Folding bikes make really convenient travel machines. Allowing you to pack them up in very small spaces to take on a plane or on other public transport.
I have been very interested recently in researching folding touring bikes, and too my surprise I have discovered that there is this very passionate and popular sub-niche of bicycle touring. With so many folding bike options I have ‘travelled’ through the web, to find the best folding bikes for touring and have compiled a comprehensive list.
But first of lets cover some gear carry solutions and options for folding bikes while on tour as they require specialised gear compared to a normal touring bike.
Luggage carrying options for folding bikes
- Brompton Carrier Block with Brompton T Bags (31 L)
- Brompton Rear Rack with Rack Sack (16 L) – Rear Rack Bag or hiking bag, or normal pannier fixed over the bag
- Postrack + Bag
- Xootr CrossRack or KlickFix Extender
- Bikepacking Bags
- Trailers – there are some great trailers options that are handy solutions to bike travel. You can get ones that allow you to pack your bike in them and the trailer parts pack down too. Perfect for flying and keeping all your gear with you.
- Radical Design Cyclone trailer
- Bike Friday Trailer – is the perfect travel case that converts into a tow-ready trailer
- The B&W International Bike Case
Just briefly why would you want to consider a folding bike for touring and why would you maybe not want to. Lets face it, they are not for everyone.
The advantages of a folding bike
- compact
- can be packed as normal luggage (in fact some people take them on as hand luggage!)
- can be taken into tents / hotel rooms easily
- generally more portable when not in use
Possible disadvantages
- less riding comfort over long distances
- less robust bicycle
- more proprietary parts, so harder to service and repair
- Maybe a bit difficult to ride off-road. But it seems like a cool adventure to go bikepacking in the wilderness on a folding bike. (I gotta try that)
Brompton
Bromtpon is probably the most popular folding bike on the market. They have been making handmade folding bikes in London since 1975. They offer very high quality, small packing volumes and a quick packing time. Putting them a head of the game against most of their competitors. The Brompton is great for when you need to get the bike on an aeroplane or bus, so much easier!
The thing is with a Brompton they have proprietary parts which means when they break and need replacing, you will need to find a specialised dealer. Making them a difficulty to maintain when travelling through undeveloped places in the world where these parts are hard to come by.
Also they come with some of the smallest wheels (16″), and luggage carrying options are a bit more limited than some other folding touring bikes.
The Brompton, whilst well-made, is harder work to pedal than traditional touring bikes or larger folding bikes. While also being considerably slower, though is comfortable to ride, even for quite long distances.
The stock Brompton gear ratios are a bit more limited than a regular touring bike, though the 6-speed has a fairly decent range. Read more about Brompton gear ranges and ratios here.
Furthermore you can get aftermarket options to fit 11-speed Alfine or 14-speed Rohloff hub gear. More on that here.
Generally speaking Bromptons are on the pricy side. You can expect to pay around $1200 up to $2000+ for a Brompton that is going to be adequate for bicycle touring demands.
Brompton M6R or (M6R-X)
Brompton M6R Folding Bike – Price $1,660.00
It is recommended the get a Brompton with the -12% reduced gearing. The Brompton M6R uses the M Tyre handle bar, offers a semi upright riding position and is most comfortable for folks under 6″.
The included Brompton Wide Range hub gear offers 6 gears. The M6R comes equipped with Brompton mudguards, rack & pump all as standard. You get the option to buy the Brompton standard, wide saddle or the choice of a Brooks B17 Special saddle.
With the saddle you get an option for Telescopic seatpost which is recommended for people taller then 5’11” also provides a more compact fold. The other standard (up to 5’9″) and extended (5’9″ or taller) options are no extra cost.
Brompton H6R
Brompton H6R Folding Bike – Price $1,989.00
Schwalbe Marathon Racer are the standard tyre option. But you can get upgrades with multiple other tyre options. Schwalbe Marathon, Kojak, and Marathon Plus.
The lighting options include, as built with reflectors only for no addition charge, USB rechargeable front and rear, or SP Hub Dynamo lightset.
For front luggage options, the Brompton M6R comes standard with the front carrier block. If you want addition storage options, Brompton has many different bag choices. S Bag, Front Basket, Tote Bag, Roll Top Bag, Shoulder Bag, Mini O Bag, C Bag, S Bag, T Bag, O Bag and the Game bag.
Finally, there are some extra accessories to choose from including a toolkit and a Brompton saddle bag with a bike cover.
I had a bit of fun putting together my dream Brompton build over at Clevercycles.com and this is what options I chose. The total cost coming out to $1889. This setup will be more then capable to stand up to a bike tour.
