What Bicycle Do You Ride In Thailand?

[joeaverage]

had a 91 stump jumper, then the first love of my life, Norco rampage cira 93, and got the explosif on insurance when that was stolen in 95. Moved to asia then didnt look at it for 10 years. now im doing about 80k a week.

love it.

[chiangmaiexpat]

You are in good company with this retro-grouch! My Klein Mantra (well, at least the frame) is 19 years old this year. A riding companion up in Mae Taeng hits the trails regularly on a first-model year Specialized Stump Jumper! Now that is retro!

Seriously? If I am not mistaken that's a fully rigid one. Would not want to change it for my FSR, but you can do nice things with these, too, as this video demonstrates:

Cheers, CM-Expat

[pgrahmm]

Trek 7300 Hybrid

[wenne]

Tandem (2 votes [1.48%])

Who are you two?

My wife and I also have a tandem... I was trying to find other Tandem riders inThailand (Thai or Farang)

I started a facebook page, people have been uploading photos riding there Tandem in Thailand

https://www.facebook.com/TandemCyclingThailand

Hi anyone knows where to buy a tandem on the east coast , sri racha, Pattaya rayong?

Tks

Wenne

[alvinlight]

Just got my son last week.

[rebo]

Just got my son last week.

This brings this indian quality product to my mind: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=544820458895195&set=a.544719298905311.1073741828.544698088907432&type=1&theater but on your pic I like the position of the rear fender more ...

Especially the fork seems to be something special: http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/801787420/alloy_front_fork_ECA_326ST.html

Wish you an always safe ride ...

Edited August 9, 2013 by rebo

[T_Dog]

'It's not about the bike'... We've heard THAT before! At any rate, a buddy just completed a 1000 km tour of Northern Thailand taking in Fang, Mae Salong, Chiang Saen, Phayao, and a host of small mountain villages. What is incredible about his trip is that he did it on a well ridden 11,000 baht Kona Fire Mountain. Will try to post his blog here about the adventure. Pure proof you don't have to have expensive gear to have a great time on spokes! His final stats show 5800 meters of climbing before he got back to Chiang Mai.

http://velomai.wordpress.com/

[T_Dog]

Just back from travels and putting the Mantra back together. Love the fact this thing folds up and ships in a 36 inch by 30 inch box. No extra charge with at least Korean Airlines. Great to ride a full size full suspension bike when traveling. Saw some trends in the USA with everyone going to 29ers and 27.5 inch bikes. I always thought my 2.25 tires were big but they were the usually the smallest on most rides. Riding partner there had 2.9 inch tires and that is not considered big anymore.

[chiangmaiexpat]

Saw some trends in the USA with everyone going to 29ers and 27.5 inch bikes.

Same thing in Europe. All the new bikes sold are 29ers, but the second-hand market still has a lot of 26ers. Looks like this year could be the commercial breakthrough of 27.5. I wonder when we will see them in Thailand.

Cheers, CM-Expat

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Saw some trends in the USA with everyone going to 29ers and 27.5 inch bikes.

Same thing in Europe. All the new bikes sold are 29ers, but the second-hand market still has a lot of 26ers. Looks like this year could be the commercial breakthrough of 27.5. I wonder when we will see them in Thailand.

Cheers, CM-Expat

Yeah and a lot of existing 26's can be upgraded to 27.5 if the rear wheel clearance is there. Most of the 26 forks can already go 27.5

I can't post a link to MTBR forum because the retarded TV rules. Do a google search of 'MTBR 650/27.5 forum'. They have lists of 26's that can be 27.5'd

So it's possible to breath new life into a 26.

Still the 29's and 27.5's are sparse for parts in Thailand like Tires and Wheels. Pricey too.

[T_Dog]

Good news about the upgrade possibility to switch to 27.5. By the way, MTBR is a great forum with some of the best product reviews out there.

Another thing I noticed was that 9 speed parts are about non-existent. Bike stores can't get parts and will scrounge their boxes to see what they have left. I stocked up on a few cassettes and derailers from wholesalers on EBAY that were liquidating stock. At some point, will have to make the upgrade to a new bike but will ride out the two frames I have until parts are gone.

