mr_hippo

If you are larger than the average Thai buy online - http://www.prendas.co.uk - normally arrive within 3 to 5 days of ordering.

No other Bangkok cyclists?

I possibly missed your post as I was out cycling! How far do you normally ride in a day? What pace? How experienced are you?

I wouldn't say that it's ugly, rather I'd say that it looks practical in a Toyota Prius sort of way.

That bike was set up for one thing - 'lazy day rides' - perfect for pottering around on and also for longer distance rides.

My road bike is now 18 years old and has been set up for a purpose - longer, faster day rides but can be adapted for light touring.

Mein Gott! That's an ugly bike!!!!

Why do you think it's ugly?

My Hippo...where are you based??

I am based in Lat Phrao, Bangkok and am normally a soloist - my route, my pace & my stops. I normally have a 20km warm-up run to a PTT gas station just past Fashion Island and sitting there, having a coffee, I decide where I am going. People have asked me and the best answer that I can give is "Ask me when I get back!"

Take today, for example, Sunday morning, light traffic and nice weather. My road bike is off the road awaiting spares so I was on the hybrid. Some of my routes I have designated 'Sundays/holidays only' so I decided on one of these - about 8kms along Hwy 304 is a 7-11, turning right there, ride for about 7kms and right again, it eventually leads to Rom Klao Road and back to Minburi. I've never tried that route on a weekday but as it passes the Inland Container Depot, I assume it will be busy. So it was a nice, pleasant 75km ride.

Cannondale - http://www.thaicannasia.com

When you are in CNX give me a call or send me a PM, you are welcome.

Why?

MANY thanks to you,Mr Hippo,for the good information and the fotos!!! Sure does look like something that can be useful to me,and I will start looking for one!

Why would you do that?

An adjusted mountain bike is just perfect for Thailand.

When you switch to 700 cc rims you are looking for trouble.

Every single village in Thailand (south east asia) has at least something you can use if you have a problem with your 26 " wheels. Try to find something for your 700 cc or 28 ". Innertubes, spokes, new rims, tires etc even in Chiang Mai you need to visit 5 different shops to find your stuff.

What is "an adjusted mountain bike" and why "is just perfect for Thailand"?

"...even in Chiang Mai you need to visit 5 different shops to find your stuff." I suppose that your hometown LBS (Local Bike Shop) stocks everything you need!

Inner tubes - do what most of us do - have spares. Both of my bikes carry two spare tubes and a puncture kit and I have three more spares of each size at home.

Spokes - when was the last time that you popped a spoke? My road bike has hand built wheels - 15 years old and covered in excess os 100,000 kms - and are as true today as the day that they were built. My Trek had factory built wheels but after popping a few spokes, both were rebuilt by my LBS in Lat Phrao using S/S double butted spokes for 480 Baht each. Again, buy some spares.

Rims - when was the last time you replaced a rim? Alloy rims - even if pretzel-shaped - can be trued. The same cannot be said of steel rims.

Tyres - you may not be able to get the make/model you like but even your village LBS will be able to order them for you - may take one or two days but you'll get them.

Disadvantage so far: only 20 FPS, max 640 x 480, no remote switch, no view finder, no memory and battery indicator

Advantage: very small, solid metal case (no plastic) easy download with USB to every PC or Mac, movie is AVI format.

There is a similar model - name MUVI. I think it is a copy. Yes, even Chinese copy each other...

prepress

"Only 20 FPS"; Muvi 25 - 30fps depending on SD card

"No remote switch"; just how far away are your hands from your forehead/helmet?

"No view finder, no memory and battery indicator"; what do you want for the money then? If you want one with a viewfinder and remote, try the ATC5K but it's much more cumbersome.

Look up 'hipponokloo' on youtube for ATC5K (& ATC2K) and MUVI videos

Appears to be a clone copy of the MUVI - http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Smallest-Dv-...tml&hl=muvi

car sickness!

I normally stop for a coffee at a petrol station about 20kms from home, have a coffee and then decide where to go. About a month ago, I was having coffee when a Thai family sat next to me, they had two children - a boy about 6 and a girl about 4. The parents spoke reasonable English and told me their son was car sick and nothing seemed to work.

I told them what my dad did to me and what I done to my kids - a drop of Betadine antiseptic on each ear lobe and as I had some in my first aid pouch, I offered to put a drop on the lad's ears.

How do I know it works? I met the dad again today and he told me that his son is no longer car sick!!!!

Someone has a sense of humour - just ckicked on the page and the advert at the top was Bangkok Airways offering flights to Lampang!

I would assume short train long platform, women rushing up to where the train had stopped, people coming off train ...duck and dive too close to platform edge bump slip slid on to the tracks. Press report drama drama drama. prob she just misjudged the weaving in and out !

