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travel for a living bring bike?

Old 08-11-22, 02:41 AM
  #1  
sean.hwy
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travel for a living bring bike?

Anyone travel for a living and bring a bike with you? If I had to start to travel for a living I would end up just watching netflix/prime video all night after work. It would be a lot more fun to bike in town.

I know people bring their bikes on vacation but I was wondering how much a pain and expensive it was. It would be worth it for your once a year vacation but probably not if you travel out of town twice a week for work.
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Old 08-11-22, 03:20 AM
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I think a lot of it would depend on how often you travel, how long you're staying, and how you're getting there.
If, say, you go to Corporate HQ for a few days, a handful of times a year, I might consider bringing a bike; particularly if I'm driving there and I can throw it in/on my car. It helps if it's a city that you're already familiar with, or do a really thorough "Map Reconnaissance" so you have kind of an idea what to expect.

If I'm flying to a different city for a day or two (particularly if it's different places every time,) it wouldn't be worth the cost of transport, and the time and hassle of breaking down and reassembling the bike on the chance you might get some riding in.

If your destination city has a bikeshare, that's almost ideal, especially if it's accessable from where you're staying/working. If you're a regular visitor to the same place, you can see if any of the LBS do rentals.

Also, Amtrak allows assembled bikes onboard as checked luggage; I know people who have credit -card toured cities that way, just collect your bike at the station, and ride away. You'd have to pack light, but train stations are usually close to downtown/central districts, so you're right there
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Old 08-11-22, 04:04 AM
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Earlier in my career, sometimes a bikefriday folding bike would go with me depending on the duration of the trip and location. Later in my career, trips were shorter and there was not sufficient time at night or morning to ride, so, I stopped taking the bike.

If your business travel is to really interesting places, you can extend the stay a bit and do some touring. Of course, the expenses for that were on me.

In terms of cost, the bike but it was a gift. There were no baggage fees then. You'd have to figure a way to get your baggage covered, it would depend on class of service, your FF status, and also what credit card you use but it can be figured out. I was taking a full sized bike to Europe several times per year and it was a pain. If I did not have a folder, I would try to rent a bike but that is not possible in some places and is very time consuming. One of my best trips was to Sydney. The Concierge would have my bike ready at 5:30 am and I would ride along the beach until 7, he would take the bike, I would shower and then eat before the car would drive me to where I was going. Europe was also great. Domestically, I'd take the bike to warmer places in Winter for sure. But a few day trip in summer? To a bad city? No, I'd just use the exercise room at the hotel
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Old 08-11-22, 05:08 AM
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If you have to ask, you're not traveling for a living.
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Old 08-11-22, 05:38 AM
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early in my career I brought a bicycle with me on business trips. I paid the extra money for the case (airplane). It was worth it. It was nice to have my familiar evening exercise, and I did the Wednesday night ride with the local club.
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Old 08-11-22, 06:50 AM
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A few of the manufacturer reps (typically 1-3 state territory) I deal with bring their bikes along.
These are mostly during multi day driving trips like conventions, conferences, product demos. Typically in a hitch or similar rack on a company pickup.
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Old 08-11-22, 07:08 AM
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I used to drive around Michigan for work, and kept my Dahon Mariner in the trunk.

I mostly spent single overnights when I did, but was often doing dinners or tastings in the evenings and so used it more for running between accounts on sales calls when they were closely clustered.

The folding bike in the trunk worked for me given how I traveled and the kinds of rides I could do.


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Old 08-11-22, 07:10 AM
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Full suspension folding road bike made by the renowned Birdy folding bikes.

Model below (Pacific Reach GT) is one of the best. I've test ridden one. It was incredible especially when using the stiffest elastomer on the suspension. It feels just a 700c road bike but the small wheels makes it quite nimble for urban commutes.

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Old 08-11-22, 07:17 AM
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If my work was driving in a regional area? 100% would bring a bike and some good wine with me back in the day. On a plane, it is a more nuanced decision.
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Old 08-11-22, 08:17 AM
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If this was a big enough issue for me I would invest in a full sized bike with S&S couplers.
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Old 08-11-22, 08:37 AM
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I bought a Ritchey Breakaway just before COVID hit, with the intention of using it during business travel. Unfortunately, I've never really used it due to a greatly reduced travel schedule.
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Old 08-11-22, 08:45 AM
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I travel regionally, have a hard lockable tonneau cover. And depending on where I’m going, what my plan is when I get there and what else I have to bring, I will bring my bike and ride.
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Old 08-11-22, 08:56 AM
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Originally Posted by koala logs
Full suspension folding road bike made by the renowned Birdy folding bikes.

Model below (Pacific Reach GT) is one of the best. I've test ridden one. It was incredible especially when using the stiffest elastomer on the suspension. It feels just a 700c road bike but the small wheels makes it quite nimble for urban commutes.

That is really cool. I’m not sure they offer it anymore, but the elastomers with the small wheels would make for a nicer ride.

John
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Old 08-11-22, 11:03 AM
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My answer really depends on transportation mode, destination, and duration. Traveling to the upper midwest in January? Nope. Arizona where it's warm! Interesting!

Driving? Sure, I take the bike (if the weather's going to be good) -- it's worth it even for one evening's ride.

