Travel Bike

[93legendti]

A few months ago, I documented my first, frustrating attempt to pack my coupled bike.

I've read Ray's posts about his Brompton and, in that spirit, I bought a Bike Friday Tikit.

Most of my rides on family vacations are windows of opportunities. Packing and unpacking a bike with a curious 3 year old boy hovering too close is a study in concentration, patience, luck and swearing in Hebrew. So for our upcoming Israel trips, the Tikit is THE ticket. It will be set up as a road bike with Shimano Ultegra 10. Being able to quickly fold to stow in the car and unfold at the base of a climb will be almost too easy. Packing and unpacking in 15 minutes or less will be a relief.

It won't ride like my Ottrott, Spectrum or Kirk JKS Terraplane, but, for now, it will have to do.

[Smiley]

Ti Man, with your small frame it should be a piece of KAKE!!! We packed a tandem and took it to europe. If its really hard you could opt for a 12 inch deep case from S&S and the wheels would fit in like butter. I don't think the airline people are smart enough to figure the difference. Smiley

[93legendti]

Ti Man, with your small frame it should be a piece of KAKE!!! We packed a tandem and took it to europe. If its really hard you could opt for a 12 inch deep case from S&S and the wheels would fit in like butter. I don't think the airline people are smart enough to figure the difference. Smiley
You'd think...I wonder if packing a tandem in 2 boxes is easier than packing a single in 1 box. Anyway, for dedicated biking trips the Spectrum COUPLED IS THE choice. Family vacations where I cycle when I can? I need something fast and easy to stow/pack.

[Ray]

Are you setting it up with drop bars like in that link you showed me? Or just as the little commuter bike it started life as? If you use it as just a knock around bike, it should be great - you'll dig it. If you're gonna use it for any cycle touring......well, I want a ride report on that. I hope you like it. I dig my Brompton immensely, but, as noted, just for knocking around on. It stops being fun somewhere around ten miles.

Let us know how it goes. I guarantee you'll like the folding and packing experience!

-Ray

[93legendti]

Are you setting it up with drop bars like in that link you showed me? Or just as the little commuter bike it started life as? If you use it as just a knock around bike, it should be great - you'll dig it. If you're gonna use it for any cycle touring......well, I want a ride report on that. I hope you like it. I dig my Brompton immensely, but, as noted, just for knocking around on. It stops being fun somewhere around ten miles.

Let us know how it goes. I guarantee you'll like the folding and packing experience!

-Ray
Drop bars and as much like the Speeding Tikit as possible...10 speed cassette.

[Ray]

Drop bars and as much like the Speeding Tikit as possible...10 speed cassette.
Oh, right, somehow I missed that in your first post. I'm definitely interested in how you like it. I liked the Pocket Rocket for rides up to about 30-40 miles, but I did some longer rides and tours on it, but found it too quick and twitchy for my taste on longer rides. The Tikit probably has some of that, but if you're just gonna use it the way you're talking about, it might be just right.

Enjoy,

-Ray

[PaMtbRider]

You'd think...I wonder if packing a tandem in 2 boxes is easier than packing a single in 1 box.
We find it easier to fit our tandem in 2 cases then it is to fit a single in a individual case.

[93legendti]

Oh, right, somehow I missed that in your first post. I'm definitely interested in how you like it. I liked the Pocket Rocket for rides up to about 30-40 miles, but I did some longer rides and tours on it, but found it too quick and twitchy for my taste on longer rides. The Tikit probably has some of that, but if you're just gonna use it the way you're talking about, it might be just right.

Enjoy,

-Ray
The only problems I have with BF's is the initial 5 minutes (twitchy) and switching back to 700c wheel bikes after riding the BF--it makes it seem like the big wheeled bike's HS has notches in it.

...If its really hard you could opt for a 12 inch deep case from S&S and the wheels would fit in like butter. I don't think the airline people are smart enough to figure the difference. Smiley

That would be a solution, but when you are travelling with 4 or 5 people; all their luggage, 2 children in car seats and a stroller (which always takes up more volume than you think it should) a bigger hardshell case won't fit in the smaller rental cars/minvans that are in the Middle East. Last year we had a Mistubishi Grandis and I never knew if I could get the stroller in without beaking it or breaking the rear hatch's window. So a bigger case is not the answer for me.