By Bill LaBarge (BonaireTalker - Post #82) on Friday, February 6, 2009 - 12:59 pm: |
Hi, I've sent a couple messages to folks on Bonaire... but I'm not getting a lot of response. Is there anyone who rents road bikes vs. trail bikes... like to get some miles in to keep the lbs. off due to Amstel consumption... lol
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By Vince DePietro-www.bonairebeachcondo.com (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1984) on Friday, February 6, 2009 - 1:59 pm: |
Hi Bill..see this link..
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By Bill LaBarge (BonaireTalker - Post #83) on Friday, February 6, 2009 - 2:19 pm: |
Vince
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By David Frank (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #743) on Saturday, February 7, 2009 - 2:34 am: |
The 2 bike rentals I know of are Cycle Bonaire (At BDA, i.e. Andre) and Die Friewheeler (sp?). I've rented from both. DF has old heavy Dutch bikes. The ones we got were in poor shape, don't know if that is representative, 3 speed I think. CB bikes were off road type, 21 speed, in good shape, $15/day. Came with lock, water b ottle, pump. I am unaware of anyone renting roadbikes on Bonaire. I preferred the bikes from CB for my 40 minute or so rides (also to burn off the beer cals).
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By michael gaynor (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3556) on Saturday, February 7, 2009 - 10:26 am: |
Bill, at our age, you should consider a 3 wheeler! e mail me for a solution.
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By Krispi ... (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4839) on Monday, February 9, 2009 - 1:26 pm: |
Michael
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By Bill LaBarge (BonaireTalker - Post #85) on Monday, February 9, 2009 - 5:55 pm: |
Hi Krispi... don't encourage Michael.... he bad enough...
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By michael gaynor (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3567) on Monday, February 9, 2009 - 9:53 pm: |
Bill we can get a little red wagon for you to tow behind your rig..
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By Bill LaBarge (BonaireTalker - Post #86) on Thursday, February 12, 2009 - 4:50 pm: |
Ok, Michael, make it a wide one so I can tow you to dinner .....
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By pat murphy (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1998) on Sunday, February 15, 2009 - 5:49 pm: |
i've never seen road bikes for rent. there are a few people here who have them but i would assume they had them shipped in. i do a loop from our place around the south end then to sorobon and back home...about 30K...there is one stretch of pavement that will shred road bike tires...i even worry about the mountain bike tires.
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By Kate Hickson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #265) on Monday, February 16, 2009 - 10:50 am: |
Hey Pat! My Bonaire biking buddy! I was hoping you'd chimed in here (as I scrolled down). Bill, biking on Bonaire is fantastic exercise! The southern loop that Pat and I like to ride, is super-flat, but the wind is a b*#ch, and therefore great training. I swear, sometimes you feel like you have your head against a brick wall. But it's a beautiful ride because you can see (no guarantee) flamingos fly overhead at sunrise or sunset, and the kiteboarders. Reaching Willemstoren Lighthouse is also a psychological hurdle, plus, it's a wind direction change if you are travelling S-E-N-W. The Northern Loop (along the shore road, then up and over the "spine" of the island and on to Rincon and home) offers more challenges with hills, and traffic from Rincon back to Kralendijk. Just be careful of dehydration because the wind is so strong that it dries the sweat immediately, so you aren't ever dripping sweat and may not realize how much you are sweating. Also, I've noticed drivers don't cut a wide bearth around you AT ALL and there's no shoulder, so be careful. Don't get clipped!
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By Bill LaBarge (BonaireTalker - Post #87) on Monday, February 16, 2009 - 12:06 pm: |
Pat that's the route I'll be taking... hmmm, good info. We stay at Kaya Venus so I swing out past the lighthouse and back across the road to Sorobon... maybe I'll stay with the off road bike.. thanks
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By Kate Hickson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #266) on Monday, February 16, 2009 - 1:40 pm: |
Ha! The dreaded "hill"! Yes Bill, it was one of the hardest things I've done on 2 wheels! The Alpe d'Huez has nothing on that hill! I swore I'd never do it again, but I went back several times. I just re-read your second post and now I see that you've been coming to Bonaire for 37 years, so I feel kinda stupid in what I posted to you. You have me beat; I've only been coming since 1984. Clearly you know all the ropes. Sorry I'll miss you when I'm down. Have a blast!
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By pat murphy (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2000) on Monday, February 16, 2009 - 3:43 pm: |
kate...call when you get here...same phone number. and i know you've been coming here a long time...i think when you first came here captain don was just an ensign....and i had brown hair...wow...ancient history
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By Bill LaBarge (BonaireTalker - Post #89) on Friday, February 20, 2009 - 5:10 pm: |
Hope this catches you before you go... I have an idea... just stay there until I get there and I'll have a riding partner... what the hey.... you can't say you wouldn't want to .... Alpe d'Huez... my spinning instructor does a Alpe ride... sheeesh... sorry I won't have the partners... but nice talking to you...
