A loaner bike for a US visitor?

hobbeswalsh

Hey all,

I'm visiting Dublin from Seattle for work. I'm here for two weeks, and my preferred mode of transport when back home has two wheels and a chain (and brakes, but I don't admit to using those).

I'm looking to avoid paying exorbitant fees to rent a bike from a shop for the whole two weeks, but will be more than willing to compensate you if you'll lend me (or sell me and then buy back later?) your bike.

I'm a tall guy -- 6'4" -- and appreciate any help I can get on this front.

Thanks!
--Robin

adamski8

This is your best option
http://www.dublinbikes.ie/

January

How about signing up for the Dublin Bikes scheme? There's several points in the city centre with lots of bike stands.

I'm not sure how much it costs though.

http://www.dublinbikes.ie/

hobbeswalsh

Heh, thanks for the updates, but...

dublinbikes.ie is meant to be rented a half-hour at a time -- my use-case is to ride the bike to work in the morning, park it all day, and then ride it back at night (plus putt around the city at night if need be). On dublinbikes, keeping the bike out all day would cost a fortune.

Also, they don't like foreign credit cards which don't have those little chips on them Boo hoo.

Any other takers?

--Robin

BeerNut

hobbeswalsh wrote: »

On dublinbikes, keeping the bike out all day would cost a fortune.

You don't rent it for the day. You put it back in the station when you finish your journey and pick up another for your next journey. But it only works if the stations are near your starting point and destination.

hobbeswalsh

BeerNut wrote: »

You don't rent it for the day. You put it back in the station when you finish your journey and pick up another for your next journey. But it only works if the stations are near your starting point and destination.

Yeah, unfortunately I'm working outside the main Dublinbikes service area; I could pick up my bike somewhere nearby in the morning, but there would be nowhere to park it near my work, so I'd end up holding on to it all day and owing something like a million Euro at the end of the day.

Thanks anyway!

missmyler

Maybe buy a cheap one from adverts.ie? You could sell back to one of the shops once finished

endacl

http://www.rothar.ie/

loyatemu

http://dublinbikeman.com/ - specifically says he will buy bikes back from visiting students etc (this is not an endorsement, though I've seen others on the cycling forum recommending him).

HivemindXX

You could try posting your question in the cycling forum:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=410

Obviously make sure to mention it is for Dublin since that forum is not location specific.

enda1

If your credit card doesn't have a chip in it, it wont work almost anywhere in Ireland.

Good luck though.

FreudianSlippers

enda1 wrote: »

If your credit card doesn't have a chip in it, it wont work almost anywhere in Ireland.

Good luck though.

That's manifestly untrue - what do you think all the US tourists do when they're here? Barter? All card readers have a swipe functionality that I've ever seen.

enda1

FreudianSlippers wrote: »

That's manifestly untrue - what do you think all the US tourists do when they're here? Barter? All card readers have a swipe functionality that I've ever seen.

Sorry I somehow managed to leave out the "in machines" bit.
Oops.

Yeah they'll of course work at point of sales with staff members where they can ask you to sign the slip printed out.

[Jackass]

You can borrow my bike if you want, I hardly ever use it. PM me for details.

It's a mountain bike though, not a road bike if that makes a difference, and is a pretty basic one at that (although is 28 speed or whatever....maybe I don't think it's a great bike as I feel like I'm trying to open a combination padlock whilst bumping up and down at 20 miles an hour trying to figure out how to use the gears, but that's a whole other story!)

PM me if interested.

endacl

[Jackass] wrote: »

You can borrow my bike if you want, I hardly ever use it. PM me for details.

It's a mountain bike though, not a road bike if that makes a difference, and is a pretty basic one at that (although is 28 speed or whatever....maybe I don't think it's a great bike as I feel like I'm trying to open a combination padlock whilst bumping up and down at 20 miles an hour trying to figure out how to use the gears, but that's a whole other story!)

PM me if interested.

Daycent man!