text:
Showing the single result
0 thoughts on "best in class"
Hey, I hang out at the shop every day at lunch, now I'm "hanging out" at the website from home in the evening… wow, apparently I can't get enough!↓
Great job with the new site design!↓
Congratulations!!!! much better now!!!!↓
Steve Jones
Wow! This is looking good, so much better than the old site which was impossible to navigate.
Now I can find everything I need to order my new bike in one place.
Wish list ?
That the great pictures of the bikes and owners were much bigger!
That the color options and combinations could be dropped onto a picture of the bikes to help visualize what the result will look like!
Lots of contributions from Bike Friday owners!↓
Steve Jones
Wow! Much easier to navigate. Looking forward to tuning in as new content is added.
How about making the pictures bigger for people with small screens or over 40 years eyesight! Some of the pics are a bit tiny, and it would be great to see the color options actually ON THE PICTURE OF THE BIKE to help better visualize customer orders. Would make a huge difference for those of us struggling with color choices!
Nice work with the menus and layout!!↓
would be nice if you still had your 'used bikes' section!
new site is looking much better.↓
Raz – I'm in NYC and plan to visit bfold.
Maybe he'll let me ride the Infinity.
see ya↓
Ty Smith
Hey Raz!
Good job! I really like what I see so far.
(FYI: I'm the guy who wrote the first review in the "start here" section. Thanks for using it, even with the typos!)
As I type this, my trusty Season tikit is up with you folks now getting a repair and paint job. I am anxious to get it back, as I am planning on going to a charity event next month for the Lucille Packard Children's hospital here in California, in connection with the pet therapy group I volunteer with, which is the Delta Society, and I am going to pull a trailer with my dog Guinness in it behind my tikit.
Hopefully will get some good pictures that you can use.
Thanks again, and keep adding to the site!
Steve Jones
I think the gallery pictures are the ones that would benefit from being displayed larger. Some of them don't look digital so it shouldn't be too much of a problem as far as resolution is concerned,
Lyndel Post
I am finding the new website very frustrating and there is just not enough info.
Where can I down load a catalogue?
Where is information about hubs and gears? And wheel size tech info?
Where are the options for a customized bike – suggestions that might improve performance, or comfort, or help if you are an odd size or a woman?
Which material are more durable and what are the choices?
So many things that I could find easily on the old website!↓
Steve Jones
Raz.. let me begin by saying I think you're moving in the right direction with the new web site and are doing your very best to create something good with lots of useful content. I also think it needs to be something your customers can depend on because honestly speaking, the current buying experience is truly awful. Frustrating is an understatement! and from what I've learned it's been that way for a goodly time..
so when you say…our staff of experts sit ready at the phone or e-mail to work with you…
I can't read that without responding..
I am in the process of ordering a season tikit right now.
The Japan dealer kept me waiting for about four weeks before telling me to order direct from Green Gear.A waste of a month.I sent detailed order sped with pictures direct to Bike Friday and received a reply BUT I was then passed back to the Japan dealer…then back to Green Gear. You should read my e-mails..seriously! I am now a basketball.
One of your experts suggested I get in touch with the Japan dealer about adding a quick release to the stem on my order bike.Nice idea but for a BTO ( custom order ) I would expect Green Gear to be able to do that not refer me back to the dealer again especially when i have explained that the dealer is slow to respond. I confirmed that my order has been received in Oregon but I still have no confirmation of the parts list and there have already been mistakes made in e-mails with the color and the sizing.
It's quite worrying for an expensive purchase.
Your words about customer service in no way match my experience.Now I'm absolutely sure Bike Fridays are great products and that is why I decided to order one but my experience so far has caused me to wonder if you really care about your customers.
Let's say I want to order a bike right now there are some things i need to know.
The first is…what bikes do you offer?
So the very first thing you need on this site is an overview of which models are available. Where is it?
You only seem to be promoting the select series. Where is the standard bike information, colors and prices. How can anyone decide or make a useful comparison?
This almost mirrors the problems of the old site.
The previous posters comments are valid.
Yes, frustrating to put it mildly.
I hope that when my bicycle arrives I'll be able to post how wonderful it is and that it was worth the waiting and the stress of the order process. I really hope so, but right now…
Please use this site to give PRACTICAL information on the Bike Friday product line,accurate pricing, technical specs and servicing info rather than too much dreamy advertising copy. if you can do that, you'll be on to a good thing both for Green Gear and it's customers!
Sure these things take time.We're ok with that.
One suggestion, a series of video tutorials on maintaining Bike Fridays since people tend to keep them a long time!
For example cable tensioning for the hyperfold system, packing a Tikit with rack attached ( possible? ) and some for the pocket-wotsits too ( rockets and Llamas ). The current videos on You Tube are a bit fuzzy.
Steve Jones
Wonderful story. Thanks for sharing. We should all hope we are out riding when we reach 93 years old. I sure hope i will be.↓
Merl Ledford
Raz is amazing!
He met us at Oakland Airport to attend a San Francisco community planning group's presentation entitled "Dutch Treat" on making our communities more accessible to cyclists along the lines the city of Amsterdam has tried. I flew in with a Senior City Planner from x2 Amgen Host City of Visalia and "Old Blue," a well-traveled hyperfold Tikit that's been a demo bike its entire life. (More history of its adventures later!)
So all of us could ride, Raz talked Bike Friday General Manager Hanna Scholz into bringing down a brand new Model T Tikit to add to the Tikit demo fleet that Sierra Cycle Werks promotes.
The three of us departed from Kaiser Air at Oakland's North Terminal where I parked my airplane to go intermodal at the Coliseum BART station. Folding bikes are welcome 100% of the time on BART. We folded quickly, grabbed our BART Passes, and wheeled on board for quick, intermodal trip under San Francisco Bay.
Off at Embarcadero Station we pedaled to grab sack lunched at the newly remodeled Ferry Building (one of the few structures that withstood the 1907 Earthquake). The place was completely Tikit-friendly: we folded at the door and rolled in to our choice of exceptional take-out sandwiches and healthy drinks (poured conveniently into Bike Friday water bottles for easy transport). Then out the door and up Mission Street to the venue where, our Tikits were welcomed in the packed meeting room as examples of how "real" civic commuters get around. I can't tell you how great 150+ people smiling at you in a pro-bike environment feels when you roll off the elevator with three state-of-the-art folding bikes.
The seminar was great: lots of take-aways for our City Planner that are helping model how the City of Visalia's fully budgeted 500 percent increase in bike lanes will look in an already bike-friendly town.
I can't say Raz was 100% responsible for pushing Visalia's Planning Staff over the top or for the subtle changes in bike-lane configuration and location we've seen. We've already got extremely talented, pro-bike and pedestrian Certified Planners on staff with outstanding leadership from City Manager Steve Solomon and our City Council.
But Raz' willingness to fly down from Eugene with a spare Tikit (and Hanna's go-for-it attitude toward cutting loose another demo bike!) definitely helped ALL cyclists in out little corner of the world.
So: Props, Raz & Company! It was a wonderful introduction. Keep up the great work!
Hello fellow Bike Friday lovers – the new website is sensational and I am totally in love with my Pocket Rocket Pro – I am an Aussie gal who purchased from David at bfold in New York whilst on holidays there a couple of years ago and met Lynette aka Galfromdownerunder in the process. So cool!
My Bike Friday goes all over the world with me as I travel around for work – so I look forward to some exciting photo posts ahead.
Also just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to the team at Bike Friday – I visited Eugene last year (unannounced) and they were really friendly and helpful. I got to see the inside workings and meet the team that puts the bikes together – it makes me love my bike even more.
Congratulations on the new website and on the continuous innovations on the Bike Fridays. Keep on cycling….↓
John S. Allen
I'm a Bike Friday owner since 2005…New Web site an improvement over the rough-and-ready first one and the bland second one. Couple of comments on formatting of this blog: what's with all the white type on light gray background (including instructions for this comments field? And as for those small photos someone else commented on, photos, WordPress lets you size them automatically so that clicking on one shows it to you at full size. So why start with postage stamp? Finally, the forced 1024 pixel wide screen may still be wide for some people.↓
When reading comments, I am finding the white text on a light grey background to be very hard to read.
It looks the same way on both Firefox and Safari.
Is there a way to change that? It really needs to be changed!↓
Fritz K
It's great to hear about this type of brainstorming. I work in new product development myself (though not for bikes), and it is wonderful. I just hope the same brainstorming is being applied to BF's marketing and distribution. In Boston, I have been delighted to notice small-wheeled bikes turning up everywhere – finally, people are realizing that compact bikes can make cycling a great option for urban commuting. But almost all those bikes are Dahons, because that's what the downtown bike shops stock. Dahon has its place – I owned one once – but there are a lot of people who would be blown away if only they had the chance to try a tikit.↓
Just to set the record straight, a unicycle is a direct drive.
Regarding hills, Bailey Hill is a wee beastly. Last time I did it fixed I was second up with the Bike Friday lunch ride.
Gimpl Hill, on the other hand: always first.
I always feel faster on the flats, too, assuming an appropriate gear & cadence. There's a simple reason: the wheel wants to keep turning forward despite gravity's pull downward. A standard wheel just coasts.
I think the appropriate term is conservation of momentum.
Bottom line: there's a lot more logic to fixed gears than people assume.↓
Dale T Steele
Nice article. I'd like to know how your llama is set-up compared to mine and maybe a map link or similar reference to give me ideas of places to go? I haven't used mine much for trail riding and it's way too flat around here for a whole lot of that anyway. I do like the idea of opening my llama and me up to a whole new set of adventures.
Thanks, Dale↓
Really enjoy the fresh layout. I really liked the content. Many thanks for a great posting.↓
Veeraragavan N
If you dont mind my saying it but I'm so bloody jealous of you. Can you tell me
* How much it weighs?
* How much did it cost you?
* Do you have a chain or belt(by belt I mean carbon)?
* Is it a large, medium or small?↓
Merle's art has been gracing the covers of my zines for years–and his cute comics have found a place inside my publications as well. Whether it's a Great Blue Heron, a Harley, or an exasperated marsupial, Merle can draw it all.↓
Love hearing these stories. Great photos.↓
S Lee
I haven't ridden fixie in over two years ago now, but this series of posts has got me itching for it again.
I don't have a Tikit (yet), so I'm curious what happens when the bike is folded and rolled around? Actually, looking again at a photo, the bike is rolled on its front wheel, huh?↓
Steve Jones
Bring back purple! ( You guys KNOW this already right?)↓
Ditto on the purple. Purple rules!↓
Jerry Hopfengardner, Ph.D.
Dear Friday Family:
Just a note to anounce the proud owner of #1249 is alive, well – and still enjoying the New World Tourist my wife Winnie gave me as a retirement gift in 1994. Guess I was among the early members of the Friday fraternity. I have only positive memories of rides and countless miles in Ohio, New York, Indiana, Florida – and now North Carolina – and of course, one of the coolest treats is responding to inquisitive fellow riders and pedestrians about the Friday family.
Dr. Jerry Hopfengardner
Grenville, NC↓
YES, Please bring back the PURPLE before my custom Pocket Llama is RASPBERRY finalized in Autumn!
…. "I'm just saying"↓
If you guys are in Portland, you should make the trip up to Victoria! Those look like awesome traveling bikes and we'd love to have ya!↓
Thanks for sharing this Steve. Those of us in the factory send these bikes out into the world hoping they'll facilitate experiences like yours.↓
Steve Jones
When news gets out that the new metallic electric purple with tiny little sparkly bits in the paint has arrived at Green Gear, i see a convoy of Llamas and Tikits slowly, purposefully moving towards the factory, all eager to be re-sprayed in the color they should have been the first time around, Best to just simplify things and set up a PURPLE production line! It'll make things much easier in the long run.↓
Damian day
Nice to see some else with a Bike Friday enjoying the nice weather that the north island NZ has been having — enjoy your training rides↓
Dude! it's PP↓
patiphan navamashiti
patiphan navamashiti
I'm waiting for the bike bike friday sent to Thailand↓
Glad you liked the photo!↓
Just Max is ok 🙂 I'm from Thailand also. We don't usually use nickname in place of firstname when writing it with lastname. So either just Max, or Chaowaroj Wanotayaroj. I'm not upset or anything, just a FYI.
For the record, I didn't get a chance to pass many, but I enjoyed every moment of it when I got one 😀
Now I want either a bigger chainring or an alfine 11 for my next (hopefully half-ironman) tri. Don't wanna spend too much getting a new bike.
@patiphan ขà¸à¹ƒà¸«à¹‰à¸'ี่สนุà¸à¸™à¸°à¸"รับ 🙂↓
Barb Hobe
Congrats on a great ride, Dolores! I am very impressed.↓
Debbie Ullman
You Rock!↓
Dale T Steele
Just wanted to add my congrats on a great summer of travel! I know someone locally who road a ways along the big sur area with you and he was impressed as am I. Thanks for sharing too. Wonder what your next ride will be?
Cathy Hoffman
Thanks for sharing your summer of adventure with us! I'm very impressed!↓
AL Jackson
Wait 40 more years Carol and I'll be happy to race against you!!!
