Penang, Malaysia

C-S-B

Hi all!

I will be spending a few weeks in Penang (Malaysia) over the summer and would love to be able to get some riding done while Im there

However Ive had a few difficulties and just wanted to ask if anyone would have any insight into a few things;

-getting my own bike over there;
-im flying with Etihad who dont seem to have a sport luggage category and want to charge 35euro/kg 1 way which doesnt sound very appealing !!
-shipping a bike- any ideas how to do so cheaply? UPS quote 400euro one way!

-getting/renting a bike over there;
-anyone know of a place that would rent out racing bikes? Havnt had much luck looking so far

-Has anyone been there? Is there much of a local cycling scene? Any local racing clubs (lots of MTB..!)? Again havnt found much myself

Anyone any ideas?

Thanks

estampida

never cycled whe I was there

its too humid most of the time, and getting stuck in the regular thunderstorms on a bike is not a good idea

remember if the bike starts buzzing - get off and step back..........

not to mention how they drive over there....

nax-ian

Google rentals for Langkawi, it's not too far away, with the ferry. And seeing how there is a "Tour of Langkawi', you might find something.

pottssteve

estampida wrote:

never cycled whe I was there

its too humid most of the time, and getting stuck in the regular thunderstorms on a bike is not a good idea

remember if the bike starts buzzing - get off and step back..........

not to mention how they drive over there....

Agreed. I lived in KL for a while and did some travelling around the country. Assuming the heat, humidity and afternoon thunderstorms don't get you, you'd do well not to be killed on the roads. The standard of driving is pretty low. Maybe MTB would be a better option, but I'm afraid I don't have any contacts for this.

Here's something wot I wrote about Malaysian roads:

Driving in Malaysia is a truly frightening experience, the fear only dissipating a little the more you do it. Unfortunately, the more you do it, the more statistically likely you are to be horribly mangled on the road. At times it’s like a cross between Mad Max and Grand Theft Auto on Nintendo. Car ownership has risen considerably in recent years1, with the most popular makes including the Malaysian made Perodua and Proton. Finance deals and government subsidy of the price of petrol means that many more middle class Malaysians can afford to drive. Successful businessmen drive Mercedes, BMWs, and the ubiquitous SUVs, which are at least useful in dealing with the pothole-riddled main roads. However, rumour has it that many people buy their license rather than take the driving test. These “coffee licenses” are so called due to the fact that they apparently cost little more than a coffee. Add to this the fact that some of the potholes can accommodate a medium sized elephant, many of the signs don’t point in the correct direction and that the road system appears to have been designed by a hyperactive 4 year old with a purple crayon and it’s a wonder that the road death toll isn’t a lot higher than the 17 a day reported in 2003.1

Malaysians appear to be largely resigned to the fact that most road users can’t drive very well, don’t know where they are going, and exhibit little road sense. Added to this is the fact that Muslim lady drivers are obliged to wear headscarves which act to cut peripheral vision considerably, especially if you never actually look behind you. However, unlike the Egyptians who use the horn instead of the brake pedal, most Malaysians are aware that pressing the horn in a traffic jam doesn’t make the car go any faster and are very tolerant of all but the most outrageous manoeuvres. On one occasion myself and a friend witnessed examples of driving on the pavement, running red lights, u-turning through red lights, lack of mirrors and/or indicator use, riding motorbikes without helmets, driving the wrong way down one way streets, cutting in, driving the wrong way on roundabouts, and total disregard for signage and/or common sense. And that was before we pulled out of the car park. After surviving on the roads for a few weeks I began to decipher some of the key features of the Malaysian Highway code:

1. You must drive on the left, the right, or in the middle of the road, the hard shoulder, verge, or all of the above.
2. All road signs are advisory only, and none of them apply to you.
3. Mirrors are for adjusting your headwear.
4. Mopeds can accommodate more people than a London taxi, though only the driver needs to wear a helmet.
5. You are advised to carry clean underwear at all times.
6. There’s a good reason why the taxicab dashboards are covered in religious paraphernalia.


Steve

alwaystoohot

Hi from Singapore! Its a heat/humidity issue really, most of us crack up early and ride til 9am then call it a day. I leave the house at 5.30/6.00am so there isn't much trafic at that time. I guess it depands on how you intend to handle the heat - Singapore driving is also bad so centre of town after 10am? Forget it. 2 accidents in 3 months testify to that! Good luck and enjoy.

bikeav8or

When in Penang one eats Curry Kapitan

blackstick

I think you should go try the food in Penang , they are the best in Malaysia .
Not to say there aren't any elsewhere but they are all together in one place .
Name of the food you should try is > Char Kuey Teow , Laksa , Satay and actually pretty much all those you want to try . Penang also sells its specialty > yellow bean pastry . Its in a shop with a huge chef statue .

Penang is quite an old city , you should visit the sleeping Buddha , toy museum , temples and the beaches of course .
However , I've not really notice any bike shop while I was there but I'am very sure some hotels have bike hire although not racing bike . MTB usually .

I'am a Malaysian = >

pottssteve

+1 for Char Kuey Teow - lovely stuff!

jibi

+1 Char Kuey Teow

also Carrot Cake, Nasi Goreng, Mee Goreng....
but

Roti Canai with telur ( egg) and bawang ( onion ) baik baik ( very nice)

enjoy Malaysia....good riding around Taiping from Ipoh up the Cameron Highlands to Tanah Rata....brilliant, away from the heat and humidity

jibi

blackstick

jibi wrote:

+1 Char Kuey Teow

also Carrot Cake, Nasi Goreng, Mee Goreng....
but

Roti Canai with telur ( egg) and bawang ( onion ) baik baik ( very nice)

enjoy Malaysia....good riding around Taiping from Ipoh up the Cameron Highlands to Tanah Rata....brilliant, away from the heat and humidity

jibi

Wow seems you're better on food than I'am ! But they are really really good .