Great bicycle shop experience: Chaitawat Bike Shop

[bamboozled]

This bike shop was mentioned in a post about 3 weeks ago. I will copy and paste some info and the coordinates from that post at the bottom of this one. I went today to get some repairs on an old hybrid bike and the folks were just so amazingly friendly and cooperative and accommodating. And they repaired and replaced a bunch of stuff right away, in about 45 minutes while I waited. This is after I went back and forth a bit on how much I wanted to spend and what I wanted to replace. The mechanic was super nice also and in the end told me to spend less and just make the bike ridable which saved me at least 3000 baht and the bike "feels" new. I can't say enough about how nice an experience it was. I don't know if they will have what you are looking for in bikes or if their prices are high or low (for my parts and the labor it seemed plenty fair) but they are super nice people. This is after years of taking my bike to LA Bicycle on the corner of the moat which I would say is on the far opposite end of the "super nice people" scale. Give this place a try, they deserve it!

The post from 3 weeks ago: "Chaitawat Bike Shop is this month’s featured bike shop in Thailand. This small but well stocked shop is located inside the old section of Chiang Mai city. Situated on the corner of Ratpakinai Road and soi 6, opposite the Bodhi Serene Hotel, the Chaitawat Bike Shop is a great find for visitors who are staying in the boutique hotels and guesthouses of ‘Old Chiang Mai.’ Chaitawat Bike Shop has been in its current location for many years and the owners claim that it is one of the first bike shops to open in Chiang Mai. The Chaitawat sign is written in Thai script but theshop is easy to see from the road as it has bicycles displayed on the sidewalk in front of the shop. As always, you can use our handy GPS coordinates to help you find the shop on Google Maps."

Chaitawat Bike Shop
75/4 Ratpakinai Road
T. Phra Sing A. Mueang Chiang Mai
50200
ภาษาไทย [+]
Tel: 053-279-890, 081-626-2590
GPS – N 18 47.063, E 98 59.427

[Ulysses G.]

My favorite bike shop in town. Nice people. Good prices. Good service.

[CNXBKKMAN]

My favorite bike shop in town. Nice people. Good prices. Good service.

I agree its a good shop. Prices are good and they have decent bikes and gear. I was chatting to them the other day and they said they could order me a Surly Ogre no problem even though they don't stock Surly normally.

[Microwave]

I bought a Trek brand mountain bike at Chaitawat a few years back and haven't had any issues with the bike at all. I once had a punctured tyre, but that comes with the territory here. Can't go wrong with Chaitawat.

[lisu]

Chaitawat are simply wonderful - I've had nothing but good experiences from them. They have always gone out of their way to be helpful whenever I've visited. They remind me very much of the small bicycle shop back in my home town, where the owners always had a smile, and time for their customers.

This is a complete contrast to Jacky Bike, who I've tried a couple of times (usually only if Chaitawat have been closed), and unfortunately found to be incredibly rude, and elitist each time.

[long klong]

I wish we had a shop like Chaitawat in Phuket . All we have is a monopoly of one shop in Thalang. A bit of competition will do them good!

[Lunghans]

Similar experience in Nakhon Ratchasima at the Two Wheels Shop where I bought my Trek 3900. Opposite the Military Hospital near Bung Ta Lua water park. Friendly and professional staff.

[ataloss]

We purchased two bicycles from the Chaitawat husband and wife team within the last two decades: honorable and kind people who go out of their way to assist.

My most recent purchase was a 'Trek Fuel Ex 5, Full- Suspension' which they ordered from afar. This is a great bike for anyone with back issues. Both came to our house on occasion after their shop closed for the day to attend to set-up; free of charge, I might add.

I heartily recommend the Chaitawats for anyone interested in cycling - being it purchasing, ordering something special, maintenance, or acquiring the latest cycling accessories.

Edited June 13, 2014 by ataloss

[intel4004]

We purchased two bicycles from the Chaitawat husband and wife team within the last two decades: honorable and kind people who go out of their way to assist.

My most recent purchase was a 'Trek Fuel Ex 5, Full- Suspension' which they ordered from afar. This is a great bike for anyone with back issues. Both came to our house on occasion after their shop closed for the day to attend to set-up; free of charge, I might add.

I heartily recommend the Chaitawats for anyone interested in cycling - being it purchasing, ordering something special, maintenance, or acquiring the latest cycling accessories.

Just saw your post, made me think of my Bike E AT back in the UK. Been riding recumbents since 97' due to the very same issues as you and can heartedly recommend them. I'm only here for the next 4.5 months but I'm missing my bent.

