Bike Friday recommendations?

[Bad JuJu]

I'm considering buying a Bike Friday--looking most especially at the New World Tourist. Any Bike Friday owners out there with words of wisdom to share? TIA!

[DeniseGoldberg]

I have two Bike Fridays - a Pocket Rocket set up as a road bike (ultegra components, skinny tires) and an Air Glide set up as a touring bike (mix of ultegra and XT components, brakes that can accommodate heavier tires). I am very happy with both bikes.

I ride my Pocket Rocket all of the time - it's my commuting bike plus my "just riding" bike. It has also traveled with me to places like Oregon, Hawaii, and Utah on trips where I wanted a bike but where I was not hauling my own gear with me. I rode my Air Glide across the US in 2002, and it has traveled to places like Ireland, Hawaii, and Prince Edward Island with me.

Leila Barker rode a New World Tourist across the US last summer. Her journal is at http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/journal/amphibious2005. She also participates in this forum, but I can't remember the name she uses here. You could leave a message for her in her journal guestbook though.

I'd be happy to try to answer specific questions - is there something in particular that concerns you?

Also - you may be able to test ride a bike, depending on where you are in the country and where there are New World Tourist owners. I believe that Bike Friday will still try to hook up prospective owners with folks in your area that have the same bike. That doesn't always work, but it's certainly worth a try.

--- Denise

[MomOnBike]

Leila (and her Bike Friday) stayed one night at my house on her trip.

I was favorably impressed with the bike, and the trailer. They looked like quality work. And it sure looked little and cute, especially next to my big ol' recumbent... Oh yes, Leila is a wonderful person, too. (First bike, then person, right? )

If she had any problems with it, she sure didn't mention them.

I've got to admit, the bike tempted me.

[Bad JuJu]

Thanks to both of you for the info.

My main concern is that the bike be durable and comfortable. All I've read about them suggests that they are, as MomOnBike noted, quality work. And certainly I'll have to test-ride one to satisfy myself as to the comfort issue. But I'm still in the early stages of researching this big purchase and thought I'd get some pointers straight from the Bike-Friday-owners' mouths before I move any further in the process.

Denise, I'm impressed that you own not one but TWO BFs. If you use one for commuting, I'm sure it must be a real trooper. I don't know what your commute is like, but in my experience, just the daily wear and tear is enough to quickly separate the winners from the losers in bike durability. Thanks also for the helpful links. I find this kind of info-gathering is worth the time, and generally a little more straightforward than what even the most honest dealer can tell you.

Thanks again/bjj

[DeniseGoldberg]

In my experience the bikes are both durable and comfortable. And I've found the folks at Bike Friday to be very good to work with. A somewhat silly example - when I rode cross-country I pulled in to Pueblo, Colorado and decided I wanted to get my bike tuned up the next day. I took a look at my tires and realized that new tires would be a good thing too. As expected, the local shops didn't have good touring tires in a 406 size, so I called Bike Friday to have them ship a pair. It was already late in the afternoon, but they made sure to get them out in time for an overnight delivery to the shop that was going to do the tune-up.

I sent you my phone number via a private message in case you decide it would be helpful to talk in real time...

--- Denise

[Susan Otcenas]

Jeff & I both have Bike Fridays. I own an Air Glide, Jeff has a New World Tourist. We took our bikes on a 2 week trip to New Zealand just over a year ago. I wrote about the bikes and our trip here: http://www.teamestrogen.com/adventures/nz.asp There's some photos of the bikes and some mention of how it was to travel with them.

One thing I don't really discuss in that story is changing flats (well, Jeff had 3, but not me ) When we bought our bikes, we went with the decision to but the sram 3-speed internal hubs. I liked the idea of the hub for a couple of reasons. 1) you can shift standing still, which can be quite convenient when loaded touring. and 2) I like the idea of keeping these moving parts enclosed and clean (unlike my regular road bike, which always needs to be cleaned...) But choosing this option meant sacrificing a quick release rear wheel. At first this didn't seem like a big deal - I just carry a wrench. But with the rack on the back, there's almost no room to maneuver the wrench into place. Plus, it requires a lock washer to keep the wheel in proper position and I frankly have the damndest time getting the wheel on and off with that stupid washer staying in the right place. By the time I wrestle the wheel off the bike, I'm frustrated. Then, once I manage to get the tire changed (those little tires are tight and requires the world's beefiest tire lever) I usually can't can't the wheel back on without assistance.

Now, I'm a woman who prides herself on being able to take care of her own bike and *certainly* not needing a man's assistance to change a %^$$#ing flat tire. But I confess, I can't do it on the Friday, and I blame the decision to choose the internal hub.

Soooo, long story short, if I had to do it over again, I would get a plain old derailleur and triple chain rings.

Susan