Bump on head, no sliced limbs stopped trains while they deside who climbing down to help her up! and the para van workers shoot each other trying to put her back board even through she would have jumped up fast enough if she had fell off her motorcycle at the traffic lights. and of course while every offical took photos to prove it was not their fault. Prob sacked the platform guard for not blowing his whistle. in the right direction while clicking his german army boots with heel clickers!

You are not familiar with Mo Chit station, are you? It is a terminus, passengers arriving there get off the train on the down line, the train then moves forward and then switches tracks and the driver then goes to the back of the train which becomes the front for its onward journey upline.

Can you please explain your reference to 'german [sic] army boots with heel clickers'?

Aren't we all getting a bit carried away with the safety aspect? The line opened in 1999 and carries over 400,000 passengers per day. Since it opened, how many passengers have been injured falling from the platform? I think I can recall one other incident about 3 years ago at Sala Daeng (I think). How does the safety record compare to other systems worldwide over the same period?

It would be nice if someone could design a one-way door preventing those wanting to enter until others have exited. I can think of at least one possibility (probably not practicable though.) Has anyone seen something like this anywhere?

A safety system at terminus stations would be simple to construct where passenger traffic is only one way; it will be more difficult at intermediate stations where footfall is both ways. On the park side of Mo Chit where passengers are alighting, no system is needed but on the other side someone has suggested a barrier with gaps in it where the train doors open. These gaps can be 'plugged' with a barrier that can be opened and closed automatically either vertically or sliding. I can foresee two problems here - getting crushed against the barrier and head injuries being caused when the 'gate' is being closed.

Intermediate stations pose a different problem but can be solved with a major platform layout change!

Thai's are just soo ignorant at times! No manners, whatsoever!

Craig, please shower more frequently - you stink, stay sober because you are drunk all the time and stop being obsessed with sex. Please do not say that none of them apply to you because we all know all farangs, at times, smell, are drunk and obsessed with sex.

Do not make generalised statements. If you want others to repect you, you have to respect them - respect has to be earned!

Sorry - typo; should be Lone Ranger unless the long ranger is a scouser

All you Scousers complaining about the lack of silver at Anfield - Rafa has solved the problem! He has signed the Long Ranger to ride Silver around the pitch at every home game.

Hello Mr.Hippo! I have a mountainbike,which I modified a bit,so I can carry things with me.Longest tour in one day:170 km.;6 am-6pm.Could you please tell me,what a hybrid bike is?! Perhaps it´s something for me?I like to go on weeklong tours,so I need bikes,that can carry things. By the way,where do you live?

From Wikipedia

"A hybrid bicycle is a bicycle designed for general-purpose utility or commuter cycling on paved and unpaved roads, paths, and trails. Also known under such names as City bike, Cross bike, or Commuter,[1] the hybrid takes design features from both the road bike and mountain bike, with the goal of making a bike for general commuting and transportation.

In general, hybrids use the mountain bike's triple crank, together with the latter's handlebars giving a more upright posture than road bicycles. They also usually use one of the kinds of brakes used on mountain bikes, namely linear pull, or disc. From the road bicycle they take the 700C (larger) wheel diameter for higher speeds, but use a wider rim and tire for increased strength."

My Trek 7200 hybrid - Specs

I have made a few changes to mine - mudguards (fenders), rear rack (not in photo), 700x32 tyres but the biggest change has been the handlebars. I now have a pair of trekking (or butterfly) bars.

I found that on long rides that the butterfly bars offer me a few more hand positions and increase comfort.

If your mountain bike is a hard tail (no rear suspension) then I can suggest change tyres to 26"x1.5" road tyres and chainset to something like 48/38/28. Many people go on long tours with that set up.

I live in Lat Phrao, Bangkok

2009 is over so how was it? I think it was in November 2008 that I decided to increase my mileage – what’s the point of just doing about 30kms and getting back by about 8am? The actual average for 2008 was 29.04kms per ride. I finished 2008 on 4385.34 kms and that was due to a late start – March 2nd 2008, after 91 days of agony with shingles!

The first thing was to set a target for 2009. The problem with setting targets is that if it is too low, it easily achieved but too high and there’s disappointment when you don’t get there! Let’s not get too ambitious so I set the target at 8000kms

I started the year with 3 bikes, a hard tail mountain bike, a hybrid and a road bike. I decided to sell the mountain bike because I was not using it enough – by April, it had only done about 40 kms this year and I decided to sell it. For most of the year, the Trek 7200 hybrid was my main ride. The road bike (a 1992 NashBar 600R), also called ‘The Hippo Bike’ by Mrs Hippo, had retired more times than Frank Sinatra! I decided to give it a facelift and give it more road time.