[elektrified]

It's not "L.A. Bicycle", it's Song Jakayan. L.A. Bicycle is a brand they carry. I bought 2 bikes there and have been going there for several years and can't say enough good things about them. Rarely do they ever charge me for anything except parts and even then it's practically nothing. The daughter is a very nice person and the mechanics have always been nice and very helpful. You must have rubbed her or her family the wrong way to make a comment like you did. I've bought bikes from other bike shops in town but prefer Song Jakayan. Haven't tried the shop you are recommending though.

[junglechef]

We purchased two bicycles from the Chaitawat husband and wife team within the last two decades: honorable and kind people who go out of their way to assist.

My most recent purchase was a 'Trek Fuel Ex 5, Full- Suspension' which they ordered from afar. This is a great bike for anyone with back issues. Both came to our house on occasion after their shop closed for the day to attend to set-up; free of charge, I might add.

I heartily recommend the Chaitawats for anyone interested in cycling - being it purchasing, ordering something special, maintenance, or acquiring the latest cycling accessories.

I also have a Trek Fuel Full-Susp and wanted to say that I though I'm not old, just a middle aged gent in decent shape with out back problems ect. I find having full suspension makes me not only less tired but much less sore from minimizing getting bumped around. The rear shock does add some weight but can be offset by having a carbon frame but if your just riding around a few km/hrs slower isnt going to make a difference.

As I've had terrbile expericnces with every bike shop in town i've been to I'll try Chalitwat again as last time they were nice enough but whomever was trying to help me seem to never had ridden a bike before.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

We purchased two bicycles from the Chaitawat husband and wife team within the last two decades: honorable and kind people who go out of their way to assist.

My most recent purchase was a 'Trek Fuel Ex 5, Full- Suspension' which they ordered from afar. This is a great bike for anyone with back issues. Both came to our house on occasion after their shop closed for the day to attend to set-up; free of charge, I might add.

I heartily recommend the Chaitawats for anyone interested in cycling - being it purchasing, ordering something special, maintenance, or acquiring the latest cycling accessories.

Looking for a bike, checked out this shop.

Checked out the shop on the next corner of the moat

18.795823, 98.991608

For a Merida Crossway 300D, Chaitawat was 1,000bht more expensive (19,500 Vs 18,500bht)

The other bikes the shops had in common were all cheaper in the other shop.

It might be a great shop, but you are paying a 5% premium.

[jobin]

I looked at the selection of fine bikes at Chit Bike shop. IMO, a very limited offering of high end types only. I saw no bike, well maybe a kid bike, under 12K TB. Out of my range and need. I don't need big suspension, skinny or fat tires, lack of fenders, baskets or rear carrires, or the high theft risk which goes along. Nice folks, though.

[eyecatcher]

We purchased two bicycles from the Chaitawat husband and wife team within the last two decades: honorable and kind people who go out of their way to assist.

My most recent purchase was a 'Trek Fuel Ex 5, Full- Suspension' which they ordered from afar. This is a great bike for anyone with back issues. Both came to our house on occasion after their shop closed for the day to attend to set-up; free of charge, I might add.

I heartily recommend the Chaitawats for anyone interested in cycling - being it purchasing, ordering something special, maintenance, or acquiring the latest cycling accessories.

Looking for a bike, checked out this shop.

Checked out the shop on the next corner of the moat

18.795823, 98.991608

For a Merida Crossway 300D, Chaitawat was 1,000bht more expensive (19,500 Vs 18,500bht)

The other bikes the shops had in common were all cheaper in the other shop.

It might be a great shop, but you are paying a 5% premium.

Like every purchase/investment in life it not all about the money and the small saving that can be made.

I have never ben to either shop but reading reviews about chaitawat and the ongoing free customers service, in the scheme of things a 1000bt surcharge (if it actually is) is still a no brainer.

For me you remember service and quality long after you remember the price.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Like every purchase/investment in life it not all about the money and the small saving that can be made.

I have never ben to either shop but reading reviews about chaitawat and the ongoing free customers service, in the scheme of things a 1000bt surcharge (if it actually is) is still a no brainer.

For me you remember service and quality long after you remember the price.

Work on bikes is generally very cheap,

1000bht of work @ 50bht a time would need a lot of visits.

I would buy from the cheapest source, mail order if possible, and shop around for repairs.

Most shops doing upgrades, fit them for free.

NO Thai customers in the shop, only foreigners, always a bad sign.

Chaitawat also have a sign outside, air 5bht, most places it's free.

Chaitawat are located in a tourist, backpacker area, I suspect they smile a lot, speak English and gouge mercilessly, foreigners often confuse smiles with value for money.

I prefer to buy from Thais that don't interact with foreigners too much, Thais used to doing business with foreigners tend to be greedy.

I import a lot of electronic goods from the USA, 25-30% cheaper than in Thailand.

When anything goes wrong, never had a problem getting repaired locally, free or paid, still cheaper.

