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Folding bikes (2) in RV-6

S

sjhurlbut

Well Known Member
I'm trying to decide what brand of folding bike that I can get and fit 2 of them in a RV6 slider. Any suggestions? Would like extra room for baggage as well.

Also if you know of cool places to fly and bike around that would be cool. Wine tour in California?
 
Maybe consider unicycles? :)

Seriously though, I think the most compact useful folding bike i've seen would *at best* allow you to get two of them into the baggage compartment. And there wouldn't be any room below the longerons with them in there. So you'd be limited to light-weight stuff packed behind your heads, between the weight of two bikes and the limits of your baggage space.
 
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Hi Steve,

Check out the Brompton Website. The fold is what makes the bike so good.
I can get two in my RV 12. Half my luggage space is taken up with the fuel tank so you won't have a problem. Maybe the slider canopy will cause acces problems into your luggage space. The bikes aren't cheap so you don't want to get them and discover it won't work. I made two cardboard boxes which were the dimensions of the folded bikes and checked that I could manoeuvre them into the plane. The boxes just worked so I managed to get a demo bike and tried that with one box. That also worked so I took the punt and purchased two bikes.
The bikes ride well. We take two small back packs in the plane and a tent which I hang from the front handle bars. We often cycle about 10km (6 miles).we have done two wine trial destinations in NZ. Sometimes we do home stays so that means you don't need to worry about sleeping bags and mats. It would be good to have more space but we have got used to travelling light and cunningly loading the plane. I think you will get more in your plane than we can. I have to leave a bit of fuel behind. I do shorter runs and you want to be careful if you have weather to get around.

Cheers
Julian
 
I've had two Brompton's in the back of my -7 and still had plenty of space left. They fit in quite easily (tip up canopy)

Cheers

Peter
 
I have two dahon 20" d7 folders that will fit but only one way and that was a puzzle to figure out. I have the slider/tip-up option which makes it easier to load in my opinion, can't imagine doing it otherwise with a slider.
 
I was in Sams Club and saw a small Segway that travels at 10 mph and has a 14 mile range for $800. That looked like two will fit in my RV6A. 10 inch tires and smaller than bikes. I was first interested in the electric ERB that I saw at Oshkosk but these are smaller. Check it out.
 
Canopy

Steve,

We have two dahon folding bikes and they both fit in our 6. I cut two slots in the aft end of the canopy rails about 3" forward of the aft end. This lets me lift the canopy completely off the airplane with no tool. I don't think I could get the bikes in there otherwise. One of the best, simple mods I made.

As for the bike, make sure you get a single speed, OR an internal shift mechanism. If there is a typical chain tension arm,it will get bumped and mess up the shifting.

Jim
 
Another q

For Brompton bikes which model are you guys using and what was cost?

I've looked at the Citizen Tokyo and it's only $200.
 
Regarding the Citizen Tokyo, we have two and a tip-up 6. It is a VERY tight squeeze manipulating them into the back of the 6 over the seat back bar and under the aft canopy. First one goes in fine, the second requires an extra set of hands and some creativity. They do fit, though! Just not with a whole lot of room for other stuff. The bikes themselves are pretty cool, though understandably not on par with the comfort of my (much more expensive) hybrid mountain. Even with buying the upgraded seats the Tokyo really isn't an all-day bike.

Still, I'm pleased overall and taking them along is nice to bike into towns from the airport when there isn't a courtesy car or Uber/public transport option and it has definitely encouraged us to plan some trips just to somewhere it would be fun to bike. We got the FlyBoy SuperTracks for the slider on the -7 we're building, I'm certain that that setup will be much easier to get the bikes into.
 
Jimd said:
Steve,

We have two dahon folding bikes and they both fit in our 6. I cut two slots in the aft end of the canopy rails about 3" forward of the aft end. This lets me lift the canopy completely off the airplane with no tool. I don't think I could get the bikes in there otherwise. One of the best, simple mods I made.

As for the bike, make sure you get a single speed, OR an internal shift mechanism. If there is a typical chain tension arm,it will get bumped and mess up the shifting.

Jim
Click to expand...


Any chance of seeing some pix of your mod?

We have two Bromptons and they fit in our tip up 6. I have just installed a smoke tank behind the pilot side seat so the bikes are on the right side. There is room behind my seat for overnight luggage, in two backpacks. That pretty much fills up the area, flush to the seat tops.
 
