Ride along with Lala Belle
Lala Belle first started cycling just three years ago, but you wouldn’t know that by riding with her. Jumping in with both feet—and both cleats—she’s taken to the sport with enthusiasm, dedication, and style. We sat down to chat with Lala about her new-found passion for cycling as well as her many other lifelong creative pursuits. Enjoy our full interview below.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I go by the name Lala Belle. I’m from Thailand. I was born and raised in Bangkok. And that’s pretty much it. Do you want to know more about me?
Don’t worry, I’ve done my homework, and I have a few questions for you. So, you’re a musician, you’re an artist…you’re an actress, too, is that right?
It is.
I would say that my life revolves around art and music.
Those are my favorite things. They’re very dear to my heart and have been since I was very young. I have acted in commercials, music videos—even some drama series—but that was so long ago.
But growing up, I was always interested in art. I graduated from an international school of architectural design, so I immersed myself into designing things. I love to express myself through drawings and illustrations.
Then music became part of my daily life, as well. My parents were always listening to music at home, and so was I.
Which interest came first?
I would say drawing. That started when I was very, very young. Designing and being in a creative world and exploring things, that’s how I started. And then I learned that you can express yourself in more ways—through singing, through producing music. So, then I started to put my interests into the music industry.
Any time I have the opportunity to try something new that’s artsy, I jump right in. I want to try. I want to learn. If people can do that thing, then why can’t I?
Do you have a current favorite artistic pursuit?
Hmmm, I would say music.
Music is the one interest that gives me a way out. It opens the shadows of myself that I want to share. It’s a very delicate balance of elements that can touch you, can take you up and down. It’s the thing that I like the most.
And you’re a singer?
I am. I have an indie band, The 10th Saturday. We have three members. We each had bands or did solo work before we got together. We all have common backgrounds and interests, musically, in this synth-pop thing that we love. And we became good friends.
Before I joined this band, I worked as a musician under a record label. And in Bangkok, that means that people puppet you around. You have to do this; you have to do that—just to make money for them.
So, this was a way out. When you have your own band, you have a say in it. You can put your mind and your heart into it. I love our band so much.
How does cycling fit in amongst all your many other interests?
When Covid hit, everything changed. Work…everything…what was supposed to be your normal life, it changed. My husband used to cycle when he was young, and when the pandemic started, he decided to come back to cycling.
He started riding with friends, and I became basically his service car. In Bangkok, the traffic is very, very bad, and people drive like they’re crazy. So, just to keep them safe, I offered to be their service car. I was always driving around with them, tagging along. And on one of the trips, there was this girl, Zoe, riding with them.
I was like, “Oh, this is so cool.” All of the guys were riding so hard, and this girl could beat them. She was just flying away.
I was like, “If she can do that, maybe I can, too.” That was really the start, seeing a female cyclist who inspired me. She didn’t see herself as, “Oh, I’m a girl. I’m not going to be able to ride with the guys.” She just wanted to have fun. So that’s how I started.
How have you been adjusting to the cycling lifestyle? It kind of takes over everything.
Yeah, it does. It really hit me pretty hard because in Bangkok, you have to ride so early in the morning to get away from the sun and the heat. You start at like 5:30 or 6:00 and try to finish before 8:00 or 9:00 so that you don’t get baked in the sun. The early morning thing is hard for me. I’m not an early bird.
The other thing that is hard for me is that, with my background, I didn’t do any other sports. When it came to cycling, it surprised me because I didn’t think I would ever get into it. But it helped that I was riding with friends, and when you get tired, they encourage you to keep going. You slowly get more power, and it becomes something that you enjoy.
The more you ride, the stronger you get, and the further you can go. And the more comfortable on the bike you are, the more you can enjoy the scenery around you. That surprised me and kept me going. So, somehow, I just fell in love with it, I guess.
What have been some of the biggest challenges for you?
It’s been so tough for me. As I said, I’m not a sporty girl, and being consistent has been hard. Cycling fitness is something that you lose right away if you stop.
You have to be consistent and invest your time into it. It’s a good habit to learn, but that’s been the hardest part.
What has changed since you started?
In the beginning, I would just tell myself to ride and have fun. So, I didn’t feel a lot of pressure. Cycling is just a thing I enjoy doing with my friends. But more pressure comes when you have brands supporting you and you need to represent those brands. Or if you get into racing, there’s more pressure. If I do something, I always want to do it 100 percent, to make the best of it. Which means training, and that is hard. With training comes consistency.
What sort of training are you doing?
Typically, training rides need to be done on Zwift because Bangkok city isn’t too ideal for that. Right now, I’m taking it easy after all the accidents I’ve had. Unfortunately, I crashed a number of times last year, so I had to learn to slow down to get better. But I’m feeling better right now, and in a couple of weeks, I’ll get the momentum going again.
What’s a regular riding week look like for you?
If my schedule isn’t fully packed, I ride five days a week. Weekdays, I mostly ride around my neighborhood. There’s a 2.5-kilometre loop, so you just ride it like a crit—looping—for an hour to an hour and a half. Weekends are reserved for social rides with friends.
