Riding a bicycle in Colombia

medefockinllin says on Jun 1, 2007, 22:07:

Somewhere flat my friend! Unless you have thighs like bulldozers. With the exception of the coastal cities, all other urban areas in Colombia are pretty hilly.

If you are a classic gringo, I would not advise you to bike around on security grounds. The sight of pasty calves peddling away would be like a flashing light to thieves.

Good luck anyway.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

arthur brode says on Jun 2, 2007, 06:24:

ridding bikes is dangerous because people drive crazy here if possible ride your bike where there are no cars.and make sure you wear a helmet! last thursday i split my head open and almost broke my neck because this pedestrian decided to carelessly cross the street while i was racing downhill on my mountain bike.

http://www.calirentals.net/

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Lowell says on Jun 2, 2007, 07:20:

Move before looking I've found it very common for people in this country to begin walking, reverse directions, leave buildings... before looking where they are going. I've had many a collision with these people. I'm kind of a cross between a bull and a bear. I don't lose in these situations. However, I always offer a hand to help the person off the ground. When they get pissed I just say I was watching where I was going and you weren't. Sorry about that.

When I see a collision comming I just stop and let them run into me. With both knees, both shoulders and my back being bad I don't do well moving asside quickly and many a time suffered in my efforts. So now I hyold my ground.

And how about the good people in cars and moto's enter from a side street with barely a look. If there's a hole in the traffic they go for it, no matter how fast the traffic is catching up to that hole. It's hit the horn and slam on the brakes time. In Panama when I used to try to drive, I always had to have one hand on the wheel and one hand near the horn. Now, when on my moto I always have my finger on the horn button.

Alfred E. Newman. "What. Me Worry?"

0 funny, 0 helpful.

arthur brode says on Jun 2, 2007, 08:05:

EMI right after my accident i called EMI.The doctor and nurse from EMI arrived at my apartmet within 10 minutes.They stitched up my head,gave me a shot in the ass and a prescription.EMI is a private emergency insurance which cost me 17,000 pesos/mo. Their tel. number in Cali is 653-1313

http://www.calirentals.net/

0 funny, 0 helpful.

scotty says on Jun 3, 2007, 01:45:

like the bulls i think riding a bike in Cali or any Colombian city would be kinda like that video with the bulls, you are on your own.

Get Rhythm, when you got the blues. Johnny Cash

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Robert Jorge says on Jun 3, 2007, 20:30:

AB, do you get a cut of signing up new members for that insurance company? lol I had to beat the other a-holes that always give you shit. Seriously though, tell more about that insurance coverage. What are the deductibles, what does it cover, can you get coverage in other cities? Just curious ... and glad to hear your ok.

BEWARE of gold diggers.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

arthur brode says on Jun 3, 2007, 21:34:

Robert There are no deductubles.EMI is an emergency insurance.The 17,000 pesos i pay every month covers any emergency that i might have.A non emergency doctors visit with EMI only cost me 3,000 pesos.A non emergency doctors house call visit with EMI only cost me 10,000 pesos.Yes,you can get coverage in most cities in Colombia with EMI.

http://www.grupoemi.com/

http://www.calirentals.net/

0 funny, 0 helpful.

adrimm says on Jun 16, 2007, 22:45:

Bogota has a steadily
Bogota has a steadily growing community of urban biking enthusiasts.. one organization is called Bici Bogota but their website is down right now. The website of ciudad humana - dedicated to human-centred sustainable urban development has alot of great links too:

http://ciudadhumana.org/

It looks as if they are trying to establish an evening and nightime riding program right now called "Rueda de Noche"




Bogota has a far far more developed cycling infrastructure than most other cities in the Americas (North and South).. even the NYC government publications point to Bogota as a model to aspire to.


Nationwise there is a tour-de-Colombia. Becuase of the terrain and elevation that they face at home, I have heard that Colombian cyclists do well in international distance cycling.

mjolsnes says on Jun 21, 2007, 18:28:

Thanks or the info, especially thanks to adrimm.

Here is some other stuff I found out:
The cities of Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali shut down main streets and let bicylists, pedestrians, skaters, and such take over. It's called Ciclovía:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciclovía
http://carfreeusa.blogspot.com/2006/09/mira-papi-muchos-gringos.html
(in Medellín, they have tangovía, shutting down the streets for tango)

Medellín has a Bicycle Plan:
http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:OBTmsEHY3ikJ:www.velomondial.net/velomondiall2000/PDF/DIAZR.PDF bicicleta medellín&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=8&gl=us

In Bogotá, most bike riding tends to happen in the poorer southern part of the city.

Any gringos or residents who bike to work?
BTW, when visiting the Middle East, Latin America, and parts of Europe, I never were shorts (beaches aside), so no worries about me baring a little white thigh.

ciao

0 funny, 0 helpful.

cali373 says on Jul 5, 2007, 03:09:

interesting I feel safer riding a bike in Colombian than the streets of NYC

Smile if you are a thinker!

0 funny, 0 helpful.