Solving the last mile(s) problem

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onwards

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onwards
Yesterday I received my new Brompton folding bike - boy, those things are just brilliant. Looking at them you'd think they ride funny, but that is not the case at all. They are comfortable, solid, fast... and fold so small that it's simple to stick them in the baggage compartment of the Cessna. No fiddling necessary, they just fit through the door and take less space than the stepstool does.

One of the main driving forces behind ordering this bike was precisely that. So now I can solve the last (4-5) mile problem - I have clients that have a convenient public strip fairly close to their office, but no public transportation option. In all honesty, it might take about the same amount of time overall to drive there because my home airport is in a different direction and I have to preflight and tie down after I land, but driving is of course a lot less fun.

Now I can land, pop out the Brompton, and ride to the office, even getting a bit of exercise in the process.

Anyone else doing the same?
 
That is a great idea.

As far as the driving may be the same or faster. I only count in the air time. That justifies trips by plane to the wife. It is so much faster of course. Never ever start the clock until you hear the tower say "Clear for Takeoff"
 
Sounds nice, but $2000 for a "basic" 6-speed steel bicycle? Ouch.

Is there a cheaper folding bike somewhere else?
 
MAKG1 said:
Sounds nice, but $2000 for a "basic" 6-speed steel bicycle? Ouch.

Is there a cheaper folding bike somewhere else?
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Yeah, Dahon makes good ones for about half the price.

But the Bromptons are incredible - you get what you pay for. And NOTHING folds as small as these guys do.
 
tngarner said:
That is a great idea.

As far as the driving may be the same or faster. I only count in the air time. That justifies trips by plane to the wife. It is so much faster of course. Never ever start the clock until you hear the tower say "Clear for Takeoff"
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Ha. I like the way you think :yes:

Honestly, even if the plane trip is longer in one particular case, it is a lot more FUN. And the added exercise is an important bonus.
 
I have a couple of cheap folding bikes ($200 off of Amazon), but for business trips, I usually figure out how to rent a car, even if it means an airport a little further away, so that I am a little 'fresher' for the appointment.
 
If it's a little too far, or too hilly, to pedal there are a number of electric assists available for folding bikes.
 
Henning said:
Works well if you can show up nice and sweaty.
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No need to; in these cases, it's flat terrain between the airport and the office, they are long-term engagements where familiarity is well established, and the environment is very casual (this is the west coast after all).
 
chartbundle said:
Here's mine, not as small as the Brompton, Tern P24h with 24 speed gear train and included racks and lights for $1250. This way I can not only get myself around but my stuff to the hotel, as camping isn't for me.

The plane, on the other hand, is a rental.
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Yeah, I looked at those too, but the somewhat smaller size won out in my case, as the Brompton fits right through the baggage door without trouble, the Tern and Dahon required contorting. I also like that the Brompton can fit in a standard size check-in bag for a commercial flight (which none of the others can claim AFAIK).
 
onwards said:
No need to; in these cases, it's flat terrain between the airport and the office, they are long-term engagements where familiarity is well established, and the environment is very casual (this is the west coast after all).
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And Henning lives in Florida. You can tell.

You don't need a bike to be all sweaty in Florida.

Florida is pretty copacetic as well, at least in some circles. But the humidity is a killer….
 
MAKG1 said:
And Henning lives in Florida. You can tell.

You don't need a bike to be all sweaty in Florida.

Florida is pretty copacetic as well, at least in some circles. But the humidity is a killer….
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Right.

Not an issue here; we get nice weather all year :lol:
 
Ruthless53 said:
We have a couple Fuji Go Devil motorcycles that we can throw in the back. When folded through the cargo door and only takes a minute or two to set up. Will haul me and my wife no problem and its fairly fast.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PGsbSj6Hb2k
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Are these road legal? Do you worry about having gas in the cabin?

I'm interested in something like this and those were my biggest concerns(aside from weight/size of course)
 
I've looked at folding bikes for this purpose before, but that one is way out of my price range. And I'd need four; two adults, two kids. So maybe those kick scooters are a better bet?
 
cowman said:
Are these road legal? Do you worry about having gas in the cabin?

I'm interested in something like this and those were my biggest concerns(aside from weight/size of course)
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They are not street legal. Only does about 25mph. We usually drain them before traveling. It's really easy to drain them. Then we just use avgas from the plane to fill it up. Great to have at sun n fun and osh.
 
I have a Dahon Jack that my wife rides and a Montague Paratrooper Pro for me. Love having the bikes, have taken them everywhere - great for the islands!