I quite enjoy Zwift. I know a lot of people say it’s boring for them, there’s no scenery and there’s no wind to assist. But I like to see little accomplishments being checked off in the form of stars on workout rides as well as when routes are completed. It’s a good feeling!
Where do you go for longer rides? Is it easy to get out of Bangkok?
Yeah, we’ll ride from the center of Bangkok either eastwards or westwards. Either way takes you as far as 100 to 150km. You just have to ride about 20 to 30km to get away from the main traffic areas at the start and end.
What’s the geography like there? Is it hilly?
It’s not. Bangkok is flat! So, when I’m riding abroad, I’m always so surprised by all the hills and mountains. Climbing is nice, but it’s hard to train here for it. The closest climbing route is about a two-hour drive by car.
What’s your favorite place to ride in Thailand?
Chiang Rai. It’s north of Chiang Mai, and it’s not too touristy yet. You have nice weather most of the time, there are quiet mountains to climb, fresh air to breathe, and hidden coffee places to find.
What’s your favorite place you’ve ridden abroad?
Italy, the Strade Bianche in Tuscany. It was so beautiful... We were doing a promo shoot with Standert, and it was very nice. I really want to go back. Because it was a photoshoot, we were on and off the bike a lot. We didn’t get to have a very long ride. But the scenery was mesmerizing.
Has cycling given you many opportunities to travel?
It has.
I’ve been to some places that I had never dreamt I’d be able to visit, like Gran Canaria in Spain. I had never heard of it before, but cycling took me there, and I’m so grateful for that. I never thought that a bike with its two wheels could take you to so many places.
Now it’s a contagious bug! Now every time we are flying somewhere, we’ll usually check if there are any interesting routes to cycle in the area we’re looking to visit.
What’s the cycling community like in Bangkok?
It’s made up of a diverse group of people. Some want to solely do coffee rides, some want to do fast rides only, some like a mixture of both. I think that’s common everywhere. We’re starting to see more female cyclists in Bangkok though, so I’m happy to see that.
How would you like to see cycling grow?
More than just exercising to keep fit but being integrated into a lifestyle—for off the beaten track exploring, commuting, and a way of life off the bike.
Cycling has many benefits to one’s mental and physical state of being.
Community wise, getting everyone involved as one group, less brand consciousness and just riding as one—enjoying the simple pleasure of riding together.
Do you think it’s a pretty welcoming community?
I think it is. When you have a common interest, it’s easier to get together and have fun and play together.
Do you find that there’s more international attention now on Thai cycling these days?
I think so, yeah.
There seems to be more attention on Thailand as a destination as well as riding in Bangkok. More people from overseas are starting to explore riding in Bangkok city and out of the city in places like Khao Yai and Chiang Mai.
I guess with Covid, the number of cyclists also increased and hence, the growth. With our depth of culture, good food, and bustling city, Bangkok and Thailand have many layers, so that’s interesting to international riders.
Social media can be a task in and of itself. How do you balance riding with documenting your outings for social media?
We are very lucky because our friends are cyclists and photographers, and so is my husband. It’s easier to get photographed this way. But this is something that, how can I put it, I’m not always so happy with. Sometimes you just want to go ride, but in your mind, you have to remember that some part of it has to be for social media. Do you have enough pictures already? Do you have things to post in your story? Things like that can stick to you and are not so good when you just want to enjoy riding.
But it’s good to have friends with photography skills. It makes it easier to get pictures. Our group is lucky.
Have you found that cycling has impacted your other interests—your illustrations, for example?
It has. First, I would say that it has become very hard for me to share my time. When I get into something new, I always become obsessed with it. So, I just put myself into cycling all the time. But recently, I’ve found myself balancing these things. For example, with cycling photography, I find myself wondering how I can illustrate the photos, to make compositions I like and represent my personality. So, these days, that has become an area where I combine the two worlds, cycling and art. My social media posts of late have become a kind of diary for me and a portfolio.
What’s your current riding setup?
I’m riding a Standert Kreissäge, a road racing bike, with Lightweight wheels. I would say the wheels were love at first sight. When I first started cycling, I would just scroll through social media feeds and pick out things I liked, like, “Oh, this is so nice; that is so nice.” And
when I found these wheels, I knew that I had to get them because they are just so beautiful that no matter what you put them on, it’s just so nice.
And they look perfect with round-tube bike setups.
So that’s what first hit me, the look, then I started to look up how they perform—how stiff they are, how light they are. My frame is aluminum, so it’s not that light. I have to balance that with lighter components so it’s easier when I go climbing.
At the end of the day, it is a perfect scenario, and I find them very fun to ride. So, I’m happy.
Last question: what advice would you have for someone wanting to ride in Bangkok?
Just do it! It’s not that hard. I mean, the traffic can be very intimidating at first, but trust me, the drivers are not that cruel. They understand how to coexist with cyclists and are kind enough to give us space. It’s going to be fun, satisfying, and it’s going to open up another riding mecca you can only experience here.
You can keep up with Lala and her many interests on Instagram @lalabelle