Bike hire in Wales?

[Aurelius]

Thinking of visiting Wales, Ireland, and possibly Scotland this year. Since my home base will likely be Cardiff, are there any bike hire places nearby? I'm not particular about what kind of bike it is; it doesn't need to be a GS, or even a BMW.

 

[PW Cymru]

Don't know of any in Cardiff sorry.

I'll ask around however.

 

[wessie]

I've seen this lot advertising. 65 miles from Cardiff (Llandrindod Wells) and I'm sure a local would run you up there to collect it.
http://www.timeless-touring.com/bikeindex.html - I've no idea what they are like to deal with and their website does not give details about taking the bike to somewhere foreign like Ireland.

I was going to suggest Fowlers in Bristol but my googling seems to show that many of the names I associated with bike hire no longer do it.

 

[jnrobert]

Aurelius, its quick shot from London to Cardiff on the motorway. Have you considered renting in London and just riding to Wales (you can be there in three hours)?

Or alternatively, go to somewhere like Sawbridgeworth BMW and get on their RT's. They are in Herts just North of London and you can get to anywhere in the country from there.

I rented an RT from them last year for my Italy trip and they were excellent.

Link to dealer here

Rental rates:

MODEL DAILY RATE 17.5% VAT DAILY INSURANCE TOTAL
F800S/ST £82.55 £14.45 £28 £125
R1200ST/RT/GS/S £103.82 £18.18 £28 £150
K1200S/R/GT £125.10 £21.90 £28 £175

 

[Aurelius]

Aurelius, its quick shot from London to Cardiff on the motorway. Have you considered renting in London and just riding to Wales (you can be there in three hours)?

I may do that if nothing else pans out. It took me four hours to ride Steptoe's GS from Cardiff to Fanum's place in Kent. Filled my gas tank once along the way to the tune of $56!!

Or alternatively, go to somewhere like Sawbridgeworth BMW and get on their RT's. They are in Herts just North of London and you can get to anywhere in the country from there.

I rented an RT from them last year for my Italy trip and they were excellent.

I've been told I need a reasonably tough bike - not sure the big heavy RT would do it. Apparently the "roads" in Ireland have quite an appetite for cast aluminum rims.

 

[Aurelius]

I've seen this lot advertising. 65 miles from Cardiff (Llandrindod Wells) and I'm sure a local would run you up there to collect it.

I'll be staying at Bob Simister's place in Cardiff, so that would work very well. He's looking into some other possibilities, but if nothing else turns up, this is certainly a viable option.

I was going to suggest Fowlers in Bristol but my googling seems to show that many of the names I associated with bike hire no longer do it.

Ah yes, Fowlers. A friend of mine rented a bike from them several years ago. He managed to shag the tires in only two weeks, and then followed up by crashing and totalling the bike. Word is, they no longer rent bikes to Americans.