04/10/2026
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From Wednesday, if you ride in Spain, the rules of the road change.
Royal Decree 518/2026 comes into force on October 1, and it rewrites the cycling section of the General Traffic Regulations for the mainland and the Canary Islands. The most visible changes are two.
Helmets outside built-up areas become mandatory with no exceptions. The old carve-outs for long climbs, extreme heat and certified medical grounds disappear. Ride an interurban road without a helmet after Wednesday and you can be fined up to 200 euros. Under-16s continue to wear helmets on every road, and professional riders working by bike get an added obligation to wear a reflective vest.
Cyclists are also encouraged to ride toward the centre of their lane where safety allows, rather than hugging the edge. The purpose is straightforward. If you are on the edge, drivers feel invited to squeeze past. If you are in the middle of the lane, they have to actually overtake you.
The reform loads more onto drivers, too. Outside towns, overtaking a cyclist means dropping at least 20 km/h below the posted limit and, on multi-lane roads, changing lanes fully. Inside towns, drivers must keep at least five metres behind a bicycle in the same lane. The 1.5-metre lateral clearance stays.
Anyone flying into Mallorca, the Canary Islands or the Costa Blanca for an autumn training block needs to know these before rolling out on day one. The rules apply whether you are a local commuter or a visiting racer. Wednesday is the switch.
