buying a racing bicycle in Thailand

[h90]

I rode bicycle a lot back in Europe and I ask myself if it is possible to get a good bike in Thailand.

Surely I can get all the components, but back in my days it was difficult to find someone who made the wheels (is it called spokes?) perfect, real perfect. And they have to redone after 150 km. Service like that available in Thailand?

[Deserted]

Yes of course, there are many biking clubs and well stocked shops. As long as your initial outlay isn't above $20,000 you will find what you want and there are good enough mechanics. The labour isn't that expensive either.

[Deserted]

There's also a cycling forum, where you will get more replies.

[GuestHouse]

Where are you in Thailand?

Most large towns have a bike shop that can kit you out with a road bike, it really is just a matter of your budget.

My favourite bikes shop is Racha Jakkayan in Sriracha, they don't speak English but provide a professional service and good prices. Their main stock is Bianchi, but they can also supply Trek, Giant, and can supply Colngago or any of the main brands.

I myself ride a Colnago C59 with Campagnolo Super Record Group Set (plus an old Raleigh 753 team bike from my racing days), prior to buying the Colnago I was riding an Aluminium framed Giant with SRAM group set - while I got a good price when I sold the Giant, I do regret selling it as it gave me faultless service over 15,000Kms in two years. The wheels never needed trimming once.

I'd certainly recommend a Giant if you want a quality bike at a reasonable price

I bought the Giant from Numchai bike shop near the traffic lights on the Sukhumvit road Narklua just outside Pattaya - good service, good prices and they speak excellent English.

[NeverSure]

Wheel spokes don't need truing very often. Maybe you're thinking of buying wheels and having them spoked?

I'd have the spokes trued because a tech can do it quickly. You can buy your own truing stand for not too much. Even one made in China will work fine. You just need a spoke wrench to go with it.

There is an exact sequence in which you true the spokes. Here's the best tutorial I know of. It looks a little intimidating but it isn't.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

[Rooo]

Moved to cycling forum.

[h90]

Moved to cycling forum.

thanks, didn't know there is a cycling forum.....

[h90]

Where are you in Thailand?

Most large towns have a bike shop that can kit you out with a road bike, it really is just a matter of your budget.

My favourite bikes shop is Racha Jakkayan in Sriracha, they don't speak English but provide a professional service and good prices. Their main stock is Bianchi, but they can also supply Trek, Giant, and can supply Colngago or any of the main brands.

I myself ride a Colnago C59 with Campagnolo Super Record Group Set (plus an old Raleigh 753 team bike from my racing days), prior to buying the Colnago I was riding an Aluminium framed Giant with SRAM group set - while I got a good price when I sold the Giant, I do regret selling it as it gave me faultless service over 15,000Kms in two years. The wheels never needed trimming once.

I'd certainly recommend a Giant if you want a quality bike at a reasonable price

I bought the Giant from Numchai bike shop near the traffic lights on the Sukhumvit road Narklua just outside Pattaya - good service, good prices and they speak excellent English.

I am in Bangkok. But want to use the bike around Khanom (that is in the area of Nakhon Si Thammerat). I am glad to hear that everything is available. It will be a time till I am ready for the bike. Didn't sit one for 15 years, so the re-start will be frustrating.......

Generally speaking: How is it on the streets in the south? Any chance of not being killed by the next truck within the first 100 km?

(And what is the max. km/h I must be able in a spring so the soi dogs are not biting me )

[h90]

Wheel spokes don't need truing very often. Maybe you're thinking of buying wheels and having them spoked?

I'd have the spokes trued because a tech can do it quickly. You can buy your own truing stand for not too much. Even one made in China will work fine. You just need a spoke wrench to go with it.

There is an exact sequence in which you true the spokes. Here's the best tutorial I know of. It looks a little intimidating but it isn't.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

Back when I was more active, you bought the wheels and let them spoked and most shops did a poor job (sniping with the fingernail on the spokes and every spoke sounds different, some even loose, means it is a very poor job). So it was common to travel to a good shop with a 6 pack beer for the technician who did it......And than as you say truing wasn't needed often (almost never). While the badly made one needed every month.

(to add: I am coming a bit from the country side and I guess no one there really learned how to build a bike correctly).

Good to hear that it is available easily in Thailand :-)

[GuestHouse]

I am in Bangkok. But want to use the bike around Khanom (that is in the area of Nakhon Si Thammerat). I am glad to hear that everything is available. It will be a time till I am ready for the bike. Didn't sit one for 15 years, so the re-start will be frustrating.......

Generally speaking: How is it on the streets in the south? Any chance of not being killed by the next truck within the first 100 km?

