Where can I find a touring bike in Bangkok?

check out probike on sukhumvit 24, they stock surly trucks and sometimes have used touring bikes. for a 56cm steel frame you might need to wait a week for them to order it in though.

if you're open to secondhand, browse bahtsold or the bangkok bike classifieds facebook group. people sell surly long haul truckers and specialized awols there pretty regularly. just meet at a bts station to test ride.

heading north, skip the main highway 1 and take the back roads through ayutthaya then up to lopburi. way less traffic and nicer scenery. the old silk road route through chiang rai to the golden triangle is worth the detour.

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probike is solid but they lean pricey for new stock.
if you're on a tighter budget, try the weekend bike market at chatuchak - there's a cluster of shops near section 4 that sell used touring frames. bring a pedal wrench and a tape measure, stuff's usually unmarked size-wise.

for the route north, consider the mekong river option instead of the direct highway. from chiang khong you can cross to huay xai in laos, then follow the river south to luang prabang. the road's unpaved in spots but the views beat anything on the asphalt. just pack extra tubes and a patch kit, thai roads love giving punctures.

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honestly the best touring bike deals in bangkok are on facebook marketplace, not in shops. search for "จักรยานทัวร์ริ่ง" or just "touring bike" in the bangkok bicycle traders group. i've seen 56cm dawes gals and kona sutras pop up for like 8-12k baht which is way cheaper than anything at probike

for your route, if you're heading to the golden triangle consider going through mae sai instead of the usual chiang rai route. the border crossing there is less busy and you can see the actual point where thailand meets myanmar and laos. there's a decent guesthouse called ban din ki that does cheap rooms and knows cyclists

one thing nobody mentioned yet - bring a decent lock. bike theft at 7-elevens is real, especially in rural areas where people notice a farang bike. i use a kryptonite u-lock and still get nervous

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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