Touring on a Folding Bike

For all those interested in a Folding Bike Touring manual I have published "Touring on a Folding Bike"  It is meant as a guide on how to travel and explore the world using a Brompton but also any other reliable folding bike. Discover the advantages of touring with a small and easy to carry bicycle and the amazing opportunities it opens up for the keen cyclist. Hopefully you will find some good advice, fruit of several years of experience on a Brompton folding bike. 

While the book is mostly for the less experienced cyclists, maybe thinking to tour for the first time - at least on a folding bike - I hope that even the more experienced bike tourist will find some valuable and useful advice. For those that have followed my YouTube Channel, while some of the information has been covered in the videos, the book provides more insights into the process I follow before and during a bike tour, in what I hope is an easy to read and well structured way. 

Find the book here

A Brompton and a Train in Devon

 

A Brompton folder combined with a train ticket can make it really easy to explore the best parts while skipping what is less interesting or places one has already seen. In this ride along the South Devon coast Andy makes the best of the ease with which our favourite folder can be easily transported.

Watch the video here

Transporting a Brompton Hardcase vs Soft Bags

Folding bikes do come with a great advantage. A small footprint that makes it easier to pack them ready for transport. How you pack them depends on the risk you are willing to take and to a certain extent the type of tour you are planning.

There are two main choices here. You could use a hard case or go for a soft bag.

Hard Cases

They use their hardcore shell to protect from damages and have lots of padding on the inside to further ensure your bike will be found as you left it no matter what happens. They are usually expensive, large and cumbersome but on the plus side quite comfortable to move about as they typically include wheels for easy rolling. Airlines charges vary. As a general rule you will find that a bicycle carried in this type of luggage falls into the ‘sport equipment’ meaning that extra fares will apply. You will pay more due to the weight but also the size of the package. You might often need to check in your luggage at special gates designated for Extra Large items. They do not have much space left for anything else beyond the bike. This means that you will have to carry much more weight in the cabin. Often airlines will not let you bring more than one bag for example and will also want to know the weight. You see where this is going. This can result in additional charges, adding to the frustration of negotiating through stressful situations.

As far as affecting what kind of tour you will be able to have, a hard case poses a practical problem too. You will have to store it somewhere when you start cycling. For a tour from point A to point B, you'll need transportation to return to the starting point once you've completed your journey.

Provided the above conditions are not too limiting, a hard case ensures that your bike will be safe and undamaged.

Soft Bags

Especially when traveling by airplane, soft cases are not as effective as hard cases in protecting your bicycle. On the other hand, they provide you with the freedom to decide where to stay and how to travel. Being light and foldable, they can be carried as part of your luggage, giving you the flexibility to use them when taking transportation in the middle of a tour. You can find an effective bag for not much more than the cost of a cup of coffee, and being lightweight, they minimize the chances of incurring extra fees during transport.

Certainly, the last thing you'd want is for your bike to get damaged during transport. With a soft bag, extra attention and care are essential when packing. Enclose the bike with soft items, and for a Brompton with a rack, I have found it crucial to place a sponge or some kind of soft padding at the bottom making sure the bike is not resting on the rack which if dropped with some force can bend it and damage it. Consider also inserting cut-down cardboard as an extra protective layer around the frame of the bike.

Soft cases are the only type I've used for all my touring travels. Experience has taught me how to compensate for their vulnerability with the ideas you've just read and more, which you can also find in my videos on the subject.

Bike Packing South England on a Brompton

 

The combination of Covid 19 restrictions on all travel and the forecast of good and dry late April weather, spurred me to finally take a tour of England, what has been home away from home for many years. In this tour, started from central London, I followed mostly National Cycle Network routes available on www.sustrans.org.uk, moving South and the West to Land's End and returning to Bath, my final destination. 

Watch the full video here

Catalonia on a Brompton Bike

 

A beautifully filmed short movie on a two days ride on a Brompton following the Penedès route in Catalonia.  For a total of 153 km and 2100 metres total climbed and using a light back packing style on a Brompton. 

Watch the full video