Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Classic & Vintage
Reload this Page >

Cycling in Mexico?

Notices
Classic & Vintage This forum is to discuss the many aspects of classic and vintage bicycles, including musclebikes, lightweights, middleweights, hi-wheelers, bone-shakers, safety bikes and much more.

Cycling in Mexico?

Old 04-07-11, 08:17 PM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
RoboIsGod's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Boston
Posts: 775

Bikes: 2020 Fuji Transonic; Zunow Z-1; All-City Macho King ACE; De Bernardi Track

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 10 Times in 1 Post
Cycling in Mexico?

I'm heading to Mexico for the summer and really want to bring my bike. Three months with no cycling would really suck. I'll be in San Miguel de Allende, which from what I have been told and read, is a pretty nice place (they have a pretty decent bike shop there too).

Has anyone done any serious cycling in Mexico? I'm trying to figure out how much paved roads ill be able to find and how much cobbles/dirt I'll be riding on. I was thinking of just bringing my back up 32-hole clinchers and getting some Gatorskins and ridin the hell out of 'em.

Any info/advice would be much appreciated!
RoboIsGod is offline  
Old 04-07-11, 10:39 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
rivas7200's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: California
Posts: 224
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I know there are some areas around San Miguel where you can ride on trails. I've been to the city Guanajuato which is very similar to San Miguel and not too far away from it. The only cobble streets there were in the center of town and the same might be true in San Miguel.
You mentioned there is a decent bike shop in town. I would suggest giving them a call and find out some info from them. If you don't speak Spanish, I am sure you'll be able to talk to someone in English. San Miguel is a very touristy town with lots of Americans and I would assume people in business there would be familiar with English.

Good luck and I know you'll have a great time.
rivas7200 is offline  
Old 04-07-11, 11:55 PM
  #3  
vintage motor
 
kroozer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico
Posts: 1,589

Bikes: 48 Automoto, 49 Stallard, 50 Rotrax, 62 Jack Taylor, 67 Atala, 68 Lejeune, 72-74-75 Motobecanes, 73 RIH, 71 Zieleman, 74 Raleigh, 78 Windsor, 83 Messina (Villata), 84 Brazzo (Losa), 85 Davidson, 90 Diamondback, 92 Kestrel

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 160 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 100 Times in 77 Posts
I have lived in Mexico for most of last 20 years, in Nayarit, to the west of San Miguel. I don't know that area very well, but the weather in the highlands is great all year-round. No reason at all not to bike, in fact it's a great way to get to know the area. I would make pretty much the same recomendations as in the US. Stay off the main 2-lane highways, they are narrow, heavily-travelled, and extremely dangerous. Secondary paved highways are usually fine, the problem can be finding enough of them. Lots of great gravel roads if you're into that. Urban commuting is fine, too, although the streets are generally pretty rough (I use an mtb). If you can, take a road bike and an mtb. You can probably borrow or rent an mtb locally. There is probably a local group of recreational riders that you could hook up with.

The drug violence is getting to a ridiculous point, and I don't recommend Mexico to anyone for a vacation. On the other hand many areas are peaceful, and I haven't heard of any problems in Guanajuato state. However, if you're driving down, the northeastern border areas are a war zone.

I live in a small city (pop. 400,000) which is also the state capital. Like all the Pacific coast states Nayarit is a traditional drug-producing area, but violence was always minimal and was limited to people involved in the drug trade. Last year we had over 400 drug-related murders, many of them innocent people, and about 150 so far this year. There was a big shoot-out yesterday on a main boulevard with automatic weapons and grenades in which six narcos were killed and a couple innocent bystanders wounded. The government is worse than useless, the cops and politicians work for the narcos too. Kidnapping is an industry, extorsion and robbery are becoming common, and everyone is afraid. This is a beautiful place and life here has been great up till now, but we're seriously considering leaving.
kroozer is offline  
Old 04-08-11, 07:09 AM
  #4  
afraid of whales
 
Mr IGH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Front Range, CO
Posts: 4,306
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 347 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts
He's a story about a really nice guy I mountain biked with in Jamacia. Ken was murdered while traveling to buy land for a mountain bike park in a formally peaceful area of Mexico. The comments are most interesting, the locals post that it's been bad for months but nobody outside had much of an idea how bad it had become:
https://www.borderlandbeat.com/2010/0...-coahuila.html

The problem with Mexico is the situation is very dynamic. Regions shift from peaceful to full out drug war in a matter of days. If you're not a local it's easy to stumble into a dangerous situation that can result in death. Check out this website for updates in English (the stories and photos are very graphic):
https://www.borderlandbeat.com/
Mr IGH is offline  
Old 04-11-11, 10:00 AM
  #5  
Senior Member
 
rivas7200's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: California
Posts: 224
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Yeah you might not want to venture around alone. Search for a recreational group. As mentioned before, the areas bordering Texas are a war zone with what seems like daily killings, I would recommend flying into Guanajuato.
Luckily, I did my travels across Mexico back in early 07' before things heated up. Kroozer: I passed through Tepic as well, nice area.

Last edited by rivas7200; 04-11-11 at 10:07 AM.
rivas7200 is offline  
Old 04-11-11, 06:37 PM
  #6  
smelling the roses
 
seedsbelize's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Tixkokob, Yucatán, México
Posts: 15,428

Bikes: 79 Trek 930, 80 Trek 414, 84 Schwinn Letour Luxe (coupled), 92 Schwinn Paramount PDG 5

Mentioned: 104 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7081 Post(s)
Liked 901 Times in 612 Posts
San Miguel de Allende quite possibly has more Gringos than locals. I'm sure you could find a group to ride with around there. I also have never been there, and have no idea what the cartels are up to in that part of México. Here in Yucatán, I go out without a care, as long as I stay on the main highways. We don't have any drug issues, but we do have opportunistic robbery, as you will certainly find anywhere south of the border. Let us know how it works out.
__________________
Originally Posted by Bah Humbug
Auto-pause is a honey-tongued devil whispering sweet lies in your ear.


seedsbelize is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Lamabb
Road Cycling
240
03-22-15 08:32 AM
Cyclist03519
Southern California
13
07-16-14 10:08 PM
-holiday76
Classic & Vintage
79
01-13-12 08:57 PM
freefallkev
Texas
4
03-22-10 08:26 AM
wobblyoldgeezer
Northern California
9
01-29-10 09:15 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.