(And what is the max. km/h I must be able in a spring so the soi dogs are not biting me )

I got back on the bike after a 20 years, 15 of those years I was suffering debilitating ill health.

My advice is as follows:

Before you start again, go get a full cardio check at the hospital, including stress test.

Start slow - I started with circuits of a local reservoir, one lap of around 22Kms in an hour and 15 minutes. Two years later I was lapping the same circuit in under 32 minutes. Just be patient.

I recommend riding in the early morning, just after sun rise - the roads are a lot quieter and any dogs about are a lot less troublesome.

I bought a heart monitor (Polar with GPS), this is a great motivator as it gives feedback of speed, distance, heat rate when riding and plots maps, work load and fitness data on the Polar website.

Buy some decent riding gear - you can buy copies of pro-kits in Thailand, but I'd recommend ordering from overseas if you can - the original pro-kits are fabulous quality and not expensive - the Thai copies are cheap and nasty.

Helmet - Needs no explanation - but I wear a cotton bandanna under mine to keep the sweat out of my eyes.

Gloves because of spills and the vibration from the road.

Kevlar tires or tire bands to reduce punctures - they really do work.

Shoes, I ride SIDI with Look Quick Release cleats, get these set up properly by the bike shop to ensure you don't get problems with your knees.

Sunglasses are a must - I use Oakley Livstrong TdF Jawbones, they have exchangeable vented lenses, the vents allow air to your eyes (a must) and the lenses come in a variety of shades. I have grey and night vision yellow which I use for riding in half light (they work).

Apart from avoiding strong light to your eyes, my glasses almost certainly saved one of my eyes when a stone thrown up by a passing truck hit my right lens dead centre - The lens was damaged to the point that I had to replace it for new - That would have been my eye.

Hydration - you need to drink a lot of water. Keep an eye on your electrolyte intake, you certainly need to take electrolyte but be careful you do not over do it.

I usually restrict myself to one sachet a week watered down in one large 1.5 litre bottle of water which I drink over a whole day - not one large intake.

Lights - I use flashing rear lights, and a fixed front light - Plus I have white flashing LED lights strapped to the front of my forks. I position these so that they are obscured from my sight in my normal riding position by the handle bars, otherwise they are a pain in the eye.

I put my lights on in half light and of course I try to avoid riding in the dark.

Choose your routes - I recommend circuits so that you work your way around back to the start. As you are in Bangkok, consider driving down to Bang Phra Reservoir near Sriracha - the circuit around the reservoir is mobbed with cyclists on a weekend, so the drivers of vehicles in the area are very used to seeing cyclists. There are also a lot of side routes, for example up to Khao Khiow, Khong Dhara etc.

I recommend one lap around the reservoir to start and build up as you go along.

Welcome back to cycling, I hope the above helps

GH

Edited July 3, 2014 by GuestHouse

[h90]

I am in Bangkok. But want to use the bike around Khanom (that is in the area of Nakhon Si Thammerat). I am glad to hear that everything is available. It will be a time till I am ready for the bike. Didn't sit one for 15 years, so the re-start will be frustrating.......

Generally speaking: How is it on the streets in the south? Any chance of not being killed by the next truck within the first 100 km?

(And what is the max. km/h I must be able in a spring so the soi dogs are not biting me )

I got back on the bike after a 20 years, 15 of those years I was suffering debilitating ill health.

My advice is as follows:

Before you start again, go get a full cardio check at the hospital, including stress test.

Start slow - I started with circuits of a local reservoir, one lap of around 22Kms in an hour and 15 minutes. Two years later I was lapping the same circuit in under 32 minutes. Just be patient.

I recommend riding in the early morning, just after sun rise - the roads are a lot quieter and any dogs about are a lot less troublesome.

I bought a heart monitor (Polar with GPS), this is a great motivator as it gives feedback of speed, distance, heat rate when riding and plots maps, work load and fitness data on the Polar website.

Buy some decent riding gear - you can buy copies of pro-kits in Thailand, but I'd recommend ordering from overseas if you can - the original pro-kits are fabulous quality and not expensive - the Thai copies are cheap and nasty.

Helmet - Needs no explanation - but I wear a cotton bandanna under mine to keep the sweat out of my eyes.

Gloves because of spills and the vibration from the road.

Kevlar tires or tire bands to reduce punctures - they really do work.

Shoes, I ride SIDI with Look Quick Release cleats, get these set up properly by the bike shop to ensure you don't get problems with your knees.

Sunglasses are a must - I use Oakley Livstrong TdF Jawbones, they have exchangeable vented lenses, the vents allow air to your eyes (a must) and the lenses come in a variety of shades. I have grey and night vision yellow which I use for riding in half light (they work).

