Dressed for the road

IF YOU see someone cycling along the street in a figure-hugging jersey that looks just like those worn by Japan’s famed Kamen Riders, chances are he picked up the shirt from Bombbike. The dedicated cycling jersey store is owned by Sattawat Chairat, a graphic design graduate from Rangsit University, and he’s out to turn the country’s cycling lanes into riots of colour.

Sattawat has been riding since he was a kid – his family owns a bike store – but he’d always cringed at his dad’s riding gear – a long-sleeved tee inscribed with the logo of some company or another. Determined to convince his father to smarten up and not impressed with the outfits available in Bangkok’s stores, he designed his own collection of well-cut gear in a range of vibrant colours, making the rider instantly noticeable to motorists. That was back in 2008 and within months he was doing a roaring trade through his online store.

He celebrated the arrival of 2015 by opening a real-time shop on the second floor of Car Bath Wash and Wax on Sena Nikhom Road. Painted black with glass walls, the modest store has an impressive stock of jerseys, T-shirts, shorts, long pants and helmets designed for men, women and children. 

“My aim has always been to offer cyclists gear they can feel good about. My first collection, which was produced by a local factory, sounded out the market and was a success. That encouraged me to open an online store and now, less than six years on, I have this shop too. This year, I’m planning to expand my line and tap into the Chinese market,” he tells The Sunday Nation.

Top-quality materials from Italy and China that are well ventilated and sun proof are used to make the casual but smart outfits, with many of the jerseys also looking good when paired with jeans or chinos. All have pockets to keep a water bottle and come with a reflective strip on the sleeve.

Sattawat is currently offering more than 20 different designs and says the most popular are the Kamen Rider jerseys. He also sells plenty of jerseys boasting the national flag as well as two-toned body suits and cotton caps. The colourful helmets are by Carrera, gloves by Lance Sobike, sunglasses by Morestar and the sneakers by City Cruiser.

Bombbike accepts custom-made orders too.

 

 

RIDE ON

>>Bombbike Cycling Jersey is on the second floor of Car Bath Wash and Wax on Sena Nikhom Road 1. 

>>It’s open Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 8pm.

>>Call (085) 533 0385, (086) 170 1557 or visit www.BombbikeStore.com.