Cycling up Doi Suthep in late March/early April

[Bangkok Herps]

I will be in Chiang Mai from around March 20 to April 10. The timing of my trip is unavoidable.

When I last visited Chiang Mai several years ago in October/November, I had a fantastic time taking rickety hotel mountain bikes up and down Doi Suthep, as far as the summit. I was hoping to replicate that experience frequently this time around.

However, I've now been reading unfortunate news that Chiang Mai's air quality is horrendous in March.

So, what should I do? With absolutely no chance to have the trip at a different time, will I do okay just going up the mountain anyway? Or will I choke so badly on the smoke that it's just not worth it? Is there anything I can do (time of day, mask, etc.) to improve the experience?

[daveAustin]

Some years are also worse than others. It can also change day-on-day -- winds etc -- so play it by ear, but do get up there early (also hot that time of year) and bring a good respirator with you from wherever you live.

[pacovl46]

Don't forget some warm clothes for the summit! :-)

[PaulHamon]

just ride it.

[Chicken George]

Ride early as it will be bloody hot by then. Bring a purpose made face mask with you. Air quality getting poor now and virtually no chance of wind or rain till late April. If the riding is a must maybe go down south by the coast unless of course your Tilak is waiting for you up North!

[Carl64]

Don't forget some warm clothes for the summit! :-)

Won't be needing warm clothes March and April. It's the hottest time of the year!

[shiatsuman]

suggest going up 3 or 4 in the morning aim to get to the top for dawn.

remember lights as there is no street lighting

enjoy

[Bangkok Herps]

Thanks much for the positive replies. I'm glad to hear that it won't be a wash. Before I was thinking about a lot of repeated short trips, but now I think I might just focus on a few all-day ones here and there - starting pre-dawn as suggested, summit around dawn, and then slowly make my way back down hiking and riding until nightfall.

Unfortunately, I live pretty far off the beaten track, so I doubt I'll come up with any sort of respirator around here. I won't assume that "good" ones are sold in Chiang Mai, but is there something I can get in-town that will be better than nothing?

[j7general]

suggest going up 3 or 4 in the morning aim to get to the top for dawn.

remember lights as there is no street lighting

enjoy

Shi is right---Without safety clothing and back-up, be another story.

Do it right and have a back-up!---even for bribes!

We want a safe trip!

[blueyeshk]

Change your Plans altogether and switch to a southbound destination even staying inside is harmful from end of feb-beginning April

[Nowisee]

Not sure I would ride a "rickety hotel mountain bike" up and down Doi Suthep.

[Bangkok Herps]

Okay, i was exaggerating for effect a bit. I more accurately could have said, "poorly fitting and poorly tuned mountain bikes of a certain age", but they were sturdy enough not to fall apart on the downhills and the brakes were fine. Just a lot more work to push those things up the hill than a more nicely tuned bike would have been.

And thank you much for the safety concerns. I have front and rear lights on every ride last time, and will do bring both of those as well as a headlamp this time around.

j7 - not sure what you mean by bribes? That certainly wasn't an issue that I encountered last time, or ever in any situation in Thailand for that matter. Had much worse luck in certain other countries which I will not name, but I've had the impression that Thais were good about keeping farangs out of the "tipping" system.

Unfortunately, blueeye, my reasons for being in Chiang Mai at this time are totally unrelated to riding, so I'm just going to have to make due with the hand I'm dealt.

[Fishenough]

My son, I, and his boy scout friends cycled doi suthep several times most months of the year, but when the pollution was bad we would simply hire a songtaew to take us, our bikes, and a selection of nice drinks and snacks to the campground above the Wat, and we would enjoy taking our time getting to the bottom. Also during Songkran before and after time it was more enjoyable not having the workout of the climb combined with all the splashing. Also all the spots over the years we stopped to tour at had parking for our bikes that was supervised when we locked them and left them.

[jsflynn603]

Since the haze is caused by burning woody materials you don't have quite the problem that, for instance, the Chinese do in cities. As such you don't need to worry too much about chemical pollutants such as nitrogen oxides or sulfer dioxide.

So what's left? The answer is "particles." Particles of greater than ten microns (about 1/30th the size of a human hair) enter the lungs and most simply leave in the next breath. Some get stuck but are washed out by mucus into the esophagus and from there most are expelled in feces.

