Cycling South to North Pattaya

[Eddie45]

I want to try and get in better physical condition. I like cycling but cycling on the Thai Roads is too dangerous in my opinion. If I wanted to cycle on the path way next to the beach what section from south to north Pattaya would be best to cycle along. Will be cycling at about 6-7am. Ideally looking to do 4-5 km ride.

[gamb00ler]

Such a short ride will not burn many calories.

 

I recommend you start with walking rather than cycling.  Most research indicates you lose more fat from walking than cycling at an equally perceived level of exertion.

 

Cycling burns calories faster but it is harder to find a safe pace to do it in Thailand.

[Eddie45]

I wanted to find a stretch of pavement about 4-5km and was going to do it a few times so was riding 16-20km. Agree about finding it hard to find a safe place in Thailand to cycle. Roads are absolutely crazy. Surely cant help with all the extra stoned people.

[1FinickyOne]

1 hour ago, Eddie45 said:

the Thai Roads is too dangerous in my opinion

try a gym

[treetops]

Cycling path round Lake Mapbrachan if it's not too far from you.

[scubascuba3]

9 hours ago, gamb00ler said:

 

Cycling burns calories faster but it is harder to find a safe pace to do it in Thailand.

Plenty of safe places, i do 1,000km a month, i know people who do 100km a day.

 

Mapprakan Lake has a 10km track round it, or just cycle Jomtien beach road and 2nd road 

[Haveasay]

Beach road from Pattaya nua to walking street and past Bali Hai is fine early and returning close to beach or path on beach avoiding pedestrian I've done many times, even returning along soi borkhai, either way. Safe riding wherever you go. 

[Asquith Production]

9 hours ago, 1FinickyOne said:

try a gym

Some of us find gyms very boring, I prefer to run cycle walk or swim.

[ignore it]

Jomtien Beach road safest.

Still challenging with erratic bhat busses and three wheel vendor motorcycles.

To be fashionable best to leave the shirt and helmet at home..

[d4dang]

Check your insurance

[Hanuman2547]

I like cycling at Nong Bon and at Skylane but unfortunately both are in Bangkok. 

 

At 6-7am the roads are fairly tame for Pattaya.  I would go out to Mapprakan Lake or as another suggested, along Jomtien as far south as you care to venture.  Wear a bike helmet whenever you are riding.

[n8sail]

As said by others, you're better off walking or walking/running.  Cycling on a flat road with traffic all around, even the smaller amounts very early in the morning, will not help you lose weight.  It will help your cardiovascular health some which is nice, but isn't enough to lose weight in my opinion.

When I lived in Rayong I would ride 150-300km per week, just north of the city which has excellent roads and little traffic so you could hammer and keep your heart-rate up.

 

I moved to Na Jomtien and I hardly ever ride from my condo anymore.  I drive in my car to Maprachan or Wat Yannasangwararam Woramahamihan which has excellent riding with some hills.  Head from the temple over to Khao Chichan if you want some even bigger hills.   Hill training on a bicycle WILL make you lose weight.

 

I have yet to ride here, but apparently it is very nice also, and completely separate from all roads:  https://goo.gl/maps/khQn8YaAoYCsP1sbA

 

During COVID I rode up to Jomtien beach often, but those were different times.  Little traffic so you could hammer.

 

PLEASE wear a shirt, whatever you do.  It's extremely uncouth for a male to be on a public road in Thailand without a shirt on.  Just plain rude.  I don't care what they do in your home country, this is not your home country.

[NoshowJones]

5 hours ago, Asquith Production said:

Some of us find gyms very boring, I prefer to run cycle walk or swim.

Yes, gyms are more for these unsightly muscle bound guys filled with steroids. Running, swimming and cycling is surely much better for you.

[ozimoron]

8 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

Yes, gyms are more for these unsightly muscle bound guys filled with steroids. Running, swimming and cycling is surely much better for you.

Both High intensity interval exercise and aerobic is best.

[1FinickyOne]

6 hours ago, Asquith Production said:

Some of us find gyms very boring, I prefer to run cycle walk or swim.

I agree - gyms are very boring but feeling like you are taking your life in your hands might be a bit too exciting for some of us... 

 

I walk and swim outside but far from traffic

[Kevin Taylor]

6 hours ago, n8sail said:

As said by others, you're better off walking or walking/running.  Cycling on a flat road with traffic all around, even the smaller amounts very early in the morning, will not help you lose weight.  It will help your cardiovascular health some which is nice, but isn't enough to lose weight in my opinion.

When I lived in Rayong I would ride 150-300km per week, just north of the city which has excellent roads and little traffic so you could hammer and keep your heart-rate up.

 

I moved to Na Jomtien and I hardly ever ride from my condo anymore.  I drive in my car to Maprachan or Wat Yannasangwararam Woramahamihan which has excellent riding with some hills.  Head from the temple over to Khao Chichan if you want some even bigger hills.   Hill training on a bicycle WILL make you lose weight.

 

I have yet to ride here, but apparently it is very nice also, and completely separate from all roads:  https://goo.gl/maps/khQn8YaAoYCsP1sbA

 

During COVID I rode up to Jomtien beach often, but those were different times.  Little traffic so you could hammer.

 

PLEASE wear a shirt, whatever you do.  It's extremely uncouth for a male to be on a public road in Thailand without a shirt on.  Just plain rude.  I don't care what they do in your home country, this is not your home country.

