[8it]

I posted this in the South America forum but I figure I would have better luck here. Hope I'm not committing a monkey etiquette faux pas.
I'm heading out to Dominincan Republic in a few weeks and I'm seriously thinking of taking my hardtail. I'll be staying mostly in Santiago but I will also be going to the Capital and maybe Punta Cana. I've been to DR before and can tell that the Capital and Santiago would make for some sick street riding but I want to find people to ride with out there. If anyone one knows of a group, website, friends they have, anything I would love the help. Thanks.

 

[ÆX]

I posted this in the South America forum but I figure I would have better luck here. Hope I'm not committing a monkey etiquette faux pas.
I'm heading out to Dominincan Republic in a few weeks and I'm seriously thinking of taking my hardtail. I'll be staying mostly in Santiago but I will also be going to the Capital and maybe Punta Cana. I've been to DR before and can tell that the Capital and Santiago would make for some sick street riding but I want to find people to ride with out there. If anyone one knows of a group, website, friends they have, anything I would love the help. Thanks.

i have lived in Haiti for a year when i was 10.
a country with such meager living so many people
ride bikes or walk there are great rails every were!
lots of houses up in the hills and the only way to get
there is by foot.

So, yes! take your bike. and take pics for us
to see the trails of Hispaniola

 

[llkoolkeg]

I've been to DR before and can tell that the Capital and Santiago would make for some sick street riding but I want to find people to ride with out there.

If you've been there, than you know how CRAZY the drivers are. I cannot think of a place that has more INSANE drivers than la Republica Dominicana. You must have to demonstrate proficiency parallel parking a donkey in order to get a drivers license there! Why would you take your life into your hands by riding in the street, on the grass or on the sidewalk where Dominican drivers regularly are?

 

[8it]

Yeah, I'm familiar with the driving in DR (I'm Dominican), actually I was there this summer and I could not believe when my cousin took me to a DRIVE THRU BAR!!!
Anyway, I was trying to find something like Ridemonkey, HCOR or Brooklynbikeriders. Somewhere where locals get online and hook up for rides and stuff. I would love to be able to dj/fr and do some street in DR and experience biking in a different environment. Yeah the traffic is insane but when I was there this summer all I was thinking was how sick it would be to hit some of the plazas and stuff. If I was spending more time I would take my fully cause there is soooooo much nature terrian that would make for some sick, sick riding.

 

[McGRP01]

There is a lot of good riding around Punta Cana!! Check out these guys...

http://iguanamama.com/

They've got some real good XC tours (from 3 hours to multi-day) for all ability levels! Be careful while you're down there though, the wife and I just booked a vacation and the only reason we didn't choose the Dom. Republic is because malaria is rampent there right now!! Have fun and come home healthy!!

 

[8it]

There is a lot of good riding around Punta Cana!! Check out these guys...

http://iguanamama.com/

Thanks I saw that website and I'm looking into that as an alternative to taking my bike, but I kindda wanted to stay away from tours and do more of the local thing.

They've got some real good XC tours (from 3 hours to multi-day) for all ability levels!

I was looking more into some DJ/FR or street riding cause I'm just way to lazy and out of shape to enjoy climbing a hill in 100 degree weather.

Be careful while you're down there though, the wife and I just booked a vacation and the only reason we didn't choose the Dom. Republic is because malaria is rampent there right now!! Have fun and come home healthy!!

Thanks for the warning, I'm going to look into that.

 

[Kornphlake]

When I was living in Mexico people were always watching me, waiting for me to do something that would be considered disrespectful or otherwise stupid. Maybe it's differant for you because you're dominican and maybe dominicans are differant than mexicans, still you should really be careful what you do in a foreign country where you're the rich guy riding a bike that looks more expensive than anything they've ever seen. Riding through crowded plazas or around 100 year old churches might be enough to get a lynch mob chasing you through the streets.

 

[vitox]

When I was living in Mexico people were always watching me, waiting for me to do something that would be considered disrespectful or otherwise stupid. Maybe it's differant for you because you're dominican and maybe dominicans are differant than mexicans, still you should really be careful what you do in a foreign country where you're the rich guy riding a bike that looks more expensive than anything they've ever seen. Riding through crowded plazas or around 100 year old churches might be enough to get a lynch mob chasing you through the streets.

that is a very good advice, very very good.

not so much because of the chance of being chased by a mob, but for the relationship between cultures and the respect for the surroundings that make our sport so nice.

 

[8it]

Kornphlake and vitox, you guys bring up very good points and my whole idea is starting to lose steam fast. I was hoping to find a group of locals to do some riding with but that is starting to look bleek. And I sure as hell am not going through the trouble and expense of taking my bike if all I'm gonna do is ride around in 100 degree weather in super congested streets all alone. I think that I might end up doing some XCing (my lungs hurt just thinking about it) with the tour group that McGRP01 mentioned.
Thanks for all the tips guys, keep'em coming if you can think of anything that would be helpful.