Mr Hippo's Guide To Bicycles & Cycling

[mr_hippo]

Thinking of getting a bicycle? Which one to chose? Where can you buy one? How much should you spend? Many questions with many answers and opinions!

Let’s start with the ‘where’. The three main places are supermarkets, department stores and LBS (local bike shop). Each has its own good points and bad points.

Supermarkets – cheap & cheerful, low prices but poor range of sizes, no specialised mechanic and no after sales service.

Department stores – similar to supermarkets but with better makes – and prices! – but similar disadvantages.

LBS – Can be more expensive than the other two but on the plus side, they will help you choose a bike suitable for your needs and pocket, change components i.e. more suitable tyres, saddles, have a good range of accessories and specialised mechanics.

Price range – anything from 850Baht to 310,000Baht and that is without pedals! So where do you start? Well, I don’t think an 850Baht bike will be suitable for a world tour and you wouldn’t want to spend 310,000 Baht if you were just going to the 7-11 or would you?

What do you need for the occasional trip to 7-11 and around the village? I’d suggest a simple, basic single speed roadster with either a basket on the front or a rack on the back. Don’t dangle your shopping from the handlebars – it may get caught in the wheel! If you are small enough and light enough and a ‘Tesco’ bike fits then go for it but please check all bolts to make sure they are tight. How do you find out if it is the right size? Now, this is where I can baffle you with science by quoting well known formulae but I won’t! The best way to try is to sit on it, the seat post is adjustable, if it’s too low raise it but be careful because normally there is a ‘limit line’ engraved on it. Too much of the seat post out of the frame and it could bend or even break. A good rule of thumb with seat height – if you can sit on the bike with the balls of your feet on the ground then it’s OK.

I’ll do my best to answer any of your questions. Next I will cover the important subject of cycling on Thai roads and your safety.

[garro]

You should start a blog Mr Hippo.

There is a blog section on this site and Blogger is also good.

[Mook]

nice thread

keep going

[pampal]

You should start a blog Mr Hippo.

There is a blog section on this site and Blogger is also good.

I second that

[mr_hippo]

You should start a blog Mr Hippo.

There is a blog section on this site and Blogger is also good.

I second that

I have just started a blog - http://velothai.blogspot.com/ Your comments would be appreciated

Edited July 2, 2008 by mr_hippo

[pampal]

will have a gander and hope we can ride together some time

[orangezeke]

finally, i have stumbled across the local experts on bkk biking. does anyone know if i can take my bike on the bts ?

[pampal]

finally, i have stumbled across the local experts on bkk biking. does anyone know if i can take my bike on the bts ?

I have heard that they allow foldable bikes , ie:Dahon and similar, but have no direct experience

[mr_hippo]

I have heard that they allow foldable bikes , ie:Dahon and similar, but have no direct experience

I have also heard that but at non-peak times.

[mr_hippo]

Just started a new blog on this site - http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?au...blogid=672&

[fabianfred]

finally, i have stumbled across the local experts on bkk biking. does anyone know if i can take my bike on the bts ?

I recently got myself a Strida 5 from the market at MaeSai/Tachilek for 5,300 Baht ...very useful....but no idea how much they are in official dealers here in thailand. I believe they are 20,000 Korean dollars (20,000 baht) in their country of manufacture.

[wix]

I recently got myself a Strida 5 from the market at MaeSai/Tachilek for 5,300 Baht ...very useful....but no idea how much they are in official dealers here in thailand. I believe they are 20,000 Korean dollars (20,000 baht) in their country of manufacture.

At that price it must be either a cheap copy or black market. Strida is an English company and the bikes are manufactured in Taiwan.

[fabianfred]

I recently got myself a Strida 5 from the market at MaeSai/Tachilek for 5,300 Baht ...very useful....but no idea how much they are in official dealers here in thailand. I believe they are 20,000 Korean dollars (20,000 baht) in their country of manufacture.

At that price it must be either a cheap copy or black market. Strida is an English company and the bikes are manufactured in Taiwan.

I haven't seen a real onje close up...but it seems to be exactly like the ones on the internet..... good disc brakes and belt drive....maybe just without tax...so Black market....maybe a Thai would be charged tax on entry......I wasn't..

they also have the Sinclair A bike for sale

Edited March 8, 2009 by fabianfred

[SGDude]

I just got my cheap Carrefour bicycle stolen today. I thought no one would want to steal a plain looking 1950 THB bicycle that looks just like everyone else's bicycle, only newer... Maybe it is because of my lousy lock. Whatever...