Edited July 1, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican

[CNXBKKMAN]

I have used Chaitawat bike shop quite a bit over the years and they normally discount everything by a small amount when you buy it. They do this without you asking. For example even something like two bottle cages marked at 150 baht each. You pay 300 and they do at 270 - 280 baht. The last thing I bought was 2 bontrager tyres and they were discounted when I payed for them.

If you were buying a bike and you mentioned they were cheaper elsewhere I am sure they would do something with the price.

[CNXBKKMAN]

Like every purchase/investment in life it not all about the money and the small saving that can be made.

I have never ben to either shop but reading reviews about chaitawat and the ongoing free customers service, in the scheme of things a 1000bt surcharge (if it actually is) is still a no brainer.

For me you remember service and quality long after you remember the price.

Work on bikes is generally very cheap,

1000bht of work @ 50bht a time would need a lot of visits.

I would buy from the cheapest source, mail order if possible, and shop around for repairs.

Most shops doing upgrades, fit them for free.

NO Thai customers in the shop, only foreigners, always a bad sign.

Chaitawat also have a sign outside, air 5bht, most places it's free.

Chaitawat are located in a tourist, backpacker area, I suspect they smile a lot, speak English and gouge mercilessly, foreigners often confuse smiles with value for money.

I prefer to buy from Thais that don't interact with foreigners too much, Thais used to doing business with foreigners tend to be greedy.

I import a lot of electronic goods from the USA, 25-30% cheaper than in Thailand.

When anything goes wrong, never had a problem getting repaired locally, free or paid, still cheaper.

Your right about Chaitawat being in a backpacker at area. They have a sign saying "No Bikes for Rent" as they must get sick of tourists asking to rent the bikes. I think the air for 5 baht is way to minimize the trouble of pumping the tyres free of charge for the hundreds of guest house rented bikes that are in the area.

As I said in my other post they seem to discount everything when you make purchase . If thats gouging long may it continue.

I use other bike shops too not just this one. Chaitawat have a very small shop, you can hardly move when you are inside and they don't speak English very well either so it's not all good.

[Ulysses G.]

Chaitawat also have a sign outside, air 5bht, most places it's free.

All I can say is that they have never charged me and I fill up there every so often. I have offered a 5 baht coin numerous times and they always turned the money down. I see mostly Thai customers and I pass by almost every day.

[Puwa]

You "suspect they gouge merilessly"? What a terrible thing to insinuate, based on no experience. Borderline slanderous.

While we're suspecting, I suspect that you have no idea what you're talking about. If you did, you would know that the "Thai style" of buying something like a bicycle in a local shop involves a good bit of friendly chatter which results in a nice discount. That's what happened when I bought a Trek at Chaitawat in 2005 anyway.

The farang way, as you seem to practice it, is to march into the shop, turn your nose up at the sticker price, then gripe on the internet.

Like every purchase/investment in life it not all about the money and the small saving that can be made.

I have never ben to either shop but reading reviews about chaitawat and the ongoing free customers service, in the scheme of things a 1000bt surcharge (if it actually is) is still a no brainer.

For me you remember service and quality long after you remember the price.

Work on bikes is generally very cheap,

1000bht of work @ 50bht a time would need a lot of visits.

I would buy from the cheapest source, mail order if possible, and shop around for repairs.

Most shops doing upgrades, fit them for free.

NO Thai customers in the shop, only foreigners, always a bad sign.

Chaitawat also have a sign outside, air 5bht, most places it's free.

Chaitawat are located in a tourist, backpacker area, I suspect they smile a lot, speak English and gouge mercilessly, foreigners often confuse smiles with value for money.

I prefer to buy from Thais that don't interact with foreigners too much, Thais used to doing business with foreigners tend to be greedy.

I import a lot of electronic goods from the USA, 25-30% cheaper than in Thailand.

When anything goes wrong, never had a problem getting repaired locally, free or paid, still cheaper.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

You "suspect they gouge merilessly"? What a terrible thing to insinuate, based on no experience. Borderline slanderous.

While we're suspecting, I suspect that you have no idea what you're talking about. If you did, you would know that the "Thai style" of buying something like a bicycle in a local shop involves a good bit of friendly chatter which results in a nice discount. That's what happened when I bought a Trek at Chaitawat in 2005 anyway.

The farang way, as you seem to practice it, is to march into the shop, turn your nose up at the sticker price, then gripe on the internet.

As the shop is located in a Tourist backpacker area of town, and one poster has already stated they don't speak English, I don't think they would be having much friendly chatter with many foreigner customers. (Can't really speak from my own experience as I didn't try to speak English with them)

Also

Not being white myself, I don't get to do anything the farang way.

But can tell you, the Thai way is to shop in shops where the same items are on sale for cheaper advertised prices, then haggle them down even more.

