kingston 

I travel a lot domestically for work (3-4 nights a week) and was looking for something that I could bring with me for 60-90 minute workouts before or after work during the week when I'm on the road. In the past I have bought bikes locally on craigslist and sold them at the end of the assignment (usually 4-6 months or so), but I have a new assignment that will send me different places every week so I'm looking into getting a travel bike. I return home every weekend so it's just for short hard rides during the week.

Here are my requirements
1. Fits in a suitcase that I can check on an airplane as regular luggage
2. Quick to assemble and pack
3. Drop bar

The Bike Friday Pocket Rocket is the closest thing I have found in a folder. Are there any others I'm missing? I normally ride a fixed-gear for training rides, but a single speed or IGH would be fine. I don't really want to deal with derailleurs on a bike that will be checked on an airplane almost a hundred times a year.

Schwinnsta

Perhaps you would like a Bike Friday Packit. I have a Brompton that I travel with. I just fold it put in the case and check it in.

linberl

I don't think I've ever seen a Brompton with drop bars, which to OP wants. Are they available?

The Packit could definitely work with those requirements. Because they are fulfilling the Kickstarter orders first, any orders placed now are pushed back to March of next year.

BikeLite

The quick to assemble will be variable for sure.

kingston 

I assume they can put drop bars on a Packit? It's not configurable that way on the website.

wahoonc

Bike Friday or a Brompton. I haven't seen drop bars on a Brompton, but that doesn't mean it can't be done. You will have to define "quick assembly", Bike Friday ~15 minutes and away you go. It travels in an airline legal hard case that can double as a trailer. I had a BF NWT(New World Tourist) back in the day and it was an awesome little bike, regret selling it.

Aaron

ttakata73

Pacific Reach with discs is a great option.
You can get a drop bar Moulton or Airnimal but they have rim brakes only.
A Birdy fits in a suitcase but doesn't come in drop bar versions.
Not sure if a Tyrell fits in a suitcase, can't find pics online of one.
Some people put drops on a Tern/Dahon but I am not a fan of side folders; it will be too wide to fit in many suitcases.
I see pics of bullhorn bars on Bromptons but I am not sure the geometry of the frame would make sense as a road bike.

blakcloud

Tyrell make a drop bar bike called the FSX but it has a derailleur system that you said you didn't like.

Moulton bikes are not true folders but can be disassembled in less than two minutes.

Bike Friday you already know about.

Another route might be the Ritchey Breakaway. Not a folder but uses 700c wheels. They will fit into a legal airline suitcase (or close to) but again that derailleur requirement might hang you up.

Any steel or titanium bike with S & S couplers will do the same thing as the Ritchey.

Abu Mahendra

Rick Imby

The Xootr Swift can be bought as a single speed. Ten-15 minutes to pack. It comes as a complete bike but is inexpensive enough to upgrade.

For packing the road bars are more difficult than flat bars with bar ends or bull horn bars. Many folders are very easy to adjust riding position.

The option of riding a single speed really makes a pack bike clean. I just gotta have gears.

Pinigis 

I just landed a few hours ago in Athens, Greece with two Origami Crane 8 models that were packed into two standard-sized checked bags. Other than explaining to a large woman with a bad attitude that those funny thing on the x-ray are bikes, all went well. I packed the fenders and racks, so the total packing time is about 25 minutes; without the racks and fenders the packing time is about 10 to 12 minutes.

I did not pack the trailer kits because I do not expect to need them here.

HGR3inOK

What are the suitcase dimensions? The OP's requirement:

"1. Fits in a suitcase that I can check on an airplane as regular luggage"

may mean that he is looking to avoid an oversized-luggage surcharge. That limits the suitcase to 62 linear inches for most domestic (USA) carriers. Otherwise, the Reach does look like it should be on the OP's short list.


-HANK RYAN-
Norman, Oklahoma USA

Boudicca

Another vote for the Pocket Rocket. Yes, it's 15-20 minutes to pack (and a little less than that to unpack) but it's a really nice ride. I can close my eyes, and I think I'm riding a regular bike. Yes, there are plenty of other options, but will you enjoy the ride that much? Bonus: you can ride them for much more than the 60-90 minutes that the OP is looking at, so if suddenly there's a day with no work, or a shortened work day, you can go off for a longer ride and still have fun.

prathmann

The Pocket Rocket mentioned by the OP is certainly a good option. I bought mine in '94 when I had similar criteria - lots of business trips and wanting something better to do between meetings than sit in the Hiltons/Sheratons/etc. that all look the same everywhere in the world. Mine is a derailleur model (2x8) and I haven't had any issues with them over the course of hundreds of trips. Good to see that there are more makes available now to choose from.

kingston 

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions! I was a little apprehensive about posting another "what bike should I get?" thread.

