Cycling

Madeira Cycling

14 April 2023
the5krunner

Madeira Cycling

Madeira Cycling

I’m off to Madeira in a few months and plan to hire a road bike over there and base myself from Funchal in the South West. I’ll be using that as an excuse to test the Garmin Edge 540’s new ClimbPro tweak.

Can anyone recommend a decent bike hire place that would have Ultegra/Di2 level carbon stuff in Funchal? The websites I saw were either trail focused or full of electric bikes.

Other than the more obvious rides on Strava, above, are there any special climbs to go for?

This is one from @SAFABrian descending in Madeira at over 40mph. I love the comment at the end that the next section of road, not shown, will be too technical for the car to keep up. He doesn’t seem to mention which descent this is either.

 

 

Last Updated on 27 January 2026 by the5krunner

My favourite kit and nutrition

  • Injinji – Runners protect your toes. Avoid discomfort and minor injury. Run more. Run faster. I use them.
  • Garmin 90-degree charging adapter — The small adapter that keeps your charging cables tidy. Essential for race day. I use one.
  • Garmin charging puck — the fastest and most reliable way to top up your Garmin before a session. I use one.
  • Ravemen FR300 — Front light that mounts directly under your Garmin or Wahoo head unit. Keeps your bars clean and your beam pointed where it matters. I use one.
  • Body Glide – The blue anti-chafe stick that all swimmers and many runners use. I use it.
  • Maurten — The race nutrition trusted by elite athletes. Gels and drink mixes engineered to be easy on the stomach. I use them.
  • Garmin Varia RTL515 — A radar rear light that alerts you to vehicles approaching from behind. Pairs with your Edge or Garmin watch. I use this model.
  • Favero Assioma Pro RS2 — The power-meter pedals most serious cyclists choose. Accurate, easy to move between bikes. I use this model.
  • Garmin Forerunner 970 — A serious choice for a pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
  • Polar H10 — My daily driver for accurate, waking HRV readings.
  • Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3 — The bike computer that has the feature Garmin lacks: usability. I use mine on most rides.

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