Great Lakes - Detroit bike rental???

Hello everyone,

I already posted this once but possibly in the wrong region, so here is it again:

In a few weeks I´ll have to spend a couple of weeks in Detroit, short before an important race.
Since I have no chance to carry a bike along (nor to ride up there - to cross the ocean would be an issue) a possibility would be to rent one locally.
So far I found WheelHouse, but they look to have just a couple of (quite) oldies but (less) goodies.

I´m looking for a reasonable recent road race bike in decent conditions to ride a couple of 100 km in a WE.

Any suggestion is welcome.

Thanks a lot!
PNB

I don't think they will have any actual bikes for rent there, but if you contact the dudes at Back Alley Bikes (http://www.bikes.msu.edu/back_alley_bikes/index.html) they might be able to help you out with something.

i don't know of rentals. what size frame do you ride and what specific dates are you thinking?

Back alley bikes just changed names
they are now the hub
http://thehubofdetroit.org/

also, call around to bike shops in the area. There was one in Plymouth (can't remember the name) but they rented bikes

The Wheelhouse bikes rents brand new Kona Smokes and Africabikes, neither are road bikes.

i don't know of rentals. what size frame do you ride and what specific dates are you thinking?

Hello!

My road bikes are all 59cm but I guess I could live with a frame 1-2cm smaller.
As for the dates I´ll fly on 14th July from Europe and fly back on 24th.
I would like to use the WE in between, it would be 19th and 20th for one or even two middle-long rides, anywhere from 80 to 150km. Depends also on how hilly the ride is.
I never was in your region.

The race I will take part to afterwards is about 200km and 4000hm (www.radmarathon.com -> Tirol West), in the austrian Alps.
I do not intend to win, just to come through, have fun and do my best.
I usually ride at a moderate pace, HF driven and stay aerobic.

Thanks a lot for any support
PNB

also, call around to bike shops in the area. There was one in Plymouth (can't remember the name) but they rented bikes

Should I find nothing before, I´ll ask the local dealers.:thumb:

Should I find nothing before, I´ll ask the local dealers.:thumb:

You know, when you say "Detroit", you're talking about a really huge metropolitan area, with varying dealer availability depending on exactly where you are. Do you know specifically where you'll be staying?

In general, this area is big on rail-trails, bike paths, and off-road riding, so many (most?) of the bike shops specialize in MTB, hybrids, and comfort bikes. There are only a handful of good road-bike specialists.

Let us know more details and perhaps someone can help you out.

You know, when you say "Detroit", you're talking about a really huge metropolitan area, with varying dealer availability depending on exactly where you are. Do you know specifically where you'll be staying?

In general, this area is big on rail-trails, bike paths, and off-road riding, so many (most?) of the bike shops specialize in MTB, hybrids, and comfort bikes. There are only a handful of good road-bike specialists.

Let us know more details and perhaps someone can help you out.

I guess you are right - I´ve no idea what I´m talking about when I say Detroit.
I will stay in Pontiac, as I heard it´s at north ... sure you know better.

I guess you are right - I´ve no idea what I´m talking about when I say Detroit.
I will stay in Pontiac, as I heard it´s at north ... sure you know better.

Right in my backyard -- I've lived in that area for over 40 years. I'll check a couple of the local shops and see what I can find out. What country are you coming from? Maybe I can make it sound like you're an important international visitor. :D

Right in my backyard -- I've lived in that area for over 40 years. I'll check a couple of the local shops and see what I can find out. What country are you coming from? Maybe I can make it sound like you're an important international visitor. :D

You´ll have an hard time trying to make me look an important visitor :eek:

I currently live in Austria, since about 5 years but actually I´m from northern Italy.
The company I work for is a major supplier of the new GM site, that´s why I´ll spend almost 2 weeks there.

But I´m no manager or such, just a common engineer.

Kind regards
PNB

But I´m no manager or such, just a common engineer.


Small world. I'm also a "common engineer" working for a major GM supplier. In fact, I would make a guess that you work for Magna, who is one of our largest customers (I work for FANUC Robotics).

In a previous job, I also spent a lot of time working at Comau in Torino. In fact, I used to know my way around downtown Torino better than I know downtown Detroit!

I'll do some more checking on bike rentals and get back with you soon.

Ciao!

Small world. I'm also a "common engineer" working for a major GM supplier. In fact, I would make a guess that you work for Magna, who is one of our largest customers (I work for FANUC Robotics).

In a previous job, I also spent a lot of time working at Comau in Torino. In fact, I used to know my way around downtown Torino better than I know downtown Detroit!

I'll do some more checking on bike rentals and get back with you soon.

Ciao!

It´s not Magna, but you are pretty close - just a few km away ;)
The town in Italy I come from lies some 200km east of Turin, 30km west from southern lake Garda.
FANUC is no new name to me - I already heard of it, at least at the University (long ago, I´m afraid) but never had directly to do with the company.
Regarding the bike, with Wheelhouse we exchanged a few mails in the last two days.
They would have a solution, not a dream one but could go. I have time till end of the month to decide.
If you can ask around it would be very kind, but really don´t get mad because of me.

Bye
PNB

I checked all the local shops that I know, but no luck. All anyone rents are typically what we call "beach cruisers", which would hardly be what you are looking for. So maybe this Wheelhouse place will be your only option.

This was no trouble at all. Italy is my favorite country other than my own, with many good memories from my travels there. If I had a 2nd bike I would certainly let you use it, although it would probably be slightly small for you. Let me know if you need any other information about this area. I have actually not done any long-distance road riding around here, but might have some suggestions. There are also some group rides that you could connect up with.

Feel free to contact me by e-mail at any time. It is doug at wdgordon dot com.