Thou doth protest too much...methinks....

Good info. A 349 Brompton, if it fits standing on the floor of the back seat instead of on the seat, would be very efficient. I'll have to measure on my car. The 406, with wheel curvature, might still fit up against the center floor hump.

Most bikes don't come with great racks. An exception was the last model Trek 520. Well-aft fitting racks can be found. However, with the swinging rear triangle on Bromptons, they're just not feasible for frequent folding without increasing the folding size a lot, or instead pulling the rack off when transported folded, like for air travel.

You obviously don't know the Birdy folding rear rack that folds automatically when the rear suspension arm is folded while allowing the use of full size rear pannier.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...018a57cf7a.jpg


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3dc9b2abd4.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1fc1ebf6d3.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e8473e51bb.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3a76999378.jpg

(above) I haven't forgotten about the Birdy folding rack. But a) It's not fittable to other bikes, and b) Though looks well-constructed, that's still a long cantilever for my typical rear rack loads, two big panniers and a heavy trunk bag full of tools and heavy chain + lock. And occasionally I need to haul something cool that someone else has tossed (Cuisinart stainless steel tabletop gas grill, just needed failed pop rivet holding burner replaced):

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d2bfc64ffb.jpg

Its specified by Riese & Müller for 15kg max.

Of course, it must be foreseen during the design of the bike by the bike manufacturer and is specific for a given bike type. There are strong holes both in the main frame and rear swing arm of the Birdy to mount it. This and the design of the rack itself result in this 15kg allowed load.

The rack on your Dahon has the classic drawbacks of a fixed rear rack for big pannier on a small wheel folding bike: since it must be placed high above the rear wheel and must extend behind the extremity of the rear wheel, it increases significantly the folded size.

Is there any max load specified for the rack of your Dahon?

I bet this would work well for a Dahon, attach some cardboard to the sides to protect against impacts a little

https://www.ebay.com/itm/285947292041

That looks extremely similar to the bags used by our Mexican member @ChiapasFixed for transporting 4 different folders for his Asian trip. I haven't looked at dimensions, but if same, should work, as one of his bikes is a clone of mine, though I still might need to remove the rear rack and nest it around the rear wheel. For most airlines, fine. To go on Southwest and be at max 62" combined girth (BIG penalty for oversize), I'll need to split the bike up into roundy parts in one bag and longish skinny parts in another, each below 62". EDIT: Dimensions are 29x14x23", that's 66", over 62" but might work. I'd still need to pull off (my tall) rear rack and nest around a wheel, but that's not a big deal. My bifold is 31" folded, diagonal in that case is 32", so may barely fit.

If I pad things, I'll use Coroplast, like corrugated cardboard but out of plastic, unless I can't stash while traveling so need to use disposable materials like cardboard.

It does extend behind the rear wheel but not by a ton. In fact it's nice to stand the bike on its back when folded, as I can't fold/rotate the handlebars forward around the handlepost due to conflict between flat-bar cables and my clip-on aero bar, so I need to rotate up, and then the aero drags on the ground when the handlepost is folded. But it parks nice on its back. But yes, the high rack deck does make for a taller fold, zero problem for 99% of folding, with a lateral hinge. But for air travel, I would need to disconnect rack and nest it around the rear wheel, but that'll still be too large for 62" on a bifold frame, I'll need to break up parts into two bags for Southwest airlines (most other airlines, not).

Both front and rear rack are spec'ed for 40 pounds/18.2 kg each. The rear is a beefy Blackburn, no surprise. The front is a cheap "Sixer" brake post rack, which surprisingly is also rated for 40 pounds/18.2 kg. It's not even designed for panniers, but I zip-tied a wood stick on each side between the deck front and the fork dropout and hung (smallish) panniers and it works fine. Even heavy food shopping with cans and bottles, I don't think I've ever come close to 40 lbs in those front panniers. Rear would come closer, but I think still not 40 lbs with panniers and trunk back of tools and spares. Loaded touring, maybe.

