Hi,
After cycling 8600km on our tour in North America and Asia since July, I sadly had my bike stolen in Bandar Abbas, Iran.
Iran was the last country on our list before going home - so I'm very sad I couldn't complete the 10,000km on my Kona Sutra.
But, we're still keen to complete our tour here - everyone we met (except the thief) is super friendly and welcoming.
Now, I'm hoping to get some advice from the warmshower community on how to replace my bike.
I'm female and my frame size is around 48cm. I have front and back panniers.
Is it possible to borrow a bike or to buy second hand bike somewhere?
Can you recommend any bike stores to buy a decent touring bike?
Our original tour was: Bandar Abbas - Shiraz - Yazd - Isfahan - Tehran.
Many thanks for any advice!
Mareike
Hi Markeike,
I'm really sad to hear that your story ends like this. I have many friends in different cities. We have an online group on face book and also a group on Telegram which is an online application. I posted your photo on our group. now I just need your bike's information to find it. I hope to find your own bike or find a good bike for you.
Don't hesitate to contact with me, as I'm the admin of Warmshowers Iran group and can help you find your bike or borrow a bike for you!
contact me at 09387121550
kind regards,
Farid
Warmshowers.org translator
Northern Iran, Guilan
hi lads
you have the panniers then it is a good news because it means you arent fully-rubbed.
I may mention that all the long tourer I have met were overally satisfied with their visiting of Iran even the rubbed one(a very very nice french teacher and of course angry with the thief) !
anyway,I have a bike to offer.I had a 3000km very hot(it was july )and joyful tour in IRAN with this honey. it is strong enough to take you back home !
*** I couldnt attach pic to the reply, so I put it in place of my profile picture!!!;)
some specifications:
size= I think it is 46cm( It is not mentioned on the frame!)
wheels 26 inches
tyre= KENDA 26x2.25 mountain
gearing system=shimano acera 21 speed
color= white and red
included= bottle cage;kick stand
note 1= the handdle bar shown in the picture was customized for me because I am taller than you. I will change it to the original one (shorter stem) for you.
note 2= I have a front rack but it is not originaly compatible with ortleib(or such things) panniers.if you find appropriate rack thats the best otherwise we should try to apply some harsh customiztion to make it compatible.
note 3= I never install a rear rack on it but I think it wont be a problem if you buy the appropriate( regard to your rear panniers) one.I may remind you that I will change the saddle tube collar with a special one which has M5 threaded hole for attaching your rear rack to it.
note4= pedals,gearing,tyre, handgrips and chain have less than 1000km(in city riding) on them and work as new for you.
note 5= I have 3 used and 1 brand new saddles to offer (I will send you pictures to choose one of them).
and the funny thing is I am going to come south(chabahar) during next week and I can take it with myself and deliver it to you.
regard to your other questions:
In big cities like tehran , mashhad, esfehan, shiraz,tabriz... you can find touring bikes but in bandar abbas I doubt. and brands like kona, koga,surely,Bianchi,dawes,santos ... are very very rare even in tehran(as I know).there is a a secend hand seller in tabriz who sometimes has one of them.but you may find brands like giant,scott,merida ,KTM,fuji,gitane,cross, raliegh which are mainly not touring(long distance) but you can use them for touring. you can find touring models of these brands but they are not as common as racing or montain models. lets say %10 or less of bikes are touring.
there is some sites on the web for second hand things including bikes, but you have to know farsi(persian) for using them.
In addition to that some bike shops have nice sites . here are two of them but unfortunately in farsi (persian).
-mashhad==>
http://rudybike.ir/bikes
-tehran====>
http://www.fdj.ir/Store/?post_type=bikes
I am sure there are some sites which have english version but I have never worked with them.
please don't hesitate to contact me to ask for help
wish for you better time
and good luck
I'm really happy about your new bike, dear Markeike! Ahmad proved that even though your bike has been stolen in his city but he's really sad about it and really enthusiastic to help you!
I appreciate Amir Eskandari from here, as a Warmshowers.org volunteer who helped this community a lot. thanks for your offer Amir Jan
looking forward to seeing you in northern Iran :)
Hi Farid,
I am eager to meet you too.
I am very happy for them(our fellow cyclists) to afford replacing their bike so fast (donate or borrow or buy I dont know which one).
apparently most of this is because of you and also Ahmad(i havent had the honor of knowing him). then you are happy too. goo luck both of you.
thanks
have a good ride
Hi all,
I'm so impressed by the support I'm receiving from the cycling community here in Iran. It seems this is the best country to have your bike stolen if there is one ;-) We just returned from the police and they promised us to look very hard for the bike. Ahmad distributed a photo of my bike. It would be wonderful to be reunited with my bike - it's like a family. :)
Thank you so much for the offer Amir! I can borrow Ahmad's touring bike until Shiraz and he told me I could borrow another touring bike from a friend from there. That'll be the easier option than adding on racks to the mountain bike.
We're so happy that we can continue our tour today thanks to the amazing support of the WS community!
Mareike
Hi all,
I'm so impressed by the support I'm receiving from the cycling community here in Iran. It seems this is the best country to have your bike stolen if there is one ;-) We just returned from the police and they promised us to look very hard for the bike. Ahmad distributed a photo of my bike. It would be wonderful to be reunited with my bike - it's like a family. :)
Thank you so much for the offer Amir! I can borrow Ahmad's touring bike until Shiraz and he told me I could borrow another touring bike from a friend from there. That'll be the easier option than adding on racks to the mountain bike.
We're so happy that we can continue our tour today thanks to the amazing support of the WS community!
Mareike
Dear Mareike,
I informed all my friends in other cities. they will support you in Shiraz and even Yazd and Esfahan. let me know where you will be cycling.. I posted your Kona Sutra bike photo in my online Warmshowers Iran group.
I hope you find your own bike, this is the last mission. I know it happens when touring. but we do our best to help you find it. we've got mutual interest and that is " bike touring "
looking forward to seeing you
I wish your bike is found, until then bon voyage and enjoy your new ride, every bike has its own unique ride !!! :)
about visiting tehran, if you are not obliged to go there ( for example to get a visa for another country) give it a second thought, and ask more. as a cyclist you have a lot more joyful destination in iran.
have a good time