WATCH THIS before cycling Doi Inthanon
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ก.ค. 2024
- Breaking news: from now on, cyclists cannot ride down the toughest climb in Thailand (and possibly the world..!) In addition, every bicycle rider/s must have a support vehicle on the climb.
What do you think about this news? Let us know in the comments section.
#cycling #chiangmai #ปั่นจักรยาน #เชียงใหม่ #cyclist #นักปั่น #roadcycling #cyclinglife #thailandcycling #cyclingtrip #thailandtrip #ปั่นจักรยานในประเทศไทย #travelthailand #travelchiangmai #ประเทศไทย #thailand #cyclingchiangmai #doiinthanon - กีฬา
The GCN UK weekly show opened this week with this news.
When you are doing the Mae Hong Son loop as a solo bikepacking trip, descending the Doi Inthanon climb is part of the experience in my opinion. I spent the entire morning last year getting up that beast, with those last 10K almost made me cry. Having the privilege to enjoy the descent after many hours of riding is part of my reward in my opinion. Unless there is a proven case of many downhill accidents in=volving cyclists I don't see the real issue. The first 10k of the descent are not the most fun though, as it is too steep to just let the bike roll. One has to keep braking, but this also prevents the accidents I think. Today I went over 75k while going downhill on the Samoeng loop. What is the difference with Doi Inthanon. Will Thailand eventually ban all downhill riding and we having to take taxis everywhere?
Btw: Doi Inthanon is way harder than the Stelvio. The Stelvio rarely gets above 9% and stays like that the whole way. Doi Inthanon is a totally different ballgame because of the length and that insane last part.
I can see the reasons for having it banned during peak tourism season like right now. There is probably a lot of traffic at the moment. I don't think having it banned year around is a good decision though. I am glad that I got to experience it before this.
Thanks, Eugene! Agree in the sense that now it’s not a good experience to ride downhill with heavy traffic and tourists (i went 2 weeks ago and it was packed!).. but I don’t think there is much sense in banning bikes and not scooters for instance (i saw a couple of motorbike crashes also the last time it was raining). It’s quite a random and ignorant rule imo
I really would be surprised if the police were to strictly enforce the downhill ban. So few traffic laws are regularly or strictly enforced in Thailand.
Thanks, Rob! Last month I saw the national park guards stopping cyclists at the checkpoint. I'm not sure how they proceeded to enforce the rule, maybe calling a red truck and forcing them to pay for a lift to the base of the climb. Otherwise the fine is thb1,000.
@@CyclingChiangMai And if you have no bahts to pay a red truck? Stupid rule, will violate it willingly.
It’s kinda like the ban from buying alcohol between 2 and 5 pm. I can drink myself to death outside these hours.. I can ride myself to death on the descent of Kiewlom which I’ve done almost 400 times..
hehe exactly! I reckon Inthanon descent is not even within the top 10 most dangerous in Northern Thailand... but it has two guarded checkpoints where they can police this rule and cash in. I fear they will do the same soon in Doi Suthep to boost the red truck business :(
@@CyclingChiangMai It kinda screws up the Mae Hong Son Loop via Kuhn Yuam - Mae Chaem as well …🤨
Glad I did it before this stupid decision. The road downhill is very often in bad conditions though, and that is what make it dangerous. Not the downhill itself. Before doing discriminatory rules like that, they should fix the road. (Even more since this is such a popular way and since in general, roads in Thailand are good)
The road was completely resurfaced since October, it’s in absolute mint condition right now, specially the last 9 steep kms, really good grip the last time i went downhil.! (strava.app.link/bWbwBAYL7vb)It’s just a very random rule ☹️
The ban for cycling down inthanon is really nonsense, there are more accidents involved with cars and so far not been heard of cyclist got accidents at Inthanon. Think perhaps there are some top brass in government doesn't like cyclist riding in Inthanon, and think most of complaints are from the tourist van drivers because of only single lane for each direction. Actually there are many bad driving attitude in the country which causes these problems. Generally most cyclists are more self conserve and responsible for ownself safety on the road comparing to people's driving in vechicles.
