Flying to Vegas for the series and thinking of buying a bike to commute to Rio. Staying in a house 5 miles west of the casino so I won't need to interact with the strip or i-15.

Wondering if anyone knows of either a rack for locking up at The Rio or a way to use valet or belldesk to store the bike.

Hoping for good information on the latter because I think that desert sun and heat might blow tires sitting outside day after day on a rack.

Thanks and gl to all grinding the series this summer.

You'll be biking in 110 degree weather every day.

Most events start at 10 or 11am. So I'd be on my bike in the mornings. Hopefully most days I'll be playing til evening or after dark.

It might suck if I bust out of an event at 4pm for sure. In this case I'd prolly just play cash for the evening or request a lyft/uber from an suv that will take a bike.

Either way it takes me about 20 minutes to ride 5 miles so I don't think it's a dangerous distance even in the heat.

Don't worry about your tires. It will last one year outside in all that heat. Make sure you replace the tubes with those that have the gooey green thing in it that self seals itself. Don't buy Trek or Specialized. They will get stolen - and they cost at least $500 or more. Buy a Walmart bike instead, like a Mongoose, Kent or Schwinn. They go for $100 to $150. Even if they get stolen, it won't be a real loss because they're cheap. Give them to Goodwill once you leave Vegas.

There is a rack right in front of the casino near the front desk entrance. There may be others in the garages but I'm not sure about these. And I'm 100% sure they have a bike rack at the Gold Coast, totally covered parking.

Five miles west of the Rio would be somewhere between Buffalo and Durango. It's a very easy ride from that area to the Rio because it is extremely downhill. You will barely need to pedal, especially after Decatur. Before that it is still very easy, and if you leave early in the morning it still wouldn't be too hot.

Going back from the Rio to Buffalo and Durango would be brutal from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. because that is when the heat would peak. Plus, it is a lot more uphill than it looks. Fortunately, the local buses in Las Vegas have bike racks in front of them that fits three bikes. And these buses probably run every 30 minutes and probably more during peak hours.

I encourage bike riding to the Rio.

Extremely thorough and helpful - thank you!

Do you think I risk a nicer bike getting stolen if it's locked up with high quality locks right in front of the rio at that rack you mentioned?

Go to Home Depot and buy the thickest chains. They are orange in color and are used by 50 foot Yachts to chain their anchors. Around 2 feet is about right. Then get one of those Master Locks that closed factories use to protect itself from angry striking Union workers that might want to get in at night. They are rated 8 or higher in terms of security.

The best bike specific chains are rated 5 at best.

Having said this, Treks and Specialized...and to a lesser extent, Diamondbacks, are good targets here in Vegas. If you plan to leave your bike in town once you leave, just get a Schwinn. Someone lost two $2,500 bikes (racked into his van) at the Treasure Island last year.

I had one bike stolen at Hooters late last year. It was a Diamondback.

Damn, yeah I guess a lot of people in Vegas probably prey on the ability to break locks and pawn bikes for quick cash.

I'd probably rather just ride a slightly ****tier bike than carry around chains that heavy lol.

Seriously, thanks for the info!

Perhaps it is a coincidence, but the banner ad to the right on my screen is an ad for bicycles.

Nice targeting.

Any info on biking to strip casinos? Don’t know where or if any casinos have bike racks
Thanks

Venetian has one near the self-park entrance. Big one with probably close to a hundred bikes there when full.

The Linq has one in the back behind the ferris wheel.

The Fashion Show Mall has two. One I don't know where, the other right next to Saks Fifth Avenue.

Harrah's has an informal one on the second floor of the back parking structure. So does Flamingo at the bottom floor of the parking structure. No bike racks for both but you can just tie it to the rails where the other bikes do.

The Cromwell has a hidden one right across the street from Bally's (where the tourist buses stop), right in front of the security guards. Awesome and hidden.

Planet Hollywood has three that I know of. Two in the ground floor of the self parking lot. One of them is right next to the valet parkers. There's one mainly for employees very near the strip right across the street from the Harley Davidson cafe (on Harmon) behind McDonald's. They don't mind civilians like me parking there. 3 minute walk from where McDonald's is.

The Aria has one at the parking structure but I'm not sure if it is still there. I've never used it but saw it when I parked my car there.

The closed movie theater (Showcase Theater) behind the Hard Rock Cafe has a bike rack on the second floor of its self park structure. You have to take your bike into the elevator. Press level two and walk it past the security office into the garage.

There's one deep inside Park MGM/Monte Carlo, but I'm not sure if it's still there.

There's one at the back of the T-Mobile Arena.

You can also tie your bike at the "park" area of New York New York near Shake Shack, right on the Strip - in the black fences. The park security guard told me they don't care and the cops don't care either. Do so at your own risk. That's where those people that hand out flyers on the strip also park their bikes.

There are two behind the MGM, one at the employee parking in the back as well as at the self park, very near Koval. Long walk to the poker room.

Hooters has one but my bike got stolen there.

Excalibur has one at the security/employee entry area near the Rotunda. Extremely safe to the max. There will be a security guard staring at your bike all day.