Any advice for me? I plan to get another cheap bike for cycling to the MRT. Since I just lost one outside the bike parking lot outside the MRT. Not sure if I would park it there next time... Dunno what I should do now. MAybe get a bloody good lock?

[mr_hippo]

^ Sorry about your loss.

A bicycle lock acts as a deterrent and if anyone wants to steal your bike - they will find a way! There's a high security lock on the market that can be easily opened with a ball-point pen! (No, I won't tell you how!)

Some people say 'Take your front wheel and seat post with you.' That's OK if you have quick release on your wheels and seat post - not so good if you have to use a spanner but.... Look at it from a thief's point of view - "Oh, gosh, someone's beaten me to the wheel, saddle and seat post but those gear levers are OK and the brake levers are not bad either."

Get a good cable lock that is long enough to secure both wheels and frame to a securing point.

Is there an apartment or office block nearby? Ask the security guard if you can park the bike there - you may have to give him a few baht a week.

Do not remove the bubble wrap from the frame. No, it does not have the same effect as 'go faster' stripes that we used to put on cars! Have you noticed that most Thais leave it on until it falls off? It may fool a thief into thinking it's a Thai's bike.

Do not clean your bike. This does not mean that you have to neglect the occesional lube!

[SGDude]

I don't clean my bikes but I remove the bubble wraps. Gonna look funny and obviously new if I don't remove the bubble wraps.

[SGDude]

Deterrence is the key. I don't think the thieves would want to mess around with a New York Fahgettaboudit® U-lock? The reviews look good:

http://www.slate.com/id/2140083/

http://www.amazon.com/Kryptonite-Fahgettab...1248&sr=1-2

I think people won't be motivated to try to break this lock in front of a crowded restaurant during the day or night, especially when the lock is more expensive than the bike itself.

Edited March 9, 2009 by SGDude

[SGDude]

Any idea where I could get the New York Fahgettaboudit® U-lock in BKK?

[sabaijai]

I recently got myself a Strida 5 from the market at MaeSai/Tachilek for 5,300 Baht ...very useful....but no idea how much they are in official dealers here in thailand. I believe they are 20,000 Korean dollars (20,000 baht) in their country of manufacture.

At that price it must be either a cheap copy or black market. Strida is an English company and the bikes are manufactured in Taiwan.

I haven't seen a real onje close up...but it seems to be exactly like the ones on the internet..... good disc brakes and belt drive....maybe just without tax...so Black market....maybe a Thai would be charged tax on entry......I wasn't..

they also have the Sinclair A bike for sale

The original UK Strida website appears to be down. From Wikipedia:

There was a key patent which covered the early Strida1 onwards. The U.S. version of this patent was issued in 1988 and expired in 2008, which means the design used in versions 1 and 2 of the product are now in the public domain. Several other aspects of the latest Strida3 and 5 versions, have current patent cover in various countries, including the folding handle bar system US7243573, hub and locking system US7367632, other patents are pending. The Patents, Trademark, Copyright and other IP is owned by Ming Cycle, Taiwan. There are several clone versions of Strida5 appearing on the market, (sometimes with slight miss-spellings of the trademarked name eg Strda Striga Sorider T-Rider etc.). The clones, although illegal copies, do help achieve the original aim of the Strida - to offer everyone a simple, elegant, and affordable, folding bicycle to link with other forms of transport to make journeys 'Door to Door'.

[Premp]

I recently got myself a Strida 5 from the market at MaeSai/Tachilek for 5,300 Baht ...very useful....but no idea how much they are in official dealers here in thailand. I believe they are 20,000 Korean dollars (20,000 baht) in their country of manufacture.

At that price it must be either a cheap copy or black market. Strida is an English company and the bikes are manufactured in Taiwan.

I haven't seen a real onje close up...but it seems to be exactly like the ones on the internet..... good disc brakes and belt drive....maybe just without tax...so Black market....maybe a Thai would be charged tax on entry......I wasn't..

they also have the Sinclair A bike for sale

fabianfred, would u be able to tell me where about in the market did u find your strida? was it on thai or myanmar side of the border? and how long ago did u get urs?