hel_l On Two Wheels!

[Dustoff]

~

Okay, the old lady is nagging me to get off my butt..

Looking for a good quality bicycle but no need 15-21-46 speeds. I am old..

A very nice 3-5 speed bike would be great but do not want a Lotus quality (been there, tried that) clunker. Anybody want one? A real steering nightmare, if you are not careful, it will fling you into the street in a heartbeat. Cheap. Free!

Has anyone found a good quality shop that offers something other than zillion-speed racing machines?

If so, FULL directions, please!

Much appreciated...

[acehealing]

these are the shops I know about

http://www.chiangmaicycling.org/bicycleshops.shtml

if your not in a huge hurry check them out

Hope that helps

[DoctorWasabi]

There are three bike shops on Chang Moi, heading away from the moat. The first one Top Bike is the most expensive, mountain bike style. These can be very comfortable, especially the full suspension, because the bounce alot (take up the road shock) Pricey.

I forget the next one, as it is a combo bike and motorcycle shop. Medium expensive.

The third one, is on a one way street (you enter going the wrong way!) that splits diagonally off to the right a couple of blocks down (toward the Ping River). It may be just before the little canal bridge. Up the street about 20meters. On the right. Motorcycle and bicycle parts in front, often putting together a cruiser bike with a spring loaded seat that you might like. There is an English speaking girl there who is about 25 and wears glasses.

I found their prices to be the best.

You might also ask the folks at the Sunday Cycling Club where to go, as they have a 300 person network of frequent and infrequent riders, many over 50 years old, who might have suggestions on where to get the bike you want. You can get more info by calling Niramdon at 053234094.

Sorry I'm not in CM any more for a while, or I'd show you the shop myself. Good Luck. The Sunday club is a great group to start riding with, very friendly, short rides, some English speakers. They meet on Sunday at 7am for a ride. I think they swing by at 8am to pick up late comers, but I'm not sure.

[rrose070]

Good Lord, I'm jumping on board!

Does anyone have an opinion about the sort of bicycles with motorsw I have seen? They don't look like a moto, so if they're good I could ride one without terrifying myself (having already met a number of doctors and police in my last moto crash)

[polecat]

There are a couple of bike shops up Chotana Rd, on the left, before you hit the Novotel. I bought a Raleigh for 3 or 4 grand (replete with mary poppins basket, I'm that cool) and have been very happy with it.

There's also one inside the Novotel development, on the corner next to Rimping - though on reflection this might be one of those zillion gear specialist places.

[Dustoff]

~

Great recommendations since my OP!

Did the whole dang town today - checked many shops recommended then did the Chiang Moi ones. Didn't find what I wanted and many shops were still closed after the holiday I suppose. Caught in the nightmare traffic of the market at the end of Chiang Moi Rd, I gave up for the day.

Or so I thought.

Wife wanted to stop at the Hangdong Rd Lotus and found me a rightous 6-speed and good quality bike way up on the third tier of the bike racks near the ceiling. I terrorized quite a few customers test-riding it around in the store and Lotus is delivering it tomorrow morning. Just under 5k baht and I am a happy camper...

Thanks for all of your recommedations! Will contact the riders club just out of curiousity but when it comes to riding with others I am far more of a chopper kinda guy...

[Ulysses G.]

There are three bike shops on Chang Moi, heading away from the moat.  The first one Top Bike is  the most expensive

Top Gear is probably the most expensive bike shop in Chiang Mai, but I will admit that the Thai woman who runs it is quite knowledgeable about what she is doing and her English is great, however, her Canadian husband - unfortunately - has passed on a bunch of high pressure selling techniques to the sales staff.

I bought a certain bike from them many years ago because I liked its look - and they knew it - and they told me that it was the last of its type available in Thailand and that they wouldn't be getting any more.

They also told me that there were no good street-style bikes available in Thailand at that time.

Within a couple of days I saw 4 or 5 of exactly the same model in front of their store and I found out that the street bikes that I was looking for were for sale in Bangkok and also Chiang Rai, so ended up a little disgruntled.

Recently, I was looking for a new bike and found one that I liked in their shop for 15,000 baht, but after looking around for a few days saw the same one for 10,000 baht in another shop and bought it.

They are worth checking out, but, buyer beware!