Apart from avoiding strong light to your eyes, my glasses almost certainly saved one of my eyes when a stone thrown up by a passing truck hit my right lens dead centre - The lens was damaged to the point that I had to replace it for new - That would have been my eye.

Hydration - you need to drink a lot of water. Keep an eye on your electrolyte intake, you certainly need to take electrolyte but be careful you do not over do it.

I usually restrict myself to one sachet a week watered down in one large 1.5 litre bottle of water which I drink over a whole day - not one large intake.

Lights - I use flashing rear lights, and a fixed front light - Plus I have white flashing LED lights strapped to the front of my forks. I position these so that they are obscured from my sight in my normal riding position by the handle bars, otherwise they are a pain in the eye.

I put my lights on in half light and of course I try to avoid riding in the dark.

Choose your routes - I recommend circuits so that you work your way around back to the start. As you are in Bangkok, consider driving down to Bang Phra Reservoir near Sriracha - the circuit around the reservoir is mobbed with cyclists on a weekend, so the drivers of vehicles in the area are very used to seeing cyclists. There are also a lot of side routes, for example up to Khao Khiow, Khong Dhara etc.

I recommend one lap around the reservoir to start and build up as you go along.

Welcome back to cycling, I hope the above helps

GH

I am writting in blue between your recommendations so it is clear which answer goes to which sentence.

I got back on the bike after a 20 years, 15 of those years I was suffering debilitating ill health.

My advice is as follows:

Before you start again, go get a full cardio check at the hospital, including stress test.

Start slow - I started with circuits of a local reservoir, one lap of around 22Kms in an hour and 15 minutes. Two years later I was lapping the same circuit in under 32 minutes. Just be patient.

nice....yes patience will be the problem.....

I recommend riding in the early morning, just after sun rise - the roads are a lot quieter and any dogs about are a lot less troublesome.

I bought a heart monitor (Polar with GPS), this is a great motivator as it gives feedback of speed, distance, heat rate when riding and plots maps, work load and fitness data on the Polar website.

Speed and frequency on the pedals is a must for me. To always focus smooth high rpms. Heart monitor, I don't know.....

Buy some decent riding gear - you can buy copies of pro-kits in Thailand, but I'd recommend ordering from overseas if you can - the original pro-kits are fabulous quality and not expensive - the Thai copies are cheap and nasty.

riding gear...do you mean the clothes, or the saddle?

Helmet - Needs no explanation - but I wear a cotton bandanna under mine to keep the sweat out of my eyes.

I always went without, but well at home the traffic is different.

Gloves because of spills and the vibration from the road.

Kevlar tires or tire bands to reduce punctures - they really do work.

My days there were the big arguments if the glued on the wheel tires or that who look the same as the motorbike ones are the better one. I always had these who are glued but I think that is outdated now.

Shoes, I ride SIDI with Look Quick Release cleats, get these set up properly by the bike shop to ensure you don't get problems with your knees.

I can adjust these :-) Always did :-)

Sunglasses are a must - I use Oakley Livstrong TdF Jawbones, they have exchangeable vented lenses, the vents allow air to your eyes (a must) and the lenses come in a variety of shades. I have grey and night vision yellow which I use for riding in half light (they work).

Apart from avoiding strong light to your eyes, my glasses almost certainly saved one of my eyes when a stone thrown up by a passing truck hit my right lens dead centre - The lens was damaged to the point that I had to replace it for new - That would have been my eye.

Yes

Hydration - you need to drink a lot of water. Keep an eye on your electrolyte intake, you certainly need to take electrolyte but be careful you do not over do it.

I usually restrict myself to one sachet a week watered down in one large 1.5 litre bottle of water which I drink over a whole day - not one large intake.

Lights - I use flashing rear lights, and a fixed front light - Plus I have white flashing LED lights strapped to the front of my forks. I position these so that they are obscured from my sight in my normal riding position by the handle bars, otherwise they are a pain in the eye.

would you use the lights on the day also? too many crazy car driver. Or is it no help?

I put my lights on in half light and of course I try to avoid riding in the dark.

Choose your routes - I recommend circuits so that you work your way around back to the start. As you are in Bangkok, consider driving down to Bang Phra Reservoir near Sriracha - the circuit around the reservoir is mobbed with cyclists on a weekend, so the drivers of vehicles in the area are very used to seeing cyclists. There are also a lot of side routes, for example up to Khao Khiow, Khong Dhara etc.

I recommend one lap around the reservoir to start and build up as you go along.

Will do it in the South Khanom area.

Welcome back to cycling, I hope the above helps

thx. It will be a while. We just bought the land, than we build a small house which we want to use weekends. So it will be several month in the future. But now I can't await it.....

GH