Sheesh, if only…↓
You are an inspiration!!↓
Scott Laughlin
This Tandemonium Band Practice is wonderful.↓
John Whisman
After being married for over 27 years and owning a tandem for 26 – I can attest to the bonding power of a 'bicycle built for two'. Our first years of marriage without children saw lots of riding on an old, 5-speed tandem. We talked, shared experiences and enjoyed riding as hard or as little as we liked together and never got separated on a trail. When children came along, we added a Burley D-Lite trailer and proceeded to wear it out over four children and 12 years of use. When the children moved on to their own bikes, we have upgraded to a Family Tandem. Now it goes where we go in town and when traveling. It's been an awesome bike and we still get lots of looks as we ride the bike "with the funny little wheels" past children, teenagers and adults. It's been a delight to ride and Bike Friday has truly made themselves our sole source supplier by the bend-over-backwards attitude! Keep it up!↓
Steve Jones
We'll expect Prismatic Purple soon then! 🙂 keep working on that!↓
Steve Jones
Can't help it, I'm a designer. I Like exotic colors. Might settle for Black Narcissus.
That would be black with little sparkly bits in it 🙂
For now I'm enjoying my new Season Tikit in Merlot.↓
Linda Ginenthal
Test rode the Tikit at Portland Sunday Parkways. Amazing little machine. I must have ridden 20 miles starting at 11am (getting things set up and checking on logistics), on the tour with folks from all around the Portland region who are thinking of bringing Sunday Parkways to their town, out to Cully to check on the traffic plan, and then back to the Durham Marketplace at the very end of the day. Everyone wanted to look at the bike, but most of all, it was an incredibly good ride. I wasn't fatigued, and it felt like I was riding my "regular" bike – only better. Love the ease of getting on and off and that it is so light-weight. Thanks to Rez for setting me up. You rock!↓
Thanks for the mention! The trip was great and I was really impressed with how well Samara kept up in spite of the smaller wheels. She even passed me a few times and I was on my entry-level racing road bike! Thanks for letting us borrow the bike, you might have to pry it out of Samara's hands when she returns it =]↓
Seth Parsons
I have tears in my eyes from reading the Hailey bike build blog.
Way to go you guys!
I knew there was more to Bike Friday when I bought my Pocket Lllama. I didn't just fall in love with the quality of the ride or the fit or the color; I fell in love with Bike Friday the company.
Keep up the good work(s)!
Seth Parsons↓
Kirk Toy
Awesome story. I just found this and yes I like to read your stories. I gotta say I am not a reader however when I start to read your writing it sucks me in.
Thanks RAZ I enjoyed the story as well as the photos!
This tour was awesome! Beautiful weather, flat eastern NC roads, and of course my favorite bike – the Tikit! Riding my Tikit takes me back to a time when riding a bike was purely for fun. The fact that it folds is simply icing on the cake. First and foremost, it's an awesome bike that rides as good or better than my traditional bikes. I plan to ride this puppy until the wheels fall off!↓
Craig Mickey
Nice Bike!!!!!↓
doug austin
Hi, are you planning to offer the NuVinci as an option for the ordinary consumer? Why did all the people who trialled it like the NuVinci so much? is it not too heavy?
Thanks in advance, Doug Austin↓
Stuart Knoles
Thank you Rob; I have now a little more feel for what is behind my Pocket Rocket Pro Custom. Having in my teens seriously competed in Southern California and made it to the nationals, it seems that acquired riding refinement and love of attention of details in equipment never leaves one, and therefore, that need is satisfied in my Bike Friday while also opening many new opportunities for extended use. I must confess that when out riding it, I start testing my snap, and find it to be there, and it feels right to kick out of the saddle (racing lingo) – I was not expecting that. When assessing stiffness (in riding position putting force on pedals with wheels locked and observing amount of pedal travel) there appears a fair amount of flex, but, what with the very long stem in the power line, I accepted that as a compromise. If you have been that successful in completive in hill climbing, obviously however, the bike does not compromise power transfer. Although I possess a good level of technical riding development, in use of my PRP I wish to suggest to others considering the compact chain ring set 50/34 with the Capero 26-9 to be right on target for gearing for sport riding. I tend to ride a high cadence with 170mm cranks. Is nice to have those two lowest gears from the 34 chainring when the hills get extreme, or when pulling a loaded trailer; and spinning in the 50/9 is actually very well as fast as I ever want to go on this bike. Riding just the big chainring and skipping along through the 10 Capreo cassette cogs works very well.
In cooler weather, I like to kind of tweed up on my PRP, but not slow down. Waving to passing riders in the other direction, I chuckle at the sense I get that they seem to not know just how to respond: where does this rider, dressed in knickers on that shinny small wheel bike with drop bars, fit in the scheme of things? I think I want to go out and ride now.↓
Steven Tang
WOW!!! I am so inspired!! Thanks for the great write-up Rob! I have never owned a BF and have only been riding regularly in Feb this year. I wanna get a BF soon so I can maybe do a little touring with it. But I am still not sure which BF model I should be getting. Any advise?↓
Rob English
Thanks Steven,
The choice of bike for touring depends on your destination, load and type of roads expected. Personally, I travel light (about 25lbs of gear with camping stuff), and relatively fast, and have done all my touring (Europe, US, NZ and Australia) on my Pocket Rocket. I have found the 1-1/8″ tires suitable for gravel and dirt roads as well as paved surfaces. If you are carrying more weight (which I would question; so many people carry far too much stuff!), then the wider tire options of the 406 wheelsize on the NWT and Llama would be a better choice. And if you will be in more remote locations, this tire size is commonly available, whereas the 451 size from the PR is harder to find.
I have toured on several different bicycles, and have found the PR to be by far the best. The small, stiff rear triangle gives little or no pannier 'wag' to the back of the bike, whilst the long cantilevered seatmast provides a degree of passive suspension for comfort in the saddle. Likewise the curved stem will take the edge off road vibrations being transmitted to the handlebar. The small wheels are inherently stronger than larger ones, so with a sturdy set there is no worry about broken spokes. The only downside could be tire wear, but it is easy to carry a spare (when I rode cross country I chose to use fast tires (Schwalbe Stelvios), and wore out the rear tire in 1600 miles. I carried a spare and had BF ship me additional tires part way).
Generally on point to point tours I fly in with the bike in the travelcase, then mail the case to my destination, then it is ready for the trip home when I get there. If you tour on a BF, just be prepared to answer the small wheel questions everytime you stop to refuel!
There are details of my various trips, and a kit list of everything I carry on my website at: http://rob.bikerevuk.com↓
hans michael
needs more red. (too blue)↓
I love BF. This is not purple.↓
naw..pretty but too blue. Purple needs to be PURPLE!!! More like Merlot.↓
yona c. riel
i like it… is it available for all fridays or just the tikit?↓
Dave Minyard
Jinx, jokes, you owe me a coke!
I sent this earlier…it said it had to be moderated and now has disappeared?
randy cuffaro
NOPE !….A real Deep Purple….like the skin of an Egg Plant would be cool. This one looks like some bubble gum I bought as a kid.↓
It's ok for Tikit.↓
Stuart Knoles
Not actually a true purple – like the paint you had to discontinue. However, is a pastel, and pastels are good – both toned and bright. You are on the right track – extraordinary colors for an extraordinary bike; this color says just that. I could go for a bright pastel lime.↓
Rolf Hettinger
If my dog gets "away" with it .Why can't I ?↓
Steve Jones
As others said this probably isn't what people have in mind when they think of purple. It's too ' milky ' looking. Doesn't do a Bike Friday justice because it's too toy looking. Something a BIT darker perhaps. The color needs to have more depth. More Angelina Jolie and less Lady GaGa. 🙂↓
Kevin Thomson
To add to Performance that packs….Fitness that Folds!↓
Nice article.↓
Roka Walsh
I live in Eugene and recognized the Shady Dell. I lived in Bisbee through much of the '70s. Fun place!↓
Nick Blank
At about $1,000 per pound reduction, it should fly.↓
Said the Bike Friday: Anything you can do I can do better…↓
it will be great if you can show how you connected the chariot to the Bike Friday. I have that problem at the moment an couldn`t find a good solution with any Weber hitch. Which hitch do you use?
Thanks a lot
Very nice article and great photos!↓
Thank you for shairng the adventure. Your spirit for exploration and discovery comes out in the story, and brings to mind my own passion for riding. I love the fact that Bike Fridays are made in the USA, and in Eugene, OR not less. I'm very interested in trying a Bike Friday. It's on my list of things to do when the weather gets better!↓
Bidon Colle
Every time I view BF pics, I have thoughts of moving to OR. Absolutely beautiful scenery surrounding a BF bicycle.
I enjoyed the black Llama pic with the "dirty tires"… IMO it sells "the BF Image" better than if the bike was clean. Instead of displaying a "showroom queen" in the middle of no-where!
…. And one can never go wrong with a dog. I really like the "Ridgely w/ the Llama folded" pic.
I look forward to installment #2.↓
Bobbi Kamil
Looks wonderful! Bring it to Phoenix. It's great riding this time of year and we and our RV and Tikits are having a blast
Miss you all. Bobbi↓
I also have a similar diamond-type frame bike friday
I really like
Seah Yong Sen
Hi Mr Yang,
It must be very beautiful places and scenery to cycle with your Bike Friday. Must have enjoyed the trip. Hope to have the chance to ride with you someday. I just got my pocket companion bike recently and also enjoyed riding the bike. I am from Singapore and like to have this opportunity to cycle Taiwan, such a beautiful place.
Seah Yong Sen
From Singapore↓
Dana Smith
What brand is the triangular bag? I have been hunting for a nice way to store clothes on my Air Glide and this looks great.↓
Merl Ledford
When you decide to upgrade to something new I want first dibs!
Question, though: Until Rob English & Co. put together something even MORE outrageous, is an upgrade possible?
And even if/when they do engineer something (assuming Hanna is anything like my daughter as a business person), how are you going to get it out the door past your capable General Manager? Being a "founder" has its privileges; but when Pocket Rockets reach that level of sophistication you may be pushing a savvy, well-trained business gal's limits. . .
I am very impressed by your tour, and on top of that by the shoes you show on a picture, which apparently use two soles!!!
Can you tell us where you found them, because they look very appropriate for this type of voyage. Thanks.↓
James MacDonald
Still looking to get a Bike Friday↓
0.5 to 1.6 is only a span of 320% (1.6/0.5). My Air Friday with Rohloff hub (525% range, distributed in 14 gears at uniform 13% steppings) gives a range of approx 22 gear-inches up to a nice tall 115 gear-inches. Oh to have a Gates carbon drive….. drool, drool…. Roll-on Rohloff!!↓
Correction: NuVinci => 1.8/.5 = 360%
But that still doesn't approach the 525% of the Air Friday's 14-speed Rohloff hub which is such a sweet machine that it's often hard to decide between the Air/Rohloff and the full-size LiteSpeed/Campy alternative….. Roll-on Rohloff !!↓
Harry Lyons
That doesn't look such a bad range of gearing for a hilly commute. What we're looking for now is a Gates/Rohloff set-up on a New World Tourist. It's a design problem that needs to be solved.Go to it! If you can manage it I'm up for two next year.↓
Paul Blood
What would be involved in retrofitting a carbon belt and variable drive to my Bike Friday?↓
Dusty Samouce
What do these components look like? Pictures please.
Andrew Black
You write:
This issue with the 20-inch wheeled Pocket bikes is having a unified rear triangle for the belt, but then still enabling the bike to fit in the suitcase without removing the rear wheel. There just isn't room!
I have an Air Friday, and packing it in a suitcase has always required removing the rear wheel. So why is this a big deal? Fixing a puncture also requires removing the wheel. It has to be easy … is that the design problem?↓
Harry Lyons
I'm also used to packing an Air Friday so as long as there's a way of dropping the wheel out and re-tensioning on replacing it, packing into the case would be no extra hassle. However, I do use the quick fold + beam removal when packing into a soft bag for train travel. I guess the quick fold would be less quick but if the other design problem (removal and re-tensioning) was solved (presumably an eccentric bottom bracket and/or re-designed dropouts won't work, I could cope with the extra inconvenience in order to have Rohloff and Gates. And as I get older that 16 inch gear is looking attractive.↓
Hi, clearly I'll have to wait for my next Friday to get a belt. Right now, if I'm stuck with a chain, I was wondering if you have any nuvinci built up wheels I can buy to replace my Sachs 3×7 wheel on my circa 1999 bike. I would likely have to get an eccentric BB or a single speed conversion chain tensioner. Have you guys been involved in such a project?
— David↓
I just read about the bag. It sounds like a neat idea.
A quick website recommendation …
Could you increase the resolution on the pictures? Many people — old owners as well as potential owners — attempt to look for details on the bikes or new items and the relatively low resolution photos make discerning anything meaningful difficult.
Thanks for your time and consideration.↓
margaret day
hope you make it to ABFC Inc before long to tell your stories.↓
Andy ng
Our blog is at:
David Blanchard
I was there! A big thank you to Chris for the excellent adjustment to my disk brakes. Glad to see you all at Sunday Parkways and hope you make some more of them.
