Mexico Cycling

Eric wrote:
I disagree with the post about the safety of solo riding in Mexico
versus the USA. There are some areas in both countries I would avoid
from a safety standpoint. The majority of Mexico is quite safe for
biking. There are a handful of area I would avoid, including much of
the area near the US border, and a few rural roads in southern Mexico
(not the Yucatan) I've read troublesome accounts about. I've toured
in Mexico twice (in 2000 & 2002), once in the Yucatan, and the second
time in Michoacan & Jalisco between Morelia & Guadalajara. I would
recommend both regions. The Yucatan, BTW, felt like one of the safest
places I've ever biked ANYWHERE in the world. A friend & I biked
between the Puuc Hills (SW of Merida) and the Caribbean coast. Mostly
flat and scrubby vegetation, except for the Puuc Hills area south of
Merida. Michoacan is hilly/mountainous and very pretty. Some nice
colonial towns including Morelia & Patzcuaro. On both trips, the
roads were good, people very kind and friendly, food wonderful, sights
interesting, and weather great in the winter.


JimLane wrote in message ...

Steph wrote:

http://www.bikeadventure.riviera-maya.com.mx/index.html

I rode last January with Kenneth Johnson and his crew, from Playa del Carmen
to Tulum to Coba to Chechen Itza...we even went around half of Cozumel.
It's about 25-60 miles a day...but if you'd like to ride further or
alternate a bit, Kenneth is excellent for that. We stayed in Club Meds and
like resorts. I believe there are other rides

http://www.ecotravelmexico.com/bikemenu.htm

This linke offers other rides in the Maya world. I felt safe and had a great
time. Some riders were quite serious (adventure riders) and some were happy
to just pedal along...the SAG crew was really good.

"Dario Wolfish" wrote in message
...


I want to plan a vacation in March somehwere in Mexico. Do any of you have
experience road cycling in Mexico? I am hoping to do a few 50-100 mile
rides in some scenic-bike friendly place in Mexico. I would like your
suggestions of where to go. Please email me any suggestions. Much thanks.




As the reply above says, go in a group and pick the tour operator
carefully. Riding solo can be very much more dangerous than in the US. I
rode with a friend north of Ensenada where the shoulders are almost
non-existent to get to a mtb ride. Trucks whizzing by within inches at
50-60 mph and we were on the dirt alongside the road. No shoulders for
road riding.


jim


Your and my experiences differ. My caution was pointed toward riding
solo and one of the rides you use as a safety example was not such a
ride. You are always a bit safer in company. As I indicated, my
experience is mainly in Baja, although I did live in Guadalajara for a
year and found very few places that I would consider safe to ride,
especially when you are talking about 100 milers.

I was heavily counseled by my local riding friends, in both areas, that
if you were out riding and were hit, the drivers were very unlikely to
stop. That may or may not be much different than in the US, but the
overall condition of roads across the country is not anywhere near to
what we see in the US. I have driven the route between San Diego and
Guadalajara four times, on their excellent toll roads and on other main
routes and extensively through the entirety of Baja. The roads often
lack any riding area other than the two lanes of traffic with vehicles
moving at beyond posted limits, non-existent bike lanes and dirt shoulders.

My caution stands: it is better to ride in a group operated by a
well-known bike tour operator than soloing.


jim

Eric wrote:
I disagree with the post about the safety of solo riding in Mexico
versus the USA. There are some areas in both countries I would avoid
from a safety standpoint. The majority of Mexico is quite safe for
biking. There are a handful of area I would avoid, including much of
the area near the US border, and a few rural roads in southern Mexico
(not the Yucatan) I've read troublesome accounts about. I've toured
in Mexico twice (in 2000 & 2002), once in the Yucatan, and the second
time in Michoacan & Jalisco between Morelia & Guadalajara. I would
recommend both regions. The Yucatan, BTW, felt like one of the safest
places I've ever biked ANYWHERE in the world. A friend & I biked
between the Puuc Hills (SW of Merida) and the Caribbean coast. Mostly
flat and scrubby vegetation, except for the Puuc Hills area south of
Merida. Michoacan is hilly/mountainous and very pretty. Some nice
colonial towns including Morelia & Patzcuaro. On both trips, the
roads were good, people very kind and friendly, food wonderful, sights
interesting, and weather great in the winter.


JimLane wrote in message ...

Steph wrote:

http://www.bikeadventure.riviera-maya.com.mx/index.html

I rode last January with Kenneth Johnson and his crew, from Playa del Carmen
to Tulum to Coba to Chechen Itza...we even went around half of Cozumel.
It's about 25-60 miles a day...but if you'd like to ride further or
alternate a bit, Kenneth is excellent for that. We stayed in Club Meds and
like resorts. I believe there are other rides

http://www.ecotravelmexico.com/bikemenu.htm

This linke offers other rides in the Maya world. I felt safe and had a great
time. Some riders were quite serious (adventure riders) and some were happy
to just pedal along...the SAG crew was really good.

