Cycling In Jakarta

[crocked_knee]

Hi guys. This is my first time posting here. I'll be posted to Jakarta for 6-12 months and am looking for some information. I'm cycling crazy and have a couple of questions with regards to cycling in Jakarta.

1) Is it at all possible (i.e. traffic, road conditions, etc.)?

2) Are there any groups that ride on the weekends and is there any way to get in touch with them?

3) Shipping my bike will be a bit difficult and expensive at best so the best way forward is to get a new one. Are there any bike shops around Jakarta where I could get an entry level bike (e.g. Fuji, Merida, Giant, etc.)

Let me clarify by saying that I'm more inclined towards road biking instead of mountain/off-road biking.

Thanks.

[MadCat]

Quick answer:

1: Yes, there's a caveat outlined below.
2: Yes, but I don't know how to get in touch with them.
3: Yes, but not quite sure where.

The caveat being that yes it's very possible to ride a bike around, but you do have to grow eyes in pretty much every area of your body since nobody will really give a toss that you are there on your bike.

[elisheva.d]

Do you know which part of Jakarta you're gonna live in? Some parts of Jakarta have a nice, safe and quiet neighborhood where biking can be fun and safe.

Traffic is terrible here, so you might not want to commute by bike. Although you could ride when there's no traffic like at 5 am and then leave office at about 10pm or later is better... :D

[d3adl1ne]

to answer your questions:

1. yes, but be prepare for the polluted jakarta traffic :D
2. yes, there are many groups, here is one group's website: http://www.b2w-indonesia.or.id/ .... they often ride on weekends too
3. yes, try here: http://www.polygoncycle.com/ (they sometimes have imported brands)

[cactolith]

I don't know if you have checked the sports section yet but I have posted the link to a group I started a few months ago to address the very issues you raise. 2 years ago I wanted to know about cycling in Indonesia and couldn't find any good info. After being here I have assembled as much info as I could and posted it on the group site and invited my regular riding friends to join. Link to site below.

http://groups.google.com/group/cycle_indonesia

There are plenty of places to ride both road and mountain if you're creative and brave. There are plenty of shops to help you if you are creative, brave and patient.

Join the site and you will be connected with many of the regular weekend riders for both road and mountain.

Cheers,

Jeff

[Ungentlemanly Conduct]

Some Sunday's, I think about twice a month, they close off Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Thamrin to traffic for the benefit of cyclists and joggers. You can cycle a few miles hassle-free until after lunch.

Incidentally the air quality in Jakarta is much better than it was a few years ago, but is still not great.

[cucakhijau]

I live in the Kelapa Gading area of Jakarta Utara and bike to work everyday from my apartment which is 3 kilometers away. To answer that question about whether it is possible to bike in Jakarta, I would say, "Yes, it is but..."

The caveat was mentioned earlier and is probably known by any city biker who is alive, well, and still biking in a big city.
You have to know and accept that you're a cyclist and at the bottom end of the totem pole.
You have to have the humility approaching that of Jesus Christ and be willing to always concede right of way and acquiesce to any form of motorized transportation.
You have to have the mental discipline to forget the probabilities and risks that you face from idiot drivers behind you, and proceed from Point A to B in a very steady and conservative line on the road. If for any reason there is an obstruction in your path, you should quickly and certainly (no doubts!) determine if there is traffic behind you or not and whether it is safe to overtake. If in doubt, always be ready to choose to be conservative and to dismount. You should also not be averse to momentarily riding on the dusty shoulder of the road if the oncoming traffic looks like it's going to crowded.
You have to have the cyclist's good sense to pick out the least congested routes and times to travel, whether these are more circuitous or not.
You should know when it is much safer to dismount and walk the bike, particularly at certain madhouse intersections or segments of the road.Y
You should be willing to wear all the lights, blinkers, bright shirts and helmets that a prudent cyclist is advised to wear. It may look geeky, but geeky also communicates that you have done all that is expected of you as a safe biker and places all other responsibility on others. You have done your part
You should be willing to ride around and possibly beyond your area in search of the community bike repair store. The bike shops you'll find in the malls will not address serious repair and maintenance needs such as truing your tires, aligning your derailleurs, adjusting your brakes and so on. Besides, you'll save a bundle of money sourcing your parts from the community bike shops which are called BENGKEL SEPEDA (bicycle mechanic shops) than from buying in the mall bike stores.
Now, to answer your questions directly:

Yes, there are bicycle stores in Jakarta, such as Rodalink, Bike Colony, United, and Ace Hardware. Decent bikes will cost about 1,350,000 IDR (use the Oanda Converter on the interwebs for the latest equivalents) but you will have to upgrade with the usual bike lock, head and tail lights, helmet, bike seat, horn, odometer, air pump, and such. If you plan to do serious riding, you may have to check whether the bike you bought uses loose ball bearing in its bottom bracket or a sealed one-piece bottom bracket. The latter is better but not standard for cheaper bicycles.

And yes, the bicycle brands you mentioned are often available, and many other brands besides.

Bike groups? There are many and you'll most likely find them during the end of the month weekends when there are Car-free weekends in certain areas of the city. I have not hooked up with any yet as I get enough cycling as it is.

BENEFITS

I forgot to add that if you follow the advice given above and follow a route regularly, you will have the opportunity to smile and wave, nod at people you pass. Do not fail to grab such opportunities. It creates you presence in the community and people begin to accommodate and anticipate your presence. Your riding a bicycle (losers, bored millionaires, foreigners and kids ride bikes) and your professional appearance (not a loser, not likely a millionaire, not a kid so...) are quite radical in a society that is avidly pro-scooter. As such, your presence will immediately be noted. Take advantage of that and wait for the amazing results. Don't be afraid to bring your bike to the mall where you can offer to pay like a regular motorbike rider. Doing this is just so outre you can see the booth clerks and guards scratching their heads on how to classify your bicycle. This, compounded by your being a foreigner makes it a doubly difficult decision. Sit back and wait for the eventual decision to allow you in for free, to park where it's safe and where no motorcycle would ever be allowed to park. You'll eventually become something of a local minor celebrity. Fun!

Happy riding!

[K&M]

Plenty of placesto buy bikes, but unless locally made are quite expensive check Kaskus
http://www.kaskus.us/search_result.php?q=sepeda&sa=%3CDIV+style%3D%22WIDTH%3A+30px%3B+BACKGROUND%3 A+url%28newhomeimages%2Fheader.gif%29+no-repeat+-52px+-48px%3B+HEIGHT%3A+24px%3B+CURSOR%3A+pointer%22%3E% 3C%2FDIV%3E

search word sepeda and then whatever make of bike you want.

Stay away from sudirman and Thamin onb a Sunday it is for possers and not fun.
Next month is teh cycle Bali 400km in 2 days on the roads but that may already be closed

[Hombre de Maiz]

...

Stay away from sudirman and Thamin onb a Sunday it is for possers and not fun....

How so? Please explain...

[mala2011]

hi crocked_knee:
I used to be the member of B2W Indonesia, mostly they are Indonesian. They have program for off-road or touring. I myself have joined the touring to Bogor and Anyer in 2009. It was fun and safe because we were in big group, about 20 of us and only 4 women including myself. I don't know about the expat cycling club, but the one cactolith mentioned above is good (I think, because one of my friends have ever mentioned it to me), am sure they have similar program as B2W.

Happy cycling!

[Renato]

Hello!

I am new to the forum. I practice mountain biking in Brazil.
I want to know Indonesia this year.

Where do I find the bike Scott Spark?

You know the Doni Bike shop in Jakarta Barat?