There's one at the back of the Luxor, on the street behind the pool area.

There's also one at the back of the Mandalay Bay. At least there used to be. But it's very far...almost near Frank Sinatra.

There's one at Ellis Island. In fact I was there this morning. I drove and parked my van there. After eating, I took out my bike and drove it behind the Venetian, Linq, Bally's, Paris, and Planet Hollywood. Went back to Ellis Island and came back home.

I never bike on the Strip. Too many tourist drivers, drunk and taking selfies. I take the back streets. I'm not crazy like Trooper.

When you leave town, lock up your bike at South Point and post the combination here.

LOL loved those threads. honestly would love to do that.

One hell of a breakdown. So solid! Thanks again.

Your Trooper comment made me go look at his youtube channel because I don't watch it regularly. Cannot BELIEVE he rides a motorized skateboard in that traffic without a helmet. I skateboarded my whole childhood and was used to being in the street at a young age. It's one thing (albeit still super sketchy) to responsibly take the lane and pedal a bike at a brisk pace with a helmet (and lights) with busy traffic. If you're confident and aware you'll do fine most of the time if backroads aren't an option. Being on a board with no safety gear or lighting AND FILMING is a deathwish. One of the comments was like "Trooper doesn't have health insurance either" smh.

Saw a sticker on a lightpole today while waiting to cross a busy street (I live in Austin) and it said something like "9 out of 10 people survive getting hit by a car going 20 mph. 9 out of 10 people die when hit by a car going 40 mph."

Wear a helmet boys and girls. All it takes is one time.

Awesome info thanks for the help!

On a related note, can you get a good price on a used bike at a pawn shop and, if so, what's a good pawn shop to visit if you need one in Vegas?

Yeah this is a good question^^

Not to come across as a snob but i do regularly ride a couple nicer bikes several days per week. Would love to just get a used 90s steel frame something or other than support wal mart by buying a chinese big box bike.

That being said ill happily ride a $90 beach cruiser from wal mart over nothing at all. Biking is good for my mental health and i think ill appreciate it while bricking event after event, lol.

My guess is that the thieves are from Southern California and sell their goods there and possibly Mexico.

For used bikes, my suggestion is to go to the RTC Bike Center at the bus terminal downtown on Bonneville and 3rd Street - across the street from Dessert Manor Apartments.

Last time I was there, John, who manages the place (car-less but rides a $7000 Specialized Enduro mountain bike all over town), offered to sell me an aluminum Specialized mountain bike from the early 2000s. It was only $150 and he offered a verbal one year warranty to tune it up and do repairs himself. I wasn't shopping for one. There were a couple of used Specialized mountain bikes there for $200 each. They don't sell low end bikes. Only high end ones both new and used.

Wow such sick info. Def going to look into that.

Anyone out there interested in a bike/beer meetup? Downtown somewhere could be chill.

If it's a warm summer it can be 90 or more by 10 am.

The greater danger than the heat are the idiot drivers in Vegas. Maybe you can stretch your budget and get a scooter.

I value the insight of locals for sure. Vegas doesnt seem like a bike friendly city.

I guess its just up to the individual. I ride hundreds of miles per month in hot, crazy ass texas. Have ridden abroad as well.

Its not a budget thing for me - and id assume others. cycling provides good endorphine release, calorie burning, mental clarity, is better for the environment, plus it often matches the time commitment of a car ride. Especially considering shorter jaunts through town where youre not waiting for Kenny in his Corolla to find you and “accidentally” take the long way to your destination. Rideshares and cabs in vegas are so annoying sometimes. Also once you have a bike and ride it - anywhere you wanna go is “free”.

That’s how my beloved 1995 Kona Kilauea steel frame looked like when police returned it to me a couple of years after it was stolen.


Idiots couldn’t break the chain so they decided it was a good idea to saw through the frame and weld it back together minus the lock..

FWIW, I used a bike around the Strip one summer a couple of years ago and traffic/people really sucked.

Damn, that is brutal! A wonder the police ever got it back to you.

What kinds of bikes do you think would cost-justify crossing a state line to steal, and then transporting them across a national border to sell?

I’ve been browsing amazon looking at single speed 26” folding bikes. They’re $179 Prime.
20 lbs and fold down to like 2’ x 1’ apparently. Something like this would eliminate the hassle and stress of locking up far away from poker room. They also have carrying bags for around $30.

Vilano Urbana Single Speed Folding Bike https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010RH6X4C..._k4bcBb9AECBDB

I recommend not doing this, for multiple reasons.

1.) It is scorching in the summer. You'll be arriving to the RIO dripping sweat every day. Please don't go to a poker table dripping sweat. It will make you and those around you uncomfortable. I suppose you could bus it there, and bike back to overcome this issue.

2.) Safety is your top priority. What are you going to do when you score $1k-$3k at 10 PM? Bike 5 miles home in the dark? You'll be quickly known as the grinder who leaves every day on a bike, exposing you to easily being robbed.

I recommend renting a car for a few months/buying a beater if you'll be in Vegas longer.

GL.