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Getting around Bonaire: Road Bikes
Bonaire Talk: Getting around Bonaire: Archives: Archives 2009: Road Bikes
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill LaBarge (BonaireTalker - Post #82) on Friday, February 6, 2009 - 12:59 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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
thanks all

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Vince DePietro-www.bonairebeachcondo.com (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1984) on Friday, February 6, 2009 - 1:59 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Bill..see this link..
But be careful of exercising too much in the warm weather. Especially if you're diving.
Generally speaking, dehydration (from the sun, dry scuba air & immersion diuresis) & exercise do not usally go together well with diving.

http://www.infobonaire.com/cycling.html

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill LaBarge (BonaireTalker - Post #83) on Friday, February 6, 2009 - 2:19 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Vince
Thanks for the advice. Been coming to Bonaire for 37 years, was an instructor for 27 of those... running, biking and swimming have all been part of those years... and I'm a strong proponent of "if you can't spit, don't dive.." dehydration is a big factor. Captn Don taught me many years ago to hydrate well before you feel the need. I don't do more than 1-2 dives a day these days... mostly one.... so I will be careful...looked on info bonaire and have sent out emails to Buddy and to Andre.... just not getting the info back I need to make a decision...
thought I'd ask for input from those who have used the service.... will probably go with Andre... believe it or not, he and I used to run to Rincon and back when we were a bit younger...
Thanks Vince

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Frank (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #743) on Saturday, February 7, 2009 - 2:34 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

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).

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By michael gaynor (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3556) on Saturday, February 7, 2009 - 10:26 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Bill, at our age, you should consider a 3 wheeler! e mail me for a solution.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Krispi ... (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4839) on Monday, February 9, 2009 - 1:26 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Michael

Bill Miguel at Eden Beach has cycle tours, have you tried them??

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill LaBarge (BonaireTalker - Post #85) on Monday, February 9, 2009 - 5:55 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Krispi... don't encourage Michael.... he bad enough...
Yes, I've rented from Miguel and he's the person who told me that they were going to get road bikes... but I don't think they have yet... I've gotten a response from Andre's folks so I think I'm set.... they've reserved a three wheeled bike with trainers for me...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By michael gaynor (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3567) on Monday, February 9, 2009 - 9:53 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Bill we can get a little red wagon for you to tow behind your rig..

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill LaBarge (BonaireTalker - Post #86) on Thursday, February 12, 2009 - 4:50 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ok, Michael, make it a wide one so I can tow you to dinner .....

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By pat murphy (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1998) on Sunday, February 15, 2009 - 5:49 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kate Hickson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #265) on Monday, February 16, 2009 - 10:50 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

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!

Like Pat, I've never seen road bikes for rent. Just big, heavy mountain bikes whose maintenance is sketchy (skipping gears, missing teeth). I am bringing down a cyclocross bike next week because the tires are a bit more substantial than road bike tires, but the specs are like a road bike. I have seen a super-fit group of three (2 guys and a woman) who ride the loop on road bikes and they always blow past me! I aspire to be them! Good luck, Bill.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill LaBarge (BonaireTalker - Post #87) on Monday, February 16, 2009 - 12:06 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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
Kate I've done the "hill" on the North end... I thought at one point my heart was coming out of my chest... it's the best workout I've had need lots of water due to the heat and sweat...

and road bikes will blow by dirt bikes everytime... i love the feel of the speed... and the wind in what is left of my hair... course there is a helmet also..
thanks youse guys... 40 days til arrival

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kate Hickson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #266) on Monday, February 16, 2009 - 1:40 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By pat murphy (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2000) on Monday, February 16, 2009 - 3:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill LaBarge (BonaireTalker - Post #89) on Friday, February 20, 2009 - 5:10 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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...
I knew Captn Don in the Donde days... god I'm old...
37 more days... oh please hurry

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kate Hickson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #269) on Tuesday, March 3, 2009 - 4:16 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By JAC (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #4) on Sunday, March 8, 2009 - 6:29 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

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!).
I brought a cyclocross with 700x32 tires.
Went into the cactus areas to check out the flamigos and stuff... no issues.
(I did have issues on the other islands - esp Puerto Rico - broken beer bottles, but my tires had well over 1000km on them by then)

Bonaire roads are fine. Except for the nature reserve. The roads are kind of rough...
YOU DON'T NEED A JEEP ON THIS ISLAND!!!
Good lord, big American mentality, every visitor asked for a Jeep...
You gotta come to Canada some time folks! There, you may need a Jeep. When it snow!

