Tips for riding up Mount Teide?

I've just come from doing the Dragon Ride in Wales (200km along and 3k up) and whilst I thought I was pretty well prepared the one thing that caught me out was the sheer mental impact of seeing the seemingly endless curves stretching out in front of you.  Very shocking for me whose used to the relatively short and sharp <1mi climbs of the Chiltern's. 
 

Silly thing is I've done Spanish mountain roads before but  mentally wasn't expecting to find them in Wales  and the combo of boredom and fatigue completely side swiped me.
 

Depending on your power to weight ratio, ensure you have adequate gearing: 50/34 chainset with a 34 cassette are about as low as you can go with conventional equipment.  Teide isn't that steep, but it's long.

As many have said, there's not much you can do to prepare for a 20k plus climb in the UK apart from ride up the hills we have, perhaps using interval training to push yourself into the red to see how you cope.

Then gilet / armwarmers, your liquids, bananas, gels if you get on with them, and a good breakfast.  

I sometimes tape gels and chewy food to my bars so I'm not fiddling around in my back pockets when I'm at my limit. Eat small and often and start earlier than you normallly would.

Then it's just man versus mountain. Enjoy. 

I found the cable car quite convenient.

Cold at the top as the people just wearing a t shirt found out (we were in our fleeces).

For a long descent, it's worth doing some finger grip strength exercises with something like this.

We think about braking technique (not dragging the brakes & alternating front/rear to allow rims/rotors to cool), but not often about training hand muscles to prevent cramp, which can be a problem on a very long descent.

Also, I'd have a practise somewhere safe at the emergency braking technique of putting your heel on the back wheel.

Damn I'm jealous!

I've cycled up Mt Teide many times, but always from the south side of the island. I've descended down the climb you will be attempting. It regularly gets cloud cover and can rain for a big part of the ascent. Take water proof clothing, gloves and leg warmers (for the return descent) It gets bloody colder at speed. I've come down that side at least 8 times. Only once was it dry!

Once you climb out of the clouds you will invariably get beautiful clear skies. It can be quite cool but also been known to be very warm.

Pace yourself in a low gear, take plenty of fluids and several pack of food.

Use lights especially a good rear.

Enjoy one of the biggest climbs in Europe

I've not climbed Teide, but I've done Ventoux, Stelvio and a few other big ones.  Training wise, I'd suggest fast efforts e.g '2x20' minutes on flat roads but up on the hoods is a reasonable simulation for the sort of effort a long climb like that is.  Make sure you get out of the saddle from time to time and shift your weight about a bit, for a break.  I've found a HRM handy to avoid getting over-excited early on and overdoing it, only to pay the penalty an hour or so later...

If you have Zwift, a few goes at climbs like Ven-Top and Alpe du Zwift wouldn't do any harm.

Clothes... I've generally found that the heat generated from the effort has kept me warm in summer gear, even when there was a metre of snow at the roadside!  However, make sure you quickly cover up at the top if you stop as your sweat soaked clothes and the wind can be chilling... keep a rain jacket, arm warmers and gillet in your back pockets.

Just to add to the good advice below,  make sure you look up from your stem and pause from time to time to take in the changing views which I'm sure will be great... and then look forward to the descent!

I haven't ridden up Teide, but I have ridden a couple of the Alps and one in Abruzzo that are 2000m of climbing and 20-30 km long. 

If you've never ridden one of these climbs, it can be a bit of a shock.  Spending an hour or two in your bottom gear, the only relief you get is either stopping or getting out of the saddle for a few metres.  When you add in possible high temps and direct sunlight, it can be a bit of a mind over matter job.  However the sense of achievement at getting to the top, and the views on the way there will make it all worthwhile.  Bear in mind it could be 30 degrees at the bottom, and 10 or lower at the top.  I have found in the past that temp drop is ok so long as you are climbing, but if you stop at the top you will get cold quickly, and the descent will also be cold. 

You might also find the descent less enjoyable than expected.  You'll likely be on the drops all the way down, with your weight going through your wrists.

I've ridden it. Started at the bike shop by the airport on a hire bike, and it is uphill from there!

Training wise? Well, nothing specific. If you just ride your bike plenty on flat and hills at home you won't have a problem. It's just a relentless long steady drag. None of it is particularly steep, just a steady gradient, so once you hit the climb proper, just stick it in a low gear and twiddle away.

The surface was fantastic smooth tarmac (was about 5yrs ago mind you) as I recall. I rode along the ridge past the radar station and turned back down a wonderful twisty descent towards Güímar and back along the coast. All in i think it was nigh on 100 miles.

It was misty and chilly on the top, I stopped at the restaurant for refreshments and some food, from what I recall the food was crap - just a plate of pasta with a watery Bologna sauce, but I needed it! I did stop at a cafe on the way up for a coffee and cake and to top up my water bottles.

Clothing wise, I just had summer kit plus arm warmers and gilet. The first part of the descent was a bit chilly, but bearable. It was late January when I did it.

That should be a really cool experience. I have never done that climb but have done plenty of long climbs in the alpes etc. I think that the reality is that a month is not long enough to train to improve your performance - but perhaps riding the long climbs on zwift could get you used to long sustained efforts but I would say not more than once per week to avoid building too much fatigue unless you are already training seriously.

For me on a long climb the key is pacing, to know how hard I can push and stay in an aerobic zone - if you have a power meter then do you know what power you can hold for an hour or more? If not then at least having a heart rate monitor would help you to pace yourself and avoid going too hard and spoiling the experience. The advice to stop and take a break is definitely good advice as well.

Pay attention to weather forecast, don't forget your sunscreen, and take plenty of water/drinks. I would say 2x 1 litre bottles.

it looks from the profile on line that there are a couple of 8% sections - do you have gearing you can manage that kind of gradient easily? I use 50/34 chain rings, and an 11/34 cassette, but your choice will depend on your fitness and how much you weigh.

If there are other cyclists on the climb, you can use them to help yourself keep going if you are struggling - but be careful not to get sucked into racing someone who is climbing faster than you can manage.  

I hope you have a great experience.

Bearing in mind that I suspect you are not in a race...when you need a break, take one.  Phones are good for this since you can pretend to be taking some nice piccies and feel no shame from anyone passing!  Ultimately, it's a big hill, get over it