On the Road: Mountains, Hard Riding, Sun Flicker – A Few Days in Mallorca Always Hit the Spot!

Life is too short for crappy rainy rides in December – absolutely no desire for fog soup combined with a wet backside from spray water. Or even better: shivering on the road bike. Pointless suffering? Definitely not for me!

But Rouvy? Not really an option either. I did set up a Wahoo Kickr in my living room again, but at the moment, it’s more of an expensive decoration. (In the new year then. Really, I promise, cross my heart. Scout's honor.)

So, what’s left? In my desperation, I’ve now regularly started heading to the swimming pool to swim laps – like a wild animal pacing in its cage. A solution? Hardly.

So, the Christmas bonus has to bite the dust early – but at least for a good cause. For the ticket, I’m happy to toss a couple of hundred euros into AUA’s turbines, and since I’ve become a really lazy dog over the years, I’m not even bringing my own bike to the island. The place of longing for many (failed) amateur road cycling pros is something I’ve only heard about until now, but now it’s finally happening: Mallorca!

This time, the airport transfer is thankfully handled by NoPain Taxi, Import & Export GmbH. On the day of travel, the chauffeur is punctually waiting at the door. "Well, I’m not really fit, it’s going to be more of a relaxed ride", he says. "Yeah, that suits me just fine", I reply. Nothing more is said – words are overrated anyway.

Shortly after noon, we land in Palma de Mallorca. It's just under 24 degrees, the sun is shining – life is indeed worth living. I completely understand all the German retirees who spend their pension years tanning their skin down here. It’s actually not so bad in the 17th federal state.

Then everything happens quite quickly: transfer to the hotel. Of course, we chose the finest accommodation: we’ll be spending the next few days at the Iberostar Cristina. Quickly dropped off our stuff in the room and headed to the bike rental to pick up the gear. The road cycling experience in the Disneyland called Mallorca can begin!

#1 Of course, we were running late, but we discovered the mechanics working behind closed doors and "confronted them about it." They kindly took the time to hand over both bikes to us on the spot – basically: "Since you're here, we might as well do it right away."
Great attitude, big thanks! Less than 30 minutes later, we were already on the road.

​​​​​​Time to take a financial interim summary.

* Incl. 23 kg checked luggage, 8 kg hand luggage plus a small additional item
** Incl. Huerzeler sports bag, water bottle, Huerzeler team jersey, cycling map, small gift
*** Further savings possible: one less rental day, cheaper flight, without liability waiver

Tip for bringing your own bike:
Austrian Airlines would charge 300 euros for bike transport, and Huerzeler an additional 50 euros for airport transfer. The bike storage room is free of charge. Along with the effort of packing, the risk of transport, and potential damages during the vacation, an additional 350 euros in costs are added in our example.

Alternatively, you can rent a solid road bike with Di2 for 212 euros (including liability waiver) directly from Huerzeler and simply return the dirty, sweaty, and battered bike at the rental station shortly before departure.

#2 S'Arenal is known for the Ballermann, but you can't really do proper road cycling here. At least not starting from the hotel, as the route to the truly good areas takes quite a long time. The Serra de Tramuntana, the only genuinely hilly section, is about an hour's ride to the north. The way to the starting point is by no means terrible, but it's certainly not a highlight either. However, the advantage of our southern location is the proximity to the airport - no endless transport standing between you and the joy of road cycling, as well as various bike shops that are open for spare parts, repairs, or equipment forgotten at home.

ad #1: With Komoot and a bike computer or smartphone with good map resolution, you can explore varied, wind-protected, and low-traffic roads away from highways and city chaos from the very first meter under your slicks.

#4 Gravel is hardly interesting. Since I am a big (the biggest?) Gran Canaria fan and plowed through the island with my Crux last year, I love the gravel bike as a touring bike. Suddenly, new, interesting shortcuts or paths keep presenting themselves, and route planning with Komoot is much more exciting since you’re not bound to asphalt. However, on Mallorca, I hardly noticed any gravel paths, and the few that I did see were almost all marked with the sign "Privada".

ad #3: Gravel riding is also possible on Mallorca, but not in the areas where we were riding with our road bikes.

The conditions for a short and intense, yet carefree cycling camp couldn't be better: short distances, affordable, and uncomplicated. A recipe that has to work. We booked our complete package through Huerzeler, excluding the flight, all-inclusive. Even talentless folks like us can manage that without any trouble. The Cube Agree with Ultegra Di2 is not a bike we would buy for ourselves, but as a rental bike, there's nothing to complain about.

Our hotel was really nice, located right on the beach (if you value that kind of thing), featuring its own indoor pool, sauna, and fitness area, and the buffet was always top-notch both in the morning and evening. On top of that, there was a double-locked bike storage room, washing machines and dryers accessible for guests, as well as free water dispensers in the hallway.

Mallorca itself has plenty to offer: The northwest, with its picturesque coastal landscape and many classics like Coll de Sóller, the Orient, or Sa Calobra, provides a wonderful backdrop for beautiful rides.

The rest of the island isn’t bad either. The areas we explored definitely had their charm. It doesn’t always have to be epic mountain passes that you have to conquer through sweat and effort – sometimes the Puig de Randa with its nearly 500 meters of elevation gain is enough. I’m particularly fond of the small towns in the hinterland. Petra, Santa Margalida, Sineu, and all the others are true gems compared to Palma and the adjacent southern bay and are definitely worth a coffee stop.

Will I go back? One thing is certain: As soon as the thermometer drops below 10 degrees here, this option is on the table.

Your next cycling experience awaits – grab it now!