Photo by BikePortland.org
I’ve done a decent amount of air travel this last year, and this weekend I’m heading off again for Vancouver, BC, and Seattle, WA. Each time I wished I had a bike with me. It’s the freedom of mobility I miss – taking in new surroundings at one’s own pace, not beholden to transit routes and schedules, or depending on rental cars and taxis.
Bringing a full-sized bicycle along for short trips is prohibitively expensive because of airline fees. When I lived in Japan for a year, I brought along my Rivendell and Northwest Airlines charged me something in the range of $200 each way from LAX. While there are airlines that charge less, it’s easy to see how quickly these fees add up. Additionally, for a short trip I don’t want to deal with the bulk and hassle of getting a full-sized bike out of the airport to wherever it is I’m going, reassembling the bike once there (about 45 minutes of work on a good day), figuring out what to do with the shipping container, and then doing the same thing in reverse when I leave.
A folding bike is a great solution to these problems. Sure, they’re undeniably dorky looking, but I’m not one to shy away from dorkiness and their usefulness makes them pretty awesome. Check out this clip of a Bike Friday Tikit folding and unfolding.
Bam! How great is that? It takes mere seconds to fold the bike which then fits in a travel case that can be checked in without incurring an oversized baggage fee. What’s better is that at upon reaching one’s destination the travel case can be converted into a trailer for touring.
If I had to do it over again, I think I would have purchased a folder before leaving for Japan and taken that with me instead of my Rivendell. That’s saying a lot because my Riv and I had lots of great times riding around the country. Not only would a folder have saved me a substantial chunk of change in luggage fees, but it would’ve made bringing bikes on Japan’s extensive train networks a cinch rather than a headache. Bikes can be brought onto trains in Japan but must be put into a special bike bag, requiring disassembly – a pain for a bike with fenders, racks, and dynamo lighting. The bagged bike then needs to be hauled through the station, often through turnstiles and up and down stairs. My Riv has more than a few scratches on the frame and dents in the fenders from this process.
There are several folding bike manufacturers out there. The big three are Brompton, Dahon, and Bike Friday. If I were to get a folder, I’d go with Bike Friday. They hand-build their bikes in Eugene, OR, and offer several models including ones for racing, touring, commuting, and even tandem riding! Frames can be built-to-order according to a rider’s personal measurements, but standard sizes are also offered for those on a budget.
I’d probably opt for their popular touring model, the New World Tourist, built up with dynamo lighting, disc brakes to reduce wear on the tiny rims, the upcoming Shimano Alfine 11-speed internal gear hub for simplicity and versatility, and mustache bars because I like ‘em (that’s assuming compatible aftermarket shifters are available). This’d make for a pricey build but considering the cost of airline or shipping fees it seems worth it. If I were a multi-modal commuter, taking a train or bus in addition to bicycling, I’d have one already. As it is, there’s a dozen other things that I need more than another bicycle in the stable, like a new computer or a trip to Europe (yes, I need one!), but it’s fun to dream.
Tags: bike friday, folders