How did you first get into fixed gear bikes?

I first saw fixies in Bangkok about three years ago. When I first saw one I said, “What is it? It’s a messenger bike. I want to ride fixie!” Back then not many shops carried them and they were expensive—I didn’t have money to buy one. But now in Bangkok there are more than a thousand fixie riders, and the stores stock every style. And it’s spreading through osmosis to other parts of the country. I started riding one in Chiang Mai two years ago. I think I was the first person to ride one here.

It seems like Chiang Mai is a much nicer city to ride a bike in than Bangkok.

Right now the fixie scene in Chiang Mai is not the same as Bangkok, because Chiang Mai is a good city to ride with no crazy traffic and lots of bikes. I organized the first alleycat race in Chiang Mai—I got the idea from watching YouTube videos. Right now I’m sponsored by Velocity Shop, a Fuji dealer in Chiang Mai. They give me free gear and I help promote their shop.

Are there bike messengers in Bangkok or other parts of Thailand?

I don’t think there are bike messengers in Bangkok because motorbikes are really popular and there’s crazy traffic. I’d like to start a messenger business in Chiang Mai but there are no customers for it yet.

When do fixie riders show up at this plaza?

People show up here to do tricks every night but Saturdays rides are big—we sometimes get 100 people.

And they’re all on fixed-gears?

Some people are on road bikes and some people are on mountain bikes. I don’t care what kind of bikes they are because many people riding together at night is very powerful. It looks like a campaign. Many people ask, “Hey, where are you going? Why are you riding?” I also ride with the Chiang Mai Bicycle Club, which meets every Sunday morning at 7 am.

Isn’t that kind of early?

It’s fine. Some of the guys who ride fixies all night try to show up in the morning and they’re so tired they have to hang onto things to stay upright, but the club is mostly older people—doctors, nurses, cops and government workers, every occupation. Sometimes we do really long trips, like to Pai, a small town in the mountains. Dr. Nirandorn is the head of the club.

You know, Chiang Mai has maybe 100,000 motorbikes. But we’re trying to say, “Hey, wake up! You can ride a bicycle instead.” Dr. Nirandorn is famous in Chi-

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