Touring bike advice?/ Bike Fridays?

[Ered_Lithui]

Hey everybody! I'm planning a cross-country trip this summer. So I need to choose a bike....

I don't really have much experience with touring bikes (have owned a Raleigh M20 for ~8 years (since I was 12), but know a fat-tire would be awful on this type of trip).

I guess what I'm looking for is a WSD bike for someone my size that is primarily a touring bike but can also be used on a daily basis around town and college and can handle some off-road terrain. I want to make sure it's a good investment in the long run. My dad suggested a recumbent, but aside from the xc trip itself, other considerations (transport, parking, keeping it in my apartment) make me think it wouldn't be worth it. If I really should consider a recumbent, though, please feel free to tell me!

My LBS doesn't seem to have anything I'd be interested in -- a few touring models, but nothing that jumps out at me.

One of the first things that caught my eye was the Bike Friday petite series. I'm 5'3 and 125 lbs, so those bikes look great! I like the fact that they're easy to transport, and the trailer option is attractive (it'll be a self-supported trip).

That said, if there's a touring option that's just as good but less expensive, I don't want to ignore it because of an infatuation with BF's. :P I can probably spend up to $1500 on the bike.

Denise, you have Bike Friday experience and seemed to love your bike...could one of their touring models double as an everyday bicycle? Does anyone have suggestions/caveats about any sort of touring bike?

I suppose in conclusion...BF's look great, but I'm not married to any one brand yet. Advice?

Thank you!

Leila

[DeniseGoldberg]

Leila -
Absolutely, you can use a Bike Friday as an everyday bike. I actually have two of them - one set up as a skinny-tired road bike (a Pocket Rocket, purchased before they made the Petite line, although I've considered trading it in for a Petite!), and one set up as a touring bike (an Air Glide). The reason I bought my first Bike Friday was so I could take a bike with me on trips when I was flying somewhere without dealing with a full-sized bike case and excess baggage charges. The bikes are built with a drive train that gives you the same gear ratios as on a "regular" bike, so they are not any more or less difficult to ride than other bikes. I've toured extensively on the Air Glide; that's the bike that I used on my cross-country trip. And I ride my Pocket Rocket quite often too. The Pocket Rocket is set up with all road components (Ultegra) and slightly higher gearing than the Air Glide. For the Air Glide - knowing that I would be hauling my gear and riding up mountain roads, I opted by slightly lower gearing by using an Ultegra front derailleur and an XT rear - and mountain-bike brakes, which gives me more clearance for the fatter tires I like when I'm touring. Since the bikes are made to order they can pretty much come up with whatever you need. And I would be happy with either style of bike (the Air or the Pocket) as a touring bike.

If you have more questions, please ask & I'll try to answer them.

But if you are seriously thinking of going with a Bike Friday I'd encourage you to call them and start looking at options. There is a little bit of lead time since the bikes are made to order (not a lot - but you can't decide you want one and have it delivered within days!).

--- Denise

[emily_in_nc]

Hi Leila ~

I also have a Bike Friday and can highly recommend this bike as both a touring and "every day" bike. I have the Petite Pocket Crusoe but had them put drop bars on it, since that is what I am used to, and I wanted the multiple hand positions. I love it. My husband and I did a self-supported tour last fall in the Finger Lakes and Adirondacks areas of New York, and it performed wonderfully with front and rear panniers. I didn't even get a single flat! I use it now around town with a rear rack and Arkel Tailrider pack for quick trips out and about or for longer rides in the countryside. It's comfy and a lot of fun to ride, and really, it feels just like my full-size bikes, I promise!

If you want a Petite Bike Friday (they're lighter, which is why I wanted one), you will probably need to tour with a trailer as you're planning, because the petite series can't handle a huge amount of weight, and you'll probably want to carry quite a bit for a cross-country tour unless you can travel really light. I believe they told me that 125 lb. rider plus 20-25 lbs. of luggage on the bike was the maximum recommended. I weigh about 105 so could handle a little more luggage. I think I had about 25 lbs. or 30 at the very tops; my husband carried most of the heavy stuff!

