by Larry Lagarde

This cool folding bike photo was sent to me by Siphiwe Ka Baleka, a long distance trucker who is determined to remain in shape. Judging by the photo, I'd say he's succeeding.

Spending most of his day driving an eighteen wheeler across country, Siphiwe travels through many of America's most scenic places. Only so much can be seen from the cab of a big rig though.

With his rugged Montague Paratrooper folding bike, Siphiwe can tackle any road or trail he chooses. When not in use, the bike folds to half it's normal size and stores neatly in a carry bag, keeping his living space in the cab clean.

Here are the comments Siphiwe submitted with the photo:

This photo was shot at Jackson Lake State Park in Colorado. Jackson Lake's marina has a large parking lot so I could park the truck with no problem. I was very eager to go riding so I took out the Paratrooper and quickly unfolded it....

Thanks for the photo, Siphiwe and keep on truckin'.

If you have a cool bike photo, send it via the "Email Us" link at the bottom of this page.

Labels: Cool-Folding-Bike-Photo, Paratrooper-folding-bike

Sahara Desert Via Strida
by Larry Lagarde

From time to time, readers send me photos of their bikes. These photos can be quite interesting so I've decided to begin posting them under the heading "Cool Folding Bike Photos".

To begin the series, I've selected a photo from French cyclist Regis Fender. Regis was looking for a challenge and decided that he would ride a bike across Africa's Sahara Desert from Marrakech in Morocco to Saint Louis in Senegal.

A trek across the Sahara is not to be taken lightly so Regis did his homework and decided the best bike for the job would be a... Strida folding bike. Regis selected the Strida for it's simplicity, minimal maintenance requirements and portability.

Apparently, the Strida was a good choice because both he and the bike survived the 3000km/5 week adventure no worse for the wear (he did go through several tubes and tires though).

At first, I was somewhat skeptical that someone would ride a Strida alone for such a long distance and in such an inhospitable and remote place; however, Regis has sent me so many photos that the evidence is overwhelmingly in his favor. In fact, I will be posting more photos from him in the coming weeks.

Got a cool folding bike photo?
Email it to me as an attachment (jpg format please) along with a brief description and I'll post it.

Labels: Cool-Folding-Bike-Photo