Bicycles

Put an ad in la Playa  magazine.  Only costs 50 pesos for he ad

Bob K

Hello Jaydabell

You could drop in an advert in our section of the site Bikes in Dominican Republic to further spread the word and thus increase your chances to have a bicycle.Its free

Kenjee
Expat.com Team

Thanks Kenjee!!!! You rock.

Can anyone tell me if you can get lavender, rosemary or fig plants there for planting? I am trying to see about getting permission to bring mine with but the guy won't call me back....Not giving up yet... Would be easier not to have to bring them. Thanks!

Glauriel start a new thread.  This has nothing to do with purchasing a bicyles

Bob K

bring seeds. put them in a plain envelop in you checked bag.    the will grow like crazy here.

Ok...

Is there any issues bringing a bike there?

Not a problem. Just pay some money and you can take it on the plane as a checked in baggage. I paid $150 to bring it over.

must be a hell of a bike.   I have a Currie 7 speed electric bike .. US made, with saddle bags it was $900.  I doubt that I will ship it here.  Will sell it & get a moto instead.   Too many hills for it to be efficient enough as well as can't carry enough on it.

We can't check it because we are checking our dog crates instead...but can the mover bring it?

Any bike would of been $150 on the airline I used. I couldn't of bought a similar bike here unless I go to the big cities, and then it would of been double. So, it was worth it. And came over without a problem.  A local bike place put it together and away I go. It was the perfect bike for the roads too! All is good.

I've come to the conclusion, and I will blog the post in the next day or two, that whatever you want to buy, you need to buy in the USA and import here. No question about it.

I should also mention that my bike was used. If it was new, they would of changed me VAT or taxes at the airport. I told them to look at the wheels that it was used, and in I went and no taxes Gotta love it!

Dreamtime, thank you...Guess I will just bring one via movers then...If we only stay the month we won't need it but if we stay then would love to have...Do you think its safe to ride a bike around? Heard the driving there leaves something to be desired? We are starting out in Las Terrenas but will also explore Samana and possibly Cabrera while here looking for home....

Yup send it with the movers honey.   Way better.

Thank you Planner!

Siempre honey

Muchisima gracias amiga mia....

It depends on the terrain you want to bike around. In La Vega the streets are paved nicely. No big indentations at intersections and not many holes either. In Bonao, the streets are horrendous. Meaning, you need a mountain bike to just drive around anywhere in town. But who wants to bike in a town anyway unless it's a very small town where there's no congestion or traffic.

Forget about a road bike for most places here. You  need a hybrid or a mountain bike to be comfortable biking around.

I bike straight out into the country and on any dirt roads that go to the river. I have a hybrid with thicker tires so it's more setup for off roading. The perfect bike for where I am at.

In most places biking is very very dangerous.  In the countryside, ok.  Any town or city - I wouldn't do it!!!

No more dangerous than riding around in a motorbike. Nothing like a real live video game with you in it!

And no one and I mean basically NO ONE wears a helmet, bike or moto....go figure

Bob K

In fact when I had my bike accident in the US 4 years or so ago (SUV ran a stop sign and hit me in a crosswalk) and spent 4 weeks in hospitals and rehab centers, I had a bill in excess of $120,000 US.  My insurance company would not pay the bills unless I could prove I had a helmet on.  Thankfully we had a picture of me lying in the road waiting for the ambulance and I was using my helmet as a pillow to elevate my head.

Bob K

WOW,  Bob that is incredible.  Here they  don't wear em and don't care.

Funny to watch on the odd day that AMET is enforcing the "helmet" law.  Dad driving will have a cheap plastic batting helmet on and Mom and the three kids on the back of the bike have none.

Bob K

I wear a helmet. One of those cheap plastic ones. Mostly for show. In the center square streets the cops sometimes like to stake out those roads during a specific time of the month to give tickets for not wearing a helmet. The tickets are 1000 Pesos. So the helmet is insurance!

One time I was riding there and a cop pulled over a guy in front of me, I made a U-turn and went the other way. LOL. This was before I got a helmet. I really don't want to get pulled over and have to deal with them if I can help it.

Know a kid who got a concussion even wearing a helmut! Can't imagine what would have happened had he not had one on at all...Helmet was cracked pretty good...

Main reason to make sure your helmet is D.O.T approved 

Ex-boyfriend's brother  had an accident on a motoconcho, landed on his head and he died. NO helmet.  Other brother gets on his motorcycle and rides off, no helmet.... They will never ever learn.

Most are too macho to wear a sissy helmet.  So sad

Bob K

Sure is - its stupidly sad.  And the issue is they teach their kids that this is okay.

The next thing that baffles me is the removal of the side view mirrors??? My girlfriend is stll trying to explain that one to me. Are Dominicans against safety or just suicidal

Stolen side view mirrors I know about,  removed on purpose never heard of this.

Actually I know a local Dominican kid who removed his mirrors from his moto. Reason being he did want them stolen or broken....now ponder that one for a minute

Bob K

I just realized where the expression ..."you can't fix stupid" comes from.

Bob K

My girlfriend says that up in the North coast they remove the side mirrors and some of the reflector lights for aesthetic purposes so I said: looking cool is more important than being safe? She said: yes to most riders out here. The newer pasolas are being made with molded side view mirrors to avoid both theft and removal.....finally someone is thinking

Unless it is one forged solid steel unit they will find a way to get the mirrors and lights off.

Bob K

I'm a long time rider myself and I would not dare ride a motorcycle or moped in N.Y. Without a side mirror, heck I even have a clip on side mirror for my bycicle and one on my helmet. It only takes a second that once you take your eye off the road and some idiot either opens a car door or pulls out in front of you. I have had it happen many times