Patrick Jackman
Nice article Raz. What would it take to convert a Pocket Crusoe with a SRAM internal 3×9 to NuVinci?↓
Andy Ng
One of our four select bikes is the New World Tourist Infinity Tour NuVinci and so far all those who have test-ridden this bike have commented on the quietness and ease of changing the "gears." I am going on a 200 km tour with 10 other riders and can't decide which of the demo select bikes I'll take: the Llama, Pocket Rocket, Future's belt-drive Tikit or the NWT NuVinci. I guess for the new and wow factor the NWT NuVinci is great, but for overall comfort, the Llama with Disc brakes and Big Apple tires would be better. But your article has made me think that the NuVinci might be the one. Thanks for your insights. Keep them coming, Raz.
From Malaysia,
Doc Andy↓
I'm impressed! I think I would stick to the part of the trail around Belknap Hot Springs (smoother and well… right next to the hot springs). You should try out Flat Creek in Oakridge. I think the Pocket Llama would do really well on that trail.↓
susan g mulhall
are you ever coming to the Washington DC area?↓
I totally agree. I recently took delivery of a tikit with a nuvinci hub and it is an amazing ride. I call it my tikit2infinity↓
I was sent your link from Aubrey from the Als Oregon foundation. I have been recently diagnosed and as a result I bought a nice bike and am riding in the ALS ride on the 14th, while I still can. I am attempting the century.
Me, I am 48. 2.5 years ago I decided my former athletic self was sick and tired of being non-athletic and began to work out regularly and eat "better". I lost 50lbs in 6 months and am still doing the same.
I honestly think God gave me that chance to get my crap together before I face the full fury of this disease. I am in the best shape of my post 30 year old life and would not like to imagine my body trying to compensate as it does try to with the additional weight and poor conditioning.
I still work out most every day…so far. Though I have toned it back a bit. I have my peeps and I love the circuit class I attend. It allows me to get a great workout both on my body, and my mind as I can taunt/tease/interact with the rest of the people there. This will be something I surely miss going forward, when it happens.
Your story touches me and I want to reach out to you. I think I know what you have been and are going through. When people say they will pray for me, I am grateful, and always ask them to also pray for my family. Whom will go through Hell and then have to get on with their lives after all…
best regards,
David Schweikert
Good luck to Xiangyu! I have been riding my Pocket Sport in Shanghai since last November, and although there are tons of folding bikes here (mostly cheap Dahons in various states of disrepair), I have yet to see another BF.↓
Gerald Ross
My experience corroborates Alan's advice. Years ago I drove a pace car for local club races in Brooklyn. The racers were divided into the Cat 1, Cat 2, through 5. It was a very cemocratic group; bike messengers on their day off to investment bankers and lawyers. The bikes ranged from dumpster specials with no two parts of the same brand name to $2,000 "wonder bikes" (this was in 1992, when a $2,000 bike was a rare object of beauty). There was no correlation between the rider's place in the peleton and the fanciness of his bike. Also, universally, the first upgrade was a good set of wheels and tires (in those days tubulars still ruled).↓
Kevin Thomson
So, Two questions. What is the weight difference between what is removed and what is added? What is the cost? Glad to see you did it with Ultegra. DuraAce would add too much cost without any perceived shifting advantages?↓
Kevin Thomson
One other thing….It appears that the battery box and wire junction could be retro-mounted on some clamps that have nuts or bolts attached, but that won't beef-up the front Derailleur hangar.↓
Bob Folline
Will this be offered as a retrofit?
Any guess on pricing for a NWT with current internal gear hub?
– I know the trade in option but wonder the update price.
Thank you,
Geoff Bray
What do mean we probably don't need the electronic shifters? Of course we do!
I have to declare an interest. I suspect the bike in the photos is mine – same colour, wheels, and tyres. I received it about 3 weeks ago and it's everything I hoped it would be. Acceleration is staggering (front wheel is only 800g all up), stability is perfect (but I've only had it up to 80km/hour so far so haven't done a full test), and the electronic shifters are precise and fast (gets rid of the problem of the double 90 degree bend in the rear cable).
Am I happy? Too right.
Aussie Geoff (alias Jif the Brave)↓
Will Cronyn
With electronic shifting of front and rear it should be "only" a minor chore to have the shifting under control of a very simple controller so that there is only one pair of shifter buttons – one for up, other for down, with the controller deciding how to allocate shifting between front & rear derailleurs. Furthermore, this would enable far better control of shifting because if you work through the entire range of shifting for all front and rear combionations, it turns up some require up-shifting the front, then down-shifting, then up shifting again. In fact, this would enable shifting somewhat competitive with Rohloff because the rider only has to upshift or downshift, not upshift on front & rear or down shift on front and rear.
So go for it!↓
Mike Wolf
I needed a headset tool for my Bike Friday in Cuba on a recent trip. I was about to have a metalworker I had met there in 2002 make me one, but was able to work things out with a pipe wrench and a big crescent, both of which took a long time to find!↓
Mike Ruth
I like the "incremental" concept. I assume that if I buy a Bike Friday, that you can upgrade ihcrementally over the years, yes? That is, you are recommending starting with frame and saddle and "budget" components (if needed). Then coming back in 1 year for wheels and in 2,3, or 5? years when I want to upgrade from "steel to alloy" or otherwise improve the bike as I wish and can afford later?↓
Rob English
Thanks for all the comments!
Kevin – weight is a wash on the frame, so no change from a regular PRP. An Ultegra Di2 PRP runs $5565 and our database lists the weight at 18.4lbs (no saddle/pedals). An Ultegra Di2 SuperPro is $7200 and 17.4lbs.
Bob – it can't easily be done as a retrofit owing to the reinforcement needed for the front derailleur hanger, so a trade-in would be your best bet.
Geoff – thanks for the ride report, great to hear how much you are enjoying the bike!
Will – hopefully Shimano will address this soon. There have been some hacks to achieve single-shifter functionality, but nothing commercial yet. There is now a Di2 option for the Alfine 8spd and 11spd hubs. And in other electronic news, Nuvinci just announced an autoshift feature for their IGH – just set your desired cadence and ride!
Joe Wein
My son test-rode a 700C Di2 bike a few months ago and loved it! I am glad to see Di2 to Bike Friday.
If I had the money to spend I would be tempted too, but for the fact that Di2 does not yet support triples. I love my 50/39/30 and would find settling for a 50/34 hard on some steep climbs I've done recently.
This limitation will make the Alfine 11 Di2 an interesting alternative for mountain goats, as it's gearing range is 1:4.09 vs. 1:3.74 on a 50/34-11/28 setup. Also, it offers its 11 gears in a linear sequence via a single STI shifter, unlike the FD/RD setup of Ultegra Di2.↓
Steve Jones
Have to say that one of the things I totally love about bikes id that they DON'T require batteries, re-charging or electronics so it's not for me. Not that I'm against anyone who likes or wants it.
But seriously…no, we don't need it and no it DOESN'T look neat. Look at the mess of cables in the photo near the bottom bracket.
That is a mess! and of course this adds to the cost.
Makes a bicycle more complex than it needs to be.
Interesting but a big no thanks here.And all of this JUST for shifting? Not even for power?↓
I have to agree completely with this Steve Jones.
Perhaps, when the Di2 system comes out of the lab and off the (well-supported) racetrack and is actually mature enough for multi-week or -month tours, or daily trouble-free commuting, the batteries will be charged by some kind of dynamo, and like a decent dynamo lighting system, you won't have to worry about whether your batteries are going to die.
In the mean time, it's an interesting future technology to watch.↓
Ron Neher
I replaced my 2003 PRP 62×9 (over 70,000 miles) with a Ultegra Di2 SuperPro 56×9 in April. A DuraAce 56T is as large as they can go now with Di2. At first I missed the 62T when motor pacing and in sprints but have been able to now generate higher RPMs to get back into the low 50 MPH range. I am getting around 1,000 miles on a charge so gets me around 4 week charge interval. The battery is rated at 300 charge cycles so I have a few years in theory before I have to replace (like 23 years).
If you are in the Austin, TX area and want to demo / test out the bike then contact Bike Friday to schedule a time with me.↓
I have just started looking at foldable bikes. I see the weight of the bike listed, but I have not seen the weight the bikes will carry. Is there an average weight foldable bikes will hold?↓
Paul D
Oh goody; I can't wait to see how those fancy electronics work on my Pocket Llama after several days of touring on wet, muddy roads and dirty, salty water gets into the housing.
Is there a manual over-ride for when the electronics crap out, or are you left with seized-up derailleurs and 1-speed operation?↓
Rae Wells
Thank nou so much for writing this. I am planning on returning to London for the Paralympics and I thought: Why not take my Bike Friday? After all that is why I brought it in 2004?
Have been visiting France for years, from Australia. The Bike Friday lives at the Home of my sister in Col de la Forclaz. A 13% climb included in the 2004 Tour de France
Rae Wells
Canberra Australia↓
I want to make the same trip in September of next year with my Tikit. I would love to get in touch with anyone from this group to ask for suggestions. I will be traveling alone so I would appreciate any tips.↓
do you really think that electric/electronic shiffting is sustainable?↓
Not only sustainable but also inevitable, as electronic shifting makes the option of automatic shifting a possibility.
With a speed sensor available you could match wheel speed to pedal cadence for the best or most efficient gear. Combined with the Shimano Alfine D12 and a small micro controller that would be a neat setup for a city commuter or even a touring bike. Low maintenance and automatic gears.
Bill Cooke
this is a really charming and enjoyable blog to read. Thank you for writing it.
Lew Privon
Thanks for your nice story. I love riding my bike Friday here in the states but look forward to taking it over the pond for some adventure like you described above. Thanks again for sharing your story!↓
Jolanda Riesen
I ride a BF travel tikit DD24 since August 2009.↓
Ken Firestone
Do all of the Tikits use the same stem part? Would replacing the stem with a different stem, perhaps a different design eliminate the problem for a bike with a replaced stem?↓
I had the stem crack right under the lip of the folding hinge back in May. Didn't break off, I noticed it before it reached that point.↓
David Bergen
I have inspected Dori's replacement Tikit and found no evidence of any metal fatigue or incipient cracking inside or outside of the stem between the clamp and hinge. I will inspect my Tikit when I return to where it is at the moment.
Thank you for your positive actions in this situation. However I don't understand why you didn't e-mail the notice to all the owners in your database and also to the Yak! ? I heard of it from a posting on the Yak! by Alex Wetmore.↓
Off topic, but had Giant seat post snap off & I attempted to report it as a safety defect & no one cared. Er, well except me. Older Cypress model.↓
Jim Endicott
Tikit purchased april 2007 from Urbane Cyclist shop, Toronto, ON, Canada. I have ridden it more than 9000 kilometres.↓
Dave Holladay
The high stress on this area makes it especially a problem with compact folding bikes. All makes have had issues to resolve (or not) on bikes in service.
The Tactic used an off-the peg hinge and latch with a stub & binder bolt to go inside the lower section (steereer tube & forks) I had 2 fail where the stub tube fractured at the weld to the lower hinge plate, and oly the bolt & binder wedge held the steering together. The same happens with the Micro under severe loading. And for all bikes with high handlebars relative to the top race. Even the Brompton has issues arsing from thie leverage.
Specialist bikes require prudent observation and some knowledge of what signs to trigger an alert. Thee picture is not sufficiently detailed to see where this fracture started and how much had failed before the catastrophic failure of the remaining reduced section.↓
Ken Firestone
So what will actually be replaced? Just the new part as pictured? That part and the lower hinge? More?↓
Ken Firestone
How difficult is the replacement? What is involved in changing the stems? I am debating if I should do it myself or bother the local BF dealer.↓
Pete Lee
@Alan: I was incredibly saddened to hear about this: I was visiting the website to re-ponder the purchase of a Tikit (which I've been coveting for years).
