Hello (mostly) Gentleman and (a few) Ladies, it's been a while since I've been on Bike Forums! Life's been busy. I'm still running rideblog, and still teaching, but in June I'm officially off to see the world as the owner of a guided trip company. You're welcome to come check us out, though we're aren't currently running any bike tours. It's called Distant Mountain Trips. So as you might imagine, I've been a bit overwhelmed. But as things settle down, I've been pondering travelling with a bike. Specifically, with a small, foldable bike. I don't much like the look of most modern folders, and I hear the Twenty rides a lot like my Sports.

Before I go pouring money down the drain on one of these babies, I'm wondering... just how light, and how "packable" are they? I'm thinking it would be nice to have a bike I can take on the plane to use when I first get wherever I'm going... London, Paris, whatever. Then I could essentially put it in a luggage locker somewhere while I lead the trip, and pick it up before I head home. It wouldn't be practical for every trip, but for many of them, I think it would be.

I realize that a "stock" Twenty would be too heavy to really make this practical. I'd want alloy rims anyway, for the improved braking. What else would/should I do to lighten it up? How much money am I looking at, in terms of improvements to the weight? Would it be practical, in terms of folded size?

I know lots of you own these little guys. Thoughts?