Video Folding Bike Touring-An Old Bike For A New Adventure.

laughingman

laughingman

New member
Almost a year ago now I managed to find an old Bike-Friday touring bike on ebay. I actually won the auction while I was on a backpacking trip so that was a bit touch and go. Bike-Friday is a US brand who makes custom fairly hi end bicycles which fold. There line up is, comically, expensive. So a knew that this was likely my only opportunity to get one for myself. I was looking for a bike which had been built for someone my size and weight, and I assumed with my meager budget whatever I ended up with would need some work. I was not disappointed. I found this bike for less then one seventh of its cost new. It needed any amount of care and attention, a paint job, new components, maintenance. I worked on it for a few months off and on and during that time I decided I would take it with me to Europe this year. Now I leave in about a week. I'm going to be making a few videos about the bike and the gear I'm bringing. As well as videos on the ground of how I'm budget bike touring the EU for several months.

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Ill post more information about the trip as my departure date draws closer.
 
laughingman said:
Good news. I've got a few videos up on my YouTube channel. I'm in day 23 of my trip now so there is plenty comeing.
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Thanks for the update. I enjoyed seeing the minimalist & folding setup... the opposite of my bikepacking rig haha. You're right about those thumb shifters you can't break em unless you hit them with a rock. We've had them on bikes left in the rain for a decade and a little lube brings them right back to life.

I also endorse the Mechanix gloves for riding. I had the regular work gloves like in your gear video and they lasted a long time. I bought a couple of the different tactical pairs several years ago and they've just gotten a little softer and faded a bit after hours outside and many washings. Mechanix honors their warranty without any fuss which is rare. I've owned several pairs by different boutique bicycle brands and they have a short life span and just feel cheap by comparison.
 
MetalBryan said:
Thanks for the update. I enjoyed seeing the minimalist & folding setup... the opposite of my bikepacking rig haha. You're right about those thumb shifters you can't break em unless you hit them with a rock. We've had them on bikes left in the rain for a decade and a little lube brings them right back to life.

I also endorse the Mechanix gloves for riding. I had the regular work gloves like in your gear video and they lasted a long time. I bought a couple of the different tactical pairs several years ago and they've just gotten a little softer and faded a bit after hours outside and many washings. Mechanix honors their warranty without any fuss which is rare. I've owned several pairs by different boutique bicycle brands and they have a short life span and just feel cheap by comparison.
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Mechanix gloves are awsome. Way more durable then any cycling glove your likely to find. Although as it gets warmer I'm not wearing them quite as much as I did in those first two weeks. I'm still glad to have them when I'm on dirt or gravel. Definitely with the slick road tiers on the bike.
 
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