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By Kate Hickson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #269) on Tuesday, March 3, 2009 - 4:16 pm: |
Bill- HA! I wish I could have stayed! I just got back today (well, after being stuck in Hyannis for 2 days, unable to get back to Nantucket due to a big storm: no boats, no planes). I got my bike down to Bonaire successfully! I only rode a few times because I had house guests, plus I was only there for a week. It was so great to get out and ride. I did the southern loop both times. It felt great to do it on a road bike. I did notice that the road on the windward side is particularly rough and chewed up. With my tires inflated to 125, they are so hard, and going over that road I thought my fillings were going to jar loose. Have a wonderful time and safe riding. I'll see you on The Rock one day I hope!
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By JAC (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #4) on Sunday, March 8, 2009 - 6:29 am: |
I biked the whole island in about 3 hours... that's taking my time. Stopping for beer every so often to enjoy it all (beer is cheaper than water, so why not!).
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By JAC (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Sunday, March 8, 2009 - 6:32 am: |
"The dreaded "hill"! "
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By Bonairedesi (BonaireTalker - Post #15) on Friday, May 15, 2009 - 4:49 pm: |
As anyone discussed BIKE LANES or SHARROWS on Bonaire? It seems such a shame that cars/trucks are dominating the streets here already. Can't we start a counter-movement? Has this been discussed? (see: http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0831/p14s02-ussc.html for Sharrows)
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By pat murphy (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2206) on Saturday, May 16, 2009 - 9:36 am: |
JAC, must have missed this thread for a while. a jeep is a viable option since most people get the vehicle to sightsee and shore dive. too many dive sites are rough enough that you could do damage to a car with low ground clearance. jeeps or trucks work out best for hauling gear and shore diving.
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By Bonairedesi (BonaireTalker - Post #17) on Saturday, May 16, 2009 - 1:14 pm: |
Pat
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By Michelle K.Melillo (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #129) on Saturday, May 16, 2009 - 4:28 pm: |
Pat~this is straying from the subject a bit but, have you ever rented a HD to tour the island?
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By pat murphy (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2209) on Saturday, May 16, 2009 - 4:31 pm: |
michelle, i've thought about it but never done it. our parking lot at LBR is gravel and i don't feel like messing with a softail or road king on deep gravel. i did check prices a few years ago and i think they rented for $60 for a half day and $120 for all day. i didn't check this year though.
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By Michelle K.Melillo (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #132) on Saturday, May 16, 2009 - 5:19 pm: |
Yep..I know your feeling with pea gravel! I am seriously thinking about doing that on my trip to Bon' this year! I usually stay at "BUDDY'S" and would have the bike back before dark.
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By Kate Hickson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #282) on Monday, May 18, 2009 - 3:34 pm: |
JAC, ok, while it's no Kilimanjaro, going up and over the spine of the island it's a hill! Glad you enjoyed biking the island! I love the idea of a bike lane on Bonaire. I wish they'd embrace it.
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By Bonairedesi (BonaireTalker - Post #18) on Monday, May 18, 2009 - 3:43 pm: |
Kate, any idea if there is a discussion on Bonairetalk regarding "Bike Lanes". If not, how can I start one? Wouldn't it be wonderful to see a number of people commuting in the mornings on Bonaire on bikes rather than on cars?
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By pat murphy (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2219) on Monday, May 18, 2009 - 4:17 pm: |
actually, there are quite a few people who commute on bikes...just not enough. i wonder if the roads are wide enough for a separate bike lane...i don't think most are.
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By Kate Hickson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #283) on Tuesday, May 19, 2009 - 7:12 am: |
Hey Pat! True, the roads definitely are NOT wide enough for a bike lane, as they are now. There's not even a shoulder! I'd love to see a start though... maybe a popular route like Donkey Beach to Playa, for example. Then expand as money becomes available.
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By pat murphy (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2221) on Tuesday, May 19, 2009 - 10:06 am: |
hi kate, what i have noticed is that most drivers on bonaire are more considerate of bicyclists than they are here in the states. i've almost been hit here even while in a bike lane. i've seen some crazy drivers on bonaire, both local and tourist, but generally they try to give cyclists a wide berth.
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By Kate Hickson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #284) on Wednesday, May 20, 2009 - 9:49 am: |
Yes, I agree. The Bonaire drivers are more considerate of bike riders, but NOT of runners! Weird...
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By Jim McHugh (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Wednesday, June 10, 2009 - 4:08 pm: |
Hello,
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By pat murphy (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2246) on Thursday, June 11, 2009 - 9:47 am: |
jim, you can look in the newspaper, the reporter, for bikes for sale but they are few and far between. people on bonaire tend to hold onto things till they rust away. your best bet would be to rent bikes for the week. also try de freewieler for rentals.
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By Mickey McCarthy (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #765) on Thursday, June 11, 2009 - 10:42 am: |
Hi
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By pat murphy (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2251) on Thursday, June 11, 2009 - 2:32 pm: |
my neighbor sandy and i rode the southern loop quite a bit this past winter. we'd get an early start and go counterclockwise from LBR unless there was a cruise ship in...then we'd go clockwise...that way we were off the road to sorobon before the taxis started racing over to lac bay. the wind wasn't usually too bad on that road...it was a lot worse at the southern tip or near pink beach.
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By Jim McHugh (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #4) on Thursday, June 11, 2009 - 3:43 pm: |
Thanks for the info. Thinking we will be heading to Lac Bay in the AM and then getting the wind at our backs but will have to see what happens I guess. Either way it will be a lot better than working!
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