Bicycle.

[shabti]

So.................

folding bikes. Or a bmx. Whatcha think? Is an extra 30 pounds worth it? (with tubes, pump, patch kit, lock, multi-tool, lights...? all that jaz is like, 30 pounds.)

would you guys take one with you?

 

[Jersey cat]

It may get in the way hitching

 

[shabti]

It may get in the way hitching

maybe? some of these fold up to the size of a backpack.

 

[Tude]

There is a guy in one of my bike clubs who has traveled to many parts of the world with his Friday folding bike. He loves it - quick fold and into the carrying sleeve, tosses it over his shoulder and he's on busses and trains. Plus it's an easy fit into a car trunk without having to take off a wheel or two. He also travels lightly with a backpack as well (he doesn't camp - rather looks for inexpensive motel/hostel lodgings). It is also his main ride as I'm always running into him in the city. Pretty cool. He also writes some very precise travel books for the US and Canada. The folders can be a tad pricey but you might find them on craigslist - and also there seem to be more manufactures of the folders. I actually won a folder (from a cigarette company no less). Big tank of a mtb. It was a Hummer - and packaged with the original Hummer Sport vehicle. It was also the bicycle that was sent to I believe Afghanistan and sent in with the troops who parachuted down (well that is the story). this bike however was a tank and heave as hell so no traveling with that but make a great downhill ride down some rough terrain.

 

[VikingAdventurer]

I would try it, for sure. It might be a good change from walking through towns.

 

[Wawa]

I have a BF Pocket Llama, which is Bike Friday's expedition/mountain folding bike. Its a bit of a pain in the ass to fold down all the way, but it rides like a normal bike. Normal for me means "decent touring bike", so for anyone used to less, it rides like a fucking amazing bike. Hitch hiking in Hawai'i with it rocked, since even "quick folded", which takes only a minute on the side of the road, it'll fit in a little rental sedan trunk.

Eventually I want it to be a bike I can ride freight with, but it still won't be easy... getting it across couplings or fences is possible, but slow and not very stealthy [emoji14].

Brompton also makes a very good bike, which folds much smaller but is less robust.

 

[creature]

i have an Island Hopper 3-way folder..

pretty nice.. it had a 35cc honda on it, but i pulled the motor & put it on a mountain bike..
the back brakes are funky.. not disk, but axle-pad.. never seen before & they are worn to shit..
which give me an idea, this second.. might be able to replace completely w/standard rubber friction.. interesting..

anyways.. folds small.. the motor adds little..
if yer gonna hitch with a bike, *use it*, i would think..
20 miles in a day (or more) beats the hell out of being stranded.. i dunno, but.. if you get a small folder, you might be able to kind of hide it behind your pack/legs/signs, so that when you get a ride, you can carry it..

you better be fucking strong..

a 40lb pack (unless you go super light) & a 30lb bike are a lot.
i've never done any cross country bike stuff, but what i would look for is a sectional pack that either specifically breaks into panniers, or one that comes close.. dunno at all.. but.. a folding frame?

i would thing panniers would be the hardest thing to collapse, & if yer biking, a pack sucks because of the high center of gravity..

my bike folds pretty tight, so.. it isn't un-doable..

the main thing is to make sure that yer courteous enough to decline any rides within reasonable biking distance, because a 5 mile ride, unless the situation is egregious, does not justify putting the driver through the continuation of their kindness to load the damn thing up..
if they have a truck or are very cool, & it gets you somewhere, fine.. but we all know that what we think of first is the welfare of our benefactor..

i would think that loading a bike & a pack in the trunk of a compact would be a bitch in most circumstances, but..if they stop & are willing & you can do so safely without making shit too dirty or scratching paint, then yer good to go..

BTW.. not sure what i will do with the fold-up..
if yer near prescott AZ, let me know..

C

 

[Wawa]

Bike and pack: I'll post a picture next time I load it up, so this makes more sense... With the small wheels on most folding bikes, you can get away with top loading a rear rack moreso then a full sized bike; the centre of gravity stays low. When I got my bike I had a rack made that would just barely clear the 20" tires and sat as low as possible. It also has a wider than usual platform(zip ties and a grill also do this). For more support, I attached a stem and handlebars to the seatpost, and ran straps through the hollow center to hold the pack down... eventually I want to find a long tandem stem, or bolt a wood block to the handlebars as a spacer so the pack doesn't push on my butt.

Anyway, its a decent set up that holds a pack and doesn't sway all over and make me eat shit. Right now I have small front panniers as well, but the day I start throwing this thing on trains, they'll probably be sacrificed.

 

[creature]

wawa, hi..

just searched yer references for the folding bikes..
thanks..

think imma gonna keep mine..

not *quite* as compact, but close.. might switch the motor back, if i can do something about the damn brakes..

 

[Wawa]

Haha, yeah don't worry not trying to talk anyone into going out to buy a new bike, but I figure showing off my set up could eventually be useful to someone searching for info.