Prayut practises cycling to test physical fitness

[tuanku]

Fascinating, the people taking up cycling these recent days - is there a Thai bicycle manufacturer? Bike industry must be doing well. Sales figures anyone?

[geriatrickid]

I Love Cycling, but no way would I get on a Bike here in Thailand...

Recipe for death.....

given i do around 100k per week in bangkok on average, i chuckle everytime i hear someone say this. my 20k is the highlight of my day.

i personally cant imagine you love cycling that much.

its an excuse, and a bad one at that.

Don't be so smug. Some people value their lives. Bangkok is not an appropriate place to cycle because of the heat and air pollution, combined with the unsafe roads. It's great that you accept the risk, and maybe you will beat the odds for a few years, but sooner or later you will be splattered. Sorry, but that's the reality. This isn't the UK countryside or the Netherlands or Denmark where people are polite and considerate. I won't get into a discussion of the damage that heavy physical exertion in an environment of heavy pollution inflicts, but it is documented. Older cyclists should not undertake this type of exertion in a city like Bangkok.

There is little benefit to the heart or lungs in a heavy cardio workout when breathing heavy particulates including silica, asbestos and heavy metals. Thailand is a place where asbestos shedding brake pads from China are still used. It is also a country where heavy metals in high concentrations can be found in roadway dust. Bangkok is the city of untreated sewage evaporating from the klongs. And you want people to inhale that?

I love cycling too and used to have a great time around Phuket. Key phrase is used to. The roads were in terrible condition, the drivers rude and disrespectful and the traffic too heavy to continue.

It is great that the General was out on his bike in a protected safe zone. None of us has access to such a protected area. When people cycle, this is what happens As reported July 5 in TVF;

BANGKOK: — POLICE will seek an arrest warrant for the 23-year-old female student, who faces criminal charges for crashing into a convoy of cyclists in Chiang Mai’s Doi Saket district on Sunday morning killing three . Patchuda Jairuean, currently being treated at a hospital for a broken arm, will also face charges of drunk driving and reckless driving causing deaths and injuries, punishable by up to 10 years in jail, said Provincial Police Region 5 deputy chief Pol Maj-General Pacha Rattanapan.

Edited July 29, 2015 by geriatrickid

[Bluespunk]

I am touching 100kg and regularly do over 80km on a Sunday. 43km on the flat is very easy, though worrying that some couldn't do it.

Even more worrying is they were only doing 3 km.

[arunsakda]

Suwannaphum airport is the best place for cycling in Thailand.

[Jimlove]

He led all the way to finish the three rounds ahead of other riders

I wonder why? of course, they would not dream of letting him win, after all he's Super General of the Galactic Empire (well Thailand at least)

So very true - this place reminds me more and more of N. Korea ...

No one beats the Supreme Leader around the Building ... 5555

[ratcatcher]

I Love Cycling, but no way would I get on a Bike here in Thailand...

Recipe for death.....

given i do around 100k per week in bangkok on average, i chuckle everytime i hear someone say this. my 20k is the highlight of my day.

i personally cant imagine you love cycling that much.

its an excuse, and a bad one at that.

I value my life too much...., if you don't think it's dangerous, thats great, cycle on.....(But for how long).,,,

Can we assume you are one of the farangs that infest Bangkok or one of the busier cities?

If so, then cycling in the city can be dangerous, but I am sure Hoo Ha has figured out an area near where he lives, and a time suitable for his cycling exercise.

There are thousands of places perfectly safe and suitable for a sensibly equipped and aware cyclist to ride in this country.

[arunsakda]

He led all the way to finish the three rounds ahead of other riders

I wonder why? of course, they would not dream of letting him win, after all he's Super General of the Galactic Empire (well Thailand at least)

So very true - this place reminds me more and more of N. Korea ...

No one beats the Supreme Leader around the Building ... 5555

The Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un should enter Le Tour next year. He would win every stage without taking food or drink, sleeping 9 minutes per night on a bed of nails. Edited August 8, 2015 by arunsakda

[MaxYakov]

I Love Cycling, but no way would I get on a Bike here in Thailand...

