I visit Chiang Mai 6 weeks a year and was thinking of bringing my bike from the states (where cheaper) and leaving it there.

It was about $250 from Costco (basic mountain bike/commuter).,

From looking at shops in Chiang Mai seems will cost about 16,000 baht for basically similar (Trek model though) so might make sense to bring this over and leave it.

In past I've heard bikes brought in with no issues, you need to claim you will take it back home with you though, and recommendation to make it look dirty(?)

However I've heard there's new customs crack-downs (heard more in context of purses and such)

Think I'll have any problems / what is strategy if so?

If so, how much would it cost for the duty?

Any chance they'd right down you brought it in, and if you don't take it home you pay big duty on it?

If I could find a reasonable bike for about 10,000 there I guess less trouble, but most shops seemed to have more high end name brand stuff (I think the Thai's want the name brand for status symbol), or too cheap like at Tesco.

thanks

interesting question dthisb . . . i'll be flying back to LOS shortly myself, then onto CM. I'd like to bring my 40k+ baht Trek MTB also . . but never heard of a, 'you have to take it back' rule though. Is this for real? i'd like to know too.

(i just wanna ride it around a while, then when i leave . . let wifey & co use it til i return)

I entered at CNX with a bike in August, no problem. Also important is to see if your airline charges extra to carry a bike; some charge $200, which is enough to make carrying in a cheap bike a false economy, since cheap bikes are plentiful here. The customs exemption for bikes really comes in handy for more expensive bikes, which can be much costlier here, less widely available second-hand, and hard to find in large sizes

I have brought in one through CNX and 2 or 3 through BKK. No questions asked.

I too have brought my bike in and out of Thailand multiple times without issue. If the bike is brand new however, and doesn't appear to have been ridden, that might raise some eyebrows.

I got pulled aside last year coming into CNX with a bike box as they thought it was a television. As soon as I explained it was a mountain bike, I was waved on through. CNX seems biker-friendly from my two times in with bikes.

I have brought in one through CNX and 2 or 3 through BKK. No questions asked.

How much did you have to pay to the airline for bringing the bikes with you?

I have brought in one through CNX and 2 or 3 through BKK. No questions asked.

How much did you have to pay to the airline for bringing the bikes with you?

It depends on the airline. Korean Airlines allows you to check a bike box as one of your allowed two pieces of checked luggage. Just make sure it is under the weight limit or you pay more. Also.... If you are upgrading a ticket, read the fine print. United allows you to use your miles to upgrade a seat, but that does not upgrade your luggage allowance. I found this out the expensive way.

so far none of the above posters have stated that a pre requisite of flying a bike is that it needs to be dismantled and carried in a bike box.

i know for certain that internal flights within Thailand will insist on a bike box (costing circa 2k) then charge about half the rate of a passenger.

I can only assume international flights require this also.

always love to watch what comes around on the conveyor belt..............golf clubs, skis, the pram that nobody seems to want to claim; the "tampered with" suitcase; the moroccan camel.

As other posters have mentioned, while you may not have trouble with customs, be very careful when choosing an airline and be sure about their policies for bikes. I have flown with a boxed bicycle in many parts of the world and the extra cost goes from nothing to hundreds of dollars.

As for packaging - check with the airline as they may have different rules.

I have twice flown with Thai Airways with a triathlon/road race bike - when i queried they sent me a 'fact sheet' giving options for carriage

I chose plastic bubble wrap rather than a bike case/box. Wheels off, on either side, pedals off, seat dropped, handlebars parallel with bike then wrapped.

As it and my bag combined were under the passenger baggage limit there was no extra fee.

On arrival I was asked, once, if bike was new or used. 'Used' and waved through.

This site has some info, may be helpful: Bicycles on Airplanes in Thailand

I bought an adult mountain bike through customs 6 months ago....brand new, still in box, not even opened.....but through BKK first....they asked what it was and x-rayed it then came through domestic arrivals in CNX. No problem.

Still not used it either! Lol

I've shipped a road bike from USA to Thailand, no problem, no customs charge etc.

Last week I went to BKK and bought a new mt bike there, had it put back in the box (only have to take of fnt wheel, seat and handle bars - 3 screws) and I just paid for overweight luggage allowance as I had a bag checked already because I was returning form a trip. Might have had to pay a minimal extra large package fee, not sure but all not much.

Also they respected the keep this side up and fragile sticker which was nice to see!

To report back, was waiting at baggage claim for almost 20 minutes, trying to ask where the bike was at. Then noticed it against wall, brought in when I didn't notice...

Customs just waved me through, probably they are looking for the high value purses, or probably they can't speak English well so don't want to talk...

Packed the bike myself, took to a bike shop to get put back together as I had forgotten where all the pieces go, and lucky to do this as the derailleur got bent, shop had to bend it back then do a bunch of adjustments to get it shifting right... good deal for 300 baht...

I had run out of space in my other bag, so the bike box was quite handy for lots of other stuff I was able to stuff in as well

Funny thing, when packing it, noticed it was actually made in Cambodia, a Kona bike I recently got (as last one stolen couple months before).

Kona bikes are very nice, not sure if any way to get one direct from Cambodia...

What shop did you go to whom provided the good service?

One bike, round trip. Oversized, overweight, and no charge both ways. It could have been 16,000 baht if all went wrong. they told me in one country they lost my bike.....but 5 hours later the bike was in BKK and everything was fine. it was a 60k bike or so. maybe a little less. next time i will either make sure i won't get charged or just rent a bike. i will not press my luck. won't name names, as a few employees seemed to just not want to deal with the time of charging me more.....

What shop did you go to whom provided the good service?

It was a shop on Thipanet road, about 2 blocks south / outside of the moat. Not sure of the name.

The technician I think same guy as picture in this thread, but seemingly a different location: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/776488-bicycle-repairservice-in-chiang-mai/

First checked that shop inside the moat in tourist area, I think Chaitawat, they wanted more - 600 or 700 at least, don't remember. And they said I could not be present when they do it, have to drop it off and pick it up later, which was not ideal for me.

This shop on Thipanet originally asked 400, but I guess took less time then they thought so charged 300. And they said I could wait there/watch while they work on it.

Prices for both places originally asked by a Chiang Mai local, so fact they charged me a non-local, non thai speaker less than quoted to a Thai, shows some good honesty. (I confirmed price at 400 to shop technicians wife, and she thought for a couple of seconds and said 300 is ok)

I don't think they really spoke much English, but I was just dropped off there and managed just fine...

As I recall they sell mostly mountain bikes, Giant brand, and some other probably Chinese brands.. .