"Dario Wolfish" wrote in message
...


I want to plan a vacation in March somehwere in Mexico. Do any of you have
experience road cycling in Mexico? I am hoping to do a few 50-100 mile
rides in some scenic-bike friendly place in Mexico. I would like your
suggestions of where to go. Please email me any suggestions. Much thanks.




As the reply above says, go in a group and pick the tour operator
carefully. Riding solo can be very much more dangerous than in the US. I
rode with a friend north of Ensenada where the shoulders are almost
non-existent to get to a mtb ride. Trucks whizzing by within inches at
50-60 mph and we were on the dirt alongside the road. No shoulders for
road riding.


jim


Your and my experiences differ. My caution was pointed toward riding
solo and one of the rides you use as a safety example was not such a
ride. You are always a bit safer in company. As I indicated, my
experience is mainly in Baja, although I did live in Guadalajara for a
year and found very few places that I would consider safe to ride,
especially when you are talking about 100 milers.

I was heavily counseled by my local riding friends, in both areas, that
if you were out riding and were hit, the drivers were very unlikely to
stop. That may or may not be much different than in the US, but the
overall condition of roads across the country is not anywhere near to
what we see in the US. I have driven the route between San Diego and
Guadalajara four times, on their excellent toll roads and on other main
routes and extensively through the entirety of Baja. The roads often
lack any riding area other than the two lanes of traffic with vehicles
moving at beyond posted limits, non-existent bike lanes and dirt shoulders.

My caution stands: it is better to ride in a group operated by a
well-known bike tour operator than soloing.


jim

Eric wrote:
I disagree with the post about the safety of solo riding in Mexico
versus the USA. There are some areas in both countries I would avoid
from a safety standpoint. The majority of Mexico is quite safe for
biking. There are a handful of area I would avoid, including much of
the area near the US border, and a few rural roads in southern Mexico
(not the Yucatan) I've read troublesome accounts about. I've toured
in Mexico twice (in 2000 & 2002), once in the Yucatan, and the second
time in Michoacan & Jalisco between Morelia & Guadalajara. I would
recommend both regions. The Yucatan, BTW, felt like one of the safest
places I've ever biked ANYWHERE in the world. A friend & I biked
between the Puuc Hills (SW of Merida) and the Caribbean coast. Mostly
flat and scrubby vegetation, except for the Puuc Hills area south of
Merida. Michoacan is hilly/mountainous and very pretty. Some nice
colonial towns including Morelia & Patzcuaro. On both trips, the
roads were good, people very kind and friendly, food wonderful, sights
interesting, and weather great in the winter.


JimLane wrote in message ...

Steph wrote:

http://www.bikeadventure.riviera-maya.com.mx/index.html

I rode last January with Kenneth Johnson and his crew, from Playa del Carmen
to Tulum to Coba to Chechen Itza...we even went around half of Cozumel.
It's about 25-60 miles a day...but if you'd like to ride further or
alternate a bit, Kenneth is excellent for that. We stayed in Club Meds and
like resorts. I believe there are other rides

http://www.ecotravelmexico.com/bikemenu.htm

This linke offers other rides in the Maya world. I felt safe and had a great
time. Some riders were quite serious (adventure riders) and some were happy
to just pedal along...the SAG crew was really good.

"Dario Wolfish" wrote in message
...


I want to plan a vacation in March somehwere in Mexico. Do any of you have
experience road cycling in Mexico? I am hoping to do a few 50-100 mile
rides in some scenic-bike friendly place in Mexico. I would like your
suggestions of where to go. Please email me any suggestions. Much thanks.




As the reply above says, go in a group and pick the tour operator
carefully. Riding solo can be very much more dangerous than in the US. I
rode with a friend north of Ensenada where the shoulders are almost
non-existent to get to a mtb ride. Trucks whizzing by within inches at
50-60 mph and we were on the dirt alongside the road. No shoulders for
road riding.


jim


Your and my experiences differ. My caution was pointed toward riding
solo and one of the rides you use as a safety example was not such a
ride. You are always a bit safer in company. As I indicated, my
experience is mainly in Baja, although I did live in Guadalajara for a
year and found very few places that I would consider safe to ride,
especially when you are talking about 100 milers.

I was heavily counseled by my local riding friends, in both areas, that
if you were out riding and were hit, the drivers were very unlikely to
stop. That may or may not be much different than in the US, but the
overall condition of roads across the country is not anywhere near to
what we see in the US. I have driven the route between San Diego and
Guadalajara four times, on their excellent toll roads and on other main
routes and extensively through the entirety of Baja. The roads often
lack any riding area other than the two lanes of traffic with vehicles
moving at beyond posted limits, non-existent bike lanes and dirt shoulders.

My caution stands: it is better to ride in a group operated by a
well-known bike tour operator than soloing.


jim