[A1Str8]

Cbr 500

Sent from one of my devices using the internet

[villagefarang]

I wonder what kind of a gear ratio one would need to peddle a Cbr 500 up a hill.

[chiangmaiexpat]

At some point, will have to make the upgrade to a new bike but will ride out the two frames I have until parts are gone.

Alternatively, you could do higher jumps or visit bike parks more often to accelerate the frame wear.

Good to see you're back.

Cheers, CM-Expat

[villagefarang]

Good news about the upgrade possibility to switch to 27.5. By the way, MTBR is a great forum with some of the best product reviews out there.

Another thing I noticed was that 9 speed parts are about non-existent. Bike stores can't get parts and will scrounge their boxes to see what they have left. I stocked up on a few cassettes and derailers from wholesalers on EBAY that were liquidating stock. At some point, will have to make the upgrade to a new bike but will ride out the two frames I have until parts are gone.

Spoil yourself this Christmas and get a new bike. You know you deserve it.

[T_Dog]

Good news about the upgrade possibility to switch to 27.5. By the way, MTBR is a great forum with some of the best product reviews out there.

Another thing I noticed was that 9 speed parts are about non-existent. Bike stores can't get parts and will scrounge their boxes to see what they have left. I stocked up on a few cassettes and derailers from wholesalers on EBAY that were liquidating stock. At some point, will have to make the upgrade to a new bike but will ride out the two frames I have until parts are gone.

Spoil yourself this Christmas and get a new bike. You know you deserve it.

Thing is, nothing would work better than the Mantra. The Hope brakes are still 100%, just got a new crank set, hubs are also Hope with replacable sealed bearings, and, as with all six Mantras I have owned, I have never had to service the single pivot point bearing. It is one of those bikes that you just ride and ride and it fits my rather cumbersome frame. So.... No new bike until I break the last of two rear triangles, the only weak spot in the bike.

We rode Pony Canyon today and trail conditions were perfect for blistering downhills. Once we got way back in, we even found some fresh leopard scat. I was a slug on the uphills though as I gained a few pounds being back in the USA for four months. Guy I rode with was a sprinter for Greg LeMonde and he made me hurt!

[hermespan]

You missed 'folding bike'. In my case Flamingo London 7NX

[taony]

Jamis Ventura race road bike

-*I typed this myself*-

[bkkden]

What is a good bike for new rider, 58 years old, just to ride around moobahn for some exercise? My budget is up to Baht 50,000. I see and hear Giant has a lot available here in Bangkok. Cheers!

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[moonoi]

What is a good bike for new rider, 58 years old, just to ride around moobahn for some exercise? My budget is up to Baht 50,000. I see and hear Giant has a lot available here in Bangkok. Cheers!

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

50k you can get yourself a nice bike, with discount you would get something like a Giant Defy/TCR composite, or if you prefer aluminium there is plenty to choose from Trek, Giant, Specialized, Merida etc. Biggest problem I have come across though is if you're tall. I've been limited in what bikes I can buy because of my lanky legs and not many places will special order in larger sizes, even if you offer to pay 100% upfront.

And to answer the question of this thread, I ride a Commencal Meta AM HT for when its muddy, and a Giant TCR Advanced SL ISP for when I want to go fast.

[BirdsandBooze]

I ride a double butted cromoly singlespeed/fixie with flip flop hub and 700 x 25 slicks on over built wheels in Bangkok and outside on the rice plain. I started out riding it fixie only but it is too darned dangerous in BKK, even with front and rear brake operational, so removed the fixed gear cog and fitted a 16 tooth freewheel to complement the 18 tooth freewheel on the other side. Crank is 44 tooth. I've no hills to climb but it does get very windy which is when I use the lower geared 18 tooth side.The 18 tooth is also great for accelerating quickly away from the traffic lights although I do spin out around 30mph. When I want a workout it takes 2 minutes to flip the wheel to the 16 tooth side for harder pedalling but higher top speed. If any one is interested in SS/Fixie cycling there is a good film on YouTube by Lucas Brunelle called Line Of sight.

