Bicycle purchase Chiang Mai - advice sought

[ericbj]

Am looking to replace a worn-out mountain bike, purchased more than 12 years ago, with a touring/trekking style of LARGE FRAME-SIZE. [height 6'2" = 183 cm].  Used for getting around including going to town for shopping - i.e. quite heavy loads on luggage rack and attached panniers.  Distances covered never exceed 30 km.

Seek a model where one can sit reasonably erect, not leaning forward on the handlebars with head cranked back; and where the frame-size is appropriate, so it is not necessary to raise the saddle to such an extent that one risks toppling over when stationary.

A downward sloping top-bar would be helpful, because, when items are piled high in the shopping-basket on the luggage rack, one cannot dismount by swinging the leg backwards.

Fairly low (high-ratio) gearing needed to get up a steepish section of road with a week's load of groceries.

Would like decent quality and simplicity.  Without frills, such as disk brakes and shock-absorbers, that add to weight, complexity, and price.

Shall shortly be visiting Chiang Mai for several days, so advice on suitable cycle shops to visit could prevent much wastage of time. [would also consider visiting Bangkok at a later date]

[Some years ago there was a bicycle shop in Th.Chiang Moi, run by an Englishman and his Thai wife, that offered for sale some very interesting bicycles.  I bought from them my large, canvas panniers, of excellent quality.  Unfortunately, on a subsequent visit the shop was no longer there]

[NickyLouie]

Facebook Marketplace, tons of fat / lazy ppl buy bikes at retail and never use them.

 

 

[bamboozled]

That guy on Chang Moi was named Stuart and he was from USA. Shop is long gone. I think it was called Mong bikes...something like that. I bought my bike at Chaitawat Bike Shop.

[Dante99]

56 minutes ago, bamboozled said:

Chaitawat Bike Shop.

been buying from them for decades

[MrBrad]

[jerryonjay]

I also 

[Tedly]

Cherry bike on 118 just down from Central Festival mall is where I bought mine. One of my friends use Chaitawat. 

[connda]

5 hours ago, bamboozled said:

That guy on Chang Moi was named Stuart and he was from USA. Shop is long gone. I think it was called Mong bikes...something like that. I bought my bike at Chaitawat Bike Shop.

Another "non-essential business" that became a Chiang Mai Covid Casualty?

[ericbj]

Many thanks for information provided, which could save me a lot of time searching.

[ogb]

Try Triple Cats Cycle, they specialise in such bikes

[bamboozled]

6 hours ago, connda said:

Another "non-essential business" that became a Chiang Mai Covid Casualty?

No, closed down a good bit before Covid hit the shiit.

[XJPSX]

Triple Cats should be your first stop.

 

[arithai12]

23 hours ago, ericbj said:

[height 6'2" = 183 cm].

This conversion is wrong. Assuming 6'2" is correct, you are of similar height as me. I bought mine (though different in style, more of a city bike) at Anek on Canal Road next to Francesca restaurant, they have a large selection and at least one staff spoke good English. I expect that if you want something outside the usual stock, either one shop or the other, they may have to order and it might take more than "several days". Also worth checking out Decathlon on super highway, they might have sizes closer to western ones.

[NORDO]

20 hours ago, bamboozled said:

That guy on Chang Moi was named Stuart and he was from USA. Shop is long gone. I think it was called Mong bikes...something like that. I bought my bike at Chaitawat Bike Shop.

Yep, Stu at Mong Bikes.  Mong ran off and he closed the shop.   He is still in CNX.  Not really in the bike business anymore, but has many local connections.   He does excellent work, but wont scab something together for a cheap charlie.  Either done top-notch to his standards or wont take it on.   I store my touring bike there and he maintains it.   Has expat bikers stop in on their tours.  But he WILL NOT scab things together.   Done right or not at all.

 

Stuart Smith on FB.

[NORDO]

Yep, Stu at Mong Bikes.  Mong ran off and he closed the shop.   He is still in CNX.  Not really in the bike business anymore, but has many local connections.   He does excellent work, but wont scab something together for a cheap charlie.  Either done top-notch to his standards or wont take it on.   I store my touring bike there and he maintains it.   Has expat bikers stop in on their tours.  But he WILL NOT scab things together.   Done right or not at all.   Most of all, he is straight up, won’t hose you over.

 

Stuart Smith on FB.

[StuinCM]

I am still here in CM and help some people with their bike and repair needs. You should be able to find me on FB under Stuart Smith

[TigerandDog]

On 10/22/2023 at 5:15 AM, NORDO said:

Yep, Stu at Mong Bikes.  Mong ran off and he closed the shop.   He is still in CNX.  Not really in the bike business anymore, but has many local connections.   He does excellent work, but wont scab something together for a cheap charlie.  Either done top-notch to his standards or wont take it on.   I store my touring bike there and he maintains it.   Has expat bikers stop in on their tours.  But he WILL NOT scab things together.   Done right or not at all.

 

Stuart Smith on FB.

Nordo get your facts correct. Mong did NOT run off. They BOTH chose to close the shop and they reopened in Phrao, which is where I met them both and had Stu do some work on my MTB.  Some time after that they separated and Stu closed the shop, but not until he had sold most of his stock. 

[theblether]

21 hours ago, TigerandDog said:

Nordo get your facts correct. Mong did NOT run off. They BOTH chose to close the shop and they reopened in Phrao, which is where I met them both and had Stu do some work on my MTB.  Some time after that they separated and Stu closed the shop, but not until he had sold most of his stock. 

 

Correct. I bought four bikes direct from Stuart as he closed down his shop in Phrao. Mong delivered the bikes to my home. Mong was involved in the destocking of the business. 

 

Also correct to say that Stuart only works to the highest standard. IMO he is the best cycle maintenance expert in CM. He is ( or was ) besieged by Cheap Chsrlie clowns. The last I spoke to him he was trying to narrow his customer base. If you want your cycle repaired to the highest standard, Stuart is your man. 

[nglodnig]

10 hours ago, theblether said:

He is ( or was ) besieged by Cheap Chsrlie clowns

Well I bought my bike at Big C so I suppose that counts me out

[daveAustin]

I’m well out of the loop, but yes remember Stuart being a good mechanic. The Thai mechanic at Cherry bikes was also pretty decent. Also had good experiences at Chaitawat. CM is/was blessed with good bike shops. 

[roo860]

https://g.co/kgs/FXx8mC