Comments on: Biking in Merida

By: Working Gringos

Working Gringos — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:50:18 +0000

What a great idea, Mike!! If anyone wants to do this, and doesn’t know who to give their bike to when they are done, we will be happy to find a deserving child in Merida for them! Just let us know!

By: Mike in Florida

Mike in Florida — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 13:32:16 +0000

Ive cycled all around the USA , Europe and Russia. What I usually do is buy a cheapie at Walmart or Target. In Europe I buy at IKEA. Unless someone is a bike snob, you can get a perfectly good bike for way less than $350 LOL I bought a perfectly good one for $51 at Target in LA last month. Thats less than most 2nd bag charges and less than 4 days rental at the peso rate mentioned above. I ride it for the duration of my 2-4 week vacation and then give it to some deserving kid. To date Ive given away 20 bikes.

By: Mario Novelo

Mario Novelo — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:08:48 +0000

A few years ago while taking pictures of the “Merida plaques” (yes, those signs you see in several corners in Merida depicting various activities as well as pets, animals, etc.) I decided to save my feet (in previous years I had been doing the same while in foot) and I got a loaned bike and embarked on my “adventure”. Other than the aforementioned centro streets, where you definitely should be very aware of your surroundings if you were to ride there, most neighborhoods were very easy to ride and I got to know more of the city where I was born without the pain excessive walking causes.

Unfortunately, the one thing I do while biking in the states (riding in sidewalks) is not possible in Merida due to the various forms/dimensions of the city’s sidewalks, so I became very cautions and aware of the traffic patters to avoid being hit. This year when I come to Merida in September I like to ride a bike again (trouble is, so far I have not procured a bike yet) and this year I will probably follow the advice given here and bring with me a helmet which I can always leave in my house and use the following year even if my visit is only for a week this time around.

I too, enjoyed Reg’s bike article and I am looking forward to once again enjoy Merida’s streets on a bike when I am there in September (11th through 19th).

By: Lisa

Lisa — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:57:56 +0000

I lived in Merida for two years in the early 1970’s and I just returned from Merida. The center and the older neighborhoods have not changed much. For the two years that I lived there I traveled around the city by bicycle. It was a great way to get around.

By: james

james — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 03:27:13 +0000

Great read. I bike frequently for regular errands and transportation and advocate the use of bikes for short distances… Especially if you equip the bike to easily carry groceries and other items.

Ed: a mistake many cyclists make is riding in the gutter in an attempt to avoid cars. It is important to “take the lane” in the right 1/4 of the lane – as to make your presence known and allow traffic to pass you when safe, rather than crowd you out. If you’re seen you’re less likely to get “right hooked” from a turning car. Same goes for intersections: Take your spot in the lane a car would stop.

That’s helped me commute to work and back via bike safely for seven years at least.

All the best -

James Van Dellen / Denver