On this tour, I followed Eurovelo route 1 on a wonderful ride along the Atlantic Coast in Portugal. A really easy and mostly flat ride with a good cycle route infrastructure and mild temperatures even in winter.
Portugal Bikepacking on a Brompton
Brompton Rack Bags Showdown
Yet another wonderful video presented by 2Bikes4Adventure, a YouTube channel that is a treasure trove for all of us who enjoy traveling on Brompton folding bikes. If you ever wondered what are the best options for bags that can fit on a Brompton rack look no further than this thorough video with detailed explanations that delve into materials used, space, convenience, security, cost and many more.
Brompton Bags Touring Setups
In this video the guys behind 2Bikes4Adventure share their insight and obvious expertise gained in many years of bike touring on folding bikes. They discuss the pro and cons of the various bags that are available for Brompton and share ideas of well tested and more original setups that can be used to carry luggage while touring on folding bikes.
Fixing a Broken Spoke on a Brompton
Not a common event on the strong little wheels of a Brompton but if you do have to fix a broken spoke on the road or while touring it might be useful to have a look at how this is done. Good advice from an amateur mechanic and Brompton rider.
Is touring harder on a Brompton?
One of the most common questions I get asked is how much more effort is needed to cycle on a folding bike compared to a touring bike. This is not surprising. At first sight my Brompton folding bike loaded with luggage at the back and at the front might look like a harder setup to ride.
My usual answer is: “It is just a little harder."
It is a rather vague reply but it is my experience over the years. I have extensively toured with mountain bikes and touring bikes in the past. On a folding bike you trade-off a little bit of comfort but in most situations, you will hardly be able to tell the difference.
A more interesting question to ask would be:
“Is the ability to tour and explore places limited by using a folding bike?”
The answer to this question is a resounding NO.
If at all, the curiosity to push the boundaries and see how far my Brompton could take me, has pushed me further than I would have done and I completed routes that I would have thought challenging on any bike. I am not saying that with a touring bike I wouldn’t be able to push further, higher and cover longer distances faster. Anyone interested in speed and performance, should probably not choose a folding bike in the first place, but what about those, that I believe being the great majority, who are more interested in experiencing the journey and its sights?
While touring, my longest daily mileage ever has been 160 kilometres and it was done on a Brompton. The highest mountain pass I have ever climbed on a bike was 5300 metres and I did it riding my Brompton. I never meant to set records but these are clear examples that they are more than capable bikes. Provided you avoid, as much as possible, rocky trails or muddy roads where folding bikes perform rather poorly, the ability to go anywhere else is only limited by your willingness to adapt a little and by your mindset.
I am sure there are mathematical formulas that contradict what I say and tell you that according to physics, the resistance of a 16” wheel compared to a 26”, will make you a certain percentage slower but you won’t notice this as much in practice.
As for other aspects that could make it marginally harder, I'll mention a few to be fair and as exhaustive as possible.
( 1 ) Aerodynamics They will play a part, especially if riding on strong headwinds. You might find that folding bikes usually allow you to take a position that is less aerodynamic and offer more resistance.
( 2 ) Handlebars Beyond what is offered as standard, they tend to be smaller and less customisable because they fit with the specific folding system of the bike. You will probably have more limitations in the hand grip and in the position your body can take while riding. While touring long hours each day this can contribute to a less comfortable ride. When your body position and the ability to change it is restricted, it becomes paramount to find a folding bike that is as comfortable as possible right off the bat.
( 3 ) Gears There are folding bikes, especially those at the higher end of the market, that offer wide ranges and lots of gears but these usually come at a higher cost. Generally, folding bikes are more limited in the number of gears they offer and less options will mean a harder ride at times. On my Brompton I tour with 6 gears only which means that I have less choices to adapt exactly the ratios to the terrain I am riding. If this might sound like a great discomfort, I would argue that you also do not need to have 20 or 30. A few gears with well spaced ratios that are soft enough to climb a steep hill and hard enough to push the pedals when descending are all you need.
While they might be a little harder to ride, my conclusion is that folding bikes are perfectly capable bicycles for riding a long tour provided you are willing to make small sacrifices for the flexibility they bring.
Ireland Wild Atlantic Way, Causeway Coast on a Brompton
Susanna Thornton is surely an expert Brompton traveler and takes us along one of her latest journeys to the Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way and Causeway Coast. Very inspiring ride where weather challenges are always met with a smile and a recognition of how lucky one is to be riding a Brompton folding bike along these beautiful roads.
Scotland Bikepacking on a Brompton
Scotland's Highlands offers some of the most remote and rugged landscapes in Western Europe. The North Coast 500 route is a loop that starts and ends in Inverness and, with some cooperation from the weather, is guaranteed to not let any cyclist feel disappointed.
Bali tour on a Brompton Folding Bike
A Brompton folding bike is the perfect tool to tour the magnificent island of Bali in Indonesia.
Austrian Alps weekend on a Brompton
An interesting account of Mike Fabian's ride over the Austrian Alps on a Brompton folding bike. Climbing over 2000 metres passes on what was the last chance before the winter closure on two stages of over 100 km is no mean feat and those Großlockner pictures say it must have all been so much worth it!
Another Brompton Setup
In his YouTube video Takuya Debun, a Japanese Brompton touring fan, shares some of his experience and thoughts behind the kind of setup he uses when touring on a Brompton folder.
North Mediterranean Bikepacking on a Brompton
This tour was 1,750 kilometres following the northern Mediterranean Coast starting from Barcelona and moving through France into Italy. The route followed, for the most part, Eurovelo 8 also referred to as 'the Mediterranean Way'. Once in Italy, this route moves inland but I followed the coast into the Italian region of Liguria before moving towards Lake Garda.
Brompton goes to the Peak District
A bike packing adventure in the Peak District from Sheffield to the Derwent Dams. Follow Terry's latest adventure on his Brompton folding bike.