Thank you for doing the right thing and putting the safety of your customers first. Fingers crossed that you find a good solution that reflects the superb standards of Bike Friday!↓
Jaimee Erickson
Jacob, this is AMAZING! I love the Q and A part. I want to copy and paste and use it on my blog↓
Jacob Publicover
I am so sorry to hear that these bikes were stolen. Please let us know if you find them again! The program with the school is a great idea and I hope the bikes are found so it will continue.↓
Awesome shop video strongly featuring the Bike Friday!↓
Stuart Knoles
Hope my Silk is not Beta tested; oh well then, okay for everyone to try it. Although the Alfine hub is not a submersible, and therefore not really totally water proof, I understand that you can just drain and replace the gear oil bath (basically a transmission oil change). Wonder if the hub wheel bearings are easily accessible for repack. The Silk fame seems quite adaptable to be configured either as mountain bike or road bike. From my mountain biking experience, the problem with submersion riding (like riding down the Coyote Canyon Creek) is that of cartage bearings, especially on the bottom bracket which, cannot be repacked, and are not easily replaced. One really nice mountain bike had grease injection plugs for its bottom bracket (hint hint). I understand based on a post over a year ago, that Rob English has been racing on a frame similar to the Silk: with a rear fork, rather than seat/chain stay triangle. So this rather radical new frame design is fairly tried and true. It makes me want to ask if that dampens the ride a bit: does the rear fork give a bit of a suspension without detracting from pedal power transfer? Seems as though it might. Also looks as if there is frame room on the Silk for me to put on the fattest 451 tires for to taking it off pavement, and the frame and wheels can hold up fine. If there is some slight loss of efficiency with the belt/gear hub drive train, it could be made up for, I should argue, by always being in the right gear at the right time. Derailleur gears may offer greater efficiency with less weight, but demand a great deal of maintenance and replacement to keep it that way – especially when used in the wet. So now you have essentially a foldable commuter bike with 20-inch wheel performance. As soon as everyone there is finished riding my purple Silk with drop bars and Alfine 11 hub, please send it to me.↓
Stuart Knoles
To think of it now, the Alfine 11 hub should be fairly water-tight. If in deed it is an oil-bath lubrication, then it must be oil-sealed, and therefore, rather impregnable. It is the Nexus that, being grease lubricated, is not sealed against submersion, and would need repacking. No matter how heavily greased is a chain, it is a mess when getting wet. Or else it starts wearing quickly, stretching, and will cause all the sprockets to be in need of replacement. Chains are high-maintenance, especially with derailleur gearing. That is just one thing I like about the belt. Have thought the Carbon Belt system might be vulnerable to mud or snow build-up causing it to jump and be damaged; whereas sprockets can push through the chain spaces. However in a race under heavy mud/snow conditions had even one-speed chain-cog drive trains clog and fail, where the Gates Carbon Belt drives were unaffected.↓
Keith Helmuth
Hey Matthew, great to hear your working with Bike Friday and great to read your bike testing story. The Silk sounds like a dream of a bike. I still ride my old Miyata on the Saint John River Road here in New Brunswick. I wish I could justify buying a Bike Friday Silk, but old age is catching up with me. I recommend Bike Friday every chance I get.
Keith Helmuth↓
Stewart Logie
In looking at the Silk frame design I wonder if it precludes the use of rim brakes and rear racks.↓
Andreas Niehoff
Matthew, thanks for sharing your impressions with the Silk. I'm new to folding bikes, but I'm really pondering to get one (also, since I need to new bike).
I am still a bit concerned about the durability of the bike, especially when I stand up from the saddle and lean onto the handlebar with my weight (I'm 6.1 ft and 165 lbs). Can do this with the Silk like to do with my normal bike (trouring/cross bike)?↓
Stuart Knoles
It should be noted that the Silk appears to come standard with the heaver rider frame. I still have a body weight in the lower 140 lb and I would of course not worry about my Silk frame. I recently marveled at how good my Silk took to a stretch of gravel road – until taking a pinch-puncture. With no rear triangle, the Silk looks rather fragile, but I recall an article by the Silk designer: Rob English, a Cat 1 class racer, discussing racing with a Silk configuration prototype bike. He was winning top-level hill climbs. Thus I do not think the frames have an inherent weakness. I have detected no instability in my Silk. Although the Silk is intended as a utility, touring bike, it also feels good to get out and hammer with it. I would not hesitate taking it on rough terrain, or getting out of the saddle to really push a climb. I think one can safely not hold back riding it. Go ahead and try to break that frame. The Silk I would venture is as sturdy as any bike. It seems well suited to standing out of the saddle to give it everything you have. Before long, you will consider the Silk a normal bike: I think – correct me if I am just hooting.↓
Stuart Knoles
It is so gratifying – and surprising – to see how cycling is such a common ground, in the diverse cultures of the world. As a Tweed rider, I very much appreciate this.↓
Thierry D.
Nice article and photos, I love my Tikit Infinity too and find it very practical pretty much everywhere. The only thing I wish was a better gear range, now I'm waiting for my Infinity Silk and I see what I can do or don't 😉↓
Stuart Knoles
Having trained in competitive cycling, I retain the skill of pushing out of the saddle, as it is called. I have found that the Silk for some reason, invites me to do that. Without much thought, I have found myself pushing it out of the saddle (no not getting off and pushing the bike), and am surprised at how natural it feels. And even with a custom fit stem. I would notice if there were a lot of flexing, for the response would be noticeably soft, but, it is not soft. Although the frame is heavier and more durable, the bike seems to want to take the slams; there seems almost a shock absorbing character. That may be why it does not feel abusive to jump the bike off curbs. Wonder if that is related to the unique design.↓
David Tacheny
Send catalog via E-mail if possible!
David Tacheny↓
vicki bliss
That's a fantastic story from start to finish and I enjoyed reading it. I'm glad Mr. King helped out to ensure our Tikit stems are configured optimally. Thank you Mr. King and Bike Friday!↓
Scott Laughlin
Press On, Richard. I'm 75 and I still ride my Bike Friday even in these hot Texas temperatures.. You have a lot of good years ahead.↓
Giovanni Calcagno
Well done Richard, can you tell me the chainrings/sprocket size?↓
Dericksen Brinkerhoff
At 91 I still am riding; hope you do the same.↓
Robert Cummins
Congrarulations Richard and Scott for hanging in there. I too ride my Bike Friday regulary, usually 20 or so miles, at the ripe age of 86 and I plan to continue !!↓
I had bought a NWT years ago and loved it. Then for some foolish reason still unknown to my rational thinking, I gave it to a friend that lives 6 hours away. I am so sorry I did that and will regret it for years to come. I am getting ready to move from NYC to North Carolina by the end of the month Aug. 1st 2013 and will not get it back. My heart breaks. But I have promised myself that when I move and get a new job and save up ( I am a registered nurse) that I will buy myself a new NWT or one like that for commuting but instead of the blue I had, I'm getting black. I am so excited about the thought of it and just wanted to share that with someone!! Take care and happy travels, Margaret currently in NY and missing my cool Bike Friday!↓
Stuart Knoles
A gimps at the life behind the bicycles now made in USA. Things are looking good. One must say that Richard will go down in history as one stepped in at a pivotal moment to uphold the innovation that will bring about future bicycles, as well as the rebirth of United States bicycle manufacturing.
Funny how the wife thought the aero suit and timetrial helmet strange, but not the riding of a 20″ wheeled folding bike.
I like riding my PRP because on it I feel the way I did (feel is important here) when I was 17 and could almost not be dropped when I rode with the best in the San Diego Bicycle Club.↓
I had a NWT I bought through Steve years ago. I foolishly gave it away to a friend, I cry as I write this. Anyway I am moving from NYC to NC before July 1st 2013. Once I start working there I will start saving for a new one for commuting to this new job. I am probably thinking of getting another NWT because I don't like the 16 inch wheels of the new silk. Anyway I look forward to your e catalog. Thanks so much, Sincerely Margaret Goodwin currently still in NY- Staten Island↓
Richard Kelly
My favourite riding partner is my wife. We usually ride at 18-20 Km/Hr, which is slow, as most riders pass us. We talk, laugh and see the chipmunks scoot across the road ahead of us.For us it is all about the journey, not the destination. There is nothing wrong with competition, but since we are all going to the same place eventually, we prefer to take our time getting there.
Keep riding and do enjoy the journey.
Regards. Richard and Edna Kelly↓
Comfortable riding position.
So many people, it seems, assume that the head- down position is the "best?" way to ride.
We are not racing, so why not sit more upright, accept the 0.5% less aerodynamic speed restriction and arrive more comfortably?
Just one more thing to like about my Tikit.↓
That is one of my favorite roads. Down towards the bottom (before the switchbacks) there was always a stretch of trees over the road which on the right early spring day gave off the most beautiful tree-dappled sunlight.
I've been looking at this bike for some time and wondering about–well about the weight, of course. Unfortunately, I don't have access to a test or even a visual look-over of the Silk, so I appreciate your review very much. Can it possibly be true that all the extra weight of the steel framed BF plus the Nuvinci don't have an impact? Not even the knees?↓
Jim Pryne
That is a buncha bike bits in a box
Neat wrapper.↓
Stuart Knoles
Hoping some of those bikes are recovered from the heist of a fleet in a trailer. It is a start for education. It is a valuable skill and knowledge that is not possessed by a large portion of our "educated" populating in the United States. In some European countries, bicycle education is part of early schooling. The children in Holland, for example, can ride as if they know what they are doing: smooth, straight, and in tune with the rest of the traffic in the bicycle lane or bike roadway.↓
when the OSATA and cargo top secret bike will release?
Herman Krieger
For some other examples of kit airplanes, see "Hobby Field", at http://www.efn.org/~hkrieger/hobby.htm↓
Is this a carry-on?↓
Jochen Gollnick
Dear BIKEFRIDAY owner, when I worked as a Lufthansa Captain until 1999, my BIKE FRIDAY
(#819) travelled with me on the flightdeck many times. Now I see that there is some space for those lovely bikes on all kinds of airplanes, congratulations!↓
Bruce Swayze
I was there, and I saw this demo! It prompted me to take a spin on a couple of these bikes, too. An amazing experience, I must say. I didn't want to get off of it. I'm definitely planning on one or two of these for my RV-7A when I get it finished. 🙂↓
Dan Radovsky
Any plans for Bike Friday to get back in the 'bent biz?↓
Sally Allen
Hi Steve, your trip sounds fabulous. very scenic and nice to be off busy roads. riding in the Alps sounds so steep but seems you managed it with ease. Bikefriday should give you a free bike for all the excellent advertising you are giving them. i'm interested in a bike trip some time before June 2014. what did you have in mind?
cheers. sally↓
Mary Ann Wallace
Thank you, Steve, for such a wonderful description of your trip, the photos, and how the Silk handled the terrain it was on. You're motivating all of us who read your journal.↓
Tom Thel
Encouraging read. Can you say which internal hub and the size of the front and read pulleys? The fear of mountains on a pannier-laden Silk has made me afraid to get one.↓
Bruce Logan
Like you, Steve, the spec just grabbed me. I travel with my bike a lot and all the felt packing bits supplied with my previous NWT were covered in oil etc, so as soon as I read about the Silk I knew I had to get one. I sold my NWT and ordered the Silk with great help from Walter at BF. I picked it up at the factory in Eugene last month and rode the 400 miles back to Victoria BC through Oregon & Washington. What a delightful – quiet – ride! BTW if you're going to change the rear cog you may find you will have to install a belt with a different number of teeth. And remember to change the oil after the first 1000 kms↓
Steve Nicol
Sounds like a good trip, Bruce, one I hope to make one day! I have been assured that I should be able to get away with the same belt with a 26 tooth pulley so I have gone ahead and ordered one. I'll make a further post once I have fitted it. Already changed the oil but apart from that maintenance has been minimal.↓
Neha Sharma
It is a real picture of Hollywood.↓
wow! Soooo wonderfufl! i would love to have someone to do that with!! HOw fabulous. thanks so much for the story. Make it longer next time!↓
I should have asked how many miles did you do each day? how did you find where to stay?? did you book ahead? thanks↓
Joe Everton
Dear Eugenia and Peter, Those who have trekked on bicycle know it's the best way to travel. Congratulations! I wanted to bike to my 50th reunion in Texas, but it didn't work out. Besides, it's really hot in TX in May. Your northern route sounds better. I have traveled W. Europe several times; it's a great way to immerse yourself in the culture. If Chalice reads this, perhaps she and I could discuss such a trip. Send email to Hannah Scholz at Bike Friday, mention Joe E. from TN↓
Judith Briggs
How can I get information about the group mentioned for those over 50? My husband and I travel by bike most always self-contained but being over 70 now, we would like to lighten the load a bit without having to use motels every night.
email okay.
Great story about your birthday trip!↓
Randy Runtsch
This is a great story, Eugenia. It sounds as though you and Peter are living the good life.
My 24 year old son, Nick, and I will travel from Vancouver, Canada to the Mexican border, just south of San Diego, California, in October 2014. While I have a traditional touring bike, I am contemplating a Bike Friday, especially to help with the air travel portions of trips.
Best within to you and your husband. I am 54, but hope to be riding long tours into my 70s.
Rochester, Minnesota↓
Hopefully, my 80-year-old
Strong just like you↓
Jim Langley
Thanks so much for the mention Bike Friday people. I could never have met the goal without my amazing Pocket Rocket (my first BF) and Pocket Rocket Pro (my second BF). Your special bicycles are the magic that helped make one of my cycling dreams come true: to ride every single day… and I'm going to try to keep it going and log lots more wonderful rides on my Bike Friday. I often get this question, so I'll answer it here: My favorite ride ever on my Pocket Rocket Pro was riding up the Haleakala volcano in Maui and then back down. The climb took about 5 hours, the descent only about 90 minutes. Going from sea level to above the clouds and back again was an experience I'll never forget. Thank you for so many fantastic memories like this Bike Friday! Jim↓
Thanks in advance for helping me with the following:
Pocket Pro as is OK. The question is regarding the suitcase.
Are there any suitcase options? the specific request is to be able to fold the suitcase and use as a backpack. The reason is while traveling the suitcase needs to carried.
Not only that, when fixing a flat, he's also known as Leverless Langley! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_bB4i_Z_cQ
Go Jim!↓
Steve Nicol
I now have a 26 tooth rear cog on my Silk and it makes hills much easier – it fitted on with the same belt. The bike and I tackled a 3 week tour of New Zealand and we both survived well despite lots of gravel tracks and dirt roads. I even managed to cope with a rear tyre puncture which meant taking the wheel off which is not a trivial task with the belt and internal hub. A word of warning – be very careful with the bolts that go into the wheel drop out plates as the alloy is very soft – I have had stainless steel inserts put in for the adjusting bolts and for the rack mounts.↓
can't find the link to this blog post↓
Noel (Tikit Adelaide, South Aust)
Thanks for the blog and thanks for coming even if you "talk funny".