The problem is particles called “2.5” which are particles around 2.5 microns. These are so small in diameter that unlike the 10 mirons + particles that get expelled, these enter the alveoli of the lungs, the tiniest air sacks where oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange occurs. This deep in the lungs the effective mucus clearing system does not operate very well so, they tend to get stuck. Worse, some will actually enter the circulatory (blood) system.

So the answer is clear: Wear a respirator designed to remove particles that are around the 2.5 micron size. Surgical masks remove almost none of these. 3M dust masks remove almost none of these. Homemade masks using fabric remove zero, it’s like trying to use a fish net to stop a mosquito.

You need a respirator known as an N95. N95 respirators remove 95% of all particles 0.5 microns or larger. See below for higher quality, but you don’t really need these:

N95 Filters at least 95% of airborne particles

N99 Filters at least 99% of airborne particles

N100 Filters at least 99.97% of airborne particles

A HEPA filter can remove as much as 99.97% of all airborne particulates with aerodynamic diameter of 0.3 micrometres or greater. You would need these if exposed to things like virus particles, overkill in your case.

You should be able to find a N95 in Thailand. Try to find one with an exhalation valve at it’s likely to be more comfortable. A box of 5 here cost about $20-30. Good luck.

[Bangkok Herps]

Why does my inbox tell me that this post got a series of the most ridiculous, juvenile responses I've ever seen on this message board? They're all gone now. Did someone's account get hacked or what?

[chiangmaiexpat]

I live in Chiang Mai and I am a mountain biker. I go riding Doi Suthep / Doi Pui once a week except in March/April. If you are lucky, the air quality will then be "really bad" rather than "absolutely horrendous", definitely not fun for cycling of any kind. In fact, I will leave the city as every year and it would not occur to me riding up a hill anywhere in northern Thailand during this period.

Cheers, CM-Expat

[taony]

http://totobobo.com/

They ship to Thailand. I got the N96 filters and really glad I did.

The picture when the filter is in the mask is after almost two hours. The other picture, with new filters on the outside is after about four hours (in BKK).

[el jefe]

You're worrying too much about things you can't control. You can't control the timing of the trip and you can't control the pollution. The pollution ends when it rains. We had two days of heavy rain here in CM three weeks ago and the air was perfect for a couple of weeks. Bring your bike. Maybe we'll get more rain. Some years the pollution is horrendous and lasts thru April. Some years it's over by late March. Once in a while we get regular rain and there is no pollution.

My suggestion is if the air is visibly polluted, try a ride. If it bothers you, don't do another. The biggest problem you'll have is deciding when to ride. It's an unenviable choice. The pollution is worst in the early morning. You can choose -- a cooler ride in heavier pollution in the morning or a ride in a furnace with almost tolerable pollution in the afternoon.

I always leave CM for most of March but I'm back on March 25. I'd be happy to join you for a ride. Face mask optional.

[MESmith]

I've not cycled up Doi Suthep (yet), but I do wonder what the difference is between riding up in the smog season & riding up in the cool season, with songteaws & tour buses passing, belching clouds of black diesel fumes in your face.

[chiangmaiexpat]

I've not cycled up Doi Suthep (yet), but I do wonder what the difference is between riding up in the smog season & riding up in the cool season, with songteaws & tour buses passing, belching clouds of black diesel fumes in your face.

I'd say the difference is that in the peak season you get a respite between each Diesel bus/truck passing, whereas in the smoky season you get no respite at all. That being said, late December is the other time of the year where I avoid this road. It's slightly hazardous during this time due to the many tourists who can't drive.

Cheers, CM-Expat

[MESmith]

I would've thought the diesel fumes would be more hazardous to your health than the smoke from fires. Not that any of it is good for you. The cr@p from the back of one truck is so intense

[chiangmaiexpat]

I would've thought the diesel fumes would be more hazardous to your health than the smoke from fires.

I'd say that the thing most hazardous to Doi Suthep cyclist's health are drunk truck drivers and Chinese tourists on rented scooters barely able to control their vehicles.

One more reason for offroad biking.

Cheers, CM-Expat

[pollnow]

I found this at the local pharmacy. Says N95 approved. So should be good no? Tried it today and even though a bit tricky when drinking water it was a good model.

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/3M-PPE-Safety-Solutions/Personal-Protective-Equipment/Products/Product-Catalog/~/All-3M-Products/Industry-and-Professionals/PPE-Safety-Solutions/Respiratory-Protection/Disposable-Respirators/Healthcare-Respirators/?N=7576198+8690968+3294348444+3294529207&rt=rud