Where the best cycling in Spain is
Cycling in Spain is as romantic as it sounds. That’s even more true now that Spain is beginning to define its cycling identity on its own terms. What Spain has so humbly forgotten to mention about its cycling offerings goes way beyond great food and weather, breathtaking scenery, and challenging terrain. If you want to know where the best cycling in Spain is, read on
Tips to thriving in Spain for the health-conscious
When the news hit that Spain had taken the top spot from Italy as the world’s healthiest nation, more than a few eyebrows shot up in surprise. However if you strategize your visit, the flavors and quality of life here will soon make it obvious why Spain is #1. Here are some tips for thriving in Spain if you are health-conscious.
How to Clean My Bike?
I am reposting a selection of blogs from a series I did for Decathlon UK that have some useful activities for you to do at home during our shared global battle with the novel corona virus COVID-19. — Wendy
How to “visit” the Alhambra without tickets
Tickets to the Alhambra can be tough to find during season times or at the last minute. Dropping by the Alhambra to check it out is still possible; here’s a way to “visit” the Alhambra with a free, self-guided route.
What’s more precious than gold to a mountain biker?
Water (and sunblock) more than anything else wields mighty power in Granada, probably owing to summertime temperatures that often soar above 35C/95F. Luckily abundant public water fountains are a nice perk to riding around Granada so you can go forth fearlessly on that 4-, 6-, or even 10-hour ride, your hydration requirements will be met.
A mountain bike ride for climbers
If climbing is your thing, then Granada is your sweet spot. As with most mountain bike or road rides here, this ride allows you to dial up or down the suffering depending on how you feel that day. The main features of this circular loop include an 8.5 km (5.3 mi.) dirt climb with a grade that ranges between 4.5 and 15%, and another shorter paved climb that tops out at 31% at its steepest part and then heads into some tricky — sometimes hike-a-bike singletrack for 2 km (1.3 mi).
Where to find free ride resources for Granada
The range of digital aids available to cyclists really means that you should never have to pay to go on a bike ride yet guided bike ride services exist practically anywhere you can put tires to dirt or pavement. Whether pay-to-play or free, it’s the unknown that fascinates us and motivates to hunt for adventure. This is part 1 of a 3-part series of posts about ride services in Granada.
New MTB map reveals Spain’s most brag-worthy rides
You now have one less excuse not to plan a bike trip to southern Spain now that the Biking Sierra Nevada route map is available for download. The new map serves up 1,164 kilometers (723 miles) of routes dedicated to off-road riders and located throughout the Sierra Nevada Park system, which is 4.5 hours south of Madrid in the province of Granada. The map also introduces in both English and Spanish, Europe’s highest cyclable climb, and the multi-day Transnevada, which circumnavigates the entire Sierra Nevada range.
All the clothing you’ll need for winter riding in Granada
While we have very few cold days here in Granada, what to wear is somewhat dependent on where you ride, especially if you’re planning on riding up into the mountains since the sustained climb can get pretty warm and then instantly switch to bone-chilling on the way down. Here’s a sample winter riding “uniform” for enjoying January and February in Granada.
Gravel bike set-up for Granada (his)
If you know how to make an old bike route new again, switch to a gravel bike. If you don’t have a dedicated gravel bike, you may be able to convert an existing mountain bike into a gravel bike, here’s one version of how it’s done