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I have a full sized road bike that breaks in half....down to the size of the wheels.
Been very happy with S&S couplers with the advantages of having a full size bike when I get to my destination as well as almost no increase in weight and no change in ride.
http://www.sandsmachine.com/
 
Another very good option is the Xootr Swift. I have 2 that fit easily in my 9A slider. When you are looking at carrying bikes be aware of weight, how they fold up and safe rider weight. The Xootr Swifts weigh 25 pounds each, carry up to a 250 lb rider and fold by removing the seat post. So when I carry my bikes I release the quick release for the front tire, remove the seat and the handlebar. No modification is needed to my slider to get bikes in and out. Lastly I am a 230 pound 6'1" rider and have no issues. Check out the Xootr website. Best of all they are running a sale. Normally $799 but now $599. Good luck. Lots of fine bicycle options presented. The Xootr is an 8 speed bike.

Steve
 
I have considered a couple bikes that we can transport in our RV-6A which to have much of any baggage payload left need to be pretty light.

The lightest option I have found is a new model from Bike Friday called the Pakit.
It uses a gates carbon belt for the drive so there is no dirty chains to deal with.
They claim the weight for the smallest frame size is under 15 lbs so we could easily handle carrying them, but you pay a pretty high premium for the low weight. https://www.bikefriday.com/folding-bikes/bikes/pakit/
 
Folding bikes

There are various bikes suggested in previous posts.
I would suggest that you try and ride the different types before buying and find one that suits you to ride and you are comfortable with.

I personally have a Brompton 6 speed with the higher handle bar post and as the bike shop owner in his perfect English understatement recommended "The firmer rear suspension rubber would be better for you Sir"
I use this bike when Im away on business and for pleasure and have 1000's of miles on it. It is pricey but has better folding and torsion rigidity of the ones I have tried.

Rob
RV3 Bought and flying
RV 8 very very slow build.
 
Definitely good guidance! I used to carry two Dahons in the Cherokee, but never liked either of them. The smaller the wheels are and the gearing can make a lot of difference. The Dahon 5 speed used the same sprockets used on the big wheel bikes, which made it have 5 speeds that were all far too low, causing one to pedal like a maniac when just trying to cruise on the level.

rv8or said:
There are various bikes suggested in previous posts.
I would suggest that you try and ride the different types before buying and find one that suits you to ride and you are comfortable with.

I personally have a Brompton 6 speed with the higher handle bar post and as the bike shop owner in his perfect English understatement recommended "The firmer rear suspension rubber would be better for you Sir"
I use this bike when Im away on business and for pleasure and have 1000's of miles on it. It is pricey but has better folding and torsion rigidity of the ones I have tried.

Rob
RV3 Bought and flying
RV 8 very very slow build.
Click to expand...
 
Canopy Removal Mod

I don't know where I found out about this mod, but it is SO useful and easy! I remove the canopy for annual inspection or any other work in the cabin. When we bought our bikes, I simply lifted the canopy off the airplane and set it in the grass at the edge of the ramp while I loaded bikes. I can easily remove and reinstall by myself, but if you have a helper it makes it easier.

The notches are just large enough to clear the roller wheels on the frame and forward of the rear stop by 2.5" this is just so you can open the canopy full open and it can't lift off by itself. To remove, slide canopy to the rollers in line with notches and lift them up and slide back and rest the rollers on TOP of the tracks. It will sit there by itself, but is now loose at the front. Now grab by the from frame and rear slider block, lift the front a bit, slide aft until the slider block is free and lift away from the airframe.

22902c734881d991ade8ade799fea0ef_zpsnzkipjps.jpg


There must be others that have done this mod?

Jim
 
I have been trying out the low cost Segway from Sam's Club. So far, so good.
Rode it from the airport to the hotel in Tucson last week. Two, easily fit behind any RV seat. 25 pounds each. Good range... did not even pack the charger.
 
I second the vote for a unicycle.... but it should be an electric unicycle. I posted this video a earlier in the year:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZFWOAsz_Nw

Also, San Luis Obispo or Paso Robles would be good destinations for your wine tour. Both have numerous tasting rooms within a few miles of the airport.
 
A Spreadsheet Comparison

This summer I did some research on folding bikes that may be suitable for carrying in small planes. It was suggested I share it here for others.

This is a very rough Google spreadsheet of my personal notes. (Click here.) I've opened it up to the world to read/edit so feel free to turn it into a living document for the masses if you like. I'll be the first to admit that it can be vastly improved. Have at it!

