28 May 2017
We rented bikes from EBike Moorea to go up to Belvedere Lookout, based on a recommendation from a hotel concierge. This was a terrible idea. It had narrow windy roads, blind corners with plenty of vehicle traffic, no bike lane/guard rail and in many cases a drop off beside the road.
Making life much worse, we had mechanical trouble with the bicycles rented from EBike Moorea. The chain came off as we were riding uphill and got stuck past the largest gear, which is a common bicycle problem but only happens if the rear derailleur is not properly tuned.
On the way down the mountain, my wife fell and had terrible injuries that required an emergency evacuation and multiple surgeries. EBike Moorea owners showed up at the hospital demanding payment for the luggage rack on the bike while my wife was in the hospital trying to figure out if our injuries were life threatening or not. It was completely insensitive, and they were dismissive about the mechanical trouble despite the fact that I had grease all over my hands from trying to fix the bike once. They had charged my credit card for the damage($80) before we had even gotten out of the hospitals.
Bottom line: Never rent from EBike Moorea, and don't bike up to Belvedere Lookout.
I see others took bikes around the island, which is likely a much safer activity. Definitely wear a helmet, watch out for cars/pot holes, and again I would avoid EBike Moorea as a company.