Folding Tourers

[ChrisBailey]

depends on what you mean by a suboptimal bike?

my bike friday new world tourist, agreed a pain to get in the suitcase, but it is worry free travel by plane with bike without having to worry about an expensive full size bike getting damaged by baggage handlers.

My imminent next cycling break http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/cb2010a in the US, is with my Bike Friday NWT, not my usual Thorn Audax, because it's going to be $300 cheaper on flight charges and with all the flights (4) involved I have no worries (crosses fingers & TSA permitting) with the suitcase.

I can pack / unpack into the suitcase in an unhurried 15 minutes. It's not a Brompton.

The ride quality is good, if my average speed is 1 mph less than the Thorn (and I have never tried to work out what, if any, it is) then who cares, I have to ride at the most 1/2 hour more a day.

If I had to have only 1 bike, it might well be a quality folder like the NWT.

 

[stephenjubb]

how did you manage to save 300$? did you have to declare you were taking a bicycle?

 

[stephenjubb]

Folding bikes have other advantages abroad, if you are staying in a big city in hotel then the bike and trailer easily go in the room too.

No worries about it being left outside or needing permission from hotel staff to put it in room, I just put my Bike Friday NWT mine in a bag and take it up to the room, they don't even know.

 

[jay clock]

depends on what you mean by a suboptimal bike?

what i mean is if asked the question "what is your ideal tourer" do you reply " a folder".? If you don't , then for riding the bike then a folder will be suboptimal. For a very short trip then a folder might be of use for me, but for longer trips I will use my KMWT

 

[stephenjubb]

seems virgin from uk to usa offer best value, bicycles go free.

 

[ChrisBailey]

how did you manage to save 300$? did you have to declare you were taking a bicycle?

I for air mile reasons am using US based airlines (US, American & Southwest). Southwest go $50 a trip for a bike, the rest appear to have harmonised on $100 a trip. With my 4 flights I expected £350 (or $300 with a particular discount I may or may not have been eligible for). The suitcase with the NWT in it, is free, hence the saving.

Ryanair are currently charging £40 a trip to transport your bike, so my NWT may be seeing more action going forward.

 

[Jugular]

This seems to be a good place to point out this description of flying with a touing Brompton:
http://sevenleagueboots.wordpress.com/2009/10/14/brompton-by-air-update/