Folding a Brompton
Brompton modifications for touring
Bromptons are not specifically designed for touring. They are more suited to city and urban riding, to be fit into public transport. But there are some changes you can make to your Brompton to make it more suited to a bicycle tour.
Handlebars
The H bars, Butterfly bars, M bars, or flat bars. The M handlebars are a better option as they give you a larger front touring bag option as they sit up higher from the stem. With Ergon grips to add more hand positions.
Gearing
Brompton M6 6 speed hub, which should be just enough to get you over some hills with a fully loaded Brompton. If you want some easier climbing options, the Schlumpf Mountain Drive for Brompton, maybe a option.
Other extras to consider
The Firm Elastometre. Getting that little bit extra out of your Long-travel Thudbuster seatpost.
Bike Friday
Bike Friday – NEW WORLD TOURIST
This is Bike Friday’s ultimate touring folding bike. Equipped for a fully loaded tour, for multiple weeks while also being a great commuter bike.
Starting from $1,350 for the very base model, they call “the weekend warrior”. On their website you get a large variety of optional upgrades. Much like Bromptons website.
Other bike design upgrades include; “Long Distance Upgrade” for an additional $700 and the “Adventure Travel Upgrade” for $1,890 added onto the starting price. You can change the colours, Cable and decal colours, opt for a travel case option. You can get the “Travel system” with the travel case and packing system that comes with the trailer upgrade.
Plus they also offer E-bike optional upgrades with LiGo Batteries for an additional $1,095.
I went to town on the site selecting all of their upgrade options and it came out to a whopping $5,302.00
The World Tourist comes in a variety of other model options. With drop bars and 24 – speed gearing.
If you really want to geek out, Bike Friday has a “Advanced Bike Builder Option”. Keep in mind that these custom bikes take 5 to 7 weeks to build.
Bike Friday DIAMOND LLAMA
The Diamond Llama is Bike Friday’s other travel bike option. A rugged gravel-grinder. Purposely designed to fit wider tyres and take on more rougher terrain. On ‘off the beaten path’ adventures, with heavier loads. Starting from $1,675
Made from Bike Friday’s sturdiest frame, made for adventure, even more so when the pavement ends. It takes their widest tires at 2.2 inches and handles gravel grinding, snow and dirt trails especially well for 20-inch wheels if you get the right tires.
Montague
The Montague folding bikes have two options that are good for touring. They both come in at a sub $1000 price point. Making a good entry level folding touring bike options for those looking to get into the world of folding bike travel.
I was talking to a fellow bike traveler, Kevin Schroeder, he has cycled 12500 km across Europe twice on his ‘full size’ folding Montague Paratrooper (without even one puncture!). He says he would swear by them! “Folding for trains / planes also makes it a lot easier!”
I asked him which one he prefers out of the two options and this is what he had to say. “The paratrooper was fantastic but in hindsight my new Navigator would be easier riding with better rolling resistance.”
Navigator
[maxbutton id="3"]The Navigator is a multi-use folding bike with standard 700c wheels and all the bells and whistles. Knobby 35mm tires, 27 speeds, and disc brakes has it at home on paved or un-paved roads.
The included RackStand which acts as a cargo carrier, kickstand, fender, and folded bike stand also makes it perfect for commuting and touring. Available on Amazon for $950
Pros
- Cheaper folding bike option
- Buy straight online from Amazon
- Strong frame
- Intelligent design that is fairly easy to fold
- Quality components
- Strong brakes
- Smooth ride
- Comfortable for someone 5’10 with ample adjustment room in the handle bars and seat for taller and shorter riders.
- frame is as stiff as the others (absolutely no flex or play that I can detect)
- Construction is first rate, very solid
- The rear rack, which doubles as a stand is genius
- their customer service is great ( Montague )
I had an issue with the front fender and they sent me the new upgraded one free.
[maxbutton id="3"]Cons
- It’s sometimes difficult to switch to the largest ring
- Seat is pretty hard and not comfortable
- Pedals are okay
- Gears need adjustment, this might be the fault of the assembler and not the manufacturer
- Front fender is the bikes weak point
- Not the lightest of folding bikes
Paratrooper
Montague’s Paratrooper is much like their Navigator but a mountain bike version. Still includes a rear rack which is also used as a stand when the bike is folded up. With front suspension.
Its patented folding design was developed under a grant from DARPA to allow airborne soldiers to drop out of airplanes and into combat.