Missed it this time but Mansfield will be a great ride next year.↓
Scott Woodsmith
Glad you had such a good time. Was a real pleasure to meet you and look forward to seeing you next year- beware there are more hills in the Mansfield area!!!↓
Gary & Annette
Great to read your account and remember the great week around Mudge. Thanks to all who made it possible. See you next year.↓
May I please pass my respects and my condolences and thoughts and prayers to Margaret
on the passing of her husband and best friend.
I have not been in touch with Margaret for a while but remember her fondly. Tell her
I still hope to get that Bike Friday !
Regards, Steve Giles, Brisbane, Aust.↓
David & Yvonne Thomson
Great to read your account of the 18th gathering we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. Thanks for the Decals you sent we received them this morning. we look forward to meeting up again next year in Mansfield Vic. Cheers David↓
Bicicletas Plegables
Great! My congrats to him, We want to reach 80 and still be able to riding a bike. An example to follow.↓
Davey Oil
You are a sportscaster! Nice post.
We love the Haul-a-Day here at G&O!↓
Andrew Smith
I love it. Although the standard version seemed so much better than the special one.
The neat way the pallet served as a base for the rest of the luggage was great.
I know which rider would have been more comfortable.
I use my bike to carry cargo every day but it cannot take this much weight so I need a trailer when I have a lot of things.
This looks to be another really clever and well thought out design.
Well done.↓
Nick Maki
I would like to know if anyone else has put the bike friday folding full size rack on their bike friday. I have one on, and regularly put 20lbs or so on it, however both with and without weight on rack there is a certain amount of tweaking or torque with the back fork visibly wobbling. I was wondering if this is occuring on other silks or if mine might have a problem. I am 6'1″ and weigh around 195 so I put a decent amount of pressre on pedals howevrr after reading other comments they seem to have no issue like this.
I was visiting my family in Eugene; we went and I fell in love with the red Haul a day up for raffle.
We went to the store and I test rode a Pocket Companion.
I now have a production date and am shopping for ridiculously cute red and white polka dot with pink roses paniers to use on my new bike.↓
how do i get my name in the hat??? i am your biggest cheerleader:
Others have used taped cardboard boxes to transport the bike, then fold the box and either throw it away or carry with you.
Just do a google search on this topic and you will find a few posts.
Bob Reid
Steve: sounds like a wonderful trip. I'm inspired to ride throughout the Alps in 2016 and am starting to plan a trip. Do you recommend any particular source for maps, or do you use an on-line source while riding? Thanks!
BR. Portland, Oregon↓
David Webber
Oh heck YES! Fabulous stuff. Kudos indeed.
Looking forward to reading the full versions, the excerpts really whet the appetite.
Jim Goodin
Great telling Rob. You make some great points such as the wheel size which encourages me. I own a Dahon P8 which I use for commute and. Specialized Roubaix which is my road distance bike. I have grown to love my Dahon so much, happened on to Bike Friday at last years El Tour deTucson. I love design and theory of it and am seriously thinking selling my Roubaix to get Bike Friday road bike.↓
Peter Scheff
I put one on my bike friday 3 years for a self supported european trip. I have MS and could not have done it without the bike friday, suitcase trailer, bionx combination. I wrote my experience for the MS society publication. Feel free to share with your community. Great combination! Here is a link to my article. I am happy to talk with persons with disabilities about bike riding.
Kathy Seery
Nice! I would want the battery unobtrusively under the rear rack & the control unit on the handle bars a little smaller, however, for older folks big is easier to read. Good job you guys! Kathy Seery↓
Lonna Cain
I have a pocket rocket and I also have an OHM-Ebike and they are both loved in very different ways. At some point I would like to have a battery on my pocket rocket.↓
I rode my tikit through knee deep water and was concerned the Alfine 11 would be affected. From this experience, it seems it is watertight, which is a relief.
Does the hub need servicing? How does one look after it though one of the reasons for getting this hub is so that it will not need looking after.↓
James Endicott
Is the bionx available on a folding bike friday?↓
Kaye Craw
After take a glance of this bike, just a sound came from my mouth and the sound was " Awesome".↓
This bike is amazing! it is very fast and the style is really for me. It is also very light with alloy rims with alloy hub. the steel frame is very sturdy as I have crashed it and it is still in great shape! Really worth the money.↓
Dave Gay
Hey Raz, Wow! Love your Haul-A-Day and the blog/story of your adventure. I notice that your front basket and it seem WAY heavy, however, i did not note any complaints from you in regards to how your Haul-A-Day handled. Apparently if wasn't a problem? I figured it would have wobbled you into a ditch 😉 Thanks, Dave/Dave Gay↓
jeff williams
Too bad the battery on the Bionix is considered "dangerous goods". The fire suppression systems on airplanes is not enough to extinguish one of those batteries if it "runs away" therefore it's considered too dangerous to be carried on ANY airliner, passenger or cargo. Shame.↓
What the heck… I can't buy a ticket. The website is down. I want to register for the bike giveaway. I also want to particpate. come on. This is not right.↓
Re the size of the control unit — not only do I need my BionX to take a reasonable bike ride, I also need something even bigger than the BionX control unit to have that info available. It's an old fashioned LCD display with very little contrast. I can see the bars that say how much assistance I've selected; they're quite large. But, the speed is pretty much invisible while I'm riding and the little things on the bottom — av speed, distance, etc — I have no idea of until I've stopped and tilted both the control unit and my head just so. I would pay a premium for a low-vision variant. On the other hand, most of that info isn't very useful other than for my curiosity, so what the heck.↓
Katherine Mandel
hooray! May the winner have much fun on the bike!!↓
Andrew E. Palko
Of course winner is definitely going to have much fun.↓
Brian Oldham
I ride at least 4 times a week, or 200 times a year and can't take it if I don't I makes me feel so much healthier and relaxed. I now ride a cargo bike and do almost all chores with it. I ride around 3,000 miles per year.↓
Jack Pirson
That's real good advice! Also I would add that be careful about buying a bike just from the test ride advice you read in a magazine. Reviewers tend to have their own biases about bikes and what they like may not fit what's best for you.↓
What would be even more interesting (I'm not volunteering) is the new SRAM electronic shifting system that is WIRELESS between the shifter and the remainder of the mech – no wire routing to worry about at all, except the brakes.↓
Don't be lazy. Shift it with your fingers)↓
Very inspiring. Thanks for sharing!↓
This beautiful tikit, featured in the photo, is still available. This particular Tesla owner has not yet taken the leap, so his loss is your gain! http://www.BikePartners.net, Santa Rosa, CA. The Bike Friday 'tikit' — best cure for EV range anxiety.↓
Great adventure story and one that I hope to replicate with me wife one day. We have a triple bike Friday which, now with our kids going to high school next year, we plan to make into a tandem and do some trips. Thanks for the inspiration!↓
Dennis Weaver
Merill and I are off to Japan in April thenTelAviv in February on ourBikeFridays
We live near Portland and would love to get together andcompare noted sometime.
Dennis Weaver↓
Hedy Fischer
We took our Bike Friday's to Cuba 4 years ago and found the same positive experience. We, too, had been advised to take lots of energy bars and we're glad we did. At that time, riding from Havana to Vinales, it was difficult to find ANY food to buy along the mostly deserted roads. We stayed in casa particulars the entire time and in these private homes, the food was plentiful and delicious. We hope to return soon and bike east from Havana the next time.↓
What model was Claudia's bike.
It would be fun to organize a bike trip to Cuba.
A reasonably small group.↓
Hey, great story. I'm ready to go!↓
Gary Chuck
Great job Claudia… I am planning on doing that soon with my wife. Also a European tour with our Bike Fridays.↓
Robert Smith
About 20 yrs ago my wife and I bought two relatively inexpensive bikes and toured the western part of Cuba. Beautiful! We gave the bikes to two deserving (we hoped!) teenagers at the end of the trip. Great place to travel by bike. Glad that our political attitude toward Cuba has changed.
mary lynn forte
I would love to bike around CUba. Send me any information on future trips.↓
Doug Hintz
Three of us returned 4 March 2016 from four weeks in Cuba. Eugene was well represented. My Co-Motion and Lynda's Bike Friday. We met another cyclist from Vancouver, BC, also on a Bike Friday, in the Pinar del Rio province.↓
Jean Bellego
I loved Cuba since I first went more than 20 years ago. I can imagine how great it would be to go with my 15 year old son and bike around. I will appreciate any helpful insight. Best.
Jean Bellego
How does one et to Cuba via Mexico? I have no idea about how to get there . I have a Surly LHT and would like to take it with me. As you can probably tell I have very little experience in touring.↓
Dean phelps
Cycle North Carolina. A one week ride from the mountains to the coast. Held annually the first week of October.↓
Nina Sabghir
Tour De Simcha now in its 5th year. Part of Chai Lifeline, people bike and run all over the world to help children and families affected by cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. This year 180 women will bicycle 73 miles from New Jersey to the Catskills. The ride ends at Camp Simcha where the campers eagerly wait for the riders to arrive. Then it"s party time. Take a look at the videos and visit my page at tourdesimcha.com↓
Glen Townend
Go to Michigan and ride the DALMAC Labor day. A great ride beginning in Lansing and ending at or over the Mac bridge. A great ride for the family too↓
From what I understand, you are required to be a part of an organized educational or cultural group on order to visit. Those of you that have gone, what was your organization?↓
Jon D
Bike Virginia – 6 days of riding in various parts of Virginia, full supported including rest stops camping etc.↓
Bill Grant
Bike Maine is a real treat. We did it a couple of years ago and this year it will be with my new Pocket Rocket!↓
Ken d
The Unknown Coast Weekend in Ferndale CA, put on by Chico Velo Sept 17 and 18. Two day ride, redwood forests, pristine coastline and some nice hills including "the wal". Rest stops, dinner, pancake breakfast, free camping or pay another $15 and stay in a cabin. Two day price is around $85. Chicovelo.org↓
Ed Osterman
I'm also very interested in touring Cuba, but have been waiting until I could go directly from the US (without having to go with a sponsored group), but now I'm thinking of waiting no longer and accessing it from Colombia where I hope to travel this Fall. I don't want to haul a bike, so I'm wondering if it's possible to purchase a half decent "cross-type" bike in Cuba and use it?
With a conventional type bike, can you transport on their buses?↓
Hi this really sounds great but I am confused – did you bike each day while in port and come back to sleep or did you bike from one port to another and catch the ship further along on the cruise?
Rodney Hunty
Great little story, my wife & I cruise a bit, I have only once seen a man with a fold up and have thought about this many times, you convinced me …… Cheers Rod from Australia↓
Hi Rod, we sure had fun riding in your country. While riding in Darwin (during the tail end of a cyclone) looking for a bike shop for a jersey souvenir I met a shop owner named Dingo who owned K9 Cycles. He didn't have a jersey at the shop but asked me if I could wait a bit? Sure. He comes back with a totally cool N W Territory racing jersey and gives it to me as a token of Ausie hospitality. The people of Australia were amazing!↓
Chuck Pinney
We took a BF Project Q in its tandem form on an Alaskan Cruise (New Amsterdam, out of Vancouver, Inside Passage). Disassembling it into its cargo shoulder bag was my means to get it in and off the ship. It made for a slightly cozier space in the room, but it fit. We'd do the assembly/disassembly on the dock. I had mapped out rides of 20-40 miles in each port. Unfortunately, it rained nearly every day except in Skagway, where it was windy and cold. Still we road up the pass towards Canada. Very scenic and free-feeling.↓
Mike Jacoubowsky
Great trip report! Been to Tanzania, done the Northern Safari Circuit (Serengeti, Ngorongoro, etc and pretty sure I know the rock those two lionesses are on. Agreed that it's unfortunate that tourism has created faux friendship/interaction based on handing out money.
I had hoped to read a trip report saying that cycling made you somewhat different and immune to that sort of thing.
Bicycle "repair" is an amazing thing in that part of the world. Welding torches are as important as wrenches. As a bicycle shop owner, my one regret is not getting to spend any time at a bike "shop" while there. Not something the guide had any interest in, and you won't find much English spoken in that environment.↓
Mary Herman
You did a fantastic job! I love my New World Tourist but I haven't yet acquired the endurance to make a trip like yours, but that is a goal! Thanks for sharing such a marvelous achievement! Mary in Oregon↓
folmonty aka Monty
Fantastic trip report! Enjoyed your perspective and how to roll with the ever changing surroundings. The pictures are beyond words. Can't imagine seeing all those animals in their natural habitat let alone while riding a bike!↓
Lin B
I would do a red frame with black trim. Add some black 3m glow tape on the red frame and it would look a lot like my current BF….named "Ladybug". =)↓
Anne Silver
Great Story! Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful adventure. I worked for Peace Corps Tanzania for three years. My bicycle was my best friend and rode it everyday to the office, but I have to admit I never took an extended bike trip to the north. I am seriously jealous. You can easily ride your bikes on the ferry to Zanzibar and it is fun to ride there.
