Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Obvious advantages of a folding bike in touring

What a mouthful title!
Yeah, in this continuing series on touring foldies, I would like to touch on the advantages of a folding bicycle, especially when it comes to its compact size and portability.

Even when folded, the Dahon Speed P8 took very little space with its pack racks
Portable mobility
Bikes with wheel sizes at 20" are the most ideal for touring.
You can set it up easily and it doesn't really take up a lot of space in a stow-bag or even an airport safe baggage.
In the case of local travel, a padded stowbag is enough to withstand the rigorous bus and train ride.
If you want to shave on weight, a carry-on cover would do the job.
As far as weight issues are concerned, a typical mid-range foldie would weight about 12kgs.
I don't think this is too heavy to lug around....

Safety
Unlike full-sized bikes, foldies can be stashed and stowed in your room.
Just be courteous to people around you when you carry the bike into your motel room.
There are places that prohibits bicycles in their premise. 
With the folding bike, this is hardly an issue.


Our foldies in Thailand
Transport and storage
If you want to commit in an interstate travel on buses, its adviseable to invest in a padded carry on bag for your bike.
These can be found in most bike stores and the typical price for a good stowbag is round RM230 - RM300.
For air travel, its bes that you invest in a semi-hard luggage. 
Some seasoned travellers pack their foldies in a hard case to prevent damage.
If you have to dismantle the wheels, make sure that sensitive parts like the drivetrain and derailleurs are protected.
All you need to do, is to wrap it in packing foam.
For the less-sophisticated traveller, they would pack the bikes in a bike box. 
The risk of damage is apparent this way.

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