Recipe for death.....

given i do around 100k per week in bangkok on average, i chuckle everytime i hear someone say this. my 20k is the highlight of my day.

i personally cant imagine you love cycling that much.

its an excuse, and a bad one at that.

Don't be so smug. Some people value their lives. Bangkok is not an appropriate place to cycle because of the heat and air pollution, combined with the unsafe roads. It's great that you accept the risk, and maybe you will beat the odds for a few years, but sooner or later you will be splattered. Sorry, but that's the reality. This isn't the UK countryside or the Netherlands or Denmark where people are polite and considerate. I won't get into a discussion of the damage that heavy physical exertion in an environment of heavy pollution inflicts, but it is documented. Older cyclists should not undertake this type of exertion in a city like Bangkok.

There is little benefit to the heart or lungs in a heavy cardio workout when breathing heavy particulates including silica, asbestos and heavy metals. Thailand is a place where asbestos shedding brake pads from China are still used. It is also a country where heavy metals in high concentrations can be found in roadway dust. Bangkok is the city of untreated sewage evaporating from the klongs. And you want people to inhale that?

I love cycling too and used to have a great time around Phuket. Key phrase is used to. The roads were in terrible condition, the drivers rude and disrespectful and the traffic too heavy to continue.

It is great that the General was out on his bike in a protected safe zone. None of us has access to such a protected area. When people cycle, this is what happens As reported July 5 in TVF;

BANGKOK: — POLICE will seek an arrest warrant for the 23-year-old female student, who faces criminal charges for crashing into a convoy of cyclists in Chiang Mai’s Doi Saket district on Sunday morning killing three . Patchuda Jairuean, currently being treated at a hospital for a broken arm, will also face charges of drunk driving and reckless driving causing deaths and injuries, punishable by up to 10 years in jail, said Provincial Police Region 5 deputy chief Pol Maj-General Pacha Rattanapan.

30259469-02_big.jpg

Pollution:

There is an element of truth in your statements about the Bangkok environment for cycling. However, the pedestrians, motorcyclists, bus riders and even auto passengers experience the same pollution. Since I always wear a dust/fume mask when out in Bangkok air (sometimes even when walking) I'm probably breathing less pollution than a typical resident. I have five years worth of dirty air filters to prove it - and they do get dirty fairly rapidly. In my opinion, anyone and everyone traveling in open air in Bangkok should be wearing some kind of effective pollution filter.

The cyclist who moves leisurely is not exercising much more or maybe even less than a pedestrian since the bicycle is a very efficient mode of transportation.

"It takes less energy to bicycle one mile than it takes to walk a mile. In fact, a bicycle can be up to 5 times more efficient than walking." - Exploratorium/cycling

Road Conditions:

I'm on Bangkok roads of all sorts every day. I don't have big issues with most of the roads in Bangkok. A cyclist can usually bail rapidly to the sidewalk if conditions of the road or traffic are not acceptable.

Cycling in Bangkok takes concentration, situational awareness and effort. I've lived and cycled for almost a year on what has to be one of the most dangerous roads in Sukhumvit. Dangerous because it is two narrow lanes with constant passing by fast motorbikes and cars. I have to travel about a Km on it several times a day. So far I haven't encountered a single case of disrespect by motorbike or auto operators. Thankfully, it is not a bus route.

What I observe this most is cyclists who do not take cycling in Bangkok seriously. They typically don't use mirrors and helmets. Even the well-equipped cyclist with the expensive bikes will not have even a single mirror because it's not "cool" (as in "stylish").

About the accident/wipeout you posted. Yes, very little protection from being mowed down from behind. Even though it may not have made a difference, I'd bet that there wasn't a single mirror on any of the bikes. Also, they were probably in close proximity to each other - something I see a lot of and am beginning to think it is a bad idea to not spread out more when in a group.

I am always aware or try to be of what approaching and how fast and will bail if what I think something is approaching that is too risky. This means being as much or even more aware of what is happening at my 6 o'clock.

I tell people that my Rule #1 for cycling in Bangkok is (with a smile):

Don't be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Edited August 8, 2015 by MaxYakov