I have a bike Friday Airglide and I think it's unbeatable. I took it to France twice this this summer. I've been touring extensively in Europe most summers for about thirty years. About five years ago I got an Airglide and it was the best thing I ever did. It takes half an hour to put it into the suitcase. After years of angling for a box at the airport or wrangling a packed box out to the airport it's such a pleasure to just roll a suitcase up to the checkin desk. In Paris, or Galway, or Frankfurt, or where ever I taxi into a hotel unpack the bike, leave the empty case at the hotel (they all have luggage rooms) and pedal to the train. If the train takes bikes, fine. If it doesn't I roll it inside, turn it upside down and fold it. That usually does it. If not, I put it in the travel bag which takes about two minutes. At the destination I reassemble it on the train platform and roll away. The bike is very, very strong and rides like a dream. I use rear panniers for hoteling and both front and rear for camping. BTW I used MKS pulloff pedals for the first time this year. They're great. Some of my friends were on NWT's and one was on a Swift with a Schlumpf gear in the bottom bracket. Good reports. The ride is hard but can be softened with an under the seat suspension. Suspension also makes for very secure descents. The Airglide has built in suspension or course. The following website (mine) deals with with self-contained log distance touring, both techniques and routes.
www.TodMoore.net