The Paratrooper offers 24 speeds, and mechanical disc brakes. At $980 from Amazon
Pros
- Frame is very high-quality. Folding frame is well thought out.
- Brakes are very good quality
- Nice shifting components
- Everything was calibrated and worked right out of the box.
- Love the front forks with shock absorbers that can be locked or unlocked
Cons
- Depending on your height, the handlebars maybe too low. This is a threadless stem system so you cannot raise or lower handlebars.
- The grips were very uncomfortable
- The seat was exceedingly uncomfortable
- Tires would be fine if you are staying on paved road or on smooth dirt trails without any turns. Otherwise these tires are woefully inadequate and cannot grip
- The front fender does not fold down the way it is suppose to
Tern
Tern Tour – Verge S27H
The Verge S27H is a nice looking bike. Whether you’re planning a long distance trek or daily commuting, the Verge S27h carries you and your load with sure-footed confidence. Designed in partnership with velowerk of Switzerland, the Verge S27h stands out from head to toe with front and rear racks, a custom cr-mo fork, extra long seatstays and ultra-wide 27-speed gearing.
One of the really cool things I noticed about these bikes is the seatpost that turns into a pump. You pull the seatpost out and and the bottom the pump hose pulls out.
The Verge S27H is reasonably priced at ($1,586), compared to some of the custom bike options and seems to be a reliable touring rig. If you want to read a more detailed review of the S27H check out Peters article.
Joe Tour
The Joe Tour is built for touring in mind, and comes with 650b wheels. One of the cool features is it comes stock with a Joule™ 3 electricity-generating hub for night-riding visibility. It is a folding touring bike that has all you need to ride around the world. With Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, and our Ortlieb™-compatible rack. ($1,224)
Features
- Folds in seconds on go on train, planes, and automobiles
- Extreme gear range for loaded hill climbing
- 27.5” (650b) wheels to tour the world with impunity
- Integrated, self-powered lighting to see and be seen
- Acera Shadow derailleur for fail-safe readiness
- Tern Cargo Rack™ for hauling your gear
- Rear-mounted kickstand for sturdy loading and unloading
Tern Eclipse P18
If you don’t fancy the folding bikes because they often remind you of a clown bike with the small wheels. Then the previous Joe Tour and this P18 are good choices with larger wheel sizes, making the bike feel a bit more normal. The P18 has some, Schwalbe 507 mm road slicks and a SRAM X7 double. The handlepost on this bike does not flex much at all, when it comes to strength and stiffness the Physis 3D does a great job.
After tests on the physis is stood up to over the EN standard by 400%. The Physis 3D gets its incredible strength from the 3D forging technology which creates the post from a single block of aluminum.
Great things about the bike
- Has safety features on the hinges
- Saddle design is perfect unlike other models
- Lovely comfortable all round folding touring bike which looks a bit like any conventional hybrid
- The handle bars and grips are nice to hold while pedalling
- Riding position is great
- The mountain bike sized slick tyres are really really grippy (even when wet)
- Gear changes are slick and the brakes powerful
- The 18 gears make a high speed cruise easy and any hill a breeze
Would have been good if the bike came with an inbuilt pump in the bike stem and tools for the cycle fitted in both ends of hand grips. But it is a fairly cheap bike for the price compared to other models.
If you want to read more about first hand experience when touring on this bike, head over the Alee’s site at Cycling About for a in-depth 2 part review of the Tern Eclipse P18. It is available at Evans Cycles for around ($1,020)
Dahon
The Tern and Dahon are owned by the same parent company, making both of these brands. They are budget friendly compared to a classic Brompton. But they are not the best out of the box ready for a tour. And it is recommended to upgrade parts to accommodate for riding hills on a loaded bike and other demands of cycle touring.
Dahon Speed TR
The Speed TR is capable of being loaded with panniers and custom racks. It is ideal for avid travelers and vacationers. This full-fledged tourer is built on a durable 4130 chromoly steel frame with adjustable Syntace VRO stem and conveniently folds in 15 seconds.
It is recommended that if you can afford it to get the rear wheel rebuilt by someone who knows how to build wheels. To add extra build strength and extended longevity.
The Dahon Speed TR may benefit for a upgrade to the gear range. A Patterson 2 speed Crank will bring 7 to 14 gears and fits these bikes well. Also it maybe possible to change the rear gears and derailleur.
It maybe a good idea to carry spare parts, as they are troublesome to find, and you may have to wait around for a few days to get them shipped in. Parts like spare spokes and such are really something to consider.
Adele finished a seven week camping trip from Prague to Oslo on their Dahons. And their only issue was two broken spokes. They said to “Make sure you carry spares as they are not a standard size.”
