Bike shop in Mexico

[Woosh]

Hi all,
I'm sure I haven't been missed, but just in case anyone's wondering, I am in sunny Mexico (29 degrees, sorry everyone), enjoying birdsong, blue skies, turquoise seas, very interesting food and lovely friendly people...but bikes are never far from my mind (sad really......)
There are five problems though: firstly, the Yucatan peninsula is as flat as a pancake, secondly potholes can be as large as wheelbarrows, thirdly, the unannounced speed bumps are deadly, fourthly, going on any bike means Dodge the Dogs (pedalling like the clappers while they chase after you barking like mad) and fifthly but most importantly I guess, money. Most Mexicans are pretty poor and make do with either clapped out standard bikes or equally clapped out scooters. Ah - I also just thought of another problem - most older Mexicans are about 5 feet tall (and some are not far off 5 feet wide)......now THERE's a challenge if ever there was.
I reckon an e bike here has got to be built like a tank to get around all of the above and cost less than £400 - probably lead acid batteries, stodgy body to resist all the dents and humungous, thick tyres to cope with all the bumps.
The first photo is a bike workshop - outdoors of course with a minimum of equipment but doing a good job all the same. The second is a very common cargo bike - well built, light and easy to handle (many are driven by children and women) - and costs around 3000 pesos (£150) - so excellent value. Food for thought!

Hatti

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Well, I missed you. I was down your way last week and was going to pop in.

I hear the fishing is pretty good down there - even better than Southend Pier. I hope you remembered to take your rods.

 

[flecc]

I am in sunny Mexico

There are five problems though

Most Mexicans are pretty poor

Six problems if the film I saw on BBC4 last night is anything to go by. Titled " We are what we are", it was about a poverty stricken large Mexican family who to eat killed anyone at the bottom of society for their body meat.

Take care out there!

 

[jerrysimon]

I started to watch that flecc and turned it off lol

Jerry

 

[mike killay]

Enjoy your holiday Hatti
Mike Killay

 

[flecc]

I started to watch that flecc and turned it off lol

Jerry

It did get better but would never have got an Oscar!

 

[Woosh]

Ah,
But was the family in Mexico? Maybe they were in the UK?!!
Hopefully I have nothing to fear.....not being in the upper echelons of society I am nevertheless not in the bottom either (I hope...)
Still, on a serious note sounds like a pretty horrific documentary.
I haven't come across any signs of violence here whatsoever and am travelling around in a car, not doing the tourist package thing at all.
I don't drive at night though and there are hundreds of policemen here - state, national, road, tourist, you name it you can't fail to see one every few miles in the open countryside and in towns there are checkpoints at either end, plus they all have both small and large guns. They don't seem to pull in tourists - only locals, mainly with dodgy looking cars. Have noticed quite a few vehicles without number plates. Apparently the police take them off if you commit an offence and you can't get them back til you pay the fine...but people still seem to drive around without them! Wonder what would happen if they did that in Blighty....?

 

[Cyclezee]

I started to watch that flecc and turned it off lol

Jerry

I saw what it was about and didn't even start to watch it........I'm on a diet so food and cooking programmes are toture

 

[flecc]

Ah,
But was the family in Mexico? Maybe they were in the UK?!!
Still, on a serious note sounds like a pretty horrific documentary.

Sorry to have given the wrong impression Hatti, it was a subtitled Mexican fictional film, not a documentary, but very much set in Mexican slums complete with Mexican (short) actors.

 

[whereswally606]

Ha, currently on my last days holiday in the Philippines totally a market in the making for ebikes but suffer the same issues here as the opening poster suggests of Mexico. Wouldn't half cut the pollution from the 155cc motorbike trikes if they went electric one added complication is the reliability of their electricity grid. On some of the islands brownouts are standard.

