1 hour ago, madone said:

 

I was waiting for you or someone like you.  What an utter load of twaddle,  you have no idea what you are talking about because you have never even tried  riding here.

if you had biked even a fraction of the distance you claim, you would understand that the roads here are not nearly as dangerous for cyclists as you make out. 

let's be honest here,  when was the last time you were out on a bike logging those hundreds of thousands of kilometers?  When was the last time you went 100km in a single ride? 

utter <deleted>.  the walter mitty of the cycle world -- but not in Thailand, too dangerous. 

 

No, you are right. Cycling in Thailand is not dangerous at all. Your post is just 1 big dumb rant and very insulting. Did you have a bad day Forgot your chill pill? 
 

Only people with a death wish ride their bikes in Thailand and you are one of them Don't come crying when you end up in hospital. 

I don't understand the negativity about biking in Bangkok.

 

It's actually a fairly pleasant experience - there are bicycle lanes in some areas and where there are none, it is permitted on the sidewalks. Typically pedestrians and bicycles co-exist already without a lot of difficulty.

 

1) folding bicycles allowed on the trains

2) most sidewalks can accommodate and where they can't, it's possible to walk the bike past the area

3) pedestrians know how to keep out of the way (i.e. the movement of bikes is predictable to people who are walking)

4) the speed isn't so high as to be particularly dangerous (relative to motorcycles on the sidewalks)

1 hour ago, madone said:

 

I was waiting for you or someone like you.  What an utter load of twaddle,  you have no idea what you are talking about because you have never even tried  riding here.

if you had biked even a fraction of the distance you claim, you would understand that the roads here are not nearly as dangerous for cyclists as you make out. 

let's be honest here,  when was the last time you were out on a bike logging those hundreds of thousands of kilometers?  When was the last time you went 100km in a single ride? 

utter <deleted>.  the walter mitty of the cycle world -- but not in Thailand, too dangerous. 

 

No, you are right. Cycling in Thailand is not dangerous at all. Your post is just 1 big dumb rant and very insulting. Did you have a bad day Forgot your chill pill? 
 

Only people with a death wish ride their bikes in Thailand and you are one of them Don't come crying when you end up in hospital. 

1 hour ago, madone said:

 

I was waiting for you or someone like you.  What an utter load of twaddle,  you have no idea what you are talking about because you have never even tried  riding here.

if you had biked even a fraction of the distance you claim, you would understand that the roads here are not nearly as dangerous for cyclists as you make out. 

let's be honest here,  when was the last time you were out on a bike logging those hundreds of thousands of kilometers?  When was the last time you went 100km in a single ride? 

utter <deleted>.  the walter mitty of the cycle world -- but not in Thailand, too dangerous. 

 

No, you are right. Cycling in Thailand is not dangerous at all. Your post is just 1 big dumb rant and very insulting. Did you have a bad day Forgot your chill pill? 
 

Only people with a death wish ride their bikes in Thailand and you are one of them Don't come crying when you end up in hospital. 

Just now, KireB said:

No, you are right. Cycling in Thailand is not dangerous at all. Your post is just 1 big dumb rant and very insulting. Did you have a bad day Forgot your chill pill? 
 

Only people with a death wish ride their bikes in Thailand and you are one of them Don't come crying when you end up in hospital. 

Let's do the math:
18 years school and uni about 12 km a day, rain and snowstorms included.
Amateur cyclist in weekends week nights for maybe 10 years.
BMX for 5 years.

Anything else?

 

15 minutes ago, KireB said:

Only people with a death wish ride their bikes in Thailand and you are one of them Don't come crying when you end up in hospital. 

 

I thoroughly enjoyed riding around Asoke where I lived and worked.  In fact, on Suk Soi 16 where my apartment was, it was much safer to cycle than it was to walk, with no sidewalks on most of it.

 

I also highly recommend taking your life into your hands and put your bike on one of the rickety longtail boats out to the Elephant's Ear.  That's another great place to ride in Bangkok. 

