Originally Posted by
spambait11
For one, you always have to carry your own tires and tubes because of the 355 rims.
Wouldn't you often do this with a BF also?
Originally Posted by
spambait11
Second, Birdy does not offer good solutions for loading touring, and whatever they do offer, they're pretty proprietary to the Birdy and expensive.
Lastly, some Bike Friday models are specifically geared towards touring, so the above issues are taken into consideration.
I agree that this is an area where the BF is very well set up. I think that you could sort it out with a Birdy (not necessarily using their racks) but it would probably be more effort and it may (or may not) cost more.
Originally Posted by
spambait11
Also, I did not think my Birdy was that much more superior a ride to my Bike Friday. However, I will admit that I spent a lot of time fine tuning the Friday to get it to that point. .
You have ridden both and I have not so I hope that you don't mind a few questions. Did you compare them on rough surfaces? Had the Birdy tires been changed for something better? Is comfort on rough surfaces something you are particularly sensitive to? (I am, and I got the impression that comfort was a major motivator for the OP)
Originally Posted by
spambait11
And believe it or not, a Bike Friday may be cheaper and also has good resale value.
My impression is that price and resale value of both bikes would be of the same general order.
Originally Posted by
spambait11
To a certain extent, I think Baccia has a good idea about what he's looking for; he already has folding bike touring experience.
I think that he mentioned the possibility of a Birdy for this role a while ago and I'm not sure why he does not seem to be considering it any longer. Perhaps it is the load carrying issue but depending on his needs and preferences that may not be as hard to solve as many people seem to think.
David