I have been cycling France-Amsterdam and through Norway on my Brompton. It’s quite a good touring bike actually, especially with the big T-bag in front and the usual hub dynamo system for lights / power. The foldability makes it easy to bring on train to wherever you wish to start. And if needed taking a bus/train if you wish to skip less interesting parts (done in Norway to get through some tunnels, and on a scenic train). I made custom rear rack that can take full-size touring bags, also. The low center of gravity make it quite stable actually.
Touring and distance is less about the equipment and more about the state of mind…
I routinely ride a Raleigh Twenty on 40 mile rambles. I have ridden my Raleigh Superbe (4 speed hub gear) on a week long tour. My grocery getter is an old beat up Raleigh Sports Standard with baskets, grocery store used to be 7 miles, now it is 1.5
If you want to travel to different cities around the world and do some cycling to see the sights, a Brompton is quite good. I routinely get it into the airline overhead bag compartments. No worries.
Not with my shopping, not even over the 1/4 mile distance that is.
And I ride my sensible upright seven miles with regularity. I save the “real bike” for when I want to get sweaty. Or when getting sweaty makes sense, time-wise. Seven miles is about the break-even distance.
I would have never imagined at the age of 15 that my brand new 1992 GT Karakoram would ever look like it does today…fenders, swept bar, brooks b17, rear rack, pannier bag…geez. Those old mountain bikes are the best platform for utility bikes with the low slung top tube, top quality USA made steel tubes, priceless!
Huh???? o_O
Getting older (And wiser)?
… and not even then. There is a saddle for each butt, and a butt for each saddle.
Only time we’ve actually seen Joe on an upright it didn’t end well
https://yehudamoon.com/comic/2008-09-08/
A better saying might be, “Always use the proper tool for the job.”
-“BB”-
He should try my comfy Bacchetta Giro 26, with my custom cargo box. 🙂
A mile is walking distance. Ride 7 miles on an upright townie two-miler and you might want a real bike again.
Saw a podcast by a guy who goes touring on a Brompton. That would be one of the last bikes that would come to my mind for touring long distances.
Although “urban” bikes can sometimes seem ridiculous and impractical, today’s is kind of a sweet strip and the point is well made.
Using my touring to get groceries
I have been cycling France-Amsterdam and through Norway on my Brompton. It’s quite a good touring bike actually, especially with the big T-bag in front and the usual hub dynamo system for lights / power. The foldability makes it easy to bring on train to wherever you wish to start. And if needed taking a bus/train if you wish to skip less interesting parts (done in Norway to get through some tunnels, and on a scenic train). I made custom rear rack that can take full-size touring bags, also. The low center of gravity make it quite stable actually.
Touring and distance is less about the equipment and more about the state of mind…
I routinely ride a Raleigh Twenty on 40 mile rambles. I have ridden my Raleigh Superbe (4 speed hub gear) on a week long tour. My grocery getter is an old beat up Raleigh Sports Standard with baskets, grocery store used to be 7 miles, now it is 1.5
If you want to travel to different cities around the world and do some cycling to see the sights, a Brompton is quite good. I routinely get it into the airline overhead bag compartments. No worries.
“A mile is walking distance”, quoth Spiny Norman.
Not with my shopping, not even over the 1/4 mile distance that is.
And I ride my sensible upright seven miles with regularity. I save the “real bike” for when I want to get sweaty. Or when getting sweaty makes sense, time-wise. Seven miles is about the break-even distance.
I would have never imagined at the age of 15 that my brand new 1992 GT Karakoram would ever look like it does today…fenders, swept bar, brooks b17, rear rack, pannier bag…geez. Those old mountain bikes are the best platform for utility bikes with the low slung top tube, top quality USA made steel tubes, priceless!
Joe needs to remember those words when the subject of recumbents comes up, lol.