 

Edit:  As I recall, it was 20 baht to go across, and they'd get 5 or 6 bikes and passengers on each trip.  It may have been more, but I recall thinking how cheap it was.  As an alternative, they used to rent bikes right at the dock where the boats drop you off.  Maybe someone can do a post-Covid update...  That's a fun afternoon in Bangkok, and I rarely see anyone talking about it.

 

There is a big difference in conditions between the sois (smaller roads) and the big roads (like Sukhumvit, Petchaburi, Rama IV, etc).

 

These days the sidewalk condition on the major roads is better than it used to be and a lot of the obstacles (like old phone booths and random utility poles) have been removed. But there are still too many cases where it's still easier to ride on the side of the road, and the busses and ignorant vehicles are a danger. This is an area where bicycle lanes would help keep cyclists safe.

 

On the sois, there is usually way less traffic and everything goes.

9 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

I thoroughly enjoyed riding around Asoke where I lived and worked.  In fact, on Suk Soi 16 where my apartment was, it was much safer to cycle than it was to walk, with no sidewalks on most of it.

 

I also highly recommend taking your life into your hands and put your bike on one of the rickety longtail boats out to the Elephant's Ear.  That's another great place to ride in Bangkok.

 

Yes, I have been there and rented a bike a couple of times. Lovely.
I've had several serious accidents with my motorbike, mostly due to potholes and gravel in the curves. This is the reason I'm afraid t ride a bicycle here. Shame, cause I love cycling.

10 minutes ago, KireB said:

I've had several serious accidents with my motorbike, mostly due to potholes and gravel in the curves. This is the reason I'm afraid t ride a bicycle here. Shame, cause I love cycling.

 

I started out riding for exercise in the parks (Lumpini and Queen Sirikit).  Eventually, I got braver and quit walking my bikes to the park, and that opened up a lot more places to ride.  Another great bike ride is the port at Khlong Toei.  I found that out, looking for the pier where they load you up to cross over to the Elephant Ear.  Nice riding, even though Khlong Toei port is very industrial.  Lots of temples to duck into and nooks and crannies.  But my favorite ride was on the island, especially around that big flea market.

 

Edit:  Have you been to the Elephant Ear and rented a bike since Covid?  I travel to BKK once a month and no longer keep a bike there.  I'm wondering if they came back after the shutdown?

 

17 minutes ago, impulse said:

I also highly recommend taking your life into your hands and put your bike on one of the rickety longtail boats out to the Elephant's Ear.  That's another great place to ride in Bangkok. 

I ride there several times a week, it's great because I can tailor the length of the ride from my doorstep on lower Sukhumvit depending how much time Ihave. There are decent larger boats under the Bhumibol Bridge and at Wat Klong Toei

Typical week day loop is 50 to 70 km more on weekends. I generally don't take the ferry there though I return via the Wat Klong Toei pier. There are quite a few regulars who ride there weekly, Thai  and foreign,  

 

I also ride from home to the Sklylane,  out to Ayutthaya or towards Bankhunthiantalay. Pattaya is in the works but I hear that can be stressful.  

 

8 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

I started out riding for exercise in the parks (Lumpini and Queen Sirikit).  Eventually, I got braver and quit walking my bikes to the park, and that opened up a lot more places to ride.  Another great bike ride is the port at Khlong Toei.  I found that out, looking for the pier where they load you up to cross over to the Elephant Ear.  Nice riding, even though Khlong Toei port is very industrial.  Lots of temples to duck into and nooks and crannies.  But my favorite ride was on the island, especially around that big flea market.

 

Edit:  Have you been to the Elephant Ear and rented a bike since Covid?  I travel to BKK once a month and no longer keep a bike there.  I'm wondering if they came back after the shutdown?

 

 

At the wat klong toei pier (bangkrachao side)  there is M-bike rental, they have everything from massive Dutch bikes to some newer mountain bikes and hybrids. they update bike almost every year and have hundreds. 

Ill be passing by there today on my ride

23 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

I thoroughly enjoyed riding around Asoke where I lived and worked.  In fact, on Suk Soi 16 where my apartment was, it was much safer to cycle than it was to walk, with no sidewalks on most of it.

