Where To Find An Affordable Bicycle In Chiang Mai?

[Yelly]

I don't need frills....a brake and a basket are the most I desire. I like the cruiser style - no hills or anything around, so why not go for comfort.

Used/new....doesn't matter. I just want a decent bike that WORKS. I saw new bikes at Carrefour for about 1,300 BAHT, but I wonder if I can find them any cheaper?

Many thanks for any help pointing me in the right direction.

[CMSteve]

Check out the TV classifieds for CM. If you decided to go with a bike from the Carrefour/Big C/ Tesco, make sure it is built well. They usually have a couple of quality levels, and paying 1,300B for a bike that breaks after a month is much more expensive than paying 3,000 - 4,000 for a bike you can use for years.

[briley]

Tesco Lotus,

Often around 890 Baht - not sure how they manage to produce them at that price.

[lannarebirth]

Tesco Lotus,

Often around 890 Baht - not sure how they manage to produce them at that price.

If you'd ever examined one closely and had the pedal break off into your hand you'd know. Really really poorly built as I imagine the 1,300 Baht Carrefour one is.

[MassivePuffin]

I got an old Chinese style bike at the cow market in Sanpatong for 500. Rides fine. It was a while ago but I'm sure they still have them there.

MP

[galaxist]

Im staying on the eastside of town at Inspire House on Rattanakosin Rd. There are two second-hand bicycle shops about 200 meters to the east of my room. Looks like they have a very large selection of cheap bicycles and also some nicer looking bikes. Good luck.

[Yelly]

I got an old Chinese style bike at the cow market in Sanpatong for 500. Rides fine. It was a while ago but I'm sure they still have them there.

MP

Hm. How would one go about getting to Sanpatong without a car or motorbike? I'm sure it's a bit far for a tuktuk or truck?

[Semper]

I got an old Chinese style bike at the cow market in Sanpatong for 500. Rides fine. It was a while ago but I'm sure they still have them there.

MP

Hm. How would one go about getting to Sanpatong without a car or motorbike? I'm sure it's a bit far for a tuktuk or truck?

Taxi. Or you could buy the one you mentioned in your OP, and save yourself a lot of hassle.

[Atmos]

I was very sceptical about the 'cheap' bikes and anti when my partner bought one for her daughter in April 2010, but her money and of course she knows best! - an LA brand, basic cycle with basket on the front, for 2200 baht.

In one year it has been ridden pretty much every school day 6km, often with another girl on the back; ridden in the evenings, weekends, holidays. Borrowed by her cousin (13yr boy) who thinks it is a mountainbike. "Long' trips have been when she tagged along with me on a 20km circuit. I'd borrow it too for trips to the shop 2.5km away.

In that time I've replaced the brake blocks (40 baht), pedals (80 baht, one broke), the basket (160 baht -this month, too many schoolbooks!), kept an eye on tyre pressures, and oiled etc.

I was proven wrong. Some basic maintenance and don't expect any major problems in the coming year either.

[lannarebirth]

I was very sceptical about the 'cheap' bikes and anti when my partner bought one for her daughter in April 2010, but her money and of course she knows best! - an LA brand, basic cycle with basket on the front, for 2200 baht.

In one year it has been ridden pretty much every school day 6km, often with another girl on the back; ridden in the evenings, weekends, holidays. Borrowed by her cousin (13yr boy) who thinks it is a mountainbike. "Long' trips have been when she tagged along with me on a 20km circuit. I'd borrow it too for trips to the shop 2.5km away.

In that time I've replaced the brake blocks (40 baht), pedals (80 baht, one broke), the basket (160 baht -this month, too many schoolbooks!), kept an eye on tyre pressures, and oiled etc.

I was proven wrong. Some basic maintenance and don't expect any major problems in the coming year either.

Yes, the "LA" brand is very good value. Not high performance and not too light, but rather sturdy.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I got an old Chinese style bike at the cow market in Sanpatong for 500. Rides fine. It was a while ago but I'm sure they still have them there.

MP

Hm. How would one go about getting to Sanpatong without a car or motorbike? I'm sure it's a bit far for a tuktuk or truck?

You take the yellow Songthaews that depart from Chiang Mai Gate (where Wua Lai road starts). There are different final destinations but they all go past the Sanpatong buffalo market. Alternatively you can take the blue mid-sized bus to Doi Tao.

Note that this market is on Saturdays.

And on the way back you can ride the bicycle. (Or stick it on top of the aforementioned vehicles.)

Edited May 2, 2011 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Yelly]

I got an old Chinese style bike at the cow market in Sanpatong for 500. Rides fine. It was a while ago but I'm sure they still have them there.

MP

Hm. How would one go about getting to Sanpatong without a car or motorbike? I'm sure it's a bit far for a tuktuk or truck?