I still work for Peace Corps as a Roving Director of Management and the staff at different posts I work in laugh when my clothes are in my carry-on suitcase and my other bag is my Bike Friday!
Enjoy your time in Tanzania and give my love to the PC staff there!↓
Gorgeous photos! Amazing trip! Looks like the trip of a lifetime.↓
Nice ride!!!,maybe next trip you want more hills? check ours some years ago
We currently own a tandem Santana Arriva but will be upgrading to a Santana Spiriit, which will be easier to travel with. Also just bought a tandem Bike Friday. Cycling in Cuba sounds really great. Would love to do something like that. We're considering a trip south next winter (2017). Would love to meet up with other cyclists.↓
Mary Ann Wallace
Thank you for a wonderful article! It is fabulous to read of Nancy doing the Pyrennes on the Pocket Crusoer (New World Tourist Lite). As for pace, I always believed slow and steady got you to the top and it looks like the triple cranks did the job. And you managed with all that weight! There's hope for the rest of us then.↓
Fantastic job, you two! My husband and I both own Pocket Crusoes as well, and although we've never taken them into serious mountains, we have ridden them all over the US (including a loaded tour in upstate NY) and even in Mexico. They are amazing bikes and have never let us down!↓
What a wonderful trip! I have a Pocket Rocket Pro, which I have travelled with a dozen times in Europe, mainly in France. I cannot say enough about how comfortable it is and its top performance on the climb and descent. Thank you for sharing your trip. Vance↓
John Fleckner
Thanks for the story. We skipped the mountains on our Tandem Tuesday, but our France trip in 2015 included the stretch from Bordeaux through Toulouse and on to the Mediterranean Sea. Mostly on canal paths and small roads. Warm welcomes and great food and wine experienced best on a Bike Friday.↓
Lou McClelland
Usual tandems require the heavier person to be captain, in front. That appears not to be the case here. Why?↓
Ron Burzese
Hello Lou, It has never been a requirement. Tandems are generally configured with the larger frame up front, which makes sense. However, it is not a requirement. I am blind and have been riding and racing tandems for over 18 years. I am 170, at my heaviest and have ridden a Bike Friday Traveller XL, with a lady pilot, who weighed 97 pounds. As long as the stoker is experienced and steady, it should not be a problem.
Ron, in Sacramento↓
geoff steele
Where are batteries in Pic #1 (with couple – above) ? Is that the 'cruise' battery on the rear rack in Pic #2 (no people, but lots of pumpkins, below?). What thoughts or recommendations on a folding solar array that could recharge LiPo's in a couple of hours (while eating a picnic lunch?). Are the brakes regenerative at all ? More info would be helpful… Geoff, in NC↓
Look at the seat configuration here–there's little doubt this stoker has a much better view than with a more "typical" tandem arrangement. Good for them.↓
We are Bike Friday fraternal twins with Bob! We also have an orange Bike Friday with an electric system sold by Electric Bike Solutions (go Doug!), but in our case it's a Haul-a-Day. Love the e-assist system and the bike.↓
Helen Shaw
Love your pics Kris and Bob! Your tandem is beautiful!↓
Robert Barker
Hi Kris and Bob, thanks for your inspiring story, I am in the UK and currently considering installing a Bionx on our tandem twosday. We also have a rear Sram 3 speed hub gear with a 9 speed derailleur . I had assumed I would put the Bionx in the rear wheel and therefore lose the Sram 3 speed and have to switch to a triple ring front changer. I had thought the torque pull from having the Bionx in the front wheel would be too strong and make it feel dangerous – that is obviously not your experience. I appreciate that the pedal assist sensor does control the torque but I am aware in an emergency hill start situation there is an overide button and I wondered whether you have any comments. I take the captain's role and my wife the stoker – we each weigh around 150 lbs. I am thinking your electric motor is not a Bionx and may be a SRAM electric assist which i thought was not available for upgrading↓
Product Idea
Hey Raz,
It's good to hear the pedal assist worked well for most of your ride. I've never used a pedal assist before, but now it sounds like a good product to look into. I love when companies and entrepreneurs design products that help a specific audience.
Thanks for the post. Hope to connect soon.
I can relate to this, happy seeing and reading this one..↓
Wonderfully told!↓
Danny Garcia
I'm in Portland, Oregon and use the bus a lot. I loved the idea of this bike and this was one of my fears. Thanks for testing this.↓
Marion Guy
I so enjoyed your "family" last trip, I'm sure you wife was there in spirit. I live in Shropshire and the county is beautiful, history abounds and wonderful scenery, we are lucky,lucky people.
Enjoy many more trips.↓
A fine tribute to your dear wife and her bicycle.↓
Tom Brückner
Very nice story! Thanks.↓
Wonderful story…..thank you for sharing. What a delightful tribute to your wife. I am hoping you will continue to ride with such joy. Your photos were outstanding, especially the ones of Lincoln Cathedral……such clarity.
Bless you,↓
Bonnie Prest-Thal
Beautiful. Inspiring. Thank you. You and your wife are very blessed. Peace.↓
Beautiful, touching narrative. Absolutely lovely pictures.↓
Tamara Bernstein
What a beautiful post — moving, inspiring and helpful! I have gotten hooked on the southwestern tip of England in recent years, but it's more a walking country, rather than cycling. Now I'm going to try the south-east, with my new BF. Thank you!↓
Linda S. Berl
Beautiful tribute to his wife!↓
Thank you for sharing your moving and engaging story.↓
Derek Peterson
Inspirational! Thank you for sharing your story.↓
NOW 7:05 A.M. AND I JUST FINISHED THIS MAGNIFICENT ARTICLE. TIME TO LEAVE FOR WORK NOW, BUT CAN HARDLY WAIT TO GET HOME AND A JAUNT ON MY FRIDAY, DREAMING I AM MAKING THIS RIDE……..charlie↓
John Maruyama
A beautiful photo-journal tribute of your promise to your wife. Thank you for sharing!↓
Paul Lindsay
A great story ….. so much so, that I am now very interested in doing the route myself.
Anne Mulqueen
Merl Ledford
Jared Hager
I'm in Portland and am always trying to find a new bike that meets my needs. I have young kids and I am really excited to try this out. I was at first hesitant about it fitting on the bus racks since I ride the bus a lot but now the problem is fixed. Can't wait to try this out!↓
phyllis Stensland
Wonderful photos, interesting historical facts and touching tribute to your late wife. I'd like to point out however that In Flanders Field was written by the Canadian brigade doctor John McCrae, not John McPhee.↓
Andrew Hague
Thank you. Superb photos and a well told story. Ordnance Survey maps 50,000 scale are recommended; old fashioned and let you see the whole area.↓
Hal Goss
It is insufficient, to just say thank you. But words Are all we have.↓
rich king
Rich, thanks for the wonderful account of your "rideabout". I'm so sorry for your loss. May you always feel the presence of you wife's gentle spirit↓
A wonderful tribute and a great journal of a Bike Friday ride.
One correction is with the poem "In Flanders Field" It was written by Lieut.-Col. John McCray who was a
Member of the First Canadian contingent, died in France January 28, 1918, after four years in the Western Front.↓
Pierre LaPierre
What a delightul, touching account of your ride. Well written, with gorgeous pictures of a beautiful land. Sorry for the loss of your beloved. A wonderful way to share her spirit. Your Friday is beautifully set up, as well.↓
Wiryawan Isjwara
Speechless, so much love
So sorry for the loss of your other half↓
Jerry Rooney
Beautiful Memorial! I'm sure she enjoyed it. I'm also sure she will be riding with you each time you push your pedals.↓
Susan Hall
Touching tribute!↓
Walter and Margaret Lamond
Touching story beautifully told in word and stunning photos. Being Aussies we loved the use of an Aboriginal name for your special BF. Thank you for sharing such a personal journey and a wonderful tribute to your wife. We tandem tour on a Two's Day and were impressed with your bike set up.↓
I have a Mu ex and I'm thinking of the bionx. I'm not sure to put it on the front wheel (because I have a carbon fork) because it rides wobbly at 40km/u (cornering I mean, how ever sligthy)
Which bionx do you use here?↓
Great job! I did two triathlons with my pocket rocket and have a half ironman coming soon. May try a full ironman someday with my pocket rocket!↓
Glenys 'Willie' Wilson
I did John O'Groats to Lands End on my NWT in June 2012. We did 1,600 k's in 23 days in the worst start to summer in 160 yrs…hope you have much better conditions than we did!↓
Would this route easy to find a camping place ? I planning to bicycled this route in the few years. As the beginning of a trip from Europe to China. My bicycle is NWT too, THX guy!↓
Mathias Müller
Hi Barr, you will find campgrounds easily. UK is big on camping. check: http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/ukcampsites (just on example, find more sites for clubs and sites in each region where you wanna go). Plus, you can even ask on the next farm you pass by for permission (if you are in great need). More on cycling the UK here: http://www.cycletourer.co.uk/cycletouring/uk.shtml . Good luck and have fun!↓
Richard Fairhurst
Lots of campsites in the UK. If you use http://cycle.travel/map (disclaimer – my site!) to plan out a route, you can use the little accommodation menu on the left to find campsites nearby – it uses the data from the fabled Archie's Campings listings which is generally acknowledged to be the best campsite data in Europe.
As a fellow NWT owner it's great to read this account. 🙂↓
Steven Schenck
Wonderful and thanks much. My bucket list now has one more item.↓
Have you tried carrying an adult passenger?
Richard Dandridge
Hey Robbie,we bought two NWT in 2014 mine have the flat touring bars? Can I get just those bars for another bike? Long story but I now really need the shorter grip distance↓
Robbie Dow
Hi Richard,
No problem. I'll have our service department reach out to you and work out the details. If you have any other questions, feel free to email me directly at email@example.com. Hope your NWTs are treating you well!
As a bike enthusiastic i know how much planning needed to go on a bike Friday with your family. Loved the photos and don't stop biking. Thanks↓
Roger Errington
Thank you – lovely story. Was wondering what camera you carried; very nice photos.↓
Electric Bikes
Thanks for sharing such a great article. Keep updating us↓
Brooklyn in Near where i live i will definitly plan on taking a ride one of these days↓
Timothy Steege
Last time I flew the airline made me confirm that I was not packing or carrying lithium-ion batteries. Have you run into any problems with getting Bionx on an airline flight?↓
I noticed that you did not ride with your suitcase in a trailer. What did you do with your suitcase?↓
Dave Bardenstein
Due to back issues I can only ride Air Friday or Air GLide. Could these work with BIonX?↓
Tim Morrow
Right on!↓
Wow you are an inspiration Molly!! Congratulations.↓
This is the perfect way that how a content must be delivered. Thank you for the useful info buddy.↓
DOUGLAS Miller
I went there many years ago and raced with a small Cuban team. It was so much fun.
Now, I am OLD!! but I want to do a tour. I am considering buying a bike friday bike as I hate getting ripped off on transport on the plane↓
Nina Sabghir
I'm getting ready to fly to Okinawa with my New World Tourist Lite packed in the suitcase. I also have the trailer kit for when I get to the mainland. I can't tell you how excited I am to be making this trip. Soon I'll be posting on Twitter and Instagram.↓
Ken Berman
Georgetown is NOT a suburb of Washington, DC. It is an integral part of WDC. The original survey of the District of Columbia in the late 18th Century included Alexandria, Georgetown, and Washington "city" (Pierre L'Enfant's original layout), all in a 10 mile by 10 mile diamond, the federal District of Columbia. In 1841 Virginia took back their portion in a non-contentious negotiation, since crossing the Potomac was troublesome in those days (it still is, at rush hour!). That left DC with its peculiar current layout. IN 1871 Georgetown and Washington City merged their street grid, utilities, and labeling of neighborhoods, BUT, Georgetown has always been part of the District, in the portion that Maryland contributed to the Federal district. Ken Berman – proud BF owner. (I just did the full GAP/C&O last week over five days of camping. If in DC, pls visit me at kensdctours.com)↓
John Fleckner
Good story. Thanks to Ken for clarifying the Georgetown comment. We just got back from six weeks in France on our Bike Friday tandem with suitcase trailer: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/18510 Ain't it grand to be riding, especially on a Bike Friday?↓
Kelly Crowley
Good job! Congrats!😉Beautiful pictures, inspiring.↓
Jörg Güttgemanns
Great Tour!
Aaron could you please tell me more about the stiffness of your tikit? Did you improve it somehow?
I ride a tikit, too. My experience on long distance ride is, that i lose a lot of energy, because the frame is loose (because of the folding mechanism).↓
I am ok with the ride quality on my tikit. It's my 1st proper bicycle, Before the tikit I was just using affordable bicycles that u get off the supermarket. I would still say I am pushing the small wheeled tikit a bit too hard in a massive tour like Iceland, but hey it survived. If I am ever tired is cos of the crazy wind/rain in Iceland. The most important mod on my tikit is getting it to have a road double chainring setup, this helps me to have better gear range to tackle difficult hills. And I got the bikefriday H bar which I Love a lot.↓
Mikon Cheni
Hi Aaron, What is the weight of your luggage throughout the cycling trip? All you brought along was on your bike? Thank you.↓
Beautiful Lady. Keep it up.↓
Ryan H.
