and can bring pedals, although if you have some available it would be easier for me to rent them as well.

Alternatively, as it is a long way to come to pick up a bike, and my wife is not too keen on the chauferring duties, is there any competitor that you can suggest, who is a little closer to Golf del Sur, where I can rent a bike? (Sorry - that’s a bit cheeky, but I had to ask)

Finally, if you have something available for those dates, how much would it cost (and how many bottle cages does it have) ?

best regards

While www.Tenerife-Training.net prides itself on being “the best source of info regarding cycling in Tenerife on the net”… the only thing that keeps us going is bike hire. I work extemely hard to make it easy for people to find me and rent one or more of my bikes. It doesn’t make economic sense to give away my competitors contact details, unless I’m in a position where I can’t profit by it (eg: I don’t have any bikes available, which isn’t the case).

We’re a family run business, and while I’m an Australian, the profit stays within a Canarian family. If you want to support us, you’ll make the effort & come and pick up a bike. Alternatively, we have a pickup and delivery service which can be arranged as there are no places to rent road bikes in Golf del Sur.

We have a 55cm Hasa full carbon monocoque road bike that you can rent for 85 Euros for the 3 days. 2 bottle cages with 750ml bottles can be supplied. Normally people come in the morning or afternoon, but you can come whatever time you like, provided you let us know in advance. I can send you the detailed directions + map.

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

I used a lot of GoogleEarth and Google map and Anaga region looked like riders amusment park! How long it takes to get the hot spots from the hotel?

Anaga is the best region on Tenerife for cycling, that’s for sure. It has the smoothest roads, and the least amount of traffic on the island. Magnificent views on top of that. Its still a secret. It’ll take up to 40 minutes by car. Best to start from Las Mercedes… the other fantastic rides go up to Las Cañadas / Mount Teide, where its best to start from either La Orotava or Aguamansa. Around Masca is also the other great zone.

I’m told that the google Earth map for Tenerife has just been updated. Its only a few weeks old now. At the beginning of the year [2007] the map was ~4 years old.

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Hi,

I’m looking to come to Tenerife for all of December this year as part of my training plan and you guys seem to have it all sorted!

Please can you let me know how you can help with a 4 week stay in terms of riding buddies/training.

Addititionally, I need to rent a quiet villa for 4 weeks (preferably not at altitude) with internet access and hopefully a pool (internet is a must so I can send my data to my coach). Do you have any suggestions?

Many thanks

Firstly, sorry for the massively delayed response.

“Us guys” are actually me & my partner running everything from a tiny little office and garage. Hahaha! Appearances can be deceptive, but yes we think we’ve got it covered when it comes to cycling in Tenerife. [Read more →]

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Hi Leslie,

I’m not sure if you remember me, we spoke about 4 weeks ago regarding my training trip to Tenerife. Anyhow just to inform you I’ll be arriving in puerto de la cruz on Monday and I’ll be on this email for the next two weeks. I’ll send you off a mail to let you know my intended itineary and we might hook up for a trip or two later next week.

Also, do you know if there is a gym in Puerto de la cruz? What is the weather like at the moment?

Cheers

That would be great.

Keep in mind, this is really the off season, so I’m not fit at all! LOL.

I’ve been working on the computer most days 10-12 hours a day… I haven’t been riding for ages, because I’m super busy. I’ve had to focus (with marketing) on getting more business in order to pay the bills. Bike hire is the main priority at the moment!

For the gymnasium: I quickly checked google & came up with this link of places.

This one probably looks the most promosing:

Health AND Fitnes Tel: 922 38 69 77
Av. Francisco Afonso Carrillo, s/n
38400 Puerto de la Cruz (Sta Cruz de Tenerife)

AFAIK, all the gyms are located inside hotels. There’s also one located near hotel playa turquesa (near the road closest & parallel to playa jardin beach). The REAL bodybuilder gyms are located outside el Puerto, such as HaraSport in Santa Ursula.

