Eight things to know before going on a bike holiday

For us, a cycling holiday is the best way to see and immerse yourself in a new destination. It’s a great way to meet the locals and to experience things you just wouldn’t see from a coach tour or hire car. And it’s hard to beat the sense of freedom you get from flying down hillsides and along coastal roads with the wind in your hair and the sun on your back.

Cycling in a group is also highly sociable, you’ll meet like-minded people and enjoy the encouragement and camaraderie that cycling together brings, it’s also a great way to improve or maintain your fitness levels. Once you’ve tried a cycling holiday the thought of holidays sitting around a pool reading the latest block buster will no longer seem so appealing.

As we’ve mentioned previously, a cycling holiday is a great way to get under the skin of your holiday destination, so if you’re the type who likes to explore, meet new people, get away from the crowds and throw yourself head-long into your holiday this could be just the thing you’re looking for.

You don’t need to be super fit and there’s no need to worry about the rides being too hard, long or steep for your ability. On a Neilson Beachclub holiday there’s routes to cater for all abilities and fitness levels, so it really doesn’t matter if you’re new to cycling. You can also mix it up with other activities such as tennis, fitness, stand up paddle boarding and sailing, so if you decide it’s not for you there’s bound to be something else that you like.

Many of the beachclubs have a fleet or road and mountain bikes, so give them both a go and see which is for you.

You don’t have to be fit to enjoy a cycling holiday but it will help. Improve your fitness and you’ll be able to cycle for longer, see more of your destination, join more of the guided rides and still have time to enjoy your time off the bike. It all adds up to a much more satisfying holiday.

If you don’t currently exercise and want to make the most of the cycling it might be a good idea to start doing a little cardio (3 times a week) a month or so before you go on holiday. It will give you a little extra strength to get up those hills. And if you have a bike at home there’s no better prep for a cycling holiday that doing some riding and building up your weekly mileage. You might also want to start making healthy food choices – which in turn will give you more energy to help with the pre-holiday training.

If you’re on a cycling holiday with Neilson, the bikes and services of a bike guide are included as part of the holiday. You’ll find a great choice of mountain and road bikes from Boardman Bikes & TREK in a range of sizes, the bikes are serviced regularly and are just waiting to be ridden by you. People on guided rides will get priority usage of these bikes and outside of times reserved for guided rides you can take them out to go free-riding with a friend and set out on your own journey of discovery.

If you’re a keen cyclist or are training for a cycle event (road race or triathlon for example) you might want to bring your own bike on holiday. If you do bring your own we recommend that you book the bike in for a service before you travel – that way it’ll be in tip-top condition enabling you to make the most of the rides. The bike will also need to be booked onto the flight (so you’ll need to contact the airline to check cost and availability) and the transfer coach. It’s also important you pack your bike correctly or you may find yourself being charged extra or the bike being turned away at check in.

On a Neilson holiday, most people use the bikes that are provided rather than going through the hassle of bringing their own (see above). The bikes provided tick all the right boxes for your cycling holiday, whether that'shitting the single track or the open road. Our bikes are from the manufacturers' Boardman Bikes &TREK. Mountain bikers will love the Boardman MHT, MTR 8.8& TREK X Caliber 7 or 9, which have been specially selected for the terrain we love to ride. They come with a wide range of gears, comfortable front suspension and a range of frame sizes from 15.5” to 21”, we’ll ensure you’re well equipped for the trails and our bike guides will keep each bike running smoothly. Keen cyclists might want to pay to upgrade to a TREK Fuel EX8 or Superfly 7 (dependent on resort) which also comes with a Garmin GPS.

If you’re planning on clocking up the miles we’ve got the Boardman SLR 8.9&TREK Emonda ALR4, they come in a range of sizes from 47cm to 60cm, with lightweight frames and all the gears you need to take on the road. If you pay to upgrade, the road bikes you’ll be rewarded with our Boardman SLR 9.2 and Emonda S6 or S5.

The Boardman ADV 8.9 Adventure Bike allows you to ride and explore almost anywhere, on roads or trails, quickly and comfortably. Gear shift quality and choice are improved courtesy of the Shimano Tiagra 2 x 10 speed, while your ability to control the bike off-road is enhanced by flared bars for increased stability and the impressive stopping power of Shimano hydraulic disc brakes means comfort and control are number one. Helmets, gloves and water bottles are also provided as standard. If you wear cycling shoes with cleats we recommend you bring your own pedals – that’s the only way to guarantee they will fit. f you’ve never quite got to grips with the drop handlebars of a road bike then look no further than a Hybrid bike from our standard fleet. With one chainring at the front, but a huge range 11-42 tooth cassette at the rear, you have less weight, less to go wrong, the same overall spread of gears as with a two-chainring setup and happily less chance of choosing the wrong gear. That along with Shimano Hydraulic disc brakes ensure that control and comfort are top of the list.

Look around and you’ll see cyclist wearing all manner of clothing whilst they’re out riding. But if you’re planning on spending a good amount of time in the saddle you’ll need to be comfortable. If you’re comfortable your cycling holiday will be even more enjoyable and to maintain comfort you’ll need the right clothing and kit. This can be as basic as some shorts, t-shirts and trainers.

If you’re planning to be on a bike day after day then a pair of padded shorts is a good investment, they might feel a bit odd at first, but will be an invaluable investment that your bottom will thank you for. A cycling jersey made from moisture wicking technical fabric is also a good idea with handy pockets to stash snacks, mobile phone etc. Cycling gloves are a must too, they soak up the sweat so you can maintain a good grip on the handle bars and provide cushioning to your hands from the vibrations of the bike – they are provided on a Neilson cycling holiday, but you might want to bring your own. Remember if you’re bringing your own cycling shoes it’s a good idea to bring your pedals too!

There’s a whole world of cycling accessories, gadgets and stuff you just need to have out there. Not everything is totally necessary, but a few things will prove to be quite invaluable for a cycling holiday. On top of the clothing you need (see above) we would recommend you bring the following:

Sun cream – you’ll be out in the hot Mediterranean sunshine for hours at a time, so make sure you slap on the sun cream and keep if topped up. Sunglasses – you probably don’t want to hit the trails in your best designer sunnies, but rather bring some sport specific glasses. They’ll stop you being blinded by the sun and protect from flying insects and dirt blown up by the wind. Camera – the bike trails are usually very picturesque with plenty of photo opportunities, so don’t forget your camera. Snacks – if you have a preferred brand of energy gel or energy snacks bring them with you in your luggage. If not grab a banana from the breakfast buffet and you’re good to go.

All rides are fully guided, you just need to sign up, turn up and ride. There’s no map reading or getting lost, our experienced bike guides will lead from the front and in most cases, there will be a second guide at the back of the pack, so all you need to do is pedal and take in the scenery.

Rides are generally classified by ability and difficulty, so you’ll be able to choose the ride that’s right for you and you’ll be riding with a group of other cyclists. Rides tend to get longer and harder as the week progresses. Set yourself some goals to achieved by the end of the holiday - ride up a hill without stopping or head out on an endurance four-hour bike ride. You could switch it up and swap your mountain bike for a road bike or if you’re new to cycling there’s nothing wrong with heading out on a gentle ride to the local coffee or ice cream shop.

Want to do your own thing? Then the bikes are free to use during the day when not being used on guided rides. All we ask is that you ride with at least one other person and take a mobile phone, repair kit and first aid kit with you – just in case!