FINALLY — one that actually folds flat. Can't wait to try it.↓
Just read the article on the Morpher Collapaible Helmets, nice. The writer, Jeffrey, who travels and rides a lot did a nice job describing his dilemma and convinced me that this is the right helmet for the resolution.↓
Bernard Schayes MD
Excellent idea who's time has come. As a physician I always advise riders to protect against head trauma. We now know even minor cerebral contusions can lead to serious health issues. This helmet is the right size with the right protection. Just like you would't drive your car without a seat belt, no one should ride a bike without a helmet.
Now we have a portable, easy to carry Morpher helmet.↓
Larry Newman
Absolutely. I suggest that someone investigate volume production and price points. For a rider that flies perhaps 2 or 3 time per year, I just clip my helmet to my carry-on pack and treat it like a hat. $150 is pretty costly, but get it under $100 and sales volume would increase.↓
Lauri DeVore
I am small, so my bike friday is small. I can fit my helmet into the suitcase with my bike. However, in doing so, I have also had my helmet cracked (ya gotta love the baggage handlers). Having a low-profile helmet, that I can easily store in my carry-on would be great.↓
It's great that you noticed the helmet had cracked. Unfortunately, it is also feasible that your full size helmet would be in your suitcase, take impact, crack and you not realize it. That would be very unfortunate as it would not provide the needed protection.
With the Morpher flat folding helmet, it would sit comfortably in the suitcase and not be at risk of cracking due to impact on the case itself.↓
David Duncan
Or there's this solution: hovding.com↓
While the hovding is an interesting idea, there are several things to consider:
· It is a scarf that needs to be zipped up around the neck in order to be used. It is VERY hot and restrictive to cycle in.
· It costs $300 (more than some bikes)
· It can only be used once then needs to be discarded
o so if it's dropped and goes off in error it needs to be chucked away – goodbye $300
o it can't be tested, because once again, if it's triggered and goes off then it needs replacing
· It needs to be fully charged before use
· It needs to be serviced annually (apparently)
· It has a complex algorithm to decide if it needs to be inflated
o Would you be confident that it would always go off when needed? I wouldn't
o If it goes off when not needed then, once again, you have a complete failure and will need to replace it
· It can't be taken on an aircraft. The ATA and TSA won't allow it
· You have to remember to turn it on when you mount your bike and then turn it off when you demount
· It weighs 812g… so it is very heavy
· It hasn't passed CPSC testing so can't be used legally (or sold) in the US!↓
The mechanicals of the helmet should be explained.
How is it stabilized while in the open position so that it will not be crushed on impact?↓
When folded, there is a magnet device that holds the helmet totally flat. When you pull the helmet open, there is a locking mechanism on each side of the helmet that engages to hold the helmet totally open. To fold the helmet, you slide the locking mechanism up, it releases the sections of the helmet and it folds flat once again. (Sorry, a little tough to describe without a picture, but it really works!)↓
Mike Williamson
The article does not state what safety standards are met by this helmet (CPSC, ASTM F447, Snell B-95, or?). These standards protect for a drop of 2.0m or 2.2m, equivalent to failing from the bike). If a new design could offer protection for impact a realistic speed if would be worth a premium price.↓
Ben Martin
There will soon be two Pak-iTs in Columbus! Woo-hop!↓
Kyoung sub cha
Hi i living in australia. And i own tikit. How fo o get recall service?↓
John Maruyama
Would have liked to see more info on the helmet. Rather than packed in the matte black bag in your suitcase a video of how it works/folds would have been nice. Also exactly what safety standards the helmet meets is NOT clearly explained. I am familiar with ANZI, ASTM, and CSA but I have never heard of CPSC (US) or CE EN1078 (non-US). Also no information is given regarding colour options.↓
John Maruyama
Why did Bike Friday NOT urge prospective customers interested in the Morpher Folding Bicycle Helmet to log onto the Indigogo site and order the helmet from there, then the customer would have a wider selection of colour choices, NOT just restricted to WHITE ONLY which Bike Friday is currently offering?↓
Kathleen Marie
Wow! What a brace soul you are! I must learn to ride alone and am encouraged by yours! Thank you for sharing.↓
Thank you for the story. Now I'm dreaming of touring on my new Friday↓
Don Marcotte
This is a great account! We're stoked as we're leaving to ride Cuba in 8 days. Like you, we're arrivingin Varadero (Matanzas), bussing to Sancti Spiritus then biking back via Trinidad, Cienfuegos, Playa Giron then up through the centre. We're taking the Hershey train to Havana and biking biking unassigned in the area for a week.
You've answered some questions for us – through your pics we notice you went with long sleeved jerseys for instance – and we've been wondering if we should pre book Casas. It appears you had good luck with just arriving.
We will be blogging whenever we can find internet at this site: http://www.storydon.com/blog
Our FB New World Tourists are packed and ready to go!↓
Don Marcotte
Loving this blog!↓
How many years you are goin to trips with mr. Friday?↓
Poul Hansen
How did You install the extra chainring?
Did you just "handshift" it or did You also install a derailer?
Do You have any close ups of the setup?↓
Steve Drewry
Could you share with all the hopeful folks out there as to whether the pakiT can roll while folded in the way the Tikit does?
I went to build a Pakit and didn't see options for fenders and racks?
Also I didn't see the backpack as an additional item for purchase?
Are they on the website somewhere and I missed these items?↓
Awesome journey by an awesome team↓
Lee Berry
How about a how to link?↓
Denis Grigsby
Thanks for the great information,you explained things so perfectly,thank you .↓
Mary Ann Laughlin
How much is this bike. Do you have 3 wheelers. I have trouble with my balance now.↓
Barbara Naimark
My boyfriend ordered and paid for a Morpher helmet for me in November 2016. It's now Feb 2017 and this helmet never showed up. I was starting to think this was a scam. We're in the US so thought maybe it just takes longer to get here. Emailed numerous times and messaged through Facebook. Can't find a phone number to call. Can anyone help out?↓
It was hot and sunny so I used a long sleeved jersey most days for the sun protection. On the long days of 80+km we usually were riding by 6am aiming to be at our destination by midday. Going up La Farola I had a sleeveless jersey but put the long sleeved one on for going down. November was not peak season so we never booked ahead except for the initial casa.↓
Jim Cline
I am also riding the same Bike Friday (Pocket Rocket) since 1994. I retrofitted the original shifter cable system a bit, which wrapped around the bottom bracket with just a few nylon sheathes that would wear out and allow the cables to rub against the bracket. I patched in some cable housing, held in place with hose clamps. I had to change the right crank once after it became enlarged at the flange and would no longer stay tight. Everything else on the bike except the usual wearable parts is still original.↓
Larry Newman, Bozeman, Montana
Mine is #1086, 1993, for 24 years. Cycled another 5,000 miles in 2016. Cycled in 21 countries with the same Pocket Rocket. No idea of the total miles traveled, but probably around 100K. Other than the usual chain-cables-cassettes maintenance items, the major changes include: Double to triple crankset; conversion to Capreo rear; YST headset to XT, and now on 2nd XT; replaced triple crank with another triple crank; back to Green Gear twice for the Capreo update, cracked rear stay repair; cracked hinge tab (both time they blasted and repainted it; replaced and rebuilt the rear wheel once while on a cross-USA trip in 2008. Also wore out the first trailer frame. And all this time, Green Gear has stood behind their lifetime warranty. What a great company.↓
Manoj Parelkar
nice explanation…. I am saving hard to own my dream dream folding bike friday…
God knows when that day is going to come , I am 43 already! 🙁↓
David Lam
Great job, looking forward to reading more of your travel Stories.
Dale Godfrey
Wow.. Inspriational! Can't wait to hear of future travels with the Pocket Rocket. Also interested in how this fits you. I am a big guy and was under the perception that a Pocket Rocket did not work well for big guys. Thoughts?↓
Very interested in getting more info. I have had some cardiac issues in the last few years and although now ok, an assist bike may be in my future.↓
Jeffrey Linder
Brilliant piece. Great story, really well chosen pictures and a compelling message. I'm in!↓
Joseph Dickerson
More than half way through my 7th decade (God…when did that happen?) and electric assist is starting to sound pretty good.
We bought a new Family Tandem last summer, and would like to ride it "right up to the end!"↓
Steve Moreno
I just talked with a lady at our lake who was riding a 27 speed Bike Friday. That is what I want.
I like your idea of an electrical assist, with your assistance. Do you sell the 27 speed bike?↓
Joni Zander
I spy with my little eye – The Galavan! Can't wait 'til it's done and my new pakiT is safely on board. Nice article – and I'll be calling you soon, Matt.↓
Mel M.
hi there, i happen to find one Rare Honda Step Compo UB10 electric Folding bike in a Garage sale in our neighborhood, i charge the Battery , tested & it run perfectly. the gear shifts as suppose to & it is in mint condition. im just wondering what would be the value of such Bike now a days. can you assist me in figuring out if this is indeed a rare find & the value? please advise↓
Lynette Chiang
I need a Bike Friday for my 236 sqft Manhattan studio. Wait, I already have a Bike Friday. 2 of them. No 3! Maybe I need a bigger studio LOL!↓
HAWAII has the highest rate of homelessness in the US. PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK IT WOULD COST TO BUILD ONE HERE.↓
John R. Manix
Like you I live in a tiny house. So to speak. It's a Mother in Law apartment with a storage room at about 480 sq. feet. Pretty spacious even with three cats and four bikes. I wish I would had made the last one a Bike Friday. I would've had more room. Especially when I haul my bikes in my small Honda Fit. I love the tiny movement.↓
Newton Dixon Jr
Nice article Joe! Love the photos and the setup on your Pocket Rocket Pro. These photos are very inspiring for a newbie like myself to the wonderful world of bike touring↓
Marianne Brems
I just have one question. If you fly into a city, you must have to pack the bike into its suitcase. But I see from your pictures that you do not travel with the suitcase as a trailer. So what do you do with the suitcase? Do you leave it at a "Left Luggage" desk at the airport? Not all airports have this and the days of storage lockers are long gone due to security issues. I personally do not like to carry my suitcase as a trailer.
One more question. Don't you have to carry a lot of extra tires since the 20″ ones are hard to find? I don't see any tires strapped to your bike.↓
Joe Cruz
Hello Marianne—My usual strategy is to book myself into lodging for the first night that I've arrived in a city and to make a booking at the same place for the night before I fly out. It is then never a problem to leave the suitcase in storage there during the trip. In general I agree with you in that I do not prefer using the trailer as a suitcase. I find that it functions well enough this way—and I'll use it to go home from the airport or to go straight to a friend's house—but I just don't prefer trailers in general.
In cases where I will not return to the arrival city, I have packed the Friday in an appropriately sized cardboard box! I dispose of it when I arrive and then I make a new one in the departure city. This is standard for cycle tourists with big wheel bicycles, but it is much easier with the BF because less cardboard material is needed.
Regarding tires, I have only rarely carried spares. It is true, of course, that the 451's can be difficult to find but on trips of less than six weeks I regard the risk of tire catastrophe as negligible.
Andrew Offenbacher
Thanks! As a cycle tourist and fellow adventurer I really enjoyed reading your article and viewing the photos.↓
Bradford Bodeau
Even though I just purchased my custom measured BF last year from phone sales rep and have yet to put even 100 miles on it, I nevertheless must agree with David regarding quality of craftsmanship and superiority of design and comfort ! As a forty plus year touring bike enthusiast of numerous 700cm wheel designs, I was faced by my sixties with a degenerative disc disease of my neck that threatened further use of such bicycles.
Thank God for the founders at BF, who 25 years ago, thought "outside the box" of convention and designed a radically different (and superior in ways) bike frame. Unlike conventional road, touring, mountain, cruiser designs, my custom made BF allows for an unusual 26″ long handlebar stem which allows me to ride with a nearly vertical spine position, thus alleviating 95% of the strain upon my cervical vertebrae ! Now I can once again ride PAIN FREE and therefore ride greater distances, especially in the "organized rides" I so love to engage.
Thank YOU, Bike Friday ! Your company = a "Godsend"!↓
Mike McLeish
I was wondering the same about transporting the bike as well. Leaving the suitcase in hotels storage is a good idea.
It looks like you have quite a bit of weight on the bike's handlebars.
Do you ever find that this can make cycling a little awkward? I rarely cycle with front panniers for this very reason.↓
Joe Cruz
Hi Mike, the handlebar load you see in the photos I find pretty modest. It's a 2kg tent, a foam pad, and then a front pocket with a mirrorless camera and maybe gloves, hat, and apple. It doesn't influence the handling much at all; to the extent that it does, it slows turning down a bit which can be a positive thing on the Fridays, in my opinion.
I've done some trips with just front panniers and a bikepacking type saddle bag. That actually worked just fine, too, and is a popular setup on bikes with low trail front geometry that are intended for a front load. I find the geometry on the Fridays to be so forgiving, that I haven't encountered a setup I didn't get on with!
peter hutchinson
I have been touring on an electrified Tikit since 2012. I use front hub motors, a throttle (not pedelec) and 36v batteries with a capacity of about 14aH. The number of batteries and the type of motor I use varies according to the intended tour.