Flying is where the answer gets more complicated. I've got an S&S coupled bike, and it takes me an hour to unbox and reassemble it, and another hour to disassemble and box it. (Most of the time, it's a big bike and a little case...) To make taking that bike worthwhile, I want either a couple 1-2 hour rides before or after work, or an afternoon or morning ride. (Preferably not the morning before I have to pack the bike up to catch the plane home!) If I were flying to a different city every other night, it wouldn't be worth the time to unpack and pack it. OTOH, something like a Bike Friday where I could unpack it in 15 minutes would change the calculus.
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Old 08-11-22, 11:13 AM
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Originally Posted by pdlamb
My answer really depends on transportation mode, destination, and duration. Traveling to the upper midwest in January? Nope. Arizona where it's warm! Interesting!

.
Pretty much how i feel too

I drive a lot. A full size rigid mountain bike used to ride behind the fold down seat in my truck ( with the wheels popped off ) - was worth it to me if i was going to be gone a few days - had some fun rides with it. If i were only going to be gone a day or 2, id just use the hotel gym and treadmill if i absolutely HAD to get in a workout
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Old 08-11-22, 11:18 AM
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I have never had to travel for work unless you count like once every 5 years. I was looking into a new line of work that requires 50% of travel. Before I apply for the job I was wondering how difficult it would be to travel with a bike. It would be fun to explore new places on a bike. I would get bored/restless real fast just staying in my hotel room watching netflix after work everyday.


I have read online it can cost from $0 to $150 depending on the airline and how much luggage you have. It would expensive fast if I had to pay $300 ( round trip ) every time they sent me out of town.
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Old 08-11-22, 11:30 AM
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For me this would come down to how much time I thought I would be able to use the bike vs. the hassle of transporting it. I do week long trips several times a year but that usually means being in a different city every night and often driving hundreds of miles a day (or taking a train or a short flight) and not getting to a hotel till 7 PM or later, having dinner and catching up on email before going to bed. Basically repeat for the remainder of the week. Sometimes I may get a free Sunday at the start of the trip or free Saturday at the end but that would not make up for dragging a bike around with me all week.

If I have a day off in a city, I can hop on a city bike and cruise around if I really want to ride but generally I'll explore on foot.

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Old 08-11-22, 11:31 AM
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Originally Posted by sean.hwy
I have read online it can cost from $0 to $150 depending on the airline and how much luggage you have. It would expensive fast if I had to pay $300 ( round trip ) every time they sent me out of town.
That's the reason for traveling with an S&S coupled bike or a Breakaway -- it's much less likely that you would pay extra airline fees.
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Old 08-11-22, 11:33 AM
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Originally Posted by 70sSanO
That is really cool. I’m not sure they offer it anymore, but the elastomers with the small wheels would make for a nicer ride.

John
I found putting the hardest elastomer on the rear suspension gives the best (least bouncy) and most stable ride. The front elastomer can be softer.

It definitely rides more comfortably than other folders without suspension. It's basically a Birdy folder with dropbar. A flatbar Birdy folder isn't bad either because the flatbar occupies less space once folded. Could probably converted to use dropbar, just not sure how.
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Old 08-11-22, 02:18 PM
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Originally Posted by sean.hwy
I have read online it can cost from $0 to $150 depending on the airline and how much luggage you have. It would expensive fast if I had to pay $300 ( round trip ) every time they sent me out of town.
Assuming you're not traveling ultra-cheap (Jetblue), most of the major airlines in the US have discontinued predatory pricing on bicycles. (Now they're just being predatory on checked luggage.) But if you're traveling 50%, you'll build up frequent flier status pretty quickly, and then you'll "only" have to pay ~$40, $80 round trip. And if you're really smart about it, you'll be able to use upgrades to fly first class fairly frequently, so that'll be two checked bags free (one for clothes, including bike clothes, and one for the bike).
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Old 08-11-22, 04:06 PM
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Originally Posted by pdlamb
Assuming you're not traveling ultra-cheap (Jetblue), most of the major airlines in the US have discontinued predatory pricing on bicycles. (Now they're just being predatory on checked luggage.) But if you're traveling 50%, you'll build up frequent flier status pretty quickly, and then you'll "only" have to pay ~$40, $80 round trip. And if you're really smart about it, you'll be able to use upgrades to fly first class fairly frequently, so that'll be two checked bags free (one for clothes, including bike clothes, and one for the bike).
thanks, that's good to know. I have never been a frequent flyer. That makes me less hesitant to apply for the job.
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Old 08-11-22, 05:41 PM
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When I traveled for work I never had time to ride. Get up at 7 am, visit clients and attend meetings until at least 7 pm, review and sort out documents while eating dinner, and hopefully get to bed by midnight. I might get one or two days off per month.
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Old 08-12-22, 12:56 PM
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I have had an 80% travel job (management consulting) for about 25 years over the course of my career. I have an S&S bike and have taken it with me on a business trip maybe half-a-dozen times. All of those times I added a day or two on one end so I could ride with a client or co-worker in that location. I had a corporate apartment for about 18 months once and kept a bike there to ride during the week, but it didn't get a lot of use honestly. I normally just work out in the hotel gym to maintain fitness during the week. At least in my job there's just not that much free time during the travel work-week to make bringing a bike worthwhile.
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Old 08-12-22, 01:05 PM
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yeah that's what I was afraid of. Seems like the travel job I am just going to be working/hotel/netflix/hotel gym/sleep.
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Old 08-12-22, 03:09 PM
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A co-worker (since retired) bought a used folding bike to take along on flights to interesting cities. He loved the rides and often sent me photos from them. This all occurred after a late-in-life epiphany about cycling. You know what they say - there are none as zealous as the recently converted.
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