Stuffing Bike Fridays into Suitcases
The Useful Bit
The main steps in packing our Bike Friday New World
Tourists (NWT) are:
- Remove and bag accessories which are vulnerable e.g. bike computer, lights, pump
- Remove and bag racks. Reinsert rack bolts.
- Remove front wheel and insert fork crush protector using the quick release spindle.
- Remove and bag pedals.
- Remove handle bars from stem. Bag the brake-levers.
Our NWT's have 'split' handle bars.
- Remove and bag the handlebar stem.
- Remove and bag saddle and saddle post.
- Remove the bottle cage (S).
- Fit protective materials (supplied with the bike) to the cranks, saddle stem, front fork, chain stays, seat stays, mono tube, brake levers and chainring.
- Fold the bike. The still attached rear wheel and saddle stem are the main moving parts which swing easy into position in this quick operation.
- Place the folded bike in the hard case. There is a 'right' way to do this. See photos elsewhere in this article.
- Place the front wheel in the case.
- Place the handle bars, still attached to the bike just by cables, in the case.
- Place all the bagged components in the case.
- Fit the crush protector in place within the case.
- Fit any other bits and pieces in the case. e.g. shoes, tools, spares, pump, some clothing, water bottle, lock-cable, maps, books etc
- Close and secure the case lid.
This process took 90 minutes for the two bikes first time through. Next time it took 60 minutes. It will get faster with practice.
The only tools needed are Allen keys.
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Steve Miller/GrampiesThey never gave us any of this material! We have to, literally, reinvent the wheel every time we pack.
6 months ago
6 months ago
Graham SmithTo Steve Miller/GrampiesSteve when I first wrote about this trip on another site and sent the link to BF, they published it in their Newsletter, saying it was one of the most useful packing descriptions they had seen.
I’ll send them this journal link too, because it’s probably still useful and due for a republish.
Probably the single most practical entry in my journal is the photo about putting the forks to the left, monotube to the rear, and the drive train to toward the base.
I think I learned that technique from the instructions we were given when we collected our bikes from BF in Eugene.
6 months ago
I’ll send them this journal link too, because it’s probably still useful and due for a republish.
Probably the single most practical entry in my journal is the photo about putting the forks to the left, monotube to the rear, and the drive train to toward the base.
I think I learned that technique from the instructions we were given when we collected our bikes from BF in Eugene.
6 months ago
Steve Miller/GrampiesTo Graham SmithThis was our most useful takeaway from our various manipulations also. We have never managed to get the packing time even close to 60 minutes for 1 bike let alone 2. The second one does go faster than the first, it is true.
6 months ago
6 months ago
Graham SmithTo Steve Miller/GrampiesPeter Berra … the BF sales rep. who hosted us in Eugene… could pack his BF NWT in 20 minutes!
It’s been a while since I’ve packed ours into a suitcase but I was getting fairly quick at it. Especially after we traveled around Japan by train and BF.
6 months ago
It’s been a while since I’ve packed ours into a suitcase but I was getting fairly quick at it. Especially after we traveled around Japan by train and BF.
6 months ago
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