Bicycle Shop

[elektrified]

Can anyone recommend a bicycle shop? I just need something fairly simple but decent quality; reasonably priced. I looked at one place on Thanon Moon Muang and thought their prices were high. I looked at some used bikes and found them to be over-priced for what they were.

A search in this forum found some old recommendations...

Thanks in advance.

[jackr]

Not Jackie's

[sendbaht]

My love (besides my wife) are bicycles and guitars.

When we first moved to CM we bought 2 so so priced mountain bikes from Top Gear. The owner Khun Cat (that's what I call her) treaded us very well. She has been very professional and the store has wonderful customer service.

We have moved to the other side of town and Jackie's was now closer. We had a few bicycles back in the USA.

To combined a social trip last month we also shipped 2 bicycles and brought 2 racing bikes (Trek Madone's) with us on the plane. We had them disassembled and boxed up the the States. Took them to Jackie's and he put them together for NO CHARGE. Jackie is a star in our books and since have bought many ideas from his store.

[T_Dog]

If you are looking for a new bike, I'd try Chaitawat, although the shop is difficult for most to find. In the old city walking down the Walking Street from Tapae Gate Black Canyon coffee shop, turn left just before Wawee Coffee shop. Go down that street until you cross the 4 way intersection, then Chaitawat is soon on the right. Great shop, but be patient as it is hard to break in and get their attention. I asked them why that is and they told me they get hundreds of tourists just walking through. They never know a serious buyer. Tell them directly that you want to buy a bike and that you live in Chiang Mai. Once they know you, they bend over to help you. A great shop and one of the best technicians in town. They often have last year close-outs for great buys and their inventory rolls over weekly. If you don't see what you like today, wait two weeks and a different set of bikes is in the shop. They don't bargain much on the prices but they seem fairly generous in throwing in accessories.

Top Gear is also a good one to try out and many are very happy with them. Jackie's is probably the best shop in town to buy top-end components, and you always get a discount if you come in with a smile on your face.

Good luck! We are lucky to live in one of the greatest places for cycling in the world.

[Ulysses G.]

If you are looking for a new bike, I'd try Chaitawat, although the shop is difficult for most to find. In the old city walking down the Walking Street from Tapae Gate Black Canyon coffee shop, turn left just before Wawee Coffee shop. Go down that street until you cross the 4 way intersection, then Chaitawat is soon on the right. Great shop...

I liketo shop here as they usually have what I want and some of the others are too high pressure.

[orang37]

Can anyone recommend a bicycle shop? ... snip ...

Hi Khun Elektrified,

I found Jackie's shop, Thanon Chotana, on the left going toward the superhighway from Chang Pluek Gate, gave me a good price, great after-sale support, in a purchase made several years ago. Their price was about 1200 baht cheaper than the same bicycle at Chaitawat's shop (of course I would not generalize from that to making any wider assumption about comparative pricing).

~o:37;

[SomchaiCNX]

Not Jackie's

If you speak a little Thai and know how to smile a little you get the best deal in town.

This is the second time in a week you try to discredit the guy, why?

I have to admid, it took me several years to get used to Jacky myself, looks rude at first, no smooth talking, no English etc. but I'm sure he will not B..S. you when you have problem with your bike.

This is something I can not say from the other shops in town.

[SomchaiCNX]

If you are looking for a new bike, I'd try Chaitawat, although the shop is difficult for most to find. In the old city walking down the Walking Street from Tapae Gate Black Canyon coffee shop, turn left just before Wawee Coffee shop. Go down that street until you cross the 4 way intersection, then Chaitawat is soon on the right. Great shop...

I liketo shop here as they usually have what I want and some of the others are too high pressure.

Only one is famous for high pressure and high prices.

From your place you need to go in the other direction, no need for a GPS to get there.

[T_Dog]

Anyone have any experience with Cherry Bike? I know a lot of Thai riders that use that shop.

