Where do you buy/store bikes in SoWal

[Paula]

Well, you can buy $125 bikes at Wal-Mart, and with care, you should be able to get about 2 years out of them around the beach. The question is, where will you store them when you rent your homes? Don't expect your renters to take as much care for them as you would. ;-)

I may even look for cheaper bikes at target or walmart. I've seen people at our community with bikes on bike racks and covers on the bikes. Another suggestion I got was to take the front wheel off when we're not using them. Or we may just leave them there in case we have 2nd or 3rd year renters that we've gotten to know a bit and feel comfortable loaning the bikes to them. And we'll get very good locks and a cover. We'll see if it's all worth it. Maybe I'll start with 2 bikes to see how it goes.

So far, our renters have really been fantastic in terms of taking care of our things and cottages. I'm sure we'll have a few bad experiences over the years, but so far, we've been very happy. It seems that the more we leave for our guests, the happier they are and the better care they take of our places.

 

[Wastin Away]

I have had bikes for my renters for 3 years now and it has been great! I have only lost one bike and I think that happend when someone rented extra's and one of ours got mixed in with the rentals. I just bought 2 used ones for this season and I still have 2 from 3 years ago that are still going. They have made it through every hurricane so far. My renters have greatly appreciated it and we like it because they are there for us to use when we come down. We actually started out with 3, 2 Adult and one 24 inch, now we have 3 Adult and 1 24 inch. I bought them from a bike shop on 30-A. I just bought beach cruisers and the nice thing about buying them from a bike shop is the ones that they have tend to not rust as quick as those from Target or Wal-Mart. Nothing but positives from renters and one more thing to make your home stand apart from others.

 

[Franny]

Paula,
At one time there was a guy who repaired old bikes and sold them for cheap. He was located on Mack Bayou. I will take a look next time I go by there.

 

[Kurt]

Paula,
At one time there was a guy who repaired old bikes and sold them for cheap. He was located on Mack Bayou. I will take a look next time I go by there.

He was still there a few weeks ago.

i wonder why we don't have anyone from a rental company posting? :idea:

 

[Paula]

Thanks WastinAway and Kurt. More information about bikes for me -- I'll probably buy one in May when I'm there and more in June if the May one works out well.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Paula,
At one time there was a guy who repaired old bikes and sold them for cheap. He was located on Mack Bayou. I will take a look next time I go by there.

He was still in business today when I drove by. He is located about 1 mile north of Hwy 98, on Mack Bayou Rd (next to hospital), right side of road if going north. Red building with cream colored trim and bicycles lining the driveway.

 

[pk305]

He was still in business today when I drove by. He is located about 1 mile north of Hwy 98, on Mack Bayou Rd (next to hospital), right side of road if going north. Red building with cream colored trim and bicycles lining the driveway.

Great idea! Thanks again to so many of you on this board....this resource is just WONDERFUL! Counting the days till our Seagrove house will FINALLY be finished....about 33 more days HOPEFULLY! :clap_1: Can't wait to get a couple of bikes too....planning to check out this guy on Mack Bayou....sounds like a good way to go. (The last time I was on a bike was in 1988.....took a bad spill, took down a barbed-wire fence, and broke my arm in 2 places....HOWEVER 30-A has inspired me to get on the bike again!!!)

 

[Paula]

Great idea! Thanks again to so many of you on this board....this resource is just WONDERFUL! Counting the days till our Seagrove house will FINALLY be finished....about 33 more days HOPEFULLY! :clap_1: Can't wait to get a couple of bikes too....planning to check out this guy on Mack Bayou....sounds like a good way to go. (The last time I was on a bike was in 1988.....took a bad spill, took down a barbed-wire fence, and broke my arm in 2 places....HOWEVER 30-A has inspired me to get on the bike again!!!)

Ok, pk305, I'll come clean, too. Last time I was on a bike I fell off the bike right INTO the next door neighbors trash can in the middle of the day. All the bottles that were in the recycling bin clammored down the street, neighbors opened the doors to see the commotion, I had to pick up the trash and then hobble home. I was going to start riding my bike to work and then changed my mind after than incident. But, I, too, am ready to get on the horse again and 30A is just the place to do it -- and maybe I'll get inspired to ride the bike to work as well.

 

[Smiling JOe]

The last time I rode my bike (not long ago), I had a flat tire and had to push my bike home.

 

[imasunbum]

I thought of that and maybe we'll do it next time, but if we come down about 6 times a year and rent 1 - 4 bikes each time, sometimes for up to a week, would that get expensive? I figure the money we'd spending buying them would probably not too much more than we'd spend in a year renting them. Does this make sense?

What's the least expensive and complicated kind of bike you'd recommend given we'd be riding along the bike path mostly? Do we need to shift gears or would a plain old-fashioned bike do?

What about seasonal rental (like beach chairs and unbrellas)? Do the bike places do that