Bonaire is pretty easy to get around. It's one big loop.
Careful of the southern road though. It's a one way. Too narrow.
Suggest doing the island clock wise so you don't get stuck going down a one way.

Amazing island to bike on.
I truely hope it remains that way (I'm afraid to say that, cause us humans will distroy a good thing. A good thing is Bonaire - like heaven!)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By JAC (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Sunday, March 8, 2009 - 6:32 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

"The dreaded "hill"! "

what hill? Bonaire doesn't have any hills!

Try Grenada, St Lucia, Dominica islands.
And, some on ST Thomas, but not as bad.

They have hills!!!

Dominica island being the most steepest hills I have ever encountered.
(I've biked www.adventurerace.com - suppose to be the world's toughest mountain bike race... Dominica beats out the hills in Costa Rica)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bonairedesi (BonaireTalker - Post #15) on Friday, May 15, 2009 - 4:49 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By pat murphy (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2206) on Saturday, May 16, 2009 - 9:36 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.

also, the southern road is not one-way. it's one lane with both directions sharing the same lane. you just pull off a little so you and the other car can pass safely. it's the tourist road north of 1000 steps that's one-way.

bonairedesi, yes, there are a lot of cars on bonaire...a lot more than when we first started going there in the mid-90s. but sharing the road doesn't seem to be a real issue right now. my neighbor sandy and i rode the southern loop at least three mornings a week and never had a problem with cars almost running us off the road. it's easier to ride there than here in the states.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bonairedesi (BonaireTalker - Post #17) on Saturday, May 16, 2009 - 1:14 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Pat

Thanks for responding on the bike lanes topic. Do you or does anyone else know if there is a specific topic on Bonairetalk covering bike lanes? If not, how can it be started?

I think you are right to say that biking on Bonaire is easier than in the US. But that may not be so re-assuring a comparison. After all the US is a car culture. At least, let us compare with Netherlands, where biking is more the norm. How friendly is Bonaire to biking relative to a 12,000 person town in Holland? Lastly, it is not only what is happening but what the trends are telling us. Frankly, the idea that there is a car rush hour on Bonaire is in itself a shame.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Michelle K.Melillo (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #129) on Saturday, May 16, 2009 - 4:28 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Pat~this is straying from the subject a bit but, have you ever rented a HD to tour the island?
I'm thinking of lQQking into that on my next trip....

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By pat murphy (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2209) on Saturday, May 16, 2009 - 4:31 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Michelle K.Melillo (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #132) on Saturday, May 16, 2009 - 5:19 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.
I just think it would be totally AWESOME to tour the island on an H.D.....kinda like STEPHEN WOlF..."BORN TO BE WILD " OH YEAH ;~))))..SO WORTH $120.00 USD !!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kate Hickson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #282) on Monday, May 18, 2009 - 3:34 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bonairedesi (BonaireTalker - Post #18) on Monday, May 18, 2009 - 3:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By pat murphy (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2219) on Monday, May 18, 2009 - 4:17 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kate Hickson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #283) on Tuesday, May 19, 2009 - 7:12 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By pat murphy (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2221) on Tuesday, May 19, 2009 - 10:06 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kate Hickson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #284) on Wednesday, May 20, 2009 - 9:49 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Yes, I agree. The Bonaire drivers are more considerate of bike riders, but NOT of runners! Weird...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim McHugh (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Wednesday, June 10, 2009 - 4:08 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hello,

My fiance and I are leaving a week from today for our first trip to Bonaire. Staying for a bit at Lac Bay windsurfing and then in Belnem but still planning to windsurf. Our plan is to ride back and forth to Jibe City from Belnem, looks like a pretty short ride, we have not made bike rental reservations yet but are trying to contact the Bonaire Wellness Center and will try Cycle Bonaire if that does not work.

Are there places to buy used cruiser style bikes (or really anything inexpensive) thinking of a basket on the handle bars for groceries and beer?

Thanks for any input and have a great day,

Jim

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By pat murphy (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2246) on Thursday, June 11, 2009 - 9:47 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.

the distance from EEG Blvd to lac bay is listed as 6km but it might be a little farther.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mickey McCarthy (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #765) on Thursday, June 11, 2009 - 10:42 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi
I don't ride but I will go so far as to say that the wind is a big factor on that ride. Into steady easterlies makes it not so easy.
Mick

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By pat murphy (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2251) on Thursday, June 11, 2009 - 2:32 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim McHugh (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #4) on Thursday, June 11, 2009 - 3:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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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