Also, I ran into a guy that sells custom bike clothes somewhere near Maejo University. He had some samples on a bike ride to Doi Suthep last year and they were top rate. Has anyone seen that shop? I tried to find it from his directions to no success.

[el jefe]

For road bikes, there are really only two options in CM -- Jacky and Velocity. (o/s CM there is also Spin on Canal Road and Cherry.) I always thought Jacky was lazy and occasionally rude, but his mechanics did the best work in CM. I used to use Jacky's shop all the time, but no more.

I was in there this week for a repair. I was 90% sure what the problem was but I wanted it confirmed by one of the mechanics. I went to Jacky and showed him what was wrong. He spent less than 10 seconds with my bike and told me that the pat cannot be repaired and it needs to be replaced. We're talking a 3500+baht part. I rolled over to Velocity, where they looked at it, lubed the appropriate parts, and the bike works fine now. No charge.

Guess where I'll be going from now on.

[T_Dog]

For road bikes, there are really only two options in CM -- Jacky and Velocity. (o/s CM there is also Spin on Canal Road and Cherry.) I always thought Jacky was lazy and occasionally rude, but his mechanics did the best work in CM. I used to use Jacky's shop all the time, but no more.

I was in there this week for a repair. I was 90% sure what the problem was but I wanted it confirmed by one of the mechanics. I went to Jacky and showed him what was wrong. He spent less than 10 seconds with my bike and told me that the pat cannot be repaired and it needs to be replaced. We're talking a 3500+baht part. I rolled over to Velocity, where they looked at it, lubed the appropriate parts, and the bike works fine now. No charge.

Guess where I'll be going from now on.

Your lucky in that you find someone at Velocity! I've stopped in several times to find no one in the shop. Glad you had good success there though.

[el jefe]

TDog, you're absolutely right. Velocity often has no mechanic available. But they do have a telephone so you'll know before you go. And they're always open if you just need to stop in to buy a part. I'm sure you do most of your own work too.

Spin on Canal Road is probably the best shop in the area but you'll have a similar problem in that it's often closed. It's a one-man shop. The owner (Ton?) is a former multiple winner of the Tour of Thailand. He's a great mechanic, speaks perfect English, and is friendly beyond business sense. He's done pick up and delivery on my bike at no charge. He'll never try to sell you something you don't need.

Between Velocity and Spin there's no need for any other shops in CM.

For road bikes, there are really only two options in CM -- Jacky and Velocity. (o/s CM there is also Spin on Canal Road and Cherry.) I always thought Jacky was lazy and occasionally rude, but his mechanics did the best work in CM. I used to use Jacky's shop all the time, but no more.

I was in there this week for a repair. I was 90% sure what the problem was but I wanted it confirmed by one of the mechanics. I went to Jacky and showed him what was wrong. He spent less than 10 seconds with my bike and told me that the pat cannot be repaired and it needs to be replaced. We're talking a 3500+baht part. I rolled over to Velocity, where they looked at it, lubed the appropriate parts, and the bike works fine now. No charge.

Guess where I'll be going from now on.

Your lucky in that you find someone at Velocity! I've stopped in several times to find no one in the shop. Glad you had good success there though.

[wrbc]

TDog, you're absolutely right. Velocity often has no mechanic available. But they do have a telephone so you'll know before you go. And they're always open if you just need to stop in to buy a part. I'm sure you do most of your own work too.

Spin on Canal Road is probably the best shop in the area but you'll have a similar problem in that it's often closed. It's a one-man shop. The owner (Ton?) is a former multiple winner of the Tour of Thailand. He's a great mechanic, speaks perfect English, and is friendly beyond business sense. He's done pick up and delivery on my bike at no charge. He'll never try to sell you something you don't need.

Between Velocity and Spin there's no need for any other shops in CM.

For road bikes, there are really only two options in CM -- Jacky and Velocity. (o/s CM there is also Spin on Canal Road and Cherry.) I always thought Jacky was lazy and occasionally rude, but his mechanics did the best work in CM. I used to use Jacky's shop all the time, but no more.

