On your bikes
For classy cycles and amazing accessories, look no further than Pedal Lane
The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre at the Pathumwan intersection is about far more that art and exhibitions. Wander around the first floor and you stumble across what might first look like a gallery featuring vintage bicycle installations only to quickly realise that Pedal Lane is a down-to-earth shop that offers bikes and accessories from several well-known foreign brands.
It’s owned by veteran graphic designer Supreeya Tongkasem and two of her pals, all of them keen cyclists. The classic bikes in the shop date back to her years in San Francisco where well maintained bike lanes enabled her to pedal to work everyday.
Last year, she returned to Bangkok and opened Pedal Lane on Facebook offering city bikes by Public. She also took her merchandise along to the 2012 edition of the A Day Bike Fest and drew so much interest that in January, she opened a pop-up shop on the first floor of BACC.
“In the US, cycling is part of the urban lifestyle. I started with a road bike but found it uncomfortable to ride so switched to a city bike by Public, a popular brand in San Francisco that’s run by a group of young designers. Their bikes are well designed, easy-to-use and durable. They’re suitable for cyclists of all level and have definitely increased the popularity of cycling among women in San Francisco.” says Supreeya.
Pedal Lane currently offers a range of city bikes by Public as well as by Bobbin from England, Abici from Italy and Solex from France. Public’s are ideal for Bangkok’s streets as they are built to absorb bumps. Bobbin cycles are traditional and brightly coloured and, for the little ones, there’s a selection of wooden bikes that are ideal for teaching kids how to balance.
The store also offers water-proof backpacks by ILE, Alite and Boreas, rear lights by Beacon, Blinder Road, leather tool rolls by Mopha, straps for attaching a vacuum bottle to the e by Monkii Cage, vintage-style baskets by Peterboro, leather saddles by Brooks and helmets by Kiddi Moto and Helt Pro.
POWER TO THE FEET
>>Pedal Lane is on the first floor of Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. It’s open from Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 8pm. Call (081) 615 6592 or visit the PedalLane page at Facebook.