The Speed TR is a cheaper option folding touring bike at $974.99 if you can find it.
Read more here of a in-depth review on the Dahon Speed TR
Budget Friendly Folding Bike For Light Touring
The NEW Dahon MARINER 2019
Things to consider
- The assembly takes little bit of time. Once you do it a couple of times you get used to it. You need to screw on the pedals, which is a challenge the first time, as the threading has been painted over, connect the chain to the pedal gear, adjust the tightness of the main hinge, connect the seat post to the frame, and fill the tires with air.
- Expect the seat post and handle bar posts to get visible scratches on them from the beginning as you raise and lower them into their telescopes.
- Be careful of the little safety knob over the main fold as we broke two by pulling the wrong way.
- The seats are not the most comfortable
- You may need to consider buying a carrying bag to keep the bike safe from scratches
Features
- Incredibly versatile
- Folds in under 15 seconds
- Most popular folding bike
- Dalloy Sonus Tubeset frame with Visegrip forged hinge
- 8-speed Shimano FT35 Rear Derailleu
- 20 x 1.6 Schwalbe Citizen tires
- Alloy Radius Telescope with Fusion Technology handlebar
The Mariner is one of their most popular models. It is available on Amazon for $645. It would be suitable for light touring.
Dahon Curl i8 (Not recommended)
The Dahon Curl i8 was born to compete directly with Brompton bikes, and is the direct competition to the likes of the Brompton M6R.
I really thought this was going to be a great bike and I could recommend it to you for a folding touring bike. As I have been talking to other bike travelers who use them and they seem to do fine touring with them.
I named this article the ‘best’ folding touring bikes. Although this is not the best by far. I still want to talk about it, because I think it is important for you to know that this option is not really something you should choose. Unless maybe you again modify it to make up for its short comings.
First of the Curl i8 design is up there with Brompton it looks stunning. The curve deign of the frame, they quick release handlebar raiser works well for changing riding positions.
The rear rack has roller wheels on the top, and when the bike is folded up they turn into useable wheels when packed. Also has a updated internal speed gearing hub system. When compared to Bromptons dated rear derailleur setup this wins. The folding mechanism is better quality then the Brompton too, feels of better build quality.
But this bike has had build quality issues with wheels and spokes falling apart. And also the brakes are not very good either.
Another Dahon Budget Option (not the best for touring but with upgrades could work)
Dahon Visc D18 $899
The Visc D18 comes with very wide gear range making it capable for climbing, cruising, urban jaunts and country travel. The Visc features With a new, dynamic frame design and 18 road ready speeds, using Shimano Tiagra transmission components. Nomadic specially offers with a choice of Kenda K-Rad Tires for multi element riding (dirt/pavement and more) or the high pressure, high-speed Kenda K-smart tires. Priced at $899 on Amazon
In summary for these options you want to look into getting a good set of wheels and some spares, this makes them a feasible option to travel on.
Birdy GT 10SP
Birdy folding bikes are very interesting bikes with a highly-innovative folding and unfolding approach. The bikes seem to keep a consistent style and look. They are very unique.
The GT 10SP is a versatile powerhouse that uses BIRDY GT’s Sram X5 10-speed system, weighs in at 10.3 kg and Schwalbe Black Jack tyres. Coming in at around $2,330 on Pacific Cycles.
Airnimal Custom Made Bikes
The Joey ‘Endurance Plus’ All-Rounder comes with carbon forks, lightweight wheels and discs front and rear, it is “the ultimate mile eater”. The Sram 1 x 11 speed drive offers a wide range of gears without the ‘fragility’ of a front mech. The single front chainring simplifies folding/packing, whilst minimising the risk of damage to the transmission. The thru axle tapered carbon fork offers precise handling and has mountings for a low rider rack and mudguards. Price $3,124
Buy A Cheap Folding Touring Bike From Thailand
I was talking to some bike tourers and they recommended, if you have plans to travel to Thailand to buy a cheap folding touring bike while you are over there. When you think about most of the well known brand bikes are made in Thailand, so they know what they are doing. And you can potentially pick up a budget friendly folder for your next adventure. I would recommend checking out, Crazy Touring Bike and pick up a KHS Folding Bike with half / full suspension, you can get 18 to 24 speed options for around $800 to $1000.
Other Options
Co-motion with S&S Couplers
Another option is to get a co-motion bike or even install S&S Couplers to your current bike. Where you can break the frame in half to pack away.
Either way there are a large variety of folding touring bike options to choose from for your next adventure.
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