Moving to South Korea - bike insurance/cycling on the road?

thatkidpercy

Hi

New to the forums although I've dipped in and out to read certain topics over the last few months! Wasn't sure where best to post this question, but have settled on here..

Anyway I hope somebody might be able to point me in the right direction - I'm moving to South Korea at the end of the month to start a new job and will most likely be there for 1-2 years. I've not had specific bike insurance in the past, but having had a bike nicked recently it's something I've started thinking about seriously!

I'll be taking my current bike with me, and so wondered if anyone knew anything about international/worldwide bike insurance (as I'll be retuning to the UK during this time too)? Does it even exist? I'm thinking that it'll probably make more sense to arrange cover with a Korean insurance company when I get there, but I have a feeling that might not be as easy as I'd like due to my less than stellar Korean language skills. Anyway... I'm 90% sure that's what I'll have to end up doing, but wanted to just check if there was any other option out there which I didn't know about.

Also, if anyone has cycled in South Korea, I'd be very interested in hearing more about your experiences! I was in Seoul last summer but didn't see a single serious bike on the road, only a few people poodling along on the pavement - is this the norm? A few Korean friends here have told me "nobody cycles on the road in Korea", but I can't believe that's possibly true..... is it?!

Thanks a lot

cycladelic

I guess you will have to sort out insurance once you get there. You could do it on your house insurance policy in the UK, but I reckon each 'trip' should only last a few months for it to be valid.

I toured for a week or so in S Korea, but it was about 9 years ago. I had a great time. It was April and surprisingly warm - I thought it might be snowing. I got a train across to the east coast and rode back to Seoul. The route was tremendous route and went through high mountains. There are some spendid national parks over there. You'll have a great time.

I had a prob getting my bike on the train as there wasn't a compartment. The guard let me stick it in his little office. The situation may have changed/improved by now.

jc4lab

Went about 15 years ago..Highlights were Kyonju the old Capital..Korean monastries which were very colourful.Highly recoomemnd a trip to Chegu Island in the south..It is a nice cyclable island comprising large volcanic rims but foremeost its the honeymoon island..The parks are full of newly weds in their colourful kimono like wedding garb which makes for great photos.Public baths are also good + theres there Infamous bulgogi nosh up..You might get an invite to join in one

sheffsimon

Lived/worked there for a year, 13 years ago.

Apart from myself and two blokes I worked with (also from UK), never saw anybody doing any sort of serious riding, only people using bikes to get about locally, shopping and stuff. That was right on the south coast of S.Korea nr Suncheon.

+1 to eating bulgogi (and kimchi!)

Where are you based?

thatkidpercy

Thanks for the replies - some useful info which has definitely reignited my desire to get out there and do some exploring! A mate of mine is planning a week long ride from Seoul down to Busan, but unfortunately I'll be arriving too late to join him. Something similar to what you did (cycladelic) might be more up my street when I first arrive.

I'll be based in a small town called Jipyeong, which is in Gyeonggi-do (about an hour or so east of Seoul in a car). In the winter the area is supposedly Korea's number 1 ski/snowboard destination so I'm expecting a few hills

The looks of shock and horror on my Korean friends' faces when I tell them I plan to cycle in Seoul has left me thinking that perhaps I should assess the situation first.. similar to your experience Simon, I only saw people using bikes for carrying their shopping home in the basket. Coming from Oxford, where everybody cycles, Korea will be a bit different I reckon. I'm guessing it might be similar to my experience in Japan, where some drivers were waving at me to get off the road, despite the law there being the same as here with regards to cycling on the pavement..

A few other people I've spoken to have mention Jeju island, jc4lab. It definitely seems to be the domestic destination of choice. Having a look at a few photo albums from people who've been there, I was surprised at how peaceful the place looked; I was fully expecting it to be a packed tourist resort, but apparently not the case. Summer season will be almost over by the time I arrive, but I think Jeju-do will certainly be on the cards next year.

Anyway yeah.. cycling's all well and good but of course what I'm most interested in is food... I'm already salivating at the thought, and hearing about bulgogi "nosh ups" isn't helping!! Bring on the kimchi, ddeokbokki, bibimbap! yum yum

jc4lab

Might be worth investing in a foilding Brompton like bike..then if you are forced on the pavement you are more tolerable ..Busy Soeul like any capital aint like other towns.

debbiey39

I live in Seoul. I don't know about insurance, but most apartments in Korea have enclosed balconies that are a great place to store your bike. That and a good lock for stops on the road are about all you'll need to prevent theft. South Korea overall has a very low crime rate (though I do have a friend that had his seat stolen once).

Riding in Seoul is a mixed experience. Rode riding can be downright scary. On the plus side, pedestrians don't mind if you share the sidewalk with them when the situation gets hairy. More importantly, Seoul has many kilometers of decent, well maintained bike paths along the Han River and its tributaries (and be sure to check out the tributaries for some very scenic views). Bring sunblock though since there's not much shade on the paths and add a bell to your bike, if you don't have one yet, since pedestrians have the habit of not looking both directions when they enter the shared sections of the path (though there are many bike only paths too). Also, bring plenty of water when you ride since parks generally don't have drinking fountains in them.

You'll also find that spring and fall are great riding weather in Korea. 90% of the rain comes during the monsoon season (summer), but then you'll be able to make up for it with mild, sunny weather during spring and fall. Warning though, the first few weekends of warm sunny weather in the spring make for crowded paths. So you may want to wait before driving all the way to Seoul to ride.

There are a whole mix of people on the paths, both serious riders and more casual ones. There also seem to be lots of bike clubs out (though I haven't joined one myself yet).

Overall, riding in Seoul, once you get to the paths, is great!

thatkidpercy

There's a lot of good information there, thanks a lot.

I'll only be in Seoul for about a week or so before moving on to Jipyeong, but I'll definitely give the paths by the river a go while I'm there - they sound like a good spot to ride, plus I'll be able to see a bit of Seoul too I guess.

I've never been part of a club before, but was thinking of joining one in Korea so long as the language barrier's not too much of an issue. If you know of any decent clubs I'd be interested in hearing more. Failing that, if you fancy going for a ride sometime let me know - I only know a handful of people in Seoul and none that cycle so it'd be good to meet some people with a similar interest!

debbiey39

I PMed you.

Italiano

I've been in Korea several times but unluckily never chance to go for a ride.

The cycling scenary is increasing every year in Korea, althought right now it's still more mtb than road ones.

I'd suggest you to register yourself at corearoadbike.com , the biggest internet cycling community in Korea where for sure you can find someone who can help you.

Envy you!
Have fun!

DLH1985

Just an update to this page. If you're interested in riding and racing in Korea you can join our team. We're based in Seoul and are a mix of Koreans and expats from around the world. We compete in races across the country and have regular training rides throughout the season. You can find more information on our website (which also has links to Strava, Facebook, etc).

http://stormriderskorea.weebly.com/

감사합니다!