Houston, Texas

Unlikely as this is, I wondered if anyone had ridden in Houston in the US.

Work are sending me away for a month, and a month bikeless sounds a bit rubbish; I am wondering if I can hire something, or buy something second hand. Google's my friend obviously, but I just wondered if someone here knew amazing things.

I spent two weeks there for work and did exactly this, I found someone who sold me a converted 531 Falcon single speed for $200 with the agreement he would buy it back for $150 when I was done. The city itself is dead flat and easy to get around. Once you leave the inner ring bounded by I-610 it quickly becomes built for cars and less accommodating for cyclists, IME. Otherwise it's entirely do-able. I stayed in a hotel near the Galleria and used it to cycle downtown every day, avoiding the $25 cab ride each way (public transport is a joke). I found mine via Craigslist Houston, it was some bloke who converted things and sold them, have a look there, he still may be going.

Make sure you go to the Rothko chapel and eat lots of barbecue.

I had a similar experience in LA. Cheap bike off of gumtree then because all the roads, even in residential areas, are 2 or 3 lanes wide and really well paved it was actually quite nice to ride because you had loads of space.

Graunch - native Houstonian now in London. Pharoahsanders is pretty spot on - stay inside the Loop on your bike to be safest although there is a good long cycle track along Braes Bayou that you can take pretty far west. The Heights, downtown, mid town and Montrose area are going to be most accommodating. Watch for the surface quality though - there a pot holes there that will eat duallies. And yeah, eat good BBQ and stuff your face full of Mexican food - Spanish Flower in the Heights is open 24x7.

Thank you all kind people.

Right, I'll be all over craigslist.

I need a bike there, what with all the meat I intend to eat :-)

George