Have you read my review of my Bike Friday? If not, check out www.girlbike.com. Also, I have a web site of our tour, where you can see numerous Bike Friday pictures (my husband has a Pocket Crusoe too). Check out Our New York State bike tour site.

I chose the Pocket Crusoe primarily because I wanted a Friday with 406 wheels, which accommodate wider tires (I run 1.35" tires, which are great for gravely and bumpy roads), and work well with V-brakes (mountain bike brakes). There's plenty of fender clearance room, and I did appreciate very much being able to use fenders on tour (couple of rainy days), and keep them on to this day. Because STI shifting doesn't work all that well with V-brakes, I went with bar-end shifting, which I'd never used before but quickly grew to like very much indeed. It shifts much easier and smoother in the front than an STI triple, that I can promise you! Like Denise, I chose an Ultegra front derailleur and an XT rear for a really LOW low gear. I needed every gear in NY state, to be sure.

Good luck with your decision, and please keep us posted. Let me know if I can answer any other specific questions. I really don't think you can go wrong with a Bike Friday, though!

Emily in NC

P.S. If you call Bike Friday for further information, ask to speak to Walter. He is incredibly knowledgeable and can answer all your questions.

[annie]

Emily,

Loved your New York State Bike tour site! Great photos and narrartive. Sounds like you had such a great time! Do you have any more tours planned?

The Bike Friday is interesting . It looks so different than a "normal" bike but I have to believe you and Denise when you tell how well it functions. At some point I am probably going to get a touring bike. So I appreciate very much reading tales from people who have touring experience.

annie

[emily_in_nc]

Emily,

Loved your New York State Bike tour site! Great photos and narrartive. Sounds like you had such a great time! Do you have any more tours planned?

The Bike Friday is interesting . It looks so different than a "normal" bike but I have to believe you and Denise when you tell how well it functions. At some point I am probably going to get a touring bike. So I appreciate very much reading tales from people who have touring experience.

annie

Glad you liked the site, Annie. Are you the same Annie who has an Aegis Swift? (That's my other road bike - the one in my avatar). Love that one too!

As for looking different, you're definitely right. Bike Fridays are not for shrinking violets, that's for sure! We get asked about them everywhere we go. But that's fine with me - I love being different, and I don't mind talking about my sweet little bike one bit! I drive a Honda Element, for Pete's sake...being different is fun!

Emily

[annie]

Glad you liked the site, Annie. Are you the same Annie who has an Aegis Swift? (That's my other road bike - the one in my avatar). Love that one too!

As for looking different, you're definitely right. Bike Fridays are not for shrinking violets, that's for sure! We get asked about them everywhere we go. But that's fine with me - I love being different, and I don't mind talking about my sweet little bike one bit! I drive a Honda Element, for Pete's sake...being different is fun!

Emily

Not the same Annie. But totally happy with my Project OneTrek 5200WSD. I'd probably love the Aegis, too. I love bikes!

Being different would absolutely not bother me! In fact, it might inch me a little closer to making a decision As long as the bike fit and was as comfortable as I'd like, and it sounds like that isn't in doubt, I could be very happy!

I've also looked at the xtracyle website. http://www.xtracycle.com/html/home.php
That, too, is different looking but sounds very appealing. I'm just not sure it'd be right for me. I don't haul BIG loads.

I've looked at the Surly Long Haul Trucker. That sounds like a beauty of a frame and I could build up the bike with components of choice. Sounds like I could do that with the Bike Friday, too. If I am ever going to do a long, self-supported tour, I want the gearing that will allow me to survive mountain passes with a loaded bike. Most stock touring bikes don't seem to come with sensible, low gears.

There's so much to consider. I am not in a hurry. I'm only in for short tours this summer. But next year, we'll see. I hope to be able to do a longer trip. It's been great reading websites, such as Denise's and Emily's, that have photos and stories. Very inspiring! If anyone has any to share, please do!