When you say specified for 40 pounds, its specified for that weight by Dahon or by the rack manufacturer?

That's spec by both rack makers. I've no clue what ratings are for the rear eyelets and the front brake posts. The rear rack lowers are spaced out 25mm to accommodate discs, I don't have so didn't want, but it was only available in disc verson when I bought on clearance. Without spacers would put a LOT less bending moment on those small bolts, mostly just shear; Original one eventually broke after 7-8 years, but I replaced with a better quality one and long enough to put a locknut on the inside of frame. But in both cases, neither rack when loaded puts any load on the frame hinge, in fact the rear rack completely behind the axle actually helps reverse the bending load on the frame hinge a bit. However my improvised deltech cable has reduced the hinge bending load by an order of magnitude, by my guess. Tightened it right up. Hasn't needed adjustment since, and should prolong the frame life. Dahons spec'ed with it go from 231 to 300 lbs max rider weight and double warranty from 5 to 10 years. That's a big bump, and for good reason.

My critical factors for touring load will be strength of rims, spokes, hubs, tire loading, etc.

I figure a soft bag like that cannot really be measured precisely for the 62

I do have one sheet of coroplast that I missed in the recent garage cleanout, but for the other side I'll use cardboard.

Do you put tension in the cable when you installed it? Or does Dahon do that on theirs?

Off Topic but that belong in the Carry**** Olympics group on Facebook! Well done!

At this point over the last decade or so I have managed air travel with a Bike Friday Pocket Rocket in its own (no-rollers, ancient) suitcase, a no-name Chinese $30 (!) folder wrapped in a plastic bag with lots of tape (thanks, luggage handlers in Beijing -- they really did help), my Dahon Boardwalk in the same old BF/Samsonite case, Brompton in an older dedicated case (meh) and recently the Brompton in a Vincita case, with the bike wrapped in clothes. Some level of something-not-quite-fitting has always occurred, but so far no significant damage.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...86bf1be8d8.jpg
I like the Vincita Sight-Seer, I was able to carry everything from front door to the airport on the bike.

In a different thread I gave great details, but I'll try to remember... So, Dahon has two welded tabs to attach a steel cable that has a threaded adjuster, I don't know the adjustment criteria. They are supposed to sell this year a retrofit with steel loops for the bottom bracket and head tube. I could have had same made at any shop that does sailboat standing rigging, but I'd need loops of kevlar or amsteel for my attachments. I just happened to have just enough kevlar line laying around so made one big loop from the BB to head tube. Kevlar and amsteel (UHMWPE) have extremely low stretch for polymers and ultra high strength, the strength of steel at 1/7 the weight IIRC. Kevlar and amsteel are slippery, so I used a figure-8 knot to join both ends. I made it just snug enough while almost unfolded, so that to fully unfold, I needed to lay frame flat and gently push on frame with my foot to snap it into place. Note that it loops around the left side of BB shell, same side as hinge pin, it would be more difficult to fold and unfold if I went to the right side of BB, plus closer to the chain. It's been installed for over a year and yet to stretch at all, always tight. Incredibly low cost and effective improvement.

Installed, before putting a half-hitch in both ends to store the excess line:

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a9ef340491.jpg

I had to stash the trunk bag in the rear pannier after unloading it partly.

The grill fix was super easy, instead of just replacing the bad aluminum pop rivet, I took off the other three and replaced all with stainless screws and nuts, so it'll be easy to remove the burners if needed. Gave the grill to a friend of mine that needed it after he gave his grill to his son. The stuff I pick up that's being tossed, I just recognize as useful for someone, if not me. Heavy duty hand truck, went to same friend to move stuff in his garage:

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...36443c3866.jpg

By the way, it towed great. They make a folding version of that for bikes but it's expensive, otherwise I'd love one.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...795f2c61bf.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...27e3a78efa.jpg

..this time i choose best ride over easiest-to-fly-with. Never packed the Spin5.1 in a bag, but countless times disassembled it for new components and maintenence. It's worth the effort for me to re-assemble it 30mins at destination.

Whoomp, there it is.