The Stats:-

12.942.22 kms ridden

288 days out of 365 on the bike

Average 44.938 kms/ride

Longest ride of the year – 128.27 kms.

Highest speed – 52.06 kph

Eight punctures and six broken spokes – had the Trek 7200 rear wheel rebuilt.

I do not ride if it is raining but was caught out in the rain 8 times – including a memorable 5 hour wait at a gas station just past Fashion Island!

Mrs Hippo always says that I “should cycle for pleasure, not measure!” I do but... on one trip, I checked the bike computer at the front gate and found I had cycled 99.17 kms and could not resist going around the block so I could say that I’ve done 100kms in a day! The only other time when measure came first was last Sunday the 27th. Total mileage for the year was then 12,714.42 – four days to do almost 300kms so I could end the year on 13,000! 28th – 88.96kms, 29th – 69.76kms. Halfway there – 30th, just set off and it started to rain; no problem – back home for a cup of tea and then set off again. One hour later, the heavens opened and that was it! No 13,000 this year but a good try!!!

So I am quite pleased with the year; next year – possibly a new bike, target of 12,000 kms but hoping to exceed this year’s target.

I decided to repeat last year's "Christmas Day Candy Ride" and also to do two rides - 25th & 26th. I bought some sweets - about 200 Baht - and print about 600 New Year cards - about business card size.

Christmas Day - 25.51 kms. handlebar bag filled with sweets and cards, stopping at many bus stops to give cards & sweets out; got to 'Happiland', BangKapi and was mobbed by about 6 'ladies'. Tearing myself away, more stops, car horns honking, many people stopping me to take photos. Final stop was less than a kilometre from home when I was stopped by a teacher from a nearby school and was invited in to participate in their Christmas activity that had just started - a good time was had by all!

Boxing Day - 40.15 kms, different route.

Reminded me of those 'Mastercard' ads:-

Cost of candy - about 200 Baht

Printing the cards - about the same

Smiles on peoples faces - priceless!

Santa will be cycling in Bangkok on the 25th & 26th.

25th - Lat Phrao Road from Soi 41 to Happyland, then Happyland to Nawamin Road, Kasert Nawamin, Sena Nikorn, Lat Phrao-WangHin and then back onto Soi 41.

26th - Lat Phrao-WangHin, Lat Plakhao, Kasert-Nawamin,Nawamin, RamIntra (to the PTT just past Fashion Island); U turn, back along Ram Intra to Lat Plakhao and Lat Phrao-WangHin.

Santa will start cycling at about 6:30am.

If you see him, please wave or if he is close to a coffee shop then a cappuccino will be appreciated!!!!

I brought one of mine over. Either ask your LBS to pack it for you - about £30 - or get a big box from them and pack it yourself. You will need to remove the wheels, pedals and possibly remove handlebars from the stem - no need to disturb the gear and brake cables. For added protection, get some pipe lagging on your main frame with bubble wrap on stays & forks.

Airline may charge but if it is within your allowance ...

If you are an average size farang, it will be better to get shorts an tops from the UK but there is a good UK site thatsells good. cheap clothing and will arrive in about 3 working days - PM me for details.

I cannot count the times when on my scooter i see people pulling out from a soi in front of me at speed without even looking first.

There is a good reason why this happens - learn the rules of the road whilst you are here.

Do enlighten us, Mr H.

Like Eek, I never cease to be amazed at how many bikes are driven straight out onto a main road from a soi or gateway without so much as a glance to see if the road is clear or not.

Um yeh..would like to know that road rule please.

Have you ever been travelling on a main road and everything stops to let someone enter the traffic flow? There are no traffic lights and no policeman has stopped the flow, why? Now, look at the picture below:-

The photo shows RamIntra 34, RamIntra 34 Yaek 5 on the left and RamIntra 32 is where the trees are; not clear in the photo is that RamIntra 34 continues around the slight bend towards the top right of the photo and RamIntra 34 Yaek 9 goes off to the right. What road markings do you see on RamIntra 34 (the main road)? Give way (yield)? In the west, those markings would be on Yaek5, Yaek9 and Soi32 where traffic on the main road (in this case Soi34) has prority but here it is traffic that is entering the main road which has priority!

Traffic should always look right before entering the flow but...

I cannot count the times when on my scooter i see people pulling out from a soi in front of me at speed without even looking first.

There is a good reason why this happens - learn the rules of the road whilst you are here.

Boy, he must have been warm in that beard!?!

Last year's Christmas Day ride was 26kms and was hot in the wig & beard. This year will be about the same distance but a different route - with a few more coffee stops!