 

I also highly recommend taking your life into your hands and put your bike on one of the rickety longtail boats out to the Elephant's Ear.  That's another great place to ride in Bangkok. 

 

Edit:  As I recall, it was 20 baht to go across, and they'd get 5 or 6 bikes and passengers on each trip.  It may have been more, but I recall thinking how cheap it was.  As an alternative, they used to rent bikes right at the dock where the boats drop you off.  Maybe someone can do a post-Covid update...  That's a fun afternoon in Bangkok, and I rarely see anyone talking about it.

 

Yep, still there and still a great place to ride.

If taking your own bike there is a larger boat (can take motorcycles) from Bang Na Pier.

Or you can get the rickety boat from Wat Khlong Toei Nok pier. 10 baht each way (if I remember correctly).  Like you say you can get your own bike on but at the pier on the other side where you get off the boat there is a massive rental shop. 100 baht gets you a decent hybrid bike and a free bottle of water.  I think a rickety one with a basket on the front is something stupid like 30 baht but definitely go for the hybrid.

It's a really great and super cheap day out and hard to believe you are so close to the middle of Bangkok. Very pleasant indeed.

9 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

I started out riding for exercise in the parks (Lumpini and Queen Sirikit).  Eventually, I got braver and quit walking my bikes to the park, and that opened up a lot more places to ride.  Another great bike ride is the port at Khlong Toei.  I found that out, looking for the pier where they load you up to cross over to the Elephant Ear.  Nice riding, even though Khlong Toei port is very industrial.  Lots of temples to duck into and nooks and crannies.  But my favorite ride was on the island, especially around that big flea market.

 

Edit:  Have you been to the Elephant Ear and rented a bike since Covid?  I travel to BKK once a month and no longer keep a bike there.  I'm wondering if they came back after the shutdown?

 

No that was about 10 years ago. and I moved to Phuket since . I hear good stories about the 25 km (?) airport cycling loop.

19 minutes ago, KireB said:

Yes, I have been there and rented a bike a couple of times. Lovely.
I've had several serious accidents with my motorbike, mostly due to potholes and gravel in the curves. This is the reason I'm afraid t ride a bicycle here. Shame, cause I love cycling.

You have had a motorcycle accident so riding a bike is dangerous and a death wish.

Oh ok.

 

 

2 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Or you can get the rickety boat from Wat Khlong Toei Nok pier. 10 baht each way (if I remember correctly). 

there are bigger boats on wat klong toei Nok, not only longtails  

1 minute ago, madone said:

You have had a motorcycle accident so riding a bike is dangerous and a death wish.

Oh ok.

 

 

indeed, no need to thank me for the free advise

Just now, KireB said:

indeed, no need to thank me for the free advise

 
indeed.

you are the most poignant of cautionary tales. 

 

4 minutes ago, madone said:

there are bigger boats on wat klong toei Nok, not only longtails  

Yeah, those are the 10 baht each way ones. Take your bike on. 

1 minute ago, josephbloggs said:

Yeah, those are the 10 baht each way ones. Take your bike on. 

they are actually 10 for you 10 for the bike. Still ... 

I think they are trying to up to 15 each way for foreigners on weekends 

18 minutes ago, KireB said:

I hear good stories about the 25 km (?) airport cycling loop.

It is superb. 24 kms, three rest stations along the way if you need them. It is so well built and so well organised, and pleasant: birds, lizards, I've seen the odd snake and, erm, lots of planes. It is incredible that this facility is completely free (if you take your own bike). You can also rent them there, 440 baht for a good quality hybrid, up to 880 baht (I think) for a 300-400k thb carbon road bike.

The first time you go you need to register for Znap which is an RFID wrist band that gives you access and also that you can add money to to pay for stuff (food, drinks, bikes). You will need your passport for this. But after you have your Znap you keep it forever and never need show ID again. 

Also to note that it is entirely cashless so you can pay for stuff either by Znap or by QR scan.