You take the yellow Songthaews that depart from Chiang Mai Gate (where Wua Lai road starts). There are different final destinations but they all go past the Sanpatong buffalo market. Alternatively you can take the blue mid-sized bus to Doi Tao.

Note that this market is on Saturdays.

And on the way back you can ride the bicycle. (Or stick it on top of the aforementioned vehicles.)

You have proven time and time again to be a wealth of knowledge and so helpful. Thank you so much.

[cheshiregent]

dont buy a cheap new one it will fall to bits in a week get a second hand one and pay a bit more

remember buy cheap buy twice

[SadieMBeagle]

You take the yellow Songthaews that depart from Chiang Mai Gate (where Wua Lai road starts). There are different final destinations but they all go past the Sanpatong buffalo market. Alternatively you can take the blue mid-sized bus to Doi Tao.

Note that this market is on Saturdays.

And on the way back you can ride the bicycle. (Or stick it on top of the aforementioned vehicles.)

You have proven time and time again to be a wealth of knowledge and so helpful. Thank you so much.

In all seriousness, though...yes, when WTK takes time out from good-naturedly poking fun at the various eccentricities of TV posters, yes, he is very helpful. Especially about buffalo markets (hence the name).

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I got an old Chinese style bike at the cow market in Sanpatong for 500. Rides fine. It was a while ago but I'm sure they still have them there.

MP

Hm. How would one go about getting to Sanpatong without a car or motorbike? I'm sure it's a bit far for a tuktuk or truck?

You take the yellow Songthaews that depart from Chiang Mai Gate (where Wua Lai road starts). There are different final destinations but they all go past the Sanpatong buffalo market. Alternatively you can take the blue mid-sized bus to Doi Tao.

Note that this market is on Saturdays.

And on the way back you can ride the bicycle. (Or stick it on top of the aforementioned vehicles.)

You have proven time and time again to be a wealth of knowledge and so helpful. Thank you so much.

It's a curse; I try to balance it out by being an excruciatingly pedantic pain in the ass whenever possible.

WTK

[SadieMBeagle]

You take the yellow Songthaews that depart from Chiang Mai Gate (where Wua Lai road starts). There are different final destinations but they all go past the Sanpatong buffalo market. Alternatively you can take the blue mid-sized bus to Doi Tao.

Note that this market is on Saturdays.

And on the way back you can ride the bicycle. (Or stick it on top of the aforementioned vehicles.)

You have proven time and time again to be a wealth of knowledge and so helpful. Thank you so much.

In all seriousness, though...yes, when WTK takes time out from good-naturedly poking fun at the various eccentricities of TV posters, he is very helpful. Especially about buffalo markets (hence the name).

[Sparkles]

I was very sceptical about the 'cheap' bikes and anti when my partner bought one for her daughter in April 2010, but her money and of course she knows best! - an LA brand, basic cycle with basket on the front, for 2200 baht.

In one year it has been ridden pretty much every school day 6km, often with another girl on the back; ridden in the evenings, weekends, holidays. Borrowed by her cousin (13yr boy) who thinks it is a mountainbike. "Long' trips have been when she tagged along with me on a 20km circuit. I'd borrow it too for trips to the shop 2.5km away.

In that time I've replaced the brake blocks (40 baht), pedals (80 baht, one broke), the basket (160 baht -this month, too many schoolbooks!), kept an eye on tyre pressures, and oiled etc.

I was proven wrong. Some basic maintenance and don't expect any major problems in the coming year either.

Despite Cheshiregents negativity about anything cheap we bought 2 LA bikes well over 2 years ago at a bike shop on the way to Bantawai for 1100 baht each. Never had a structural or mechanical problem just replaced a couple of tyres and tubes. We use our bikes pretty well every day and being mostly flat land not a problem. Oil and clean them,you wil get your moneys worth.

Yes, the "LA" brand is very good value. Not high performance and not too light, but rather sturdy.

[arunsakda]

If you just want to cruise flat ground the 500 bt Chinese bike sounds cool. If you are interested in fitness, longer rides and exploration I would recommend last years model GIANT Rincon mountain bike for around 7000bt at the big sport shop in Kad Suan Kaew. I actually have a Rincon that I self imported from Taiwan. Decent components, strong alloy wheels. I have been riding it for 2+ years, dozens of times up Suthep etc. Never needed more than basic maintenance and flat repair. If you buy a cheapie it wont last, and they are actually harder to repair as the parts are not that easy to interchange.

Edited May 6, 2011 by arunsakda

[chiangmaiexpat]

I second the recommendation for GIANT bikes. Bought one several years ago for 11K at the bicycle shop in Chang Moi road. Not high end, but great performance and excellent value for money. The shop owners let me try out several models. If you go for a budget bike made-in-China, such as the ones found at Carrefour, Tesco, etc. take a good look at the frame, the joints, the welding, etc. Some of them (not all) are poor quality and most of them are very heavy and not suitable for sport/performance riding.

Cheers, CMX