Folding Tourers

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mcfcbird

mcfcbird

Well-Known Member
Location
Manchester England
Hi, what with all the increasing hassles of taking a bike on planes and trains these days, I'm seriously considering getting a folding tourer. I'm specifically looking at the Dahon Speed TR and the Bike Friday WT respectively, although the latter comes in at almost twice the price. I've been researching the pros and cons of both models..

I was wondering if anyone here had any direct experience with folding tourers, or any advice concerning getting one.. Thanks in advance..

Mark
 
Brains

Brains

Legendary Member
Location
Greenwich
Look up S&S couplings
 
S

stephenjubb

Über Member
the Dahon Speed TR may fold but you will still have the same hassles as a normal bicycle in that it may get damaged unless it goes in a hard box then you have the problems of what to do with the hard box.

All bikes fridays fold down and go in a suitcase which then becomes a trailer. they can take some time to get into the suitcase but once done airports are a breeze and you never worry about the bike getting damaged or getting rejected. No worries either about what to do with the bike box.

I've flown with in several times, great every time, airline staff are not bothered just looks like another suitcase.

but they are expensive.

here is the bike friday trailer

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Bike-Friday-H...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item41492b41c1

you could get a hard box for the dahon

http://www.dahon.com/accessories/2004/airporter-suitcase

or something equivalent and then get the guy who makes the trailers above to adapt a bike friday trailer to the dahon box (or equivalent)

he has said he would do this for me in the past.

that way you get the dahon(much cheaper) but still all the benefits of the bike friday trailer and packaging benefits.
 
S

stephenjubb

Über Member
or and it will be heavier at 9.5kgs for the suitcase and 3kilos for the trailer. The bike friday trailer and suitcase combined come in 7 kilos.
 
OP
OP
mcfcbird

mcfcbird

Well-Known Member
Location
Manchester England
stephenjubb said:
the Dahon Speed TR may fold but you will still have the same hassles as a normal bicycle in that it may get damaged unless it goes in a hard box then you have the problems of what to do with the hard box..
Click to expand...

Well actually there's a semi-hard suitcase that you can get for the Dahon, the Airporter, that seems like it would protect the bike pretty well, and it comes in at 9.5 kg. it even has castors.

Yeah I saw the case that adapts into a trailer on the Bike Friday, which I think it's quite a neat idea.
 
HelenD123

HelenD123

Legendary Member
Location
York
Make sure you test ride the bikes before committing to them. I've tried loads of folders recently looking for something more convenient for taking in the car and occasionally on public transport but that can handle long rides. They can ride quite differently to a normal tourer. I plumped for an Airnimal Joey in the end. I tried the off the shelf version of the Bike Friday NWT but didn't like the riding position.
 
rich p

rich p

ridiculous old lush
Location
Brighton
HelenD123 said:
Make sure you test ride the bikes before committing to them. I've tried loads of folders recently looking for something more convenient for taking in the car and occasionally on public transport but that can handle long rides. They can ride quite differently to a normal tourer. I plumped for an Airnimal Joey in the end. I tried the off the shelf version of the Bike Friday NWT but didn't like the riding position.
Click to expand...

Will you be doing Canada on the Bike Friday, Helen?
 
D

Darryl

Well-Known Member
Location
Cotswolds
As others have said a lot depends on whether you are happy with the ride offered by any of the folders. I have happily toured using a Brompton and have had no problem with it at airports or train stations.
 
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