My Experience Riding up Sa Calobra - Was It Worth the Hype?
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- Опубліковано 13 жов 2024
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Its a stunning ride, never disappoints (despite traffic). I go from Port Pollensa, up Sa Batalla, do Sa Calobra and descend Femenia back to the port. Lovely stuff.
Sa Calobra is worth the hype without a doubt! I rode it several years ago when I was 60 years old and I enjoyed it very much. The descent is absolute stunning, good tarmac, braking only needed before cornering and breathtaking views! And the climb is not really hard because the gradient doesn’t change that much, so you find your rhythm and keep riding until you reach the top… it’s not nearly as hard as the big Alpine climbs - but it is as beautiful as them without a doubt!
…and if I may give a suggestion: the road to Port de Valdemossa! Comparable in beauty but smaller, shorter and with almost no traffic (at least when I was there, all of those occasions where a few years ago…)
You’re an inspiration! We truly only ever compete against our fears
You did something that - in my experience of people - very few will attempt. You knowingly put yourself out of your comfort zone and made an honest appraisal of the result
@@Honkawsuzyamal It was a tough climb.
I did this climb in September 23 and unfortunately by the time I got there it was 30 degrees C. Stunning descent &climb but taxing in that heat. Couldn't wait for the cafe hut at the top! Bucket list climb though.
Still that warm?
Well done Leonard. Pushing yourself and acheiving the moment is something only you yourself can experience.
I was very happy to ride it
I did the Sa Calobra climb during the first week of November 2022. As you probably know, most of Mallorca pretty well shuts down at the end of October so we had the road to ourselves, just a handful of cars and other cyclists. Traffic doesn't look too bad when you did it, but I can't understand anyone attempting this climb during the peak tourist season. Same goes for the Cap de Formentor ride, during the busy season you're just going to constantly be stuck behind cars and tour buses.
Yes, picking your time can make a big difference
I live on mainland Spain. There are climbs which are traffic free all year round. Velefique has 22 switchbacks and you won’t see another car. Mallorca is nice but very busy.
@@drummerman122 Sounds amazing. I would love to climb that.
It’s a great climb been used in the Vuelta.
Excellent and congratz Leonard! Is the Bealach na Ba in Scotland on your bucketlist too? That would be awesome too.... atb, Sven
Thanks for that. Your story certainly resonated with me. I visited Sa Calibre for the first time last year. I didn't ride the first time either...the traffic and narrowness of the road were also my greatest concerns. I will be back though...
You are absolutely right about the distances and ascents from Alcudia because my brother and I did it earlier this year and on a very warm day. We are quite proud of the fact of achieving this being as next year we will have a combined age of 150 years.
I did Sa Calobra last year and it was awesome. I found it tough but did it and didn't stop so I was happy. Biggest thing though is usually have to do quite a big ride with climbing before you even do it. I rode it end Oct and weather was perfect and it was quiet which helped as I've seen so many videos of road rammed and having to stop on the switchbacks due to buses etc. I rode from Pollensa and up Sa Batalia then on to Sa Calobra and back via Col de Femina. A big ride but mega satisfying to do.
I'll add last couple times I've been to Mallorca I've stayed down in the south and whilst not having the iconic climbs such as Formentor or Sa Calobra there is a ton of climbs which are as good but way quieter. And bike rental is cheaper down there!
I haven’t been riding in Majorca yet but intend to go, and obviously Sa Collabra is the road I want to ride. I went to Girona last year and we rode Rocacorba which was a pretty tough climb for us-I have no idea how that compares. I was 74 then so was pretty pleased to have been able to get to the top!
For me climbing pass roads is kind of addictive. Each road is different but this on seems to be really nice.
7% is actually a still comfortable grade. In the Alps, it can get above 10% and much more in some cases.
I'm just back from three weeks of backpacking in Italy. Because I couldn't go earlier than mid September this year, weather didn't allow the big mountains but I did a few up to 1200m at Lake Garda. On the other hand this gave me more time to visit a lot of towns in the flat areas like Milano, Padova, Ferrara, Piacenza and such.
7% is fairly challenging
@@jollygoodvelo Going for a good time on a climb or for the longer climbs above 2000m of height is always challenging. My weight over all with bike and bags is around 115kg and I can climb something like 500-550m per hour at grades between 5% and 10%. This isn't my maximum speed but my "feel good" speed. This means I get a speed of 5-10km/h which is still comfortable to ride. If it gets steeper, the speed will be lower and I have to get out of the saddle.
