Tenerife - Self-supported loop? Day Rides?

Hey there,

Hoping to find a bit of advice on cycling Tenerife.

My wife and I are very experienced in self-supported travel. We've got the last week of March booked off in Tenerife and will be picking up rental bikes.

The plan was bring some bikepacking bags and ride a loop of the island self-supported. Though there are so many supported touring agencies it's hard to find any good info on doing it your own!

I'm just wondering if anyone has any recommendations/experience of riding a loop of the island? Would it be worth doing some days rides from a couple of bases instead?

We're not looking to do massive days - around the neighbourhood of 100km/day, which should see us through a loop if we chose that.

Search and you may find.

@DarrenFranks has been there more, I've only been once, but the Masca Loop is amazing.
I went with two friends and we were based in one place with no car. If I did it again I would definitely hire a car as it's not like Mallorca where you can cover large distances in a day, there are no flat roads!

From memory it's about 280km for a loop but it's perhaps going to miss the highlights. It's rideable in a day but there's a fair amount of climbing involved at ~6,000m. Treat it like an Everest day. I've never gotten around to doing the lap as I've only ever visited for short trips but I'd definitely go for it if I were there for a week.

This is a write-up from my last trip https://theadventurecapitalist.wordpress.com/2019/01/22/winter-cycling-tenerife/ where we stayed in El Medano and rode 100 mile loops. If you wanted to trim those down I can recommend staying in Arona or somewhere else a little higher up. It can get cool in the evenings but it saves you 45-60 minutes of climbing at the start of your ride, if you're heading up.

This write-up is from a previous trip, with smaller ambitions. https://theadventurecapitalist.wordpress.com/2017/01/22/volcanic-activity/ You'll find Strava files linked to all the rides described in both blog posts so you can judge the distances involved. The write-ups add some colour and help you realise that the weather can play a fair role in impacting your speed.

If you're feeling super punchy you're welcome to an unfulfilled idea I had for the last trip.

Ventoux has the Club de Cinglés. There are 3 (or 4 depending on how you look at it) routes up Teide. If you were to try and ride them all in one go you'd cover 400km and 11,000m of elevation, granting you founding membership of the Club des Tontos del Teide and beaucoup kudos!

Hey @DarrenFranks, thanks for the info.

I read your write up and "280km rideable in a day" is a bit mad for my wife and I to be honest. We're looking at fairly easy 80km days.

It seems like Tenerife is a popular destination for roadies doing "day rides" using a single base to explore - I was after any ideas on doing a much more manageable - and point-to-point - tour of the island. You know, arriving with some bikepacking bags with a week to explore (which is what we're doing).

Thanks anyway.

Sorry, yes, I totally missed the last line of your original post!

For me the highlights of Tenerife are the climbs over Teide. I'd be quite keen to explore the NE corner but the W and N coast roads appeal a bit less. One sea-level to summit climb is probably about 4-5 hours riding at a relaxed pace with bags (YMMV!) and then a cruise down another side. I'd probably do that three or four times, covering all faces and probably Masca too. And then spend the rest of my time exploring the national park area in the NE.

That all said, I don't know the wider island as well as I'd like, so take my advice with a pinch of salt. I'll keep following the thread as I'm curious for future visits myself.

Ah no worries, thanks for the info!

I may end up writing a ride report simply because I haven't found any good info on it. We're basically flying there with our saddle packs and a change of clothes and staying in a different hostel every night. Either way, I'll keep this thread in mind.

Should also mention I'm very excited and have heard others say great things about cycling Tenerife!

I've only been once but was there with the family earlier this year. We based ourselves in Costa Adeje, but to be honest as a stand-alone cycling destination I would avoid the west coast as this is the most built up area with mostly busy roads. That said, I would definitely try and get to the north-western point and do the descent/climb around Masca/Bueanavista. From my initial research it looked like there might be some nice off-road/gravel routes west of there to the lighthouse at Punta de Tena, but having not ridden it I can't advise on it's suitabilitity.

If you're looking to get up Teide I enjoyed the TF-38 route from Guia de Isora. Very quiet and well graded, but a good couple of hours if you're starting from the sea, as I was. Not sure if you've booked all of your accommodation but there is a hotel at the top of Teide (Parador) which is where the pros famously stay. Not sure there is much to do when you get there, mind; though that perhaps is the point for the professionals in training.

Views from Jan this year:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BsWNLlmF57M/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

It is lovely, I only did one day, (in the West [Chio]). However prepare for hills and this will temper/determine your schedule. I took a bunch of inexperienced riders on a couple of 20% pitches.

Let's just say one of us enjoyed it