Mamaw

Has anyone here on Fodor's ever rented one of those tourist bikes? I'm thinking if I go to Paris I will rent one. They look like something I can handle.

Thanks.....

Mamaw

fmpden

Haven't rented in Paris but in the Netherlands, Germany, Italy. Not sure what the question is. They are bikes -- often not in the best of shape -- but serviceable for getting around town. Do you ride regularly now?

kerouac

Are you talking about the Vélib municipal bikes?

Mamaw

Hi fmpden and the wonderful kerouac! Yes, I'm talking about the silver velib municipal bikes. They look like something I can handle. I do ride quite often, I am a little scared of being in Paris on a bike, but I'm sure once I get there and know all the road rules and observe others I'll be fine.

I have read some scary stuff about being over charged because of not knowing how to rent them correctly and being charged by the hour instead of the day. If anyone has renting info I'd appreciate it.

I went ahead and made a hotel reservation for Oct. I'm turning a big "0" and have had a terrible unhealthy year, came through it somehow, and I said I'd go to Paris If I did. I'm staying in the 6th right on the edge of the Luxembourg Gardens. I can't think of the exact name at the moment since I just rolled out of bed.

Thanks again, I have to rush to the Restaurant for Lunch and Dinner service. I can't wait to check in on this post later.

Love and Blessings to all....Mamaw

sharona

Mawmaw, I have no information on those bikes but I wanted to say I'm so happy you're back on the road to health and I can so relate. When I recently turned one of those "0" birthdays it didn't faze me one bit. I had just survived a rare and very serious disease where I wasn't given spectacular odds and I was just so happy to be alive. I, too, celebrated my birthday in a special place.

Enjoy Paris. I'll be interested to read your trip report when you return. And I'm very happy to see you back on fodors. You've been missed.

sharona

Oops! Typo. That should be "Mamaw." Sorry Mamaw.

suec1

You might want to check out Fat Tire bikes too - not sure how long you want the rental for. I think the Velibs usually are used as a way to get from point A to B and returned. Fat Tire has hourly rates (maybe daily too, we just did a couple of hours) very reasonable. There are alot of bike lanes and pleasant areas to bike in that have little car traffic. Also on the weekend it might be calmer than weekdays.

PatrickLondon

There are several old threads about this. I've used Velib a lot on my last few trips to Paris, and I love it.

As suec

kerouac

The thing to know is that you should never keep a bike more than 30 minutes -- but since there are stations everywhere, it is easy to turn one in and take about another one almost immediately if you are not yet where you want to go (you have to wait about 3 minutes before being allowed to get a new bike -- except in the case where you have taken a bike and returned it immediately to the same station because you discovered there is something wrong with it; when you do that, there is no time delay).

Never leave the bike that you returned without waiting to see the light go from amber to green.

PatrickLondon

oops

As suec1 says, it's really a point-to-point hire - think of it as a self-powered taxi.

You buy a basic subscription, either for the day or for 7 days, and you give your credit card details for the deposit that would be taken if you don't return the bike. The machine gives you a printed ticket with a number that you use each time you take a bike. You decide which bike you want to take, you put your number and the number of the post the bike's on into the machine, and it unlocks it. When you've finished your ride, you lock it back at your destination station. To protect yourself, you get a receipt printed to confirm the return. If it's within the first half hour, you pay nothing more on top of your initial subscription, so if you use the system for a succession of short trips all day, you still only pay one euro. I don't understand how anyone could have run up a large bill, unless they didn't make sure the bike was properly locked back into place. The first time I used the Velib bikes I was in Paris for two weeks, and had something like 45 rides for about 16 euro in all.

It has the advantage that you don't have to put down much money to try it out and see whether you think you could survive riding on Parisian streets; and you don't have the worry you would have with a long-term hire about finding somewhere to park it securely.

However, I don't know what you do if you don't have a PIN-and-chip credit card; and it helps if you have a map showing Velib stations, so that you know where to look when you get to your destination (I found a handy pocket-size booklet of maps for about 6 euro).

BTW, if your chosen station is full, you can check in with your ID number and it will give you another 15 free minutes to find a nearby station (which will be displayed on the station as well).

Mamaw

Patrick, Thank you so much for explaining it to me like a six year old. I must say, I'm not so worried.

I think I can handle this. I believe there is a bike station right near the hotel, so I hope to research this all before I leave.

Thanks again.

kerouac

There is a bike station in Paris every 400 meters -- and sometimes much closer together than that.