Bike Rental in Nice

The Crunch

Hi,
I'm heading to Nice next week and don't fancy lugging the bike with me as I'll only have a chance to use it a couple of times.
Does anyone know if there's a place renting good quality road bikes around the Nice area?

Caroline_ie

They have Velibs in Nice! They're called Velos Bleus.

... can't find any road bikes hire. Maybe contact the tourist office?

The Crunch

Hmmm, not sure I'd be able to get Keo Carbons onto one of those Velibs. I'll try the tourist office. There's got to be somewhere on the fashionable Cote d'Azur that rents decent bikes.

Diarmuid

Here you go

The Crunch

Ah, fair play. Cheers.

oflahero

The velibs in Nice require you to have a mobile number to link to your account, don't know if a forrin one will do. Looked a complicated business when I was there last week. Here in Lyon the Velo'V system is HUGE and fantastic, not to mention dead easy to use. (Had to hire a real bike to go up Ventoux last week though!)

Diarmuid

oflahero wrote: »

The velibs in Nice require you to have a mobile number to link to your account, don't know if a forrin one will do.

The VeloBleu system blows. Pretty much anyone I talked to who used it, hates it. Me included.

L'Enfer du Nord

Hi,

I rented a Scott Sporster P5 hybrid, for five days from these guys-
http://www.holiday-bikes.com/

Who have an affiliate across the road from the stataion in Nice. Bike was OK but not great, 50 euros for five days. When I picked it up it didn't have a back carrier, they said I hadn't ordered one, I took there word for it. Looking back at my e-mail now infact i had! Anyway they put one on the next day. Very hot when I was there, plus I had a few things on so I didn't manage any long runs. the "prom" has a nice cycle path, albiet crowded. Cycled to Antibes along the coast, also the other direction towards Monaco, cycle path a lot of the way.

23, rue de Belgique, face gare SNCF - 06000 Nice
Tél: +33 (0)4 93 20 90 20
Fax: +33 (0)4 93 87 67 63


is the address of the place I got it from. Friendly and helpful, so no complaints with the service.

The Crunch

L'Enfer du Nord wrote: »

Hi,

I rented a Scott Sporster P5 hybrid, for five days from these guys-
http://www.holiday-bikes.com/

Hmmm. Do they do decent quality road bikes as well as hybrids? Sort of looking for 105/Ultegra-ish upwards.

Civilian_Target

I agree with Diarmuid, I didn't renew my VeloBleu subscription because it's nearly impossible to find a bike. (The bikes themselves are OK if you find one.)

I'm not a big fan of Culture Velo any more, they made a right arse of my brakes last time I was there, but basically there's not really any other choice for a bicycle shop in central Nice...

BaBiT

oflahero wrote: »

The velibs in Nice require you to have a mobile number to link to your account, don't know if a forrin one will do. Looked a complicated business when I was there last week. Here in Lyon the Velo'V system is HUGE and fantastic, not to mention dead easy to use. (Had to hire a real bike to go up Ventoux last week though!)

When were you up Ventoux ofalhero?..I was up there myself last Friday

Diarmuid

The Crunch wrote: »

Hmmm. Do they do decent quality road bikes as well as hybrids? Sort of looking for 105/Ultegra-ish upwards.

A friend got a decent specialized from holiday-bikes. Not sure of groupset but probably 105. Make sure you specify that you want a good road bike when you are booking.

L'Enfer du Nord

The Crunch wrote: »

Hmmm. Do they do decent quality road bikes as well as hybrids? Sort of looking for 105/Ultegra-ish upwards.

I'm pretty sure I saw a few road bikes in the shop. What I wouldn't give to be Nice right now (and its not even raining here!)

The Crunch

L'Enfer du Nord wrote: »

I'm pretty sure I saw a few road bikes in the shop. What I wouldn't give to be Nice right now (and its not even raining here!)

Cheers for those.
Looking forward to it if I can shake off the piglet flu my other half has given me! I'll be staying at the foot of Col du Vence which I've climbed before. I think I'd like to check out the Col du Madone. Any other suggestions?

oflahero

BaBiT wrote: »

When were you up Ventoux ofalhero?..I was up there myself last Friday

I went up Sunday 20th; decided to make a day of it. Started in Sault, and warmed up the legs on the col des Abeilles to Bedoin. Went up the main event from there; a steady procession of types were on their way as well, a surprising number of fitter-than-me oldies and tourers. Made it to the summit in 2hrs 3mins (Bedoin roundabout -> summit sign).

Needed the jacket and gloves for the descent to Malaucene, and then I stupidly decided to crack on for Bedoin again to complete the loop having just stuck two bananas, a Nutrigrain and a bottle of Powerbarred water down the gullet for the entire ride thus far. Practically bonked over the col de la Madeleine on the way and tottered back into Bedoin for the baguette mixte and endless ice-cold coke. After half an hour I finally summoned the energy to head back to Sault. Horrible final climb, neverending.

I normally ride 53-39, 11-23, but the hire bike was 50-34, 13-29, and by jebus I needed at least the 27 and the 29 in parts to lug myself up parts of Ventoux itself. Still, the sense of achievement etc. etc. Got snapped by www.sport-photo.fr on the way, I'm there in the September Mt Ventoux section, 20 September, page 58, 13:16 - posing unnecessarily in the TOI jersey. Great craic altogether.

OP - sorry for hijacking! Hope your biking goes well.

Diarmuid

The Crunch wrote: »

I'll be staying at the foot of Col du Vence which I've climbed before. I think I'd like to check out the Col du Madone. Any other suggestions?

There are a few more suggestions here.
How many spins are you going for? There are tons of routes in the hills behind Nice. The Ironman route might be good for you as you are staying near Vence.

The Crunch

Cheers, I'll probably sneak in two spins at most. It's a delayed honeymoon, actually! I'd normally bring a bike but promised I wouldn't this time and then was told I should rent a bike for a day or two. I think she reckons I'd be better company if I get the odd spin in...
I'll have to find an especially excellent restaurant or two...

Might do that ironman route or maybe head down to San Remo and up the Poggio for old time's sake. Did that once when I was a kid.
That link was to an Intel website, jobs section, by the way...

Diarmuid

doh. Fixed the link.

To be honest I'd wouldn't recommend the Poggio unless you really wanted to say you did it. The road to get there is busy with tons of traffic and the climb up and down to Poggio is pretty un-remarkable.

The Ironman is fun as the climbs are not too hard and the descents are fun, long and fast. Col de la Madone is a decent climb, the descent is not the best at the start but picks up once you hit the decent road.

pm me if you want company on one of the spins