Cycling on Mallorca - Chris Papenfuss Photography

The Spanish island of Mallorca is well known not just for its famous beaches and holiday resorts but also for its exceptional cycling terrain. There is an endless network of smooth & well maintained roads that spans almost the entire island. Combine that infrastructure with beautiful views and respectful drivers and you have something that could be considered a cyclist’s paradise. It’s actually almost crazy to see just how professional the island is about its cycling community: Bike shops and rental places are abound. Most cafes & restaurants have bike stands for road bikes, routes are well marked, etc.. Well, just a perfect package overall.

Mallorca Cycling — You can hop right over to Ibiza for some clubbing

Seven days in paradise

Lucky me got to spend seven days on the island of Mallorca to get in shape for the summer cycling season. The resort town of Calla d’Or served as the base for eight fantastic rides that covered a tad more than 400 miles/ 650km. While I wasn’t really in a photo kind of mood on this trip, I always made sure to tuck either the fabulous Fuji X70 or the GoPro Hero 4 Silver in my jersey pocket.

Small & light enough to fit into the bike jersey: GoPro & Fuji X70

The Canyon Base

People have asked me before on Facebook and Instagram: Yes, I do try to avoid flying with my bike. Bike cases are huge and you have to rely on a van to get you from point A to B which can be a hassle. Also, most airlines charge 50-100 EUR for each leg. Renting is therefore an attractive and convenient option. The manufacturer of my personal bike (German made Canyon) actually has a rental station on Mallorca. I therefore ended up riding the exact model that I have at home. Pretty damn cool.

Mallorca airport

Any doubts left that Mallorca does not take cycling seriously? Well, look what I found at the airport: A giant screen just for the live coverage of the Giro d’Italia. Waiting for your flight to board while watching the riders cross the magnificent mountain passes of the Dolomites is dang awesome. It doesn’t get any better than this.