The weather is really nice at the moment! There are further links to reliable weather forecasts here. You can also see what the weather is doing live the webcam image on that page…

Thanks,
Leslie

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
1 Comment »

Hi,

I found your website and would like more information about the bikes you have and their availability.

I will be arriving to Puerto de la Cruz at the evening and I will be staying with my wife in the Teneguia hotel (Av. Melchor luz 2). I would like to use both mountain bike and a road bike during my stay there…

I’d like to know:

* Is this possible? when are you open during that time?
* What kind of bikes do you have (road & MTB)?

We have both road and MTBs available during that time. You can check their availability here. The specifications change from time to time - further info about the bikes can be seen < href="http://www.tenerife-training.net/Bicycle-Bike-Hire-Rental-Tenerife/Road-Racing-Bike_Hire-Tenerife.php#fleet">here.

We still don’t have a dedicated shopfront yet. Hence, most bikes are delivered directly to our clients’ hotels and apartments. Pickup can be arranged with us by making an appointment via email or telephone. Phonecalls are best made between the following hours 9:00 - 13:00 | 15:00 - 21:00. Note that sometimes we are closed around the May / June off season.

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Hello Leslie,

Thank you for all of the information. I spent a little more time on your site this weekend, I love all of the maps and descriptions of all the rides. All of the travel information is very helpful too. You mentioned a Canadian client (I think I saw her photo on your site), have you had many clients or visitors from USA. If so, I might want to check with them on tips they may have for planning the trip.

It sounds like you highly recommend Masaru and it does look like it has it all. Their rates are very competitive as well. So unless you have some new discoveries, I will probably go with them.

Glad you like the website + blog.

To answer your questions briefly: I’ve only had 1 American client so far [as of 13/08/2007]… so its not too popular, no. But then Americans aren’t generally known for travelling outside the Canada & Mexico (or indeed, there own US state). Hahaha

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Hello Leslie,

I was saddened to hear about the forest fires and hope they did not get close to where you live. News reports I have read on the Internet have not been very detailed. How did the fires affect you personally? How are the islands coping?

Well, on to happier topics. In February I read an article on cyclingnews.com about Daniele Bennati training in the Canary Islands and I have been dreaming of vacationing there ever since. I couldn’t believe it when I found your website. An English speaking person running a cycle touring company in Tenerife??? [Read more →]

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

Do you deliver a rental road racing bike to Los Gigantes for a week? I´m planning to travel Tenerife next december with my family but we have not decided where to stay. Puerto de la Cruz is also possible.

I would like to ride every day several hours, so this is an important matter. I checked out your great web-site but if you have any more good tips please let me know?

Yes of course it is possible to hire a road bike with us in December! You won’t find any places in Los Gigantes to rent road bikes.

Los Gigantes & Puerto de la Cruz are both nice resorts. Los Gigantes is about 1 hour and 20 minutes drive from here. Of course, we’re much closer to Puerto de la Cruz, so that’s more convenient for us to deliver a bike. Las Americas is the biggest resort zone on Tenerife - if you’re looking for a quiet place, it’s not the best place to stay. Los Cristianos isn’t quite as bad, but overall I think Puerto de la Cruz offers the best options for tourists.

There was a big fire on the West of Tenerife last year, near Masca; Santiago del Teide was the worst place for the fire I think… that is closer to Los Gigantes but a lot of the vegetation has since regenerated.

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »

One of the primary objectives of www.Tenerife-Training.net is to provide free information about cyling in Tenerife. Almost every day, cyclists from all around the world ask me all types of questions in all different languages. One of the reasons I started forum storum was to get people to participate in the actual content of the site (but I think that most people just can’t be bothered signing up and participating).

So after three long years, it has finally occured to me that I could share some of the answers I provide in my emails. That way, I don’t have trouble thinking up content which isn’t some marketing BS I’ve struggled to invent and you can directly access this detailed & useful information. I’ll slowly add some of the more useful things I’ve written over time.

If you have a question, feel free to email me: cycling@tenerife-training.net or else post a comment below!

Tags: The Bike Guru by Dr. Leslie Brown
No Comments »