Folding bike touring is becoming an increasingly popular niche in bicycle touring. Folding bikes offer a number of unique advantages over traditional touring bikes. They are easy to transport, versatile, and allow you to travel places that other bikes can’t go. Of course, there are some significant disadvantages as well. Folding bikes are less efficient and can’t haul as much gear. This guide outlines the pros and cons of folding bike touring.
In this guide, I’ll cover bike transportation, maintenance, parts availability, comfort, security, luggage options, efficiency, costs, and much more. I’ll also explain how to choose the best folding bike for touring. I’ll cover foldability, wheel size, luggage, cost, and more. Finally, I’ll outline some of the best folding touring bikes including the Brompton, Bike Friday, Dahon, Tern, Birdy, and more.
I got into cycle touring about 10 years ago. A few years back, I was touring and decided I wanted to skip a section that didn’t look very interesting or safe. It was so much of a hassle to pack my bike for a flight or put it on a bus that I decided to cycle anyway. After that tour, I had the idea to use a folding bicycle for touring. I bought a Brompton and some luggage and fell in love with it. These days, I mostly tour on a folding bike.
I also made this short YouTube video to outline the main points of the article.
Folding Bike Pros
1. You can take folding bikes on buses, trains, and in taxis and Ubers
Folding bicycles pack down small enough to fit in the luggage storage area of buses and trains and in the trunk of any taxi or Uber. If bicycles aren’t allowed, you can simply fold up the bike, slip it into a bag, and nobody will know what it is. It just looks like a large piece of luggage.
2. You can bring your folding bike into your hotel room, hostel dorm, or Airbnb
Many hotel managers don’t want bikes in their rooms. The reason is that bikes are dirty. They can bring mud and grease into the room. You could also damage the walls or doors if your bike hits something while you’re moving it around. While understandable, most bicycle tourists don’t like these policies.
Because folding bikes are so much smaller they can be stored in a large bag. As long as the bag is clean, most hotel managers will have no problem with you bringing it into the room. If you pack the bike before you check in, they won’t even know what it is.
Having your bike with you in your hotel room gives you extra peace of mind. You don’t have to worry about your bike while it’s locked up outside or in a storage room where who knows who has access.
3. Folding bikes are cheap or free to fly with
The biggest benefit I have found to touring with a folding bike is that you can save a significant amount of money on airfare. The bike can fly as a regular checked bag on most airlines as long as it meets the checked bag size requirements.
For most airlines, this means you must pack your folding bike into a package with dimensions totaling less than 62 linear inches (158 cm), and weighing less than 50 lbs (23 kilos). Checking a folding bicycle is usually free on international flights where one checked bag is included in the fare. On domestic flights, you may need to pay $25-$50. You’ll pay whatever the standard checked bag fee is.
Checking a full-sized bike is usually much more expensive. Each airline charges a different rate. Most airlines charge $100-$200 each way. Of course, some airlines are much cheaper. For example, Alaska Air will fly your bike for only $25.
4. You don’t have to cycle everywhere
When you tour with a folding bike, you have the freedom to skip boring or dangerous sections. For example, maybe you’re arriving in a large city and you don’t feel like riding through heavy traffic. You could hire a taxi or Uber to drive you to your hotel. Maybe you’re riding through a flat, dry area that’s not very scenic. You could take a bus to the mountains or the coast and skip that section. If you simply don’t feel like cycling, you can bag the bike and travel like a backpacker.
5. You can explore more places more easily with a folding bike
Maybe while touring you decide that you want to take a budget flight to a neighboring country or nearby island. With a folding bike, you can pack it up and fly relatively hassle-free. You can take a spontaneous cycling vacation if you want to.
You could also store the bike at your hotel’s luggage storage and take a side trip without your bike. If you bike tour on a full-size bike, a side trip may be cost-prohibitive or impossible.
6. Folding bikes are easier to pack up for transport
When flying with a folding bike, you don’t need to go through the hassle of finding a full-sized bike box. You can make an appropriately sized box by cutting and taping smaller boxes to size. You can pack the bike in the comfort of your hotel room.
When traveling by bus or train, you can carry a folding bike bag and store the bike inside of it. Sometimes, you don’t need to pack the bike at all. You can just fold it and place it in the luggage area. Some people have even taken their Brompton folding bike into the cabin of airplanes and stored them in the overhead bin. Check out this cool site for photos.
7. You don’t have to worry as much about getting stranded
If your folding bike fails catastrophically and you can’t ride it, you can hitch a ride back to civilization. You can haul a folding bike in even the smallest of cars. This often isn’t an option with a full-size bike.
8. They are easier to mount and dismount
Most folding bikes feature a step-through frame. This allows you to easily get on and off the bike. You don’t have to throw your leg up over the top tube every time you mount your bike. This can be a plus for older bicycle tourists as well as those with joint problems. Folding bicycles are more accessible.
9. You can bring your folding bike into restaurants and grocery stores
Most restaurant managers won’t mind if you fold up your bike and place it by your table while you eat. When you go into a grocery store, you can carry your folding bike in your shopping cart.
Some Brompton owners even use their bike and luggage as a shopping cart. For example, check out this clever setup. Your bike and gear are less likely to get stolen if you bring them with you.
10. Folding bikes can perform as well as full-sized bikes
You may assume that the small wheels will slow you down. This really isn’t the case. A quality folding bike that is designed for touring can be just as fast and efficient as a full-sized touring bike.
There are a couple of reasons for this. First, the smaller wheels are significantly lighter. This means they have less rotational mass. They spin up faster and with less effort. Manufacturers also adjust the gearing to compensate for the smaller wheels. You don’t have to work harder to ride a small-wheeled folding bike.
11. You can bring your folding bike into your tent
If you travel with a two-person tent, you can fit the folding bike inside to protect it from the weather or theft. If you are staying at a campground, you can store your bike inside while you are away. This improves security.
12. They are a conversation starter
Everyone wants to learn about the bike and see how it works. Making friends and meeting people is easy with a folding bike.
13. They can feel more stable
Folding bikes have a low center of gravity. This is because the bottom bracket usually sits lower to the ground. Your luggage also sits lower to the ground because the wheels are smaller. This lower center of gravity can make the bike feel more stable. You can easily maneuver at low speeds. The bike can also be a bit easier to control while descending hills.
14. Folding bikes are easier to transport to and from the airport
One of the biggest hassles of bicycle touring is transporting the bike to and from the airport. When you tour with a folding bike, you can travel to and from the airport in a cab or by public transport. You can box and unbox your bike in the comfort of your hotel.
When you tour on a full-sized bike, this isn’t an option. You have to find a large taxi that can accommodate the big bike box. Full-sized bike boxes don’t fit in small vehicles or in public transport. Your only other option is to ride to the airport with the box strapped to the bike then pack all of your gear there. When you arrive, you have to unpack your bike and assemble everything at the airport. This is stressful. Particularly if your flight leaves or arrives in the middle of the night or if the airport is located far outside of the city.
15. You have more transportation options when you travel
When you tour with a folding bike, you don’t have to worry about whether or not the airline or bus or train company accepts bikes. This allows you to book whichever ticket you prefer. You could book the cheapest ticket or the most convenient. You can also fly on smaller planes take minibusses that can’t accept full-sized bicycles.
When you fly with a folding bike, you don’t have to worry about the oversized luggage charge. You pay the regular checked luggage rate. This opens up your airline options.
You can also hitchhike with your folding bike. Because a folding bike is so compact, it can fit in the trunk or back seat of almost any vehicle. This opens up the possibility of integrating hitchhiking into your bicycle tour.