I have done a lot of the well known mountains more than once. I was at Stelvio at least 7 times. I try to avoid to compare the time and set my goal to have more fun or take better pictures on the way. My approach isn't to improve my time from let's say 4h to 10 or 20 minutes less and be completely exhausted on the top. I know, that I'm a bit exotic with this because most of the riders at this kind of mountains have a more competitive approach.
Awesome experience and thanks for sharing. You’re tough to pull that one off! I’m sure the ride down kept your attention, too.
It certainly did
Did it the first week of Oct 2024. Took it comfortably this first time since I wasn’t sure what to expect and had lots of other rides planned that week. Hope to really push it next time.
Great review Leonardo. It's a bucket list ride for sure - but, like you prior to doing it, I'm somewhat intimidated by it (I could get fitter/lighter, which would help!). I've cycled in Mallorca and for me the Holy Grail is the fabulous Cap Formentor lighthouse ride.... but someday Sa Calobra will call my name!
I'm a larger rider and have done Sa Calobra twice. I save the legs and get Mallorca Bike Shuttle to the aqueduct and then go down and up Sa Calobra, I usually have a breather at the juice bar back at the top and then go up Puig, turn around and then descend all the away back to Alcudia, the descent down the Feminia is heaven.
Great effort! A lot faster than those guys on the couch!
Done it 3 times, it’s like nothing else I’ve ridden which makes it special.
The last time I wasn’t fit enough and suffered with leg cramps.
But I would love to do it again 👍
I get up early and head out from Alucudia when it’s quiet. Riding up to the start of the decent smelling the pine trees in the cooler air. Great ride without the bustle.
Sounds ideal.
First time on your channel. What a nice story! Im a big guy as well and struggle on climbs. You are an inspiration!
Congrats! Well done 👏
Congrats for getting that climb done… I remember hearing it was brutal… got Girona done finally… next is Majorca… 😎🍻
Thanks Mark. You’ll love Mallorca.
@@jollygoodvelo I didn’t want to comeback from Girona… so I can only imagine how imma feel about that place… 🤣🤣🤣🍻
Thank you for posting this as I'm going to Majorca next year and would like to do it, or shall I say I will love to have said I can do it. My mind overtakes me legs though so I need to work out if it's a step too far for me but hopefully I can find the courage. You're very inspiring!
Climbers medals should not be awareded per age group - but per weight group instead. For all the 70 kg riders: just imagine strapping a 30 kg rucksack to your back and go up something like Sa Calobra. Thats where we heavier riders are confronted with. To put out 7 w/kg like the top guys, we needed to be able to churn out 700 W for half an hour or so.
Well done! Congratulations! Can I ask what your gearing was?
It was a compact: 40/24 11/28
@@jollygoodvelo I definitely would have been in the small ring and the 28!
Well done. As a bigger guy the absolute gradient is important for you, double digits are gonna be hard. It is not about the time, but there are great rewards for tackling climbs, and plenty of alpine climbes at 6 to 8 %. Yes you need fitness, but with a bit of prep it looks like you are capable of taking on and enjoying the rewards that these climbs have. Good on you.
You have to give it another go Leonard, go for a week do it on the second or third day then on the last day hire an e-bike and do comparison not just of times but more so how it felt. Was it more fun on the e-bike feel less of an achievement could the e-bike cope etc even side buy side nowadays some e-bike barely look any different especially the Bianchi out there.
Chapeau to you. This and Mont Ventoux on my bucket list for sure.
Well done Leo, congrats!
Well done, heading out in April to do it
You can take a boat there from Port de Soller! But it's not particularly fun! It rocks quite nicely!
Yes but, sadly, if you are staying in Alcudia the boat to Soller takes you even further away from home!
Mallorca is on my bucket list, and in the very near future!
You’ll love it.
With most road bikes, I don't think the gears go low enough for me to climb hills that steep if my hip is acting up. I need to get a specialized set of gears for my road bike. My fat bike and even my mountain bike can go low enough to get up hills without hurting my hip, but not my road bike. On the other hand, I'm happy my knee and even my hip have improved enough I can once again stand on the pedals and pump up the hills. Thought I'd seen the last of those days couple years back, but this summer I can do it again (probably from doing so much more biking this year).
I find either of the climbs of Harting hill from Harting village, although much shorter, more difficult than Sa Calobra. Sa Calobra is just a rhythm climb, basically just a TT effort.
Hey Robin, I see the rides you do on Strava and you certainly put in the miles. Both Harting climbs are really tough. To this day I have not been able to ride up the shorter one.
@@jollygoodvelo The short one is the worst, I think it's something close to 16% for a few metres near the top! Sa Calobra is much less daunting but takes me almost 40 minutes more to climb, lol.
@@robindidymus I think it even ramps up to around 22% for a short bit as well.