Edited July 1, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican

[Ulysses G.]

They do speak English. At least some of them do and they are the ones that usually wait on customers who can't speak Thai.

[properjob]

The guy who is putting the shop down never shops there, but suspects the place of engaging in all kinds of scurrilous activities. That uninformed rubbish goes right in the bin where it belongs.

I bought a bicycle from Chaitawat more than two years ago. They were happy to talk to me in English, and perfectly happy to haggle with me on price. Ever since, I only have to turn up and they remember me, and don't hesitate to give me a discount on the sticker price on anything, whether it's an expensive set of tires or a cheap inner tube.

Great shop, well worthy of the recommendations here, and totally undeserving of criticism from trolls who have never even shopped there.

pj

[AnotherOneAmerican]

The guy who is putting the shop down never shops there, but suspects the place of engaging in all kinds of scurrilous activities. That uninformed rubbish goes right in the bin where it belongs.

I bought a bicycle from Chaitawat more than two years ago. They were happy to talk to me in English, and perfectly happy to haggle with me on price. Ever since, I only have to turn up and they remember me, and don't hesitate to give me a discount on the sticker price on anything, whether it's an expensive set of tires or a cheap inner tube.

Great shop, well worthy of the recommendations here, and totally undeserving of criticism from trolls who have never even shopped there.

pj

I was shopping for a bike there today, they only had 48cm in the shop, which is a bit small.

Them and the other shop are both looking for a 52" to quote me on.

I went there because of the good reviews on Tv.

Was disappointed with the actuality.

Didn't seem special to me.

How else can one shop?

Read onine reviews then see for yourself seems the right way for me.

And another thing,

All the bikes were chained very closely together, couldn't sit on them, couldn't pick them up to judge weight.

Edited July 1, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican

[CNXBKKMAN]

If you are interested in any of the bikes they will unchain, allow you to sit on them , feel the weight etc. it is a small shop so bikes are stacked up a bit to get best use of every square inch of floor space.

If I was after a new bike I would visit Chaitawat, velocity, jacky bike etc. see what's out there. If the correct size is not available they all can normally order one from Bangkok.

[Myshkin]

Bought a Trek 4300 last November at Chaitawat shop and got discounts on all subsequent purchases of accessories. They showed me a few bikes that could match my requirements and then unchained the bike I was interested in so I could try it in the street outside the shop. As the model was a bit too small for me, they unwrapped a larger one they had just received from its original package for me to test. Friendly staff and extremely happy with the bike and the service. Will definitively return.

Prior to this, I also visited Jacky Bike and was looking at the bikes and accessories for approximately 15 minutes without anybody even acknowledging my presence, so I thought they were not really hungry for sales, won't return.

[ataloss]

Bought a Trek 4300 last November at Chaitawat shop and got discounts on all subsequent purchases of accessories. They showed me a few bikes that could match my requirements and then unchained the bike I was interested in so I could try it in the street outside the shop. As the model was a bit too small for me, they unwrapped a larger one they had just received from its original package for me to test. Friendly staff and extremely happy with the bike and the service. Will definitively return.

Prior to this, I also visited Jacky Bike and was looking at the bikes and accessories for approximately 15 minutes without anybody even acknowledging my presence, so I thought they were not really hungry for sales, won't return.

"...was looking at the bikes and accessories for approximately 15 minutes without anybody even acknowledging my presence, so I thought they were not really hungry for sales...."

This is a bad thing?? I wish other stores would take this as the norm, allowing customers the time and space to observe, make up their minds, and then nod or gesture to a salesclerk to finalize their shopping choice.

As is frequently the case when shopping most anywhere in Thailand, you are followed like a shadow by not one but several sale-hungry clerks.

Have never shopped at JB, nor do I even know where it is; but if a bit of shopping freedom is their norm, I will make a comparison visit.

Cheers...

[bikerlou47]

LA Bicycle is just another of many corrupt companies in Thailand!

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[junglechef]

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LA Bicycle is just another of many corrupt companies in Thailand!


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I bought a few for my kids, they are ok but not of quality (nor price) of some of the other options out there. Doubt I would buy another but why do you say this?

A bad experience that you could share or an example of their corruption?

Edited July 3, 2014 by junglechef

[onthedarkside]

Let me remind members that 'name & shame' or defamation is strictly not allowed on Thaivisa.

[bikerlou47]

Biking is a big sport in Thailand go into any quality bike shop in Thailand there is not one bike that is made in Thailand! LA Bike makes sure that all quality bikes carry that big import tax which allows LA to demand a higher price for their product.singha does exactly the same thing why make a variety of beers when they can sell their crap at a higher price! Also these guys are also partners in other businesses !

Think about it why are there no quality bikes or quality beer made in Thailand!

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