Hi all,
I’m taking a long vacation in Thailand and considering taking 7 days to cycle through the country. Has anyone of you done that? How bike friendly is it? Where can I rent a decent bike (I only brought my biking shoes)? Where would you go? I would start the trip in Bangkok, happy to take a train/bus/flight wherever.
Thank you all for suggestions,
Get your DH rig and gear and give this a shot.
http://www.vitalmtb.com/videos/member/This-Is-Peaty-Chiang-Mai-Downhill-with-Brook-Macdonald,15825/joebo,1905
I have nothing constructive but here’s a bump.
Merci Monsieur Trois,
Thailand anyone??
I did some cycle touring in Thailand in 2004 - I found it pretty cycling-friendly up in the north (Chiang Mai and environs). I rode the Mae Hong Son loop starting in Chiang Mai, and also did a loop around northern Laos. Route planning is important, and there’s some gnarly climbs up there so extra gearing is good. I rode a mountain bike but there’s no need - a roadie would be much better.
Can’t help you with rentals as I had my own bike.
If you want route specifics let me know.
yes did it it in 95, i started in Singapore, then crossed Malaysia, then crossed Thailand, all the way to Chiang Mai, then back to Bangkok, 3000 miles 30 days, i bought a Trek 830 MTB , 2 baskets, 4 T shirts, 4 shorts, 4 pair of socks, toilet paper,
best trip ever, very safe, people are very friendly, food is great,
.
My wife and I have done two bike tours in thailand ; each about two months.we used mtn. Bikes with slick tires 26 x1.6 wide.chiang mai is nice a.d close to doi inthanon a hard km climb up to about 8,000 ft. there was a bike shop in chiang mai that rented decent bikes.In the south you could ride by phuket crabbe kao lok and take a ferry to islands of ko pangya and ko samui.great swimming trailruns and any budget you want.don’ t forget thai massage.we had 35 massages each for about eight dollars for an hour.for more info go to: crazy guy on a bike.com Have fun and don’ t ride out of bangkok.
I was on a 2 year bike tour from Europe to Singapore and biked the entire length of Thailand twice, from the Malaysian border to the northern border with Laos and the eastern border with Cambodia.
I was on a solo bike tour.
PM me for any specific questions.
Hi,
I have never joined any of the tours here in Thailand, but there are plenty of good routes. Khao Yai national park is exceptional. The climbs are fairly steep, approaching 20% at some points up to 990m. Being a national park also has the benefit of not having much through traffic. Check out Rayong and Krabi also.
For bike rentals, try spice roads. A friend of mine recently rented a brand new trek 2.5 - did the job.
I lived there about 15 years, biked in and around Bangkok on weekends (Khao Yai, Pattaya, Hua Hin and Kanchanaburi) as well as biking from Phuket to Chiang Mai. Also biked around the north. It is bike friendly - I found the shoulders to generally be very wide, because of the number of people on scooters. Tons of shops scattered along the way, so if you bike with cash you can always find food, drinks. If you are going soon, it is a great season to bike in the north areas. Less urban, and cooler for the next few months. You can take your bike on the train, so if you want to start in Bangkok and take the train part way north, then hop out and ride for a few days, it is possible.
Massage is cheap, so you can ride, find a hotel, and get an hour massage each day.
Rent a bike in Bangkok at spice roads or Probike, both are good. Bring pedals, shoes, helmet.
have fun.
Try to get in touch with this guy. He won the Haute Route this year, and has been living in Thailand for a while…
Thank you so much everyone, this is super useful. I arrived in Bangkok a few days ago, just in time for the protest/riots here 
Everything is fine.
I’m going Island hopping in the south for the next week and then will start the 7 days bike ride.
From all of your advices, seems like renting a bike in Bangkok and going up north by train is the way to go. Would anyone have suggestions on routes? Or starting point & ending point?
Many thanks again!!
EDIT: Can I rent a nice bike in the north? Would avoid the hassle of transporting the bike up there.
If you are in Bangkok, but want to ride up north, you can possibly rent a bike up there. Contact this guy in Chiang Mai - good guy, was Thai champ for many years and speaks English well.
Spin Bike********
241/6 Canal road (Hwy 121)
T. Mae Hia A. Mueang Chiang Mai
Tel. 081-655-8451
GPS – N 18 44.393, E 098 56.088
You can ride with these guys if you are around Chiang Mai, but it is more fun to do a few day trip, like go from Chiang Mai to Pai, then stay a night and then go to Mai Hong Son. tons of climbing, but extremely beautiful. You can then bike back, or fly. If you fly domestically, just take the pedals off of the bike, and the seat. then let the air out a bit, and give them the bike as is. They will strap it to the interior side wall of the plane (no, not on outside) so bike is ready to go when you land.
Have fun, let me know if you have any other questions.
His name is Wisut, but thai nickname is Tuum. Ask him for road or mountain bike, he is very good about scrambling something quite good quality for people.
PM me your email if you need any extra help. Chok dii (good luck)
Probike in Bangkok personnel very helpful and should rent bikes. They will have connections for whatever you need. Extremely good mechanics. Flying on Thai Air with a bike should be free if going to Chaing Mai. They do handle the bikes with care. Food is great. People friendly. Truly the land of smiles. Phuket is a great island. Laguna Phuket a great race. Take the tour boat to James Bond Island. The trip is way cool and food plentiful. Don’t forget the sticky rice and mango for desert.