[bobfish]

B&B

"although I do spin out around 30mph"

I can believe you - a quick calculation makes that a cadence of nearly 160rpm

30kph?

[T_Dog]

The old Mantra was looking rather ragged and I found corrosion in the rims so it was time to build up a new bike. This time, a carbon fiber Mantra. First time using a direct-pull XT rear derailer and they sure work nice. Time will tell how it does up on the trails.

[villagefarang]

The old Mantra was looking rather ragged and I found corrosion in the rims so it was time to build up a new bike. This time, a carbon fiber Mantra. First time using a direct-pull XT rear derailer and they sure work nice. Time will tell how it does up on the trails.

I am running the same Saguaro front and back. A real improvement over my old tires. Any reason for the different tire on the front?

I ride a hard-tail so really don’t know, but the newer innovations in frame and suspension look far less bulky and cumbersome. Any reason for sticking with the older style?

I did a 73 km ride the other day and didn't notice a thing but found my front tire completely flat today. I guess it is time for a little tender loving care at the shop.

[T_Dog]

Putting a bigger tire on the front helps single track handling quite a bit and I got turned on to that decades ago when I was into racing. The trend in the USA is going to much larger tires as it does give you a lot more forgiveness when you hit ruts or loose areas. My 2.25 in the front is pretty small by today's standards.

There are those that hate and those that love the Mantra design. It is known for its single track climbing ability as the angles get steeper if you get out of the saddle. That allows you to have more control climbing very steep terrain. Those days are a bit behind me now, but another feature of this bike is a single pivot point. Most fully suspended bikes have several bearings that all will need service eventually. I have never serviced my pivot pin on any of my seven Mantras until I was repainting and rebuilding the bike. The only tools I need to work on this bike are a crankset wrench, allen tool, and a cable cutter. I am rather tall and hard to fit and this bike fits me perfectly so that is why I am stuck on this design. I also like a bike that doesn't need a lot of maintenance so I can be out there in the woods rather than working on the bike!

[Puwa]

+1 on the Saguaro.

Another nice feature of that Mantra design is the "unified rear triangle," meaning that the bottom bracket and rear axle are mounted to the same frame component without a pivot between. This means that chain length never varies when pedaling on rugged terrain. I have ridden other URT bikes and the difference is noticeable. URT fell out of favor because only the high end bikes had rear suspension capable of overcoming the pedal bob. Retrofitting new high quality air shocks to some of these older frames makes them just as good as the newest designs.

I'm no expert, but it seems to me that bike technology evolves not only because a new design is better than an old, but also for aesthetics, marketing, and fashion.

[villagefarang]

I try to get a fair amount of use out of something before I replace it. Sometimes I just outgrow something and simply want something which better suits my increasing needs and abilities. Even though I am getting older, I still like new stuff. That said, I am about as loyal as a two dollar “hoe” when it comes to brands.

I do not have a racing background and didn’t ride a bike for maybe 30 years, so I don’t have any entrenched notions about one brand being better than another. I would never buy the same thing again, with so much new stuff to tryout. No doubt some would reason that I am a trend and fashion junky and to some extent I would not disagree.

I just put on a new set of Fox shocks on the front, because they were the best my local shop had in stock, and that got me motivated to go out and see how they performed on my normal trails. I was able to feel the difference. I find new stuff motivational and fun, while almost always being an improvement.

[Babooshka]

I used to ride Bianchi bikes in Thailand. Hope they can be seen on these pictures ;-)

[moonoi]

I used to ride Bianchi bikes in Thailand. Hope they can be seen on these pictures ;-)

8291806f3fa47bdc5e092bee0f62cb72.jpg

4a8a8029d39c1a0090c50708db220a58.jpg

Used to? Implying you don't ride anymore, or you've ditched Bianchi?

Or even worse.....left Thailand?

Edited August 7, 2014 by moonoi

[Babooshka]

Used to? Implying you don't ride anymore, or you've ditched Bianchi?

Or even worse.....left Thailand?

I've switched to a BMC