I agree with pretty much everything you said. I bought a bike 4 to 5 months ago and was initially happy enough looping around Jomtien beach road and second road. Last 6 weeks or so the traffic has just gotten worse, if your doing it for exercise and putting your head down and peddling it just seems too dangerous in high season and weekends.

Like you I have started putting the bike into the back of the pickup and driving out to Maprachan and more recently Cheechan Budda Mountain area. Lots of good roads to ride out there. The forest trail you linked to is on my list to try aswell. It's a bit of a pain but I think it's the only way to do it safely and once your out there it's much nicer and more enjoyable than riding in town.

I see plenty of people riding bikes in Pattaya but to be honest most seem to take a don't care attitude. So you could always do that and hope  no one runs you over otherwise go for bike paths and exercise parks.

[TaaSaparot]

Any bike rental places worth recommending at Maprachan?

[scubascuba3]

4 hours ago, TaaSaparot said:

Any bike rental places worth recommending at Maprachan?

Cycle Hub is popular, has a cycle group also

[a340bangla1]

22 hours ago, n8sail said:

I moved to Na Jomtien and I hardly ever ride from my condo anymore.  I drive in my car to Maprachan or Wat Yannasangwararam Woramahamihan which has excellent riding with some hills.  Head from the temple over to Khao Chichan if you want some even bigger hills.   Hill training on a bicycle WILL make you lose weight.

 

I have yet to ride here, but apparently it is very nice also, and completely separate from all roads:  https://goo.gl/maps/khQn8YaAoYCsP1sbA

 

 

Agree about the Mabprachan track. We are going there with the bikes on the pickup (almost) every morning.

 

Last time we checked (about 3 - 4 weeks ago) that hill side track in the link given it was still closed

[n8sail]

3 hours ago, a340bangla1 said:

Agree about the Mabprachan track. We are going there with the bikes on the pickup (almost) every morning.

 

Last time we checked (about 3 - 4 weeks ago) that hill side track in the link given it was still closed

Okay, many thanks for the update!

That's a bummer to hear, as it's closer to me than Maprachan, and looks like a more challenging and more complete loop.  The one thing I hate about Maprachan is while 2/3s of it is very nice pavement, the dam section is just terrible to ride on with a road bike (and I ride a gravel bike with 35mm tires!)  Additionally, at night it closes quite early.  The other thing I hate is that to do a complete lap you have to ride through that little park section, and the only direct route through if traveling around clockwise is to ride over a sidewalk section that always has people walking around slowly.  Not conducive to keeping a pace 5555  ????

 

The Siri Charoenwat Forrest track is 17.8km long and has 300m of total vert across many small ups and downs on an apparently very nicely paved surface with lots of tight twists and turns to the point that multiple commenters actually warn about a certain downhill corner partway through the course.  Here's hoping it opens soon.  Sounds like fun! (At least my particularly masochistic type of 'fun' anyways ???? )

[n8sail]

Found this post on Siri Charoenwat's Facebook page.  On December 7th 2022, they were beginning review of what's needed for repairs to the bike track.  25 photos show that some sections are in pretty bad state of repair, suspect it will be closed for a while more sadly.  Translating the Thai letter just says they are starting review, nothing about when repairs start or how long it will take.   Don't hold your breath, in other words.

Not sure we can post FB links on here, but I'll try:   https://web.facebook.com/siricharoenwat/posts/pfbid025YwKPt8KGhrjFNo1XmHc3XSLib2nT2GcVsiFpFjkhSqRjkxPVqn4sUZXgGKBR8myl

[Eddie45]

2 hours ago, n8sail said:

Okay, many thanks for the update!

That's a bummer to hear, as it's closer to me than Maprachan, and looks like a more challenging and more complete loop.  The one thing I hate about Maprachan is while 2/3s of it is very nice pavement, the dam section is just terrible to ride on with a road bike (and I ride a gravel bike with 35mm tires!)  Additionally, at night it closes quite early.  The other thing I hate is that to do a complete lap you have to ride through that little park section, and the only direct route through if traveling around clockwise is to ride over a sidewalk section that always has people walking around slowly.  Not conducive to keeping a pace 5555  ????

 

The Siri Charoenwat Forrest track is 17.8km long and has 300m of total vert across many small ups and downs on an apparently very nicely paved surface with lots of tight twists and turns to the point that multiple commenters actually warn about a certain downhill corner partway through the course.  Here's hoping it opens soon.  Sounds like fun! (At least my particularly masochistic type of 'fun' anyways ???? )

If you go there early is there still walkers slowing you down in the little park section.

[jacko45k]

4 minutes ago, Eddie45 said:

If you go there early is there still walkers slowing you down in the little park section.

On roads you pick fights with car drivers, on pathways it is pedestrians... I love it!

[Eddie45]

Can anyone recommend a good place to rent a bike near Lake Mapbrachan. Cycle Hub was mentioned earlier in the thread but when I looked on google maps its was quite a distance from Lake Mapbrachan.

[NextG]

17 hours ago, Eddie45 said:

Can anyone recommend a good place to rent a bike near Lake Mapbrachan. Cycle Hub was mentioned earlier in the thread but when I looked on google maps its was quite a distance from Lake Mapbrachan.

There is at least one bike place at the entrance, if you are arriving from Soi CC. 50 baht for three hours. You cannot miss it.