Where to buy decent touring / hybrid bike in Chiang Mai?

[thuna]

hi all

i'm looking for a hybrid or touring bike, to bike long distances, mostly on asphalt but sometimes also on gravel roads, with some luggage. what might be the best place to buy such a bike in chiang mai (am quite flexible on prices but less flexible on bike quality; the bike needs to do its thing for at least a month, riding from chiang mai to isaan and possibly back).

thank you for your tips!
tina

p.s. since i might not be returning to chiang mai, rental is not an option.

[ianf]

It all depends on how much you wish to spend. The best selection of bikes is at Velocity. Worth your while starting off with them and then perhaps talking to Arm Bikes. But it sounds as if you need someone who really knows about bikes to help you. It's easy to buy the wrong one, or the wrong size . . .

[ianf]

On second thoughts, Active Bikes on the Samoeng Road would be the best for this type of bike.

[thuna]

Thanks! I will start with Active Bikes then... do you have any idea as to the price range I need to expect?

[ianf]

Really Thuna, could be anything. But at Active could be iro 20 - 25k I think.

[CNXBKKMAN]

Velocity has touring bikes sometimes. Great ones like Cinelli Bootleg Hobo. Even comes fitted with Tubus racks front and rear. They have Louis Garneau tourers also.

I have seen the Trek 520, Giant All road or is it Any road? The above Cinelli model, Surly Troll frame set at Chaitawat. They stock Ortlieb and Tubus.

Lek bikes has Surly Long Haul Truckers and Troll frame sets, Ortlieb, Tubus, Brooks saddles etc etc. Araya tourers.

All these things cost money though. If you are only planning to visit Isan and back to CM. You could buy a Trek 3700 mountain bike or similar about 12500 to 13000 baht. At purchase get the fat tyres changed to some 26 x1.50 road tyres. Rear rack installed and a pair of vincita panniers.It could cost less than 15000. If the shop doesnt want to swap the tyres buy from another shop.

[thuna]

great, thanks for these helpful insights! we'll do as you suggest and get the store to change the tires to more narrow ones...

[MESmith]

I think Active Bikes on Samoeng rd stock Fuji touring bikes for about 30,000 baht.

[thuna]

thanks for this tipp - 30'000 THB goes a bit over what i can afford. around 15'000 is somewhat a maximum...

[MaeJoMTB]

You didn't say what size you are,

If you need anything bigger than MEDIUM, nobody in CM will have it.

[thuna]

medium is perfectly fine, we're both smallish

[CNXBKKMAN]

Make sure you do a bit of googling on the manufacturers website so you have a good idea about what size you need before you get to the shop. A wrong size bike is like wearing the wrong size shoes. It could make the ride to Isan hellish.

[thuna]

good point, we'll measure our frames back home...

[pgrahmm]

There is a Trek shop on the 108 in Hang Dong on the right just as the road narrows & before HD open market....Treks at about 15,000 + other brands to look see....I have my Trek hybrid serviced there (as well as our other 3) but I brought it from the states - big sized.....

They speak english - owned by a nice Thai couple....

Edited January 3, 2016 by pgrahmm

[MaeJoMTB]

There is a Trek shop on the 108 in Hang Dong on the right just as the road narrows & before HD open market....Treks at about 15,000 + other brands to look see....I have my Trek hybrid serviced there (as well as our other 3) but I brought it from the states - big sized.....

They speak english - owned by a nice Thai couple....

And operate a dual pricing policy, if you're white, it costs more.

Nothing in the shop has a price label on it,

Send a Thai in to ask the price,

Then go in yourself and ask the price.

Usually about x2 for the foreigner.

[rogeroc]

That may not matter. A lot of people on this forum think dual pricing is quite OK !!!

[thuna]

thanks for the tip and additional info. i might just go there and see what they offer.

[thuna]

thanks for the input and additional info. i might just go there and see what they offer.