When I first started the spreadsheet, I thought there were only a few different folding bikes available. I quickly learned that there are many different models from many different manufacturers. And I hadn't even considered folding eBikes, small Segways, boosted boards, or powered unicycles. It wasn't long that I decided it would take too much time to list everything I learned about on this spreadsheet, and I was listing only those items that had even a remote chance of being considered for my needs, or items that I knew wouldn't meet my needs but I wanted to remember why.

P.S.: I ended up going with a 2017 Brompton. I've had it for only three days now but I absolutely love it. It's expensive, and not the lightest, but you can sure see the quality and how well-engineered the design is.
 
I second your choice of a Brompton, which I settled on. There is noticeably more room for other baggage/cargo when it is loaded in my -7A baggage area. Two of them will fit with little trouble.

For comparison, I have flown with a Dahon MuP8 and a Montague, which has 26" wheels, on separate occasions. The Montague is trickier to load, but doable. It takes up about half the baggage area.

Mike
 
Just bought the Xootr Swift, primarily because it has a geometry that's closest to a "real" bike, plus it can be readily modified with regular off-the-shelf bike parts. I ride quite a bit, so both of those features were pretty important to me. It rides great. Not as compact as some, but two will easily fit in an RV-9 with both wheels on. 2 bikes won't leave a lot of room for tents or sleeping bags, but a couple overnight duffel bags will fit just fine.
 
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Hey Steve

I don't know how much of a hurry you are in for the bikes, but check out the Helix (https://www.ridehelix.ca/). They are available for pre-order, appear to be about half the cost of a Brompton, and are made in Canada.

Cheers
 
nice titanium bike

I would buy Canadian over Bromp... any day. Watched the vid and it looks pretty well thought out!
 
Despite having owned a motorcycle with a single-sided swingarm, that single sided front fork on the Helix just looks inadequate.
 
Has anyone followed the link by Smiller to the excel document with the specs on many folding bikes, including the Helix? It's the most comprehensive chart of many bikes I've seen detailing their weight, folded size, etc.

Thanks for providing that to everyone Shannon!
 
Snowflake said:
Despite having owned a motorcycle with a single-sided swingarm, that single sided front fork on the Helix just looks inadequate.
Click to expand...

I have to agree. They say no hinges, but it sure looks like a hinge to lock the front wheel in right at the bottom of the head stem. This is a critical stress area you do not want to have fail. Otherwise, you will go end over end.

https://www.ridehelix.ca/blog/post/?albumID=29

On this page, it says this is a critical IP area, so they purposefully do not show you their solution. I guess they have confidence in it, but they will have to convince everyone else.

It looks pretty great otherwise. I would love to take a closer look. I wish they kept the 20" wheels, so it would fold up even smaller.

This is my Dahon Mariner folder with an electric conversion kit from www.lunacycle.com. Al frame. 750W motor, 14 AH battery. More than 60 or 70 mile range on batteries. (I havent found bottom on it yet). I can actually fit this through the baggage door on the -10 which is a huge plus. I am not the biggest fan of the Dahon designs, but I have not found anything better. They have all the appropriate adjustments available (which Tern does not for instance). I have had mine going down hill up to 35 to 40 mph, and it actually rides great, which belies its looks.

X3Sx0QJJ58Lr4lHur9aO7qfAhj5oQvzRlW9b77yPEk2KX4d8xsGd8gesplu_Hxm1IZjdhH0PnkCD2r9eRTMpjAE6iesw5dkyqJtBxYb2B8KAjXEO7F_H2QMeYlbcLEEu_fyV3ccRJWY0agwr9mK9nGrhDTIxRtbm5LmADzDYBXaW8U5nVriAJMWgyCakgkDZLmWr6gRo8fEVDvqoWnTk_yj2Q16Dpx7UqoB80zJimQYhCi-HMiifAPyP1tPwGpdP_lEeShiIzcDo3Obr_SgQrkIfp9yK4H9iFzD36nHctbDSzhdH8N76jX9X5qHT4KPJ9PSPhvmlNzFso3hK7eEz0xdh6J9GXOUCNtc24xHa23Sc6idvHDNNDB5_lkzu_pbGEqxTVjBFsLGaogFox2-yyqjMlMk2vkfFMWxDfrjkE45moLLzcNZwYv8jfvubWf4G6dSFNx2pYo2QIsJIDetJa5aW7h5Hs5m5MQQsOy54FBxB8WomEF8B87sdP-U8jcKv9qXvLjknbFTXRFuNWbGyUuyQ0pyCtPZFV-TJUA4f30mYUxaNWM5tapNHKVmKmOiCGTsg121DFtVlYKsoP8IiCwF5sYDp0HR4eivu0pmRIFsipXAYIg=w800
 
