Mallorca, Spain, has a reputation as a mecca for road cyclists. With its challenging climbs, smooth roads and stunning coastal landscapes, even Tour de France cyclists are known to flock to this pristine island in the Mediterranean Sea. Yet, you don’t need to be a pro cyclist to pedal Mallorca’s iconic cycling routes — such as Cap de Formentor and Coll de Soller — thanks to e-bikes.
In May, my husband and I pedaled more than 230 miles across Mallorca as part of a six-day guided cycling trip with Backroads. It was not our original plan to use e-bikes when we had booked the trip, but e-bikes kind of saved the day — the whole vacation, really.
A week or so before we boarded our flight to Palma, Mallorca, I filled out a pre-trip survey from Backroads. I shared my feelings (read: panic) about the mountainous cycling in store for us. I had not really read up on the terrain before booking the trip. Thankfully, Roy Liu, one of our trip leaders, read my survey, grasped my unease and astutely brought along extra e-bikes for us.
More Requests for E-Bikes on Cycling Vacations
Of the 16 adults on our guided cycling trip, 11 selected e-bikes. According to Backroads, an adventure travel company known for cycling vacations, more than 50% of its guests opt for e-bikes. Today, Backroads offers 19 e-bike-only tours, including one in Mallorca. These are tours in which all guests, even leaders, pedal on e-bikes. This is up from 14 dedicated e-bike tours in 2023.
To be clear, e-bikes are not mopeds. Clients do pedal and they will sweat. The bikes give travelers a boost when they need one, but the bikes do not do the pedaling.
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The e-bikes we rode had Bosch motors with four settings: eco, sport, tour and turbo. If cyclists want a boost, they can turn on the motor and level up or down, but they can also pedal without extra assistance. The top speed of an e-bike in Europe is 15.5 miles per hour, which is less than in the U.S., and travelers will never feel like they are on a motorcycle. It still feels like a bicycle.
E-Bikes Open Up Opportunities
Over six days, we pedaled across vineyards, though small villages and along high coastal cliffs. On day five, we tackled a winding route to the iconic Cap de Formentor lighthouse. It’s one of the most popular rides in the world, featuring sensational vistas across azure Mediterranean waters.
Credit: 2024 Erin Gifford
With an elevation gain of more than 3,600 feet over nearly 40 miles, our route would have tortured our quads all the way to the tip of the peninsula. With e-bikes, the ride was less challenging (certainly compared to road bikes), and we were able to savor all the views. I was sweating when we reached the lighthouse and I never felt like I was cheating on those wildly undulating roads.
Getting Ready to Cycle Across Mallorca
This multi-day adventure with Backroads began at the train station in Palma, Mallorca’s vibrant capital. From here, we shuttled to the rural town of Algaida for a delightful picnic, a bike fitting and a tutorial on our Wahoo GPS devices. These slick bike computers guided us with beeping turn-by-turn directions to our next stop, which on this first day, was our hotel, Zoetry Mallorca.
As recently as 2016, cyclists on these trips used paper maps to guide them through small towns and across farm fields. The Wahoos make it nearly impossible to get off track, but if it happens, the Wahoo will persistently beep to help get you back on the route.
After lunch, we were set loose to pedal nearly 25 miles to the hotel. We went at our own pace, but if trouble came our way — whether a flat tire, knee pain or saddle soreness — one of the trip leaders was always close at hand, including one cycling on the route. For us, we also had two leaders in support vans each day, always with snacks, hydration, sunblock and smiles.
What to Expect During the Group Cycling Trip
Over the next five days, we convened each morning at 8:30 a.m. for what the Backroads leaders call the “route rap.” It’s essentially an overview of what to expect from the ride that morning, which could range from 18 to 39 miles, including elevation changes, any tricky terrain, a longer option to add miles, a coffee stop, mile markers and the end point for lunch.
Credit: 2024 Max Rabier
After lunch, there were two options. Pedal to the next hotel — we stayed at three different four-star hotels over five nights — or take the support van to the hotel to relax poolside with a cocktail. The afternoon ride was shorter, typically 10 to 20 miles, so we opted to pedal after lunch, if only to burn off calories from paella, garlic chicken and various tapas.
Over six days, riders of all levels cycled on different bikes at different speeds, but we came together for mid-morning coffee, midday lunch and post-shower dinner for stories, laughs, wine and entertainment — even a guitar concert one night.
Some say that e-bikes are cheating, but I call them “the great equalizer.” They empower riders of varying ages, interests and fitness levels to engage in all that cycling has to offer and revel in a two-wheeled exploration of the world.