gringo_gus

hi, I am visiting Ann Arbor for just under a week arriving Tuesday. Does anyone know of a bike hire place there ? I just want a bike for pootling around town, going from where I am staying to the library etc. Something with a rack would be ideal, but not essential.

I searched this topic before posting, I could only find something from 2006, no luck googling either.

Bill aka Gus

DTownDave22

Note, I do not live in Ann Arbor.

I would have suggested looking into the city bike share program, but it's not to be implemented until the Spring of 2014.

Where I would look:

1.) University Bicycle Rental. Here is a link https://recsports.umich.edu/article/rental-center-policy

You mentioned going to the "library". I am presuming this, but you probably are coming from England to do some type of work (research, presentation, collaboration) somewhere on the University of Michigan campus, so this would perhaps work and given that it's A.A., their bicycle parking (having designated parking) is probably well above the average suburb in the U.S..

2.) Call Local Bicycle shops: If a shop doesn't offer it, there's a good chance they can tell you if such resources exist.


Good luck, and I'm not sure of the climate/weather in England this time of the year, but it's mid-autumn here.

gringo_gus

Hi Dave, thanks for this - yep I am going to do some research in the Bently historical library. But a change of plan. I am going to see if I can get my brompton to be checked in when I depart tomorrow. Ann Arborites, if you see a large guy on an orange brompton from Tuesday while Sunday shout 'hello gus'. It could be me. My real name is Bill, though.

Bill.

oddjob2

https://annarbor.craigslist.org/bik/4143053804.html

Just call Frank above, he can deliver to campus. You can resell it easily at that price.

Bluebreeze

Hi Bill/Gus: just saw your thread, perhaps you and your Brompton are en route to our fair People's Republic of Ann Arbor. I've lived in the area for many years and currently reside about 15 minutes from the central campus of U. of Michigan, and I worked in the north campus area about 10 years.

There are really no good bike rental places. There is one place that does rent bicycles and they are on the central campus, but they are such a joke I'm not going to even give them a mention.

This being a large college town, it's stuffed with bicycles of all types and descriptions. There is really no market for rentals. Used bikes are plentiful and cheap well under $100 USD and sometime really well under. It got colder here all of a sudden and sellers on craigslist are dropping prices.

If you need a bike it would be cheaper to buy one for say $75 USD, use it for your visit, then have someone at U.M. sell it for you. Or donate it to Common Cycle the bike co-op. Bike rentals at the Unbelievably Rude and Ignorant Campus Bike shop are $30 per day with a deposit of $60 here so you may as well buy one.

As to whether, we are due for a steep and unseasonably cold drop in temperatures - we may even have snow showers mixed w. rain on Wed and Thurs. Ugh. October is usually one of our most beautiful months - it was the last two years. In any case - in degrees F- look for daytime highs in the 40s and very low 50s, and at night very low 40s into the 30s. Damp and cold. Hope you brought the fleece and woolies. And I hope you enjoy your stay. Should you have any particular questions about the city or environs feel free to message me. It's a fun, lively college town in a nice area. When it's not snow-showering.

Road Fan

Bill, a few months have gone by, as has the good weather. How has it been working out for you?