Yvonne Armstrong is a 48 year old Australian cyclist that recently toured southeast Asia solo via a Bike Friday. In Vonny's blog about her bike tour, she mentioned taking a Bangkok bike tour with Jason Williams, a bicycle tour operator in Thailand. (Photo right: Vonny & Jason after their tour.)

Curious as to how a tour company in Asia (where most folding bikes are actually built) could afford to rent pricey, custom crafted Bike Friday folding bikes made in the USA, I wrote Jason to learn whether Grasshopper Adventures led any tours renting Bike Fridays or other folding bikes. Following is his reply.

"I am the founder of Grasshopper Adventures and am the proud owner of a Bike Friday 'New World Tourist' which I use whenever I lead tours.

We don't use Fridays as rental bikes, they are just too expensive to use for tours in our price bracket (a Friday would actually cost more than the tour!). I would love to be able to do this though and perhaps when I by myself a new Friday I will make my old one available to people to try out. It is so hard convincing people that they are fantastic to ride and no you don't have to pedal harder :)

I used to use cheap Dahon folding bikes for a tour in Bangkok but they proved too cheap for the regular tours. I would love to by some of the better Dahon's that are now available here in Bangkok but I need all purpose bikes and these city commuter style ones cannot be used on long multiday tours so for now it's regular old mountain bikes...

As I lead many tours on my Friday I have managed to influence a few people into buying their own. The Friday in the blog you read is a "son" of mine plus there are a few others now be ridden in Australia that I inspired.

Here in Bangkok I am a member of the Thailand Cycling Club. A few years ago a turned up to a 6 day, 780km ride on my Friday - there were many funny faces being pulled but after the first day of me being near the front they started to come around. On the final 2 days which were all in the mountains I was easily out in front of everyone. Now there are many people riding folding bikes in the club. I (not too modestly) take part of the credit for convincing them :)

Regards
Jason Williams
Grasshopper Master"

Thanks Jason for writing back. I look forward to cycling around Bangkok with you one day.

For more info about Grasshopper's bike tours, visit GrasshopperAdventures.com. And if you've recently returned from an exceptional bike tour, email me at the link displayed below. Perhaps I'll feature your story.

Cheers,
Larry

Labels: bicycle tours thailand, Bike Friday, bike tours, folding bikes, Grasshopper Adventures, Thailand

Earlier today, a reader sent me a link to this YouTube video showing the folding and unfolding process of a new folding bike from Bike Friday, the Tikit 2 Ride. The video is so impressive, I had to replay it four more times and even called Bike Friday for more details.



Though brief and grainy, the video is an awesome demonstration of the versatility of folding bikes. In the video, a bicyclist rides into view, quickly comes to a halt, dismounts, folds the bike, rolls it a few feet, unfolds the bike and rides away. The entire sequence takes just 16 seconds!!!

According to Peter Berra at Bike Friday, the bike is currently in testing by a small core of cyclists and is expected to be available for sale this Spring. MSRP will start @ $1200, a reasonable price for a custom fitted, made in the USA folding bike with high quality componentry.

Labels: Bike Friday, bike video, demo, folding bike, Tikit 2 Ride, YouTube

There was a post this evening on the Washington Area Bicyclist Association weblog about taking bikes on the various transit bus, train and light rail systems in the D.C. area. Happily, it was reported that all D.C. area mass transit operators allow folding bikes aboard (though some require folders to be bagged). Unfortunately, the news is not so good for riders of standard sized bikes.

For the complete details including links to the various transit agencies' info on carrying bicycles, visit...
http://washcycle.typepad.com

Respectfully,
Larry Lagarde
RideTHISbike.com
Urging bicycling for recreation, commuting, health and a better future.

Labels: Bike Friday, bike guidelines, bike regulations, folding bicycle, mass transit, transportation, waba, washington area bicyclist association

When it comes to touring on a folding bike, the undisputed leaders are the Bike Friday and Brompton folding bicycles; however, another great folding bike is the Giatex which uses a patented, telescoping frame concept rather than hinging frame members. The result is like having a custom made bike sized to your specific frame that also rolls when folded. Giatex makes an aluminum framed folder with 20" alloy wheels that weighs 24 lbs. and a 16" wheeled folder weighing 22 lbs but stock in the USA is completely sold out until 2007.

Pricing:
Bike Friday Pilot
26 lbs, 8 speed shimano, alloy seatpost & handlebars, adjustable height seatpost, kickstand, quick release rims $1000

Brompton P6R-X
28 lbs, 6 speed internal hub, hub lighting system, titanium seatpost & folding pedals, fenders/mudflaps, multiposition handlebars, rear carry rack, carry bag, zefal pump $2500

Giatex Chiba 20"
24 lbs, 6 speed shimano, aluminum/alloy frame, seatpost & handlebars, adjustable height seatpost & handlebars, adjustable length frame, folding pedals, fenders, kickstand, bike bell, quick release front rim, rear carry rack & carry bag $570

By the way, either the Brompton or the Giatex will fit in a suitcase that conforms to commercial aircraft baggage size limitations. One last thought: if you're going to remote areas with rough road surfaces, consider a full size mountain bike that folds like the 29lb $650 Montague Paratrooper (it accepts standard panniers & is military tuff).

Respectfully,
Larry Lagarde
RideTHISbike.com
Urging bicycling for recreation, commuting, health and a better future.

Labels: Bike Friday, Brompton, Chiba, folding bicycle, folding bike, Giatex, Montague, P6R, Paratrooper, pilot, touring bike, travel, vacation