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onwards said:
Right.



Not an issue here; we get nice weather all year :lol:
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Well, this year has been pretty good for weather. My client n Modesto and Visalia will pick me up at the airport. My client(s) in San Jose are 15 minutes by car with good traffic, so a bike isn't practical, but a car is readily available. I once visited a client about 1/2 a mile from the airport in Chico, but it was summer and triple digits. I was soaked when I walked in the door (walking) and that as a sales call. I do use the bikes for HAF and Monterey and they are great for that. I took them to Napa once but it 7 miles each way on a really busy road where the shoulder has a bunch of gravel and the cars are moving fast.
 
onwards said:
Now I can land, pop out the Brompton, and ride to the office, even getting a bit of exercise in the process.

Anyone else doing the same?
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I seriously considered getting two folding bikes for the Cherokee. After looking at many, many options, I decided the Brompton was the bike I wanted. It put all the other bikes I considered to shame.

Then, I did the math and realized that I could buy something like a hundred cab rides for that cash, or rent a car for half a year.

Cabs and cars that have air conditioners (I'm based on the Gulf coast) and places to hold all my luggage.

So no, I'm not doing the same.
 
...my Cherokee doesn't have fold down seats in the back - big oversight, IMHO. Can't believe the back seats don't fold down easily by default...and they are a PITA to remove. Otherwise, I think I could fit a bike or two back there...
 
Jim Logajan said:
I bought a 31 lb folding bike for $249 from http://fbikedirect.com/ (also available via Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/fBIKE-Direct-Speed-Folding-Margarita/dp/B00AKI93NC)

Just fits in a C-172M Skyhawk II baggage compartment, as you can see by the attached images.
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I just talked to fbikedirect, referenced your post, told the guy where your airport is. He within a few moments said, "Yes, we shipped one to Oregon in November. That must have been your order.
I'll go back to their website and get one shipped to Georgetown, Maine.

HR
 
acrophile said:
Cool. Does it roll when folded, or do you have to carry it?
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I normally just carry it. I just now experimented and while it can be rolled some, after a fashion, on one wheel while folded, I had to stoop while pulling. I believe it would just be easier to unfold any folding bike and ride or walk it as far as one can before circumstances dictate a fold and carry.

According to the fBike blog there is a third party bag that one can buy to put their bike in (the bag appears to work with other folding bikes.) I haven't got the bag yet - mostly because I just found out about its existence.
 
Lawreston said:
I just talked to fbikedirect, referenced your post, told the guy where your airport is. He within a few moments said, "Yes, we shipped one to Oregon in November. That must have been your order.
I'll go back to their website and get one shipped to Georgetown, Maine.

HR
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I was about to email them. By the way - you'll need to put it in diagonally if you put it in the baggage compartment. It was easier to get out than put in. I didn't try putting it in the back seat. I think next time I'm at the airport (probably not for a while - too much work coming up, alas) I'll see if I can fit it in the back of a C-152. The 152 I fly solo a lot could use a more rearward CG.
 
I rarely have more than 1 other SoB, the bike should be an OK fit in the spaces behind the door. It should also fit in one of the lockers on my 20' I/O cuddy cabin boat; am looking forward to each use.

HR
 

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Downtube Nova is the best bang for the buck.
Uses common parts, folds small and can fit in mu RV-6
 
Which do you prefer? I have a Dahon Jack that I ride and several Espressos for family members, and am generally happy with them. Never had he chance to ride a Montague.

BTW - I've had small-wheel folding bikes - and got rid of them. Full size is the way to go IMHO.

Dave
 
cessna182b said:
Which do you prefer? I have a Dahon Jack that I ride and several Espressos for family members, and am generally happy with them. Never had he chance to ride a Montague.



BTW - I've had small-wheel folding bikes - and got rid of them. Full size is the way to go IMHO.



Dave
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I prefer the Montague because it has a full suspension, but the Dahon is a nice bike. The integrated pump on the Dahon is cool.
 
I wonder if any of these will fit in my CTSW's baggage area. I'm sure it's big enough, if I can get them through the small doors.
 
Jim Logajan said:
I believe it would just be easier to unfold any folding bike and ride or walk it as far as one can before circumstances dictate a fold and carry.
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Depends on the circumstances. If you want to take it on public transportation, alternating between escalators and stretches of indoor walking, that would be a lot of folding and unfolding. But yeah, just getting it to or from a plane would be no problem.
 
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