Did it in the last week of May this year, on the last Shuttle bus from Puerto Pollensa to the Repsol garage before they stop for the summer. Beat the traffic, the buses, the temperature rising, perfect conditions...Did it 50m30s well happy for 55, 170cm and 84kg, and enough left in the tank to "gie it laldy" once the 270 loop was passed to the finish line. It was steady all the way gradient wise. (A month later I did the westbound Bealach Na Ba(59mins).... holy cow for the same height/distance (approximately) a TOTALLY different beast, way harder(and sh*te road surface, Highland singletrack!)....) TBH I'll probably never do either again(Deffo not BNB) as there's lots more to do on Mallorca and elsewhere....A few hire cars, a jammed bus could all ruin another effort, I think I should take this and be happy with it....!!
Not all climbs with the same distance are the same!
And I've got unfinished business with El Teide I'd rather focus on....GULP....🥵🥵🤪💀☠
@@Bazza1968 Longest road climb in Europe!
@@jollygoodvelo Before they killed RGT I did it on the V5 as a "Magic Road" I created... Only get 4 hrs before it times out ,so from a virtual El Medano it took me 4 hrs to get to 2100m (the calderas edge).... Trouble is that in real life beyond 1400m at Vilaflors there's no water or anything! (Oh, and that made me realise that there's just 2m of "non ascent" in the whole climb to that 2100m point....utterly relentless!!)
Would be the perfect excuse to one way ticket "retire" one of my old triple 26" MTB's out there with a 22/32 lowest gear!!!
I am a heavy rider. Done it 3 times from Palma city. Love it! But Mallorca have some epic monastery climes too.
@@mortenthenorwegian2875 The Lluc climb past the monastery is pretty good too.
@@jollygoodvelo Cura . But it is several climbs to monaterys, but i do not remeber all the names.
@@jollygoodvelo and Sant Salvardor too
@@mortenthenorwegian2875 Santa Magdalena?
@@BarrioBarranco1 jepp
You Are a great inspiration. Well done and thanks for sharing.
The thing is you did it and that's all that counts. Kudos to you. You are out there doing what you want to do. We vacationed there, but I didn't have my bike. We bought a vacation/retirement house in La Herradura that we are going back to in summer 2025. The plan is a permanent move for retirement. Within the first year I plan to check it off my bucket list.
Im just wondering if there any 7%'s round my way, will have to check that out, such a lot of hype not just this climb but the Island itself..
I remember seeing your ride and the video's you did about it, and then thinking how stinking jealous I was of you. I do believe you asked me to come along but at that time I could not take time off work.
There will always be another time.
Did it for the 2nd time in mid September and the traffic was dreadful at the top, traffic backed up for about 0.5 miles
All You need is a lots of ”sisu”! 👍 That word can’t be explained by few words as detailed as every Finn understand it straight on.. but You by chugging up that mountain was a example showing of sisu. Next You should take at Your calendar some Alp passes.. 😃
@@jhcycling3098 I’m assuming that is a compliment….maybe?
@@jollygoodvelo Yes. It's a kind of word shaped "medal" of relentlessness on stamina... Highly appreciated if You are noted "sisukkaaksi" by others. 👍
Awesome climb!
Oh yes! It’s worth it.
Ni its not, how many time have TDF been there?? Tourmalet, Alpe D´Huez, Mont Ventoux is some places I rather go, and not Mallorca, a overrated tourist spot in my opinion, but i understand why many go there for cyclinig, but as you guess, somewhere i never want to visit, and thats the good part, we are all different 😁😁😁
I don’t think the Tour has been up the Stelvio but that’s a classic
Well done 🙂👍👍
Wondering about doing this in the morning, bus is picking me up at 6pm to fly ho.e to the UK.
So tempted to attempt it but think I may stick with Col de Formentor! If you see a guy on a blue Bianchi with a green top saying "old man on a bike" tomorrow, then you will know my decision but please join me as I'm riding on my lonesome 😂
I’ve heard it’s certainly possible to do it in a (very long) day from the UK.
Never ridden Sa Calobra - just does not appeal.
TBH strikes me as a poor Alp D'Huez. Sure iconic, but IRL not much fun to ride due to the traffic etc.
There are better climbs and locations out there IMO.
A bike taxi ferry to the bottom of it would make a fortune if it was possible to set up.
Do it again😊😊
I live in Switzerland …. And I need a 46/30 pedalier to climb
@@bleexrossignol9782 It’s the Alps, though.
I call it psycho labra. As in I must have been psycho to take on that much climbing
Well done. I'm doing it in 2025.
@@eecak1973 Enjoy!
man.. seeing you Hurt me..
Whoops. Didn’t mean to.
Jesus christ!