This is another option I'm seriously considering. Ritchey used to make a Breakaway Fixie frame with track ends that would be perfect if I could find a used one my size. It's hard to search for because the searches always return so many of the other breakaway frames.



This looks like a great option, and is by far the least expensive I am considering. The single speed has track-ends so it can be configured as a fixed gear, which is what I'm looking for. I'm sure i could put drop bars on it or the bullhorns as you suggest to make it easier to pack. Does the Xootr Swift have a regular bike feel similar to what people say about the Bike Friday?

fietsbob

it is possible to make such an adaptation , but You cannot order one already like that, from the London company.
Closest, functionally, their P bar has a drops level, and a tops, where the brakes and shifters are, but it still packs flat, folded down.



Bike Friday cuts a drop bar in half, puts a sleeve tube inside, and a split tube outside.

that allows it to take up less room in a flexible packing size.

a similar scheme , the bar bent into the drops of 7/8" tube lets grip shifters* fit near the stem.

*such as Rohloff ..

kingston 

Something like this is the leading contender for me right now.

Winfried

A slightly-modified Brompton with Gilly Bean's B Bag?

linberl

I test rode a Swift before I got my Bike Friday. Without a doubt the Swift rides wonderfully. Had the tube been a bit lower, I might never have gone to BF. I just wanted a slightly lower step over. But the Swift was a ton of fun to ride! The semi-compact fold will work for Bart and is less trouble than folding a Bike Friday; it doesn't get shorter, it just gets less length. Don't know about packing it for air travel, though. The Swift I rode was the aluminum model so I did find it less forgiving on bumps than my Bike Friday, which is steel. Not a big deal.

jur

There are many factors influencing ride compliance, the most important being tyres and tyre pressure. Long stalks such as seatposts and handleposts also play a big role in folders.

Frame material, not much at all:
Folding bike frame metals

kingston 

Looks like the Swift packs easily in a 30" hardside suitcase. Drop bars could be tricky. Since the complete bike is only fifty bucks more than the frame, I can start with that and wait for my upgraditis to set in.

12boy

As far as drops go, Paul Brathwaite on the Swift thread has bar ends that are drops. Only take a few seconds to put on or off. I also like my swift a lot.

linberl

There is a HUGE thread here on the Swift. Honestly, if it had been $599 when I was looking (it was $300 more) I would have lived with the step over height, lol. I think that is a fantastic deal. No proprietary parts so start saving your money - some of the folks here have done some incredible stuff with the basic frame. If I won the lottery, I'd be tempted to get the steel Swift for around town and a Pakit alfine for traveling. I don't think you can possibly go wrong for $600.

linberl

I'm a pretty tiny person so "stalks" do not apply, lol. In non-folding bikes I've owned, I found cromo frames much gentler on my body and hands than aluminum frames. Since this guy's article doesn't really reference a scientific survey, I consider that his informed opinion. Mine is different based on my experience. There are plenty of arguments on both sides via google.

Rick Imby

I am mainly a mountain biker so my Swift was a change. I put a nice ergonomic set of bar ends, light, dual duty clipless, my favorite seat on it and it fits just right. I'm 6'3" 195 pounds. I got the XXL size and I would recommend it. The main difference is with the xxl you get the longest seat post---you can cut it down if you want--- and a longer stem.

I am going to a Thomson Stem ( I have decided on the size to try) shortly. Titanium seatpost is on the list. I thought the bars were too narrow when I got it however with bar ends they are perfect.

The Kenda Kwest 65 psi tires roll pretty well. I am going to be doing some touring in SE Asia and Europe in the next year and for now the Kwest tires will be fine. I am buying a folding tire for a spare.

I really like the basic 8 speed also, 52-11 high gear works fine for me.

Packing the single speed would be even simpler.

The 8 speed frame has the same dropouts as the single speed.