 

[Woosh]

Hope you had a good time WheresWally, and that the Philippines are recovering fast from the recent disaster. I have been contacted a few times by Malaysians in the UK asking whether we can export our bikes over there! Seeems incredible that there isn't a roaring trade already, as you say power failures are frequent where you are and mayhave something to do with it but Malaysia is fairly well equipped. Have had no power failures here in Mexico but I am guessing in the much rainier typhoon type season (June onwards) it could happen frequently.
I agree that e bikes would be a lot better in terms of pollution than all those awful motor bikes, and not just exhaust fumes, noise too.
Some of them round here are horrendous.
I am going to rent a bike in the next hour or so and ride up and down the Paseo de Montejo in Merida, where I have been for the past few days. This beautiful treelined boulevard with stately buildings either side is dubbed the Champs Elysees of Mexico, and is closed to road traffic on Sundays. If I see an E bike anywhere I'll let you all know.
Well, my time here is drawing to a close, home next weekend.
I left my claim to fame on a beautiful, totally untouristy beach on the Gulf Coast here, called Sisal - see photo. .Just locals, dogs (of course), lovely sand on a real beachcombers beach (shells and driftwood galore) and warm calm water, hammocks underneath thatched parasols (no rent charged), a handful of fishing boats and one simple cafe where I had the best fresh fish EVER, deep fried (caught locally), salad and tacos, all washed down with a couple of ice cold Sol beers for the grand sum of £6

.
I will certainly miss it all!

 

[whereswally606]

Yes hatti lots of fun had by myself, my girlfriend Pips and our mutual friend Tom and Sarah (bro and sister) Tom helped in the yolanda typhoon and got in a British paper. Anyway favourite beach was Los cabanos at el nido where we had the best fish curry mmmmmmm

 

[mike killay]

Hatti,
You are missing out on some really interesting UK weather!!!!!

 

[peerjay56]

Hatti,
You are missing out on some really interesting UK weather!!!!!

Interesting as in 'may you live in interesting times', a fine chinese curse

 

[Woosh]

Final few days, so thought I would go somewhere beachy but quiet. Chose El Cuyo, tiny place up on the Gulf coast to the north of Cancun, found a small house to rent but key-keeper nowhere in sight. All locals - no tourists, no English. Eventually plucked up courage to speak to neighbour who was toothless and looked about 90, who suggested we go to find Senora Richiega (key-keeper) in my car. He was smaller than me so I thought I had little to worry about. Went down very VERY potholed roads for about 10 minutes towards thick jungle surrounded by mangroves (with resident crocodiles apparently), accompanied by his constant babble in a mixture of Spanish and Mayan and me saying 'Si?' and 'No!' as and when required. THEN came across a small 'lake' in the road.
'Es OK', he said. 'Podemos travesar sin problema, no es muy profundo. ' Seguro?' I replied. 'Veramente seguro?'
'Si, no problema'.
So through I went in my very small rented car, only to find the water coming up right to the door. Had visions of it conking out in the middle and the rental company giving me a very hefty bill.
My passenger smiled (toothlessly):' Ves? No es profundo! '
Finally managed to get to the other side and the car was still running.
He laughed. 'Era mas profundo que no creia' he confessed.

On the way back to Cancun, came across a great bit of subsided road.
Getting across was hair raising to say the least. See photo.
Wonder if any of you think you could have tackled it on your bike?

Far more adrenalin packed however was trying to find my way to a supermarket in Cancun city centre at 7pm. Horrendous traffic, all drivers going like the clappers (including busses) constant beeps and shouts, and HUGE traffic lights, with for example 6 major roads meeting and with so many red and green lights it was almost impossible to make out which one was for you. Needed a very stiff drink afterwards.

Needless to say, no electric bikes here. DID see one a week ago in Merida, looked like a nice model, almost certainly brought down by what looked like its American owner. I think they would do well in Cancun, especially along the substantial hotel strip, but would need some sort of bike lanes or let riders use the (very wide) pavements along there.

Looking forward to coming home for a rest.


Hatti

 

[john h]

Do we export roads to mexico.

 

[flecc]

Do we export roads to mexico.

That was my thought too, the photo seemed strangely familiar.