The Spanish island of Mallorca is known as a mecca for road cyclists. Even Tour de France cyclists are known to flock to this beautiful Mediterranean island thanks to its challenging climbs, smooth roads, and stunning coastal scenery. But thanks to electric bikes, you don’t have to be a professional cyclist to cycle Mallorca’s iconic cycle routes, such as Cape Formentor and Col de Sóller.
In May, my husband and I biked over 230 miles across Mallorca as part of a six-day guided cycling trip with Backroads. Using e-bikes wasn’t originally our plan when we booked the trip, but they ended up saving our entire vacation.
About a week before catching my flight to Palma, Mallorca, I filled out Backroads’ pre-trip survey. I conveyed my feelings (i.e. panic) about the mountain biking that was to come. I hadn’t done much research on the terrain before booking the trip. Thankfully, one of the trip leaders, Roy Liu, read the survey, understood my concerns, and wisely brought an extra e-bike for us.
Increased requests for electric bikes for cycling trips
Of the 16 adults who took a guided cycling tour, 11 chose e-bikes. Backroads, an adventure travel company known for cycling trips, says more than 50 percent of its guests choose e-bikes. Backroads now offers 19 e-bike-only tours, including one in Mallorca. On these tours, all guests, including the leader, pedal on an e-bike. That’s up from 14 e-bike-only tours in 2023.
To be clear, e-bikes are not mopeds. You still pedal and sweat. E-bikes give travelers power when they need it, but the bike does not do the pedaling.
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The e-bikes we rode had Bosch motors with four settings: Eco, Sport, Tour and Turbo. When cyclists want to go faster, they can turn on the motor to speed up or slow down, but they can also pedal unassisted. The top speed of e-bikes in Europe is 15.5 miles per hour, slower than in the U.S., so travelers don’t get the feeling they’re riding a motorbike at all. They feel like they’re riding a bicycle.
Electric bikes open up new possibilities
Over six days, we cycled across vineyards, through tiny villages and along the high coastal cliffs. On day five, we rode the winding road to the iconic Cape Formentor lighthouse, one of the world’s most popular cycle routes, featuring stunning views across the blue Mediterranean waters.
Bikers enjoy great views from the beautiful scenery.
Credit: 2024 Erin Gifford
With over 3,600 feet of elevation gain over the course of about 40 miles, the route was taxing on my quads all the way to the tip of the peninsula. The e-bike made it less taxing (compared to a road bike) and allowed me to fully enjoy the scenery. I was drenched in sweat by the time I reached the lighthouse, but didn’t feel like I was cheating on the rough roads.
Preparing to cycle across Mallorca
Our multi-day adventure with Backroads began at the train station in Palma, Mallorca’s vibrant capital. From there, we were shuttled to the rural town of Algaida for a fun picnic, bike fitting, and tutorial on our Wahoo GPS device. This sleek bike computer beeped and provided turn-by-turn directions to guide us to our next destination, our hotel for that first night, Zoetry Mallorca.
As recently as 2016, cyclists on these trips relied on paper maps to guide them through small towns and farms. With a Wahoo, it’s almost impossible to stay on the path, but if you do, your Wahoo will beep to help you get back on track.
After lunch, we were free to cycle about 25 miles to the hotel. We went at our own pace, but even if we got a flat tire, a sore knee, or a sore saddle, one of our tour leaders was always nearby, one of whom had also cycled the route. In our case, two leaders rode in the support van each day, delivering snacks, hydration, sunscreen, and smiles.
What to expect during a group cycling trip
For the next five days, we met each morning at 8:30 to do what the Backroads leaders call a “route lap,” which is basically an overview of what to expect on that morning’s ride, ranging from 18 to 39 miles, including elevation changes, difficult terrain, longer options for adding distance, coffee breaks, mile markers, and lunch stops.
The Backroad Guide provides an overview of the day’s driving route and other assistance.
Credit: 2024 Max Rabier
After lunch we had two options: cycle to our next hotel (we stayed in three different four-star hotels over our five nights) or hop in the support van to the hotel and relax by the pool with a cocktail. Since our afternoon bike rides were short, usually between 10 and 20 miles, we decided to cycle after lunch, if only to work off some calories on paella, garlic chicken, and a variety of tapas.
Over six days, riders of all levels rode at all speeds on all kinds of bikes, but also met for morning coffee, midday lunch, post-shower dinner, and shared stories, laughs, wine, entertainment, and even a guitar concert one night.
Some say e-bikes are cheating, but I call them “the great equalizer.” E-bikes give riders of all ages, interests and fitness levels all the fun of cycling and the joy of exploring the world on two wheels.
