The Bike Setup

For this trip, I wanted to get a folding bike that I could pack as checked luggage and didn't have to box or completely disassemble. I also needed it to be capable of carrying all of my clothes and gear for a month-long trip to Europe. Fortunately, Bike Friday released a new bike that was designed specifically for bikepacking.

The Bike Friday All-Packa

More info here.

Add-On Components and Custom Elements

I ordered the all-terrain package, which upgraded the brakes, hubs, crankset, and rims, changed out the tires that came with it to Kenda Booster Pro knobbies, and put on MTS removable pedals.  I also used a suspension seatpost—but right before I left I changed that to a titanium one to avoid going over the weight limit—and my selle anatomica saddle.

I also ordered the Packalope Bar, touting multiple hand positions and a split design to make packing easier, but I couldn't get comfortable on it and so I swapped it with one of the Jones bars I had on-hand. Love that bar! It proved to be a great choice.

I had a very cool tye-dyed framebag made by Michael Bock at Take a Trip.

Travel Friendliness

On customer service's guidance, I purchased a Samsonite Novaire Extra Large Spinner (30 inches) in a fetching metallic green finish. Then I set about learning how to fold it to fit.

The fold requires you to remove the front head tube (there is a handy clamp and button), the pedals, the seat post and seat, and the handlebar, in some instances. I also removed the disc from the wheel to avoid it being bent during transit.

All in all, it took about 30 minutes to disassemble and about the same to reassemble on the other end. It was a tight fit, but it fit and my concern was keeping it under 50 lbs to avoid any excess fees from United. I had to take some things out (tools/repair kit) and swap with lighter items (clothing, mainly) to get the weight down to 49.5 lbs.

Now I was ready to go. My clothes and the remaining gear was packed into an Eagle Creek soft-sided convertable backpack/roller. At the worst, I simply had to roll the two suitcases, but I often threw the Eagle Creek over my shoulders and rolled the Samsonite. It performed flawlessly, though at the end of the trip there was some damage to the case.

The downside of this disassembly/assembly time was that when we were in the Loire Valley with family and I had time to take a quick 20-minute ride, I couldn't because it would have been an hour and twenty minutes. So I ended up occasionally renting a bike even though I had a perfectly capable one with me.

Performance

Overall, this bike was a solid performer. I was always comfortable on it, even when tired and deep in the ruts. The 20-inch tire required some caution on big bumps, but that was normal for any tire that size. The wide tread cushioned the endless cobblestones and relentless roman roads. The handling was superb and I felt very confident on the trail or road.

It was light enough to lift over obstacles or carry up/down narrow stairs. Loaded with gear, it took a bit of grunting to lift the front tire into the holder on the train, but that was as much as the lack of space to maneuver as the awkwardness of the small wheels and large head tube.

The only mechanical problem I had was with my brakes. Both of them failed. I know, that's odd. There were a couple of times when it was sketchy to come to a complete stop on an incline. Honestly, I felt that they were inadequate from the get-go. I thought it was the brake pads. I had them checked at a bike shop before I left and again once during the ride when the fade was getting troublesome and potentially injurious. Near the end of the pilgrimage, had the brakes replaced outright with new hydraulic brakes.  And dang, those stopped so quickly I almost fell off the bike. I forgot to ask to bring the original set home with me, though.

(Unfortunately the mechanic didn't realize until too late that it was a folder, I was knackered and not thinking straight, and so the length of the tubing was inadequate to allow for the fold. We figured out how to do it in a McGyver way, and I promised myself I'd get it fixed when I returned.)

The mechanic in Santiago de Campostela said that there was no fluid in the hydraulic part of the hybrid brakes, and he couldn't be sure that the seals didn't fail, and recommended against simply refilling the fluid because they might empty again and risk a crash. So we replaced them with fully hydraulic Deore brakes he had in stock. Personally, I'm not sure the reservoirs were ever filled, as the brakes were always weak. I kept thinking that it was the pads because I thought they were mechanical brakes.

« previous	next »