Hello John!

First of all, I want to thank you for posting in my thread!

Let me clarify a few things before I answer your question. It is not my intention to try to portray the Greenzone Value Edition as somehow being in the same league as some of the more celebrated brands such as Bikefriday, Brompton, Tern or even Dahon.

I do believe that for the money, the Greenzone is good enough to be called a quality folding bicycle. It does what it's supposed to, and that is to transport you quickly, efficiently, and with the confidence that you are not riding a fragile, low quality bicycle.

With that out of the way, I believe it's possible to tour on the GZ VE or it's more expensive alloy framed sibling, the GZ PE. Now touring can mean different things to different people, and that will determine whether or not this bike is a good choice for the job.

I mentioned that I would like to do some touring on this bike, however touring for me is not the "grand" way some people are thinking such as fully self supported, loaded down with panniers both front, and back, and covering really long distances of 500, 1,000 miles or more. For that, something like a Bikefriday such as a Pocket Llama or a NWT might be better suited just because they were designed with the traveler in mind.

I think however that the GZ is ideal for light duty touring or what is called "day trips" in which you can explore local towns, and cities, or even catch a train or plane to more distant locations. You can use a large capacity rack "trunk" that is expandable, and or a handlebar bag to carry essentials.

To carry large panniers on this bike, you'd have to get an appropriate rack which must be taller so that the bags won't strike your heels as you pedal. This would require extra long struts for the front of the rack to connect to the frame. Just look at some pictures of 20" folding/travel bikes with that type of rack, and you'll see what I mean. Alternatively, you can also install a front rack, and carry small panniers there. And lastly, you could also pull a trailer. You wouldn't have to worry about changing or installing new racks on the bike.

Now, speaking of the "twitchy" steering, the GZ does indeed have a very responsive front end but I wouldn't describe it as "twitchy" or "nervous". Once you get it up to speed, it feels plenty stable to me.

Geometry may be part of it, but also the GZ comes with narrow upper mid pressure tires that might contribute to the responsive steering. I mean, you'll get used to it but quite frankly, I have ridden small folders that had a bit more docile front end. The common denominator in those other bikes that I can tell was the fact they used lower pressure, 1.75 or 1.95 inch wide tires.

So there is nothing really that would deter me from riding this bike for some considerable distances carrying a moderate load of gear. Keep in mind that the gear ratios that come stock on this bike are quite suitable for city/urban riding, and going up bridges, and highway overpasses will not be a problem. However if your route is challenging with lots of climbs, then you could buy, and install a 7 speed "Megarange" freewheel. They usually run about $20 to $25 on eBay or other bike related commercial websites. You'll still have the higher gear range like the stock freewheel, and a huge "granny gear" for the tough hills. The upgrade will be worth the money in my opinion.

One more worthwhile upgrade would be to replace the stock folding pedals with non folding platform type such as those made by MKS. Some models are unique in that can be removed without using tools. They are somewhat expensive however, but an alternative could be platform type BMX pedals. The purpose for this upgrade is to provide you with a much more firm pedal to push hard on if required to climb hills, etc.

Well I got long winded, and felt in the mood for writing. I just wanted to give you an idea of what I feel is needed to equip this bike for distance riding. By the way, the saddle that came installed on the bike is perfect for me. It is quite comfortable, but that is of course a variable amongst different riders. It works for me.

And keep in mind that making mods, and changing equipment such as components, accessories, etc, to make a bike more suitable is quite common even among people who spend many hundreds, or thousands of dollars on a bike.

For all around use as a commuter, an errand runner, a fitness bike, the GZ will work perfectly in it's stock configuration. I think most people will be happy with it, and the price is right.

Now I'll shut up!

Ed