Folding bikes?

I'm considering purchasing a folding bike to be used for cycle touring.,
being that I like the idea of folding the bike up to travel on
trains/plains etc. (Handy was re are planning to do some touring around
europe next year). But in the mean time, be used around aus. Was
considering the Dahon Speed tr model, but have yet too see one in
person. In general, what would these bikes be like.. roads, forrest
roads etc.. Anyone here own and used these four touring? Comments?
Recommendations? If anyone here is in the Canberra area, and owns one, I
would be interested in meeting up sometime to check them out.

Cheers
Mark

Mark wrote:
I'm considering purchasing a folding bike to be used for cycle touring.,
being that I like the idea of folding the bike up to travel on
trains/plains etc. (Handy was re are planning to do some touring around
europe next year). But in the mean time, be used around aus. Was
considering the Dahon Speed tr model, but have yet too see one in
person. In general, what would these bikes be like.. roads, forrest
roads etc.. Anyone here own and used these four touring? Comments?
Recommendations? If anyone here is in the Canberra area, and owns one, I
would be interested in meeting up sometime to check them out.

Cheers
Mark

Hello Mark,

I ride the Bike Friday version of the model you are interested in. It
is similar in style to the Dahon with only minor differences. And yes,
I loaded tour on it as well as day trip etc. It has supplanted my mtb
for almost all of my riding.

I also have a Bike Friday tandem, which my wife and I used extensively
for touring. Our last loaded tour on it was in Sep/Oct 2003 when we
rode from the Orkney Islands through Scotland and England to Cornwall.
A few months later an out-of-control truck left the road and killed her
while she was sitting outside our local post office but that's another
story. Suffice to say that these bikes are made for touring.

There are Bike Friday riders in Canberra who are experienced tourists,
but I cannot say about Dahons. A fellow member of my club (Melbourne
Bicycle Touring Club) is riding his Dahon in France at the moment, so we
cannot ask his opinion right now.

I hope that gives you some confidence. You need to ride one to really
appreciate them. Their greatest feature is their packability for
transportation.

Good luck with your selection.

Alan.

Alan Hutchison wrote:
I also have a Bike Friday tandem, which my wife and I used
extensively
for touring. Our last loaded tour on it was in Sep/Oct 2003 when we
rode from the Orkney Islands through Scotland and England to
Cornwall.
A few months later an out-of-control truck left the road and killed
her
while she was sitting outside our local post office but that's
another
story. Suffice to say that these bikes are made for touring.

Alan,

I hope the bike was killed and not your wife... sympathies if it was
your wife though.

Craig

SuperCujo wrote:
Alan Hutchison wrote:

I also have a Bike Friday tandem, which my wife and I used

extensively

for touring. Our last loaded tour on it was in Sep/Oct 2003 when we
rode from the Orkney Islands through Scotland and England to

Cornwall.

A few months later an out-of-control truck left the road and killed

her

while she was sitting outside our local post office but that's

another

story. Suffice to say that these bikes are made for touring.


Alan,

I hope the bike was killed and not your wife... sympathies if it was
your wife though.

Craig

It was my wife alright. When I read how dangerous cycling is, I ponder
over the fact that my wife was never injured while cycling but she was
killed while sitting on a bench seat outside the local post office. So
in her case, reading her mail was far more dangerous than cycling.

Alan.

Sorry to hear about our wife Alan.

Thanks for the info on folding bikes. Hoping some Dahon owners mike
share their views on the bikes.

Alan Hutchison wrote:
SuperCujo wrote:
Alan Hutchison wrote:

I also have a Bike Friday tandem, which my wife and I used

extensively

for touring. Our last loaded tour on it was in Sep/Oct 2003 when
we
rode from the Orkney Islands through Scotland and England to

Cornwall.

A few months later an out-of-control truck left the road and killed

her

while she was sitting outside our local post office but that's

another

story. Suffice to say that these bikes are made for touring.


Alan,

I hope the bike was killed and not your wife... sympathies if it
was
your wife though.

Craig

It was my wife alright. When I read how dangerous cycling is, I
ponder
over the fact that my wife was never injured while cycling but she
was
killed while sitting on a bench seat outside the local post office.
So
in her case, reading her mail was far more dangerous than cycling.

Alan.