I was in there this week for a repair. I was 90% sure what the problem was but I wanted it confirmed by one of the mechanics. I went to Jacky and showed him what was wrong. He spent less than 10 seconds with my bike and told me that the pat cannot be repaired and it needs to be replaced. We're talking a 3500+baht part. I rolled over to Velocity, where they looked at it, lubed the appropriate parts, and the bike works fine now. No charge.

Guess where I'll be going from now on.

Your lucky in that you find someone at Velocity! I've stopped in several times to find no one in the shop. Glad you had good success there though.

i also was helped with my bike only by velocity. my disc brakes were not working, and when i went to all the other shops, they said they didn't have the (cannondale) tools and could not fix them, and they could not even order new brakes for me. i finally stumbled onto velocity. not only did he get both of them working well enough for me to make a demanding tour in the hills offroad, he charged me almost nothing. and the brakes worked very well. and he was also able to order me new ones and put them on for me, quickly and effeciently, when i decided to get new ones, just to be best prepared in the future. i found the owner efficient, very knowledgable, friendly, and willing to honestly try to help me. some of the others only wanted to sell me a new bike or ignore me. i would highly recommend velocity for their knowledge and skill and care!

[jackr]

Not Jackie's

If you speak a little Thai and know how to smile a little you get the best deal in town.

This is the second time in a week you try to discredit the guy, why?

I have to admid, it took me several years to get used to Jacky myself, looks rude at first, no smooth talking, no English etc. but I'm sure he will not B..S. you when you have problem with your bike.

This is something I can not say from the other shops in town.

What a patronising post! So because I don't like the guy, it means I can't speak Thai and don't smile?

As I said in the previous regarding this guy, it doesn't matter on your Thai-speaking prowess or how much you grease up to him, he's an indifferent and dishonourable so and so. You admit yourself it took you several years to get used to him. Why should that be the case, he has a shop for crying out loud.

The other reason I discredit him (if you'd have ingested the other post) is that he reneges on warrantees. He told a friend he couldn't do anything for his newly bought bike (a week before) after there were major problems with the forks and crank... went to Chaitawat to get it sorted. I also had problems with three out of four items I'd bought around the same time and he didn't want to know. Even if we were the grumpiest bastards in the world (which we weren't), he should have sorted us out on the spot.

While he may have the best top-end gear, all that means squat when he doesn't know how to treat customers and follow through on a warrantee.

Anyway, I'm done wasting any more time on the guy. With a bit of luck, people looking for a bike will read this and go elsewhere

[elektrified]

So, it seems that Chaitawat and Jacky's are the two most recommended places to buy a new bike? I don't need anything too fancy and I don't need a dirt bike. Just something to ride around the moobaan for some excercise and take a ride in the area where I live... Price is a concern. There were other shops recommended but as I understand it, they have good, honest mechanics but are not always open, etc. That is good to keep in mind if there are problems on down the road.

I kinda figured asking for a recommendation would invite some disputes among members.

Thanks for everyone's recommendations.

[ianf]

So, it seems that Chaitawat and Jacky's are the two most recommended places to buy a new bike? I don't need anything too fancy and I don't need a dirt bike. Just something to ride around the moobaan for some excercise and take a ride in the area where I live... Price is a concern. There were other shops recommended but as I understand it, they have good, honest mechanics but are not always open, etc. That is good to keep in mind if there are problems on down the road.

I kinda figured asking for a recommendation would invite some disputes among members.

Thanks for everyone's recommendations.

Been up and down Canal Road but can't find Spin - Is it really opposite Moo Nai Fun? Any tips for that and the other bike shops will be useful. Thanks

Incidentally, I'm now in Chiang Mai full time and desparate to get some time on the velodrome, train some kids and do a few time trials of say 16km. Any tips? Anyone want to do the same?

Ia