For instance, for the west of Scotland I took 2 batteries and used a slow but high torque motor (top speed only 18km hour) which had no trouble dragging the Tikit and suitcase trailer up the hills.
For a more recent trip through some of the river valleys of central Europe I used only 1 battery and a faster (but less powerful) motor (top speed about 30km hour) (panniers without trailer this time)↓
Roy Bourke
I started to experiment with electric assist about 4 years ago with an old mountain bike, and ended up loving the concept. So over the past 4 years I have converted 4 of my bikes to electric assist, including my Air Friday. I use the same motor on all four, a 250 Watt front wheel motor with throttle control and a 12Ah 36V battery. The best thing about the motor I use, a Golden Motor 902, is that it is a geared motor and has a one-way clutch. This means the motored wheel offers no resistance to rotation when the spring-loaded throttle is off, so the bike pedals exactly the same as it did without the motor.
The system adds about 18 lb to the weight of the bike, but this doesn't matter much except on hills, so I use the motor only on hills. The electric assist turns a hilly ride into a flat ride, and enables me to still gets lots of exercise and fully participate in and enjoy all my club rides. I am 83 years old and can now keep up with the best of them.↓
Geoffrey Smith
An important topic! Thanks for digging in.
I have one concern: The growing use of electric pedal assist bicycles on our public lands, where 'motorized recreation' is not allowed. Growing numbers of cyclists are adding power to their machines and riding 'under the RADAR', ignoring the intent of the restrictions on motorized recreation.↓
Roger Porzig
Riding my Silk in the Portland Bridge Pedal two years ago. Passing a grandfather with grandson on a narrow bridge he commented "at least I am not using an electric motor!". Neither was I but this shows many Americans still fail to see the value electric motors can bring to aging legs going up hills (and bridges). We need to get over our prejudice in many areas.
I look forward to the results of your study Alan. Thank you for investigating this topic.↓
Lin B
I got back into biking after retirement with an electric bike, then moved on to my Bike Friday once I had enough skill and strength. Now I just opted in on Kickstarter for the Urbanx wheel (20″ available) to be able to swap out my front wheel in those instances I want to do some major climbing (bad knee) or keep up with my adult son. The battery is airline legal, it has throttle and pedal assist. Will be interesting to see when I get it what kind of range it has in reality. Weight including wheel and tire is 15 pounds, not bad, not great. I'd love to see BF come up with a quickly removed system around 8-10 pounds that doesn't cost as much as a new bike =).↓
Andrea Michaels
I really enjoyed biking for 4 days in Austria last fall on pedal-assisted bikes. All my taller friends got awesome Bosch batteries with real TURBO assist! My small bike had much less "assist" by comparison. I had to pedal like crazy, muscling to get the heavy bike, battery and motor up the same hills my friends were cruising up. Nonetheless we did a lovely 20 miles a day with lots of stops for exploring and had lots of energy left in the evening. I'm intrigued by the idea of adding an assist to my nearly vintage Pocket Lama!↓
Nancy Tay
I am from SIngapore and would like to do a solo ride in sept. Can i get some advice from you?↓
Lin B
Those who oppose electric assist need to get educated. In the US, most cities max speed at 20mph which any reasonably fit millennial can sustain on a bike. Many of the systems only go 15 mph, which I can do at 67 years of age without assist. But, I like many others, cannot climb hills due to a bad knee so in those instances where my route requires hill climbing, it's either pedal assist or driving a car. What's better….another car on the road or a bike with electric assist? The whole issue of off-road e bikes and speeds is an entirely different matter – and there needs to be some sort of controls or regulations for off road as a 28mph+ e bike is more like a dirt bike than a bicycle.↓
Jay McKee
We love our Bike Fridays. Linda has a New World Tourist in power raspberry. Mine is black. I have many bikes to choose from, but I frequently choose Bike Friday.
We have taken them with us on vacations in Bon Air, Savannah, and Richmond. It is always a pleasure to have our own bikes with us.
We ride them to fireworks on July 4th. w/ lights
The bike geeks at Bike Friday did an excellent job fiting and "speccing" our bikes.
Go Bike Friday!↓
Big Apples vs Holy Rollers: For pavement but also some gravel rail trails and fire roads — which would you pick now? Or, has a new tire enticed you since writing this… (for a BF HaD…) Cheers.↓
Glenn Mansfield
I too order a helmet via the Indiegogo site after reading about the helmet in Time magazine (Nov'16). I was given a Mch'17 delivery time but still yet to materialise. I have tried emailing but no response. I will follow the 'tip' above and email Geeta directly. Thanks.↓
Greta M James
This is exactly what we would like to do! How did you attach the chariot to the bike? It looks like you did not use the standard axle mount.↓
Scot Domergue
I built my 205 sqft house in 2002. I've had my Pocket Llama for about 20 years and 25,000 miles; for the last decade it's been my primary transportation (car free). 2006-8 I traveled half time on it, over 12,000 miles all over the western US, Mexico, Guatemala, and a winter in Florida. I love the life! I must admit that being retired helps. And living simply allows early retirement on not so much money.↓
Kathy Kranzfelder
What an adventure! Thanks for sharing.↓
Phil Sykes, MD
very nice story. I'm glad that you guys keep sending these interesting links – I'm a very big fan of BF (both the bikes and the company) and it's great to see how seriously some people take these bikes (and seriously use them too!).↓
Ronan Ellis
I started talking with Bike Friday a year ago about electrifying our Tikits, my wife and mine. I was asking for a recommendation of an after market product that could provide an electric assist. I was told to wait if I could, Bike Friday was thinking of electrifying.
Conversations continued until in September 2016, I ordered two e-assists for our Tikits. We were told it would take a while as they were still considering vendors.
In November 2016, we left out Tikits with Bike Friday and began our wait. In time, we were told they would be ready next year, early 2017. In April 2017, we picked up the e-Tikits.
We have been riding them since and they are great. We use them as an assist, over hills, into the wind and to catch up. We use the lowest setting so we have no idea how long they will run on a charge.
Reception by other bikers has been very positive. It goes like, what are those little bikes, what no chain, a belt and a hub, amazing. Then, are they electric? Wow!
Finally, we are 77 and 76 years old and if all goes right, getting older. We see our e-Tikits as a way to gracefully ride into our future.↓
Maile Neel
Increible!!!!! Un viaje fantastico.↓
Newton Dixon Jr
This is excellent! Very inspiring. Great photos↓
Dr Leah Remeika-Dugan
Loved reading your itinerary, Aaron 😊
I love my Bike Friday too
(and call it my vvBF!)
One of the best parts of your story is
that you give credit to the Creator
where it's due.
Joyous Journies and Good Wishes
– Leah↓
Elizabeth G
Thanks for the story of your travels in Tasmania. I really enjoyed it and definitely want to visit Tasmania.↓
glen chase
Great reading! Thankyou so much! Tasmania could be our next destination ..my husband and I both have Pocket Rockets…we love them! Last December we flew from Los Angeles to Melbourne…we rode our bikes on many wonderful paths there.We also just arrived back from 10days of riding our Bike Fridays in the Alsace region of France…there was much challenging terrain and our Pocket Rockets,performed perfectly!
Love learning of more "great rides"…..Thanks Again!
Justin Derkash
Great article! You've helped inspire my next trip. Thanks!↓
Stunning photos!↓
Thanks for such an enjoyable article on cycling in Tasmania. Why not consider cycling in Victoria – the other side of Bass Straight. The Great Ocean Road is stunning cycling and we'd love to show you the wonderful rides around Geelong. I'm fascinated that you did your tour on a Tikit.↓
Really inspiring reading about your trips! Quick question, where did you leave your bicycle bag once you arrived or did you carry it along with you?↓
I spent my 1st night in Hobart city. Spent the day fixing up my Tikit and doing some test rides to ensure all is good before i setoff for my round island adventure. The hostel is very kind to let me store my bike luggage and whatever i don't need in their luggage storage area. When i returned , i did spend my last night in that same lodging as well.↓
Marianna Freeman
Enjoyed your article. I have been to Tasmania many times, but never did it on a bicycle. Your descriptions were perfect.
I love my New World Bike and a friend and I have biked some terrific "rail to trail" rides. It has opened up a hugh new way of being able to go so many places and bike. Thanks for sharing.↓
Darryl Chrisp
Thank you for the story and beautiful photos. So much to see in Tasmania. So glad you enjoyed it, despite the weather.↓
Jerry Retzlaff
Hi Aaron,
Did you happen to save your route in some gps format. If so I would love to see it. We're doing basically the same trip next March.
Hey hi. Awesome, the weather hopefully wouldn't be as cold as what i went through. Yes i have my route on Strava. More than happy to share it. Drop me an email at email@example.com 🙂↓
Roger Cottrell
Hi Aaron,
Congratulations on the Blogs and Rides. It's one thing Riding and taking everything in and another to be able to picture it and blog about it. Your bike sure looks great. I'm sure considering a Bike Friday just to find out what it's all about. I have toured similarly on my Brompton and right now live half the time in a small Villiage in Northern Thailand where cycling is to dream about.↓
Thanks for enjoying my post 🙂 indeed it is quite a challenge for me trying to balance the top priority being safety, completing the ride and getting pictures. Honestly i was very tempted to board the bus back to hobart and say that's it, thankfully all went well. I owned the Tikit 1st before a 2 speed brompton. Both are awesome bikes by the way. Did a short tour of Japan on the brompton and it performed great as well. It's an awesome bike. The Bike Friday bicycles are a unique experience. At least to me, i always found the bike Friday's having a more road bike feel to it. Same kojaks tyres and somehow the Tikit just goes faster. The Pakit has the same "Bike Friday" ride and it never felt like a small wheelie. Wow will be nice to read about your tours in northern Thailand 🙂↓
Thanks for sharing your Pakit experience 🙂 i do find the gates belt drive Pakit a nice experience, especially when your packing it in a suitcase and i was like omg, no worries of my other bags or anything touching a greasy chain!!↓
Richard Vallens
Thirteen years later, that Lovemarks Prius is still on the road, now at 157,000 miles, still with Richard Vallens!!↓
Darren Rowse
Bikes are the most fashionable things in modern life style . I'm searching this strong and fashionable bikes .↓
What an inspiration you are Molly! I plan to get back to tri training after reading this.↓
elvira jorgensen
Its a pity I cant source Bike Friday bikes in Australia.
I am still interested in the Pocket Rocket…but that is but a dream unless I stay in the US long enough for you guys to make one to fit me! ( I am just short of 5 ft). I was in New Orleans last yr, but that is a long way from you guys! and nothing in the Eastern states.
Had been writing for a while in the past to Robbie Dow of Bike Friday . He was very helpful.
I might just have to day dream about this bike!
Elvira , Brisbane, Australia↓
Graham Douglas
Hey Delores
We did two rides together with Basil in Mexico. You were truly an inspiration. Looks from the pictures that you have a new Bike Friday or maybe my memory is not what it should be. Anyway you were a real inspiration for me and I often tell of the lady arriving on her BikeFriday, grey hair flying out from the helmet, all alone to a small town outside of Meridia. The group celebrated one of your milestone birthdays there.
It was you and other riders on various tours in Mexico that convinced me that BikeFridays were real touring bikes and for me to become a happy BikeFriday owner.
Obviously the years have gone on and you are still riding. Another great inspiration.
May the rides continue.
Graham Douglas↓
Robert McLean Crombie
It's great to show people us octogenarians can still get around under our own steam, I only reached the magic 80 this summer but shortly I'm off from where I live in England (Penn) with my "New World Tourist" to the northern most part of the British Isles The Shetland Isles and Orkneys. With our train service it can sometimes be difficult to get your bike on a train, but if the worst happens it folds and becomes baggage. With that in mind my Bike Friday using rail has taken me to France and many times to Bonny Scotland. It's not my only bike I have several normal cycles with 700c wheels and most weeks cover over 100 miles with my cycling club friends on one of them, so life doesn't end at eighty, but maybe starts!!↓
Clint Viebrock
I loved this story. I have worked with the Telluride Adaptive Sports Program for 18 years. Some of my most inspiring adventures have been with autistic young people. They have almost always taught me important lessons of what it means to be human. My best wishes go out to this brave family, and hope they continue the adventure. If skiing is on their list of adventures Patch would be welcome in Telluride.↓
Travis Saunders
Dear Clint. So great to hear from you and your Sports Program sounds really impressive. We are absolutely committed to creating global change and are working to produce an educational short film on embracing autism. It would be amazing if you could share our kickstarter campaign with your networks to encourage people to contribute so we can make our film happen. Here's the link https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/428257810/school-of-the-road-autism-and-adventure-documentar
Thank you Clint and all the best for a great winter program in Telluride, Travis↓
Peter Auer
Looks great!↓
Nicholas Clarke
Good luck!↓
Lindsay Bliek
Wow, what a beautiful collection of bike goodness! Long live n+1; love our Haul-a-Day, but sometimes it'd be nice to have a bike just for lil' ol' me ❤↓
Pat Douglass
Looks wonderful!↓
Aaron Lim
What an inspiring story 🙂↓