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WOW, now THAT appears to be everything I have been looking for!

jchang10 said:
I have to agree. They say no hinges, but it sure looks like a hinge to lock the front wheel in right at the bottom of the head stem. This is a critical stress area you do not want to have fail. Otherwise, you will go end over end.

https://www.ridehelix.ca/blog/post/?albumID=29

On this page, it says this is a critical IP area, so they purposefully do not show you their solution. I guess they have confidence in it, but they will have to convince everyone else.

It looks pretty great otherwise. I would love to take a closer look. I wish they kept the 20" wheels, so it would fold up even smaller.

This is my Dahon Mariner folder. Al frame. 750W motor, 14 AH battery. More than 60 or 70 mile range on batteries. (I havent found bottom on it yet). I can actually fit this through the baggage door on the -10 which is a huge plus. I am not the biggest fan of the Dahon designs, but I have not found anything better. They have all the appropriate adjustments available (which Tern does not for instance). I have had mine going down hill up to 35 to 40 mph, and it actually rides great, which belies its looks.

X3Sx0QJJ58Lr4lHur9aO7qfAhj5oQvzRlW9b77yPEk2KX4d8xsGd8gesplu_Hxm1IZjdhH0PnkCD2r9eRTMpjAE6iesw5dkyqJtBxYb2B8KAjXEO7F_H2QMeYlbcLEEu_fyV3ccRJWY0agwr9mK9nGrhDTIxRtbm5LmADzDYBXaW8U5nVriAJMWgyCakgkDZLmWr6gRo8fEVDvqoWnTk_yj2Q16Dpx7UqoB80zJimQYhCi-HMiifAPyP1tPwGpdP_lEeShiIzcDo3Obr_SgQrkIfp9yK4H9iFzD36nHctbDSzhdH8N76jX9X5qHT4KPJ9PSPhvmlNzFso3hK7eEz0xdh6J9GXOUCNtc24xHa23Sc6idvHDNNDB5_lkzu_pbGEqxTVjBFsLGaogFox2-yyqjMlMk2vkfFMWxDfrjkE45moLLzcNZwYv8jfvubWf4G6dSFNx2pYo2QIsJIDetJa5aW7h5Hs5m5MQQsOy54FBxB8WomEF8B87sdP-U8jcKv9qXvLjknbFTXRFuNWbGyUuyQ0pyCtPZFV-TJUA4f30mYUxaNWM5tapNHKVmKmOiCGTsg121DFtVlYKsoP8IiCwF5sYDp0HR4eivu0pmRIFsipXAYIg=w800
Click to expand...
 
OK, you tossed that out and I fell for it hook line and sinker! Since Dahon don't make such a ride, and I cannot find any such conversions, do you care to share who made it and more data?

DonFromTX said:
WOW, now THAT appears to be everything I have been looking for!
Click to expand...
 
DonFromTX said:
OK, you tossed that out and I fell for it hook line and sinker! Since Dahon don't make such a ride, and I cannot find any such conversions, do you care to share who made it and more data?
Click to expand...

Oops, i just edited original post to add that mine is an electric conversion kit from a relatively new company called lunacycle.com. Basically, they are a reseller for parts (motor and batteries) from China, but it's easier to deal with a US company.

Thus, basically, get your favorite bike. Add the motor. Add the battery. Zip tie some wires and done. More or less. I know some bike shops will do the conversions for you, too.
 
Wow, that is some wonderful stuff! I am trying to decide on hub or mid motor etc to make my order for a kit. Do you have any guidance on selecting a folding bike, transmissions etc?

jchang10 said:
Oops, i just edited original post to add that mine is an electric conversion kit from a relatively new company called lunacycle.com. Basically, they are a reseller for parts (motor and batteries) from China, but it's easier to deal with a US company.

Thus, basically, get your favorite bike. Add the motor. Add the battery. Zip tie some wires and done. More or less. I know some bike shops will do the conversions for you, too.
Click to expand...
 
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