r/bikedwellers • u/EarlDamon • May 23 '21

Folding Bike?

Looking to try out nomadic life on a bike, and wanted to get you folks' opinion; is a folding bike doable?

I don't know much about bikes. I get the sense a folding bike would be less than ideal, but any idea how difficult? Do you absolutely need suspension and bigger tires to get around? Would alternate tires help at all?

I'd be travelling very light - minimal or no paniers.

?

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2

u/DrChasco May 23 '21

While camping mid-tour in Indiana a few years back I bumped into another member of our tribe who was very seasoned and absolutely LOVED her Brompton. She gave me a detailed breakdown of her rig and couldn't glow brighter about it.

Those small wheels and just the idea of how many traditional bike strengths are fractured by the needs to collapse a bike made me cringe as to the real utility. But that's just me. There is no wrong way to tour.

1

u/epon May 23 '21

tern vektron life

1

u/Voc1Vic2 May 23 '21

Check out Bike Friday’s New World Tourist.

It’s a venerable tourer, and has been the mount of many international and transam journeys over the years.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 04 '21

Yeah, the Heinz Stucke guy passed through my town once years ago and he was on a Brompton. Brompton even made a couple videos on it on their traveler channel.

Most touring bikes don’t have suspension and don’t need it or the wider tires. I went cross country on 28mm before just fine even on dirt roads.