5/5 Andy M. 3 months ago on Google • 2 reviews New
I
am
a
mature
(72
year
old)
male.
A
keen
but
mainly
leisurely,
exploratory,
day
trip
cyclist
in
the
UK
(average
30-50
quite
hilly
mile
trips
from
home).
I
have
recently
gone
electric
(Specialized
Creo
Turbo).
My
partner
&
I
booked
a
last
minute
escape
holiday
to
a
nice
hotel
in
Melonares
after
a
difficult
year.
I
had
no
plan
to
cycle
but
whilst
there
I
popped
into
the
FreeMotion
Melonares
store
on
the
spur
of
the
moment
and
ended
up
booking
a
hire
ebike
(almost
exactly
the
same
as
my
own)
and
(after
really
helpful
chats
with
the
shop
staff),
a
guided
road
ride
tour
to
Soria
for
the
next
day.
It
was
a
truly
fabulous
day
for
me
-
the
absolute
highlight
of
my
holiday
-
I
would
have
travelled
to
Gran
Canaria
just
for
that
day.
I
cannot
speak
highly
enough
of
everything
to
do
with
Free
Motion
and
their
shop
staff
(in
my
case
a
lovely
Italian
Lady)
and
our
tour
guide
(Ewa)
and
all
the
other
staff
I
encountered.
I
had
no
kit
with
me
so
had
to
buy
shoes
and
clothes.
I
was
a
little
nervous
having
never
ridden
in
a
group
with
serious
‘road
bike
riders’,
I
was
advised
to
book
the
easiest
72
km
‘cappuccino’
route
but
that
included
a
1200m
climb.
I
was
the
only
e-bike
and
20
years
older
than
the
other
7
folk
on
the
tour.
I
opted
for
a
range
extender
-
just
in
case
-
and
they
provided
helmet,
lock
and
bottle.
The
shop
fitted
my
new
shoe
cleats
and
I
was
to
collect
my
shoes
and
bike
at
8.30am
the
next
morning.
I
was
given
a
map
to
show
me
how
to
get
to
the
FreeMotion
store
about
5
km
away
in
Playa
de
Ingles
where
the
ride
was
due
to
start
at
9.30.
Everything
was
ready
and
waiting
when
I
arrived
at
the
store
at
8.30,
and
the
excellent
bike
was
adjusted
to
my
saddle
height
and
I
cycled
off
Playa
de
Ingles
excited,
but
a
little
nervous.
There
were
quite
a
fit
young
(and
a
few
less
fit
and
less
young)
looking
cyclists
congregating
as
there
were
a
number
of
road
and
mountain
bike
tours
starting
there.
It
was
very
friendly.
After
30
minutes
our
bikes
were
loaded
onto
a
trailer,
and
we
were
off
on
a
coach
for
about
20
minutes
to
the
start
of
the
ride.
On
arrival,
Ewa
briefed
us,
asked
permission
to
photo
us
on
the
ride
and
made
me
feel
very
comfortable
and
safe.
Thereafter
the
ride
was
great.
We
started
at
the
coast
with
a
gentle
climb
that
really
ramped
up
as
we
turned
off
onto
the
classic,
steep,
winding,
hairpin
laden
road
up
into
the
mountains
like
those
you
see
on
the
Grand
Tours.
I
felt
fitter
than
I
expected,
used
only
modest
electric
assist
and
kept
up
without
a
problem.
Ewa,
looked
after
us,
teaching
us
the
rules
of
the
road,
and
shuttling
between
us,
taking
photos,
as
we
all
rode
at
our
own
pace.
The
landscape
was
amazing
and
the
views
increasingly
dramatic.
One
guy
had
asthma
and
decided
to
take
an
easier
route
and
meet
us
later
which
was
handled
without
fuss.
We
regrouped
at
key
points
and
it
all
felt
very
safe
and
the
camaraderie
grew
between
group
members
(all
30-50
year
old
Germans
including
one
young
woman,
and
they
all
spoke
English
so
I
would
not
feel
excluded
-
lovely
folk).
We
stopped
at
a
very
‘authentic’
feeling
cafe
(Fernandos
at
Soria)
for
the
local
speciality
of
potatoes
(!)
and
freshly
squeezed
mango
and
papaya
juice
and
great
expresso
at
1
euro
each
-
and
refilled
our
water
bottles.
A
fun
descent
-
and
then
a
classic
peloton
ride
of
about
30km
taking
it
in
turns
to
lead
for
one
km
at
a
pace
that
kept
us
all
together
-
again
-
a
first
experience
for
me.
I
was
concerned
because
we
rode
at
about
35kph
-
over
the
25kph
where
the
e-assist
cuts
out,
so
I
was
on
a
heavier
bike
relying
on
my
own
power
-
but
with
the
rests
in
the
slipstream
I
felt
very
pleased
to
do
my
turns
on
the
front
-
tho
I
knew
I
could
skip
my
turn
on
the
front
if
it
felt
too
hard
-
so
no
stress.
We
finished
with
a
beautiful
run
along
the
coast
where
I
peeled
off
to
my
accommodation
at
Melonares
and
the
rest
carried
on
to
Playa
de
Ingles
-
home
by
about
3pm.
Ewa
sent
the
great
pics
by
email
the
next
day.
I
great
memento
of
a
truly
fabulous
day.
I
am
now
planning
holidays
to
repeat
this
experience
as
soon
as
possible.
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