What direction is it banned to ride downhill? Is it both ways or just heading back towards Chiang Mai?
Effectively, from the second checkpoint down to Chom Thong/Chiang Mai. They will stop riders at the checkpoint but before that point (first 9km from the summit) they cannot possibly enforce the rule. Hence, the downhill towards Mae Chaem would still be doable I suppose. Ironically, that’s the steepest and most technical!
Totally discriminatory against a single form of transport. Yet they will of course not dare to say the same to scooters or motorcycles. Yet if they show any statistics surely we would see (like you saw) who crashes more. In any case probably this chief has a few friends in Silver Vans or Red trucks who need a boost in business. I hope the Chiang Mai Cyclist react to this before it carries over to other cycling favorite spots. As far as I know from reading the article..This rule is not going to allow you to ride up & catch a truck at the top going down. Instead it is going to require you to have support vehicle with you to enter. Very "Green" of you Thailand 🤨
Thanks for sending the article Mike, agree with you 💯% 🙏🏻🙏🏻
lol yes Thailand is very concern with discrimination
Sad Ban tbh. I had a chance riding Inthanon up/down with a rented road bike 3y ago. The road wasn't perfect but neither Europe has only mint descends. Plenty bad ones and no bans.
It was safe enough 3y ago imho. If they refurbished it its even less concerning.
Places like Doi Chang reverse actually are way more technical with many slopes getting 25%ish and quick turns and road quality very mediocre at some parts. That's where you can probably die. It was best reassuring that I was on mtb that day..
Reason places like Inthanon getting banned and others not must be popularity increase and some deranged political reasons the gov office came up.. Hard to believe.
Thanks for the comment! Indeed Doi Chang backside requires more skill as some parts are 30% with rough concrete surface! Doi Inthanon is a walk in the park compared to that one hehe
Actually year ago there is an accident in Mon Jam involved a Thai cyclist crashed on a steep down hill with very tight turn and narrow corner, he falls out of the road and was thrown down to the very steep bushes down the hill which killed himself on the spot. The road in the mountains area are not equally well constructed in Thailand, some district and province got very well smooth and thick layers of constructed tarmac surface, but some places got really bad tarmac surfaced with lot of uneven cheaply repaired patches and still not improvement for more than a decade.
@@tovinpoh very unfortunate accident. Gotta always be extra careful and mindful.
Too many cyclists get carried away by adrenaline rush while going down and disregard their safety, road conditions, incoming traffic etc.
Sounds strange but… I guess it will be good for business. It already costs money to get into the park now you have to buy your way off the mountain.
Thanks, Rob! Buy your way off the mountain… Lmao! The fine is thb1,000 for starters 💵🤑
Is Doi Inthanon that popular of a climb in Thailand? reason I'm asking is because if it is I'm thinking this ban is simply a money making exercise, when was the last time anyone heard of Thai authorities being concerned about health and safety🤔.....maybe ban walking on foot paths with all the holes and broken surfaces would be a better idea😂😂😂
🤣🤣 👍🏻 you are right! The last 9km of Doi Inthanon have been recently resurfaced with top-notch tarmac and yet the say it’s "slippery".. I don’t know how they’d refer to the broken pavements all over Thailand!
It is indeed a popular climb, not scenic at all but very iconic and challenging ✌🏻
Cycle up & walk down? insane.
🤣 Inthanon duathlon challenge!
@@CyclingChiangMai walk the last 100m before the checkpoint and look confused when they ask you?
@@randomname8442 hahaha that's probably the best way to do it! ✌🏻
I actually don't rate the Doi Inthanon climb. Unless you really want to go to the highest point in Thailand, then I think that there are many better rides closer to Chiang Mai.
Thanks, Rob! But you should try the back side, from Mae Chaem, gorgeous views and steeper than the main climb ✌🏻😅
I am not agree with this at all😢
Sad and unnecessary ☹️🤷🏻