We´ve been travelling by bicycle over seas since 2002. We used to ride normal bikes 26” (for once we even went with a tandem) until in 2006 we discovered our love for small wheels.
We liked the idea to be free from taking these big bike boxes with us and handle them at airports, bus stations etc.
In connection with our research we also went to a special bike exhibition in Germersheim, Germany named “Spezi”. Here we discovered our american folding bikes “Bike Friday (BF)”. We were lucky that there existed an importer in Germany then, which is not the case any more now.
If you guys should share our opinion, that nothing in life happens without a reason, you might understand that we are not sure if we found the Bike Fridays or if they found us…..
One of the good things about the BF is that you can disassemble the bike and put it into a suitcase. If you want, you even can use it as a trailer during your trip afterwards.
Soon after we ordered the first bike, a “New World Tourist” with Rohloff gears we felt so inspired that we ordered the second one.
The first big practical test was a 6 week trip through Thailand and Cambodia.
It was just awesome. The bikes were easy to ride inspite of quite heavy load and really some very tough roads. We really felt fantastic.
Then about two years ago I had a new idea. I wanted to try out how it would feel to ride with some wider tires on my bike. As the maximun on a NWT is 1,75 I decided to buy a new one. A “Pocket Llama”.
The bikes are almost the same. The only difference between the new and the older bike besides the possibility to put wide tires and disc breaks is actually the Easy Pack mast that I ordered it with.
Here some specification of the bikes:
1 1/4″ Chris King NoThreadSet
Brakes Avid Single Digit 7 , cartridge
Pedals MKS Promanade EAZY Removable
Leather Saddle Sella Anatomica
Grips Ergon GP3
Bike Friday Front rack
Rear Rack Tubus cargo or some time Racktime (easy to put on the suitcase)
Tires Schwalbe Marathon Plus 20 x 1,75”
Mudguards Bike Friday
Chainring 55 T
Rohloff Sprocket 13T
Axel rims
Hi, thank you for your website.
I’m ordering a Bike Friday NWT and I have a question for the luggages racks.
The rear rack Tubus Cargo is compatible for the 20″ wheels? Because the description says the it’s for 26″ ou 28″. The racktime that you putted is a Fold-it 20″?.
For the front rack you recommend to order the original BF?
Thank you in advance.
Hi Michelangelo,
you can use a Tubus cargo with out problems ,my wife is using a racktime fold it and I am using at the moment the original BF folding rack, this one is much easy to pack it on the suitcase, the racktime you can also pack it on the suitcase, the tubus it is possible but very difficult,I will recommend you to get a racktime much cheaper then the tubus and also very strong.
If you need some extra advise just ask me
Safe ride
Hi,
Thank you very much for your answer.
So for the front rack there are also a compatible racktime?
Happy cycling,
Hi
We use BF original front racks very easy to pack , Iam sure you can use the foldit ractime for the front or any rack
Hi Again,
I have another question. Are you received your Bike Friday with FedEx? Their sent me a message about taxes in UE and there are a lot of taxes, approximately the half of the price of the bike.
Are you had to pay that to FedEx in your case?
Thank you in advance.