best bike+luggage plan for a multi-week trans-euro tour:

[Pat Lamb]

pstock wrote:
>
> why though you do you think the NWT is more suitable for touring than
> an Air Friday?
>
> The only real purpose in taking a folder (besides novelty) would be a)
> free air transport to and around Europe and b) security: never having
> to leave it out on the street in citites, just folding it up and taking
> it inside. The AF is only really useful if I trailer the suitcase with
> me so that I don't have to leave it at the arrival airport and go back
> there to pick it up.

Upthread, you wrote you were taking a computer, camera, books, all kinds
of clothes. How are you going to carry all that into the stores along
with your bike?

Pat

 

[pstock]

well, if I was spending a day toodling around a city (say, Lyon or
Amsterdam or Nancy or Avignon....) I would have dumped my gear
somewhere safe (like a hotel or hostel or lockers at a train station -
admittedly less available in these high security days).
OR I would be in the serious middle of serious nowhere (I've been there
often - just not on a bike tour) and so would not fear (after 10 years
in rural France I do know how to gauge the the risks) leaving my kit in
front of the hotel de ville or at a friendly vigneron or in the back of
a country restaurant or inn or with friends.

No, the foldability is so I wouldn't have to leave the bike naked on
the street. AND for hauling it around when I didn't/couldn't ride.

 

[Brian Huntley]

Check out www.crazyguyonabike.com - there are hundreds of trip journals
and articles about bike touring there - including several Bike Friday
owners' trips - with and without the suitcase trailer. And if you post
a question in their guestbooks, they'll get email letting them know,
and most people respond.

I don't think there are any Birdy riders there, though (I just did a
quick search and it came up empty.) Based on the Birdy's I've sat on, I
can see why, frankly - they are not touring bikes.

 

[pstock]

well, thanks to you all for getting me this far. The flight for
begining (Nice) and end points (Amsterdam) are booked for May 2 and May
30. I've done much research into the Carradice Super C (23L) or the
Camper Long Flap (24 liter) saddle bags and am furiously practice
packing to see if I can really get away with so little gear. (I remain
skeptical)
If it doesn't work (or if I decide that the connecting flights are
going to complicate full bike transport) I will probably take the Air
Friday with the trailer, for the easy and safe transport adn good ride,
even though I recognize that that after training myself packing a
Saddlebag, a suitcase will seem ridiculously large....

For the moment the route sounds like Nice > coast road to Fregus/St.
Raphael then heading inland through Provence to Manosque > Apt... etc.
and taking a first break to visit friends near Vaison la Romaine. Then
I hope to head out to Lyon and through the Beaujolais to Beaune to
visit other friends. From there I'll see how much time is left before
my departure flight and may have to train up to the Netherlands so that
I can spend a week touring there. I want to see something new and
France, while familiar and full of friends with beds is some what old
hat.