Final note: it can be really hard work. There is no shade, and because it is parallel to active runways you will be riding into the wind for a good 11-12kms on each circuit. And that wind can be STRONG. Two loops is enough for me.

Also if you go early morning or early evening you will see hundreds of Thai cyclists riding millions of bahts worth of high end machinery. The gear on show is unbelievable and hundreds and hundreds of people. So the people on here who said Thais don't ride knows nothing at all. Conversely if you go in the daytime it'll be pretty empty, but also almost unbearably hot.

4 minutes ago, madone said:

they are actually 10 for you 10 for the bike. Still ... 

I think they are trying to up to 15 each way for foreigners on weekends 

Ok thanks. Never taken my own bike - I always rent there.

5 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

It is superb. 24 kms, three rest stations along the way if you need them. It is so well built and so well organised, and pleasant: birds, lizards, I've seen the odd snake and, erm, lots of planes. It is incredible that this facility is completely free (if you take your own bike). You can also rent them there, 440 baht for a good quality hybrid, up to 880 baht (I think) for a 300-400k thb carbon road bike.

The first time you go you need to register for Znap which is an RFID wrist band that gives you access and also that you can add money to to pay for stuff (food, drinks, bikes). You will need your passport for this. But after you have your Znap you keep it forever and never need show ID again. 

Also to note that it is entirely cashless so you can pay for stuff either by Znap or by QR scan.

Final note: it can be really hard work. There is no shade, and because it is parallel to active runways you will be riding into the wind for a good 11-12kms on each circuit. And that wind can be STRONG. Two loops is enough for me.
 

 

Agreed, the Skylane is brilliant, but the headwinds can be nasty. The upside is that the tailwind makes some serious speed possible. 

Another thing to know it is a strictly enforced one-way lap, so you commit fully to the 24km .ride.  if you decide to bail you need to call for the truck of shame to pick you up and take you back to the start. 

35 minutes ago, madone said:

At the wat klong toei pier (bangkrachao side)  there is M-bike rental, they have everything from massive Dutch bikes to some newer mountain bikes and hybrids. they update bike almost every year and have hundreds. 

 

Good to know that they rent decent bikes.  I always rode my own when I lived in Asoke, so I never checked out their selection.  There's been places (not Thailand) where the rental bikes were horrid, making it no fun beyond a few km.  

 

 

This is not to be meant sarcastic, I am serious. Why not dedicate parts of those lanes to motorcycle only? Vietnam has separate motorcycle lanes on major roads and its fantastic to drive there

 

 

Why aren't the major roads arranged something like this

 

Sidewalks | Biking line one direction | Small lane for motorcycles and push carts | Busses/Cars | Cars

When there is a U turn, install 200-500 meters of hard lane dividers to prevent cutting in line at the last moment.

 

These aren't new problems and other cities have solved them or made progress long ago. It's time to try stuff and keep what works / get rid of what doesn't work.

• cops on motorcycles authorized to give immediate 1000 baht tickets to anybody who parks and blocks the left lane except in the middle of the night
• Speed limit the busses to 35km/h so they stop weaving in and out of the traffic.
• non stop enforcement at zebra crossings

1 hour ago, madone said:

 
indeed.

you are the most poignant of cautionary tales. 

 

Still insulting, probably because you lack good arguments. Have another beer!

1 hour ago, madone said:

 

Agreed, the Skylane is brilliant, but the headwinds can be nasty. The upside is that the tailwind makes some serious speed possible. 

Another thing to know it is a strictly enforced one-way lap, so you commit fully to the 24km .ride.  if you decide to bail you need to call for the truck of shame to pick you up and take you back to the start. 

Yeah. I got a puncture once when I was maybe 2kms in. Had to call the truck of shame. When I finally got picked up and had to drive the whole loop back to the start you can feel eyes on you and people thinking "wow, he gave up early!".

how to fix congestion,
remove one lane from many congested roads
then charge everyone who drives on said roads a congestion tax
simples

Just move anything that is not capable of at least 50km/h to the sidewalk. Free up the streets!