I've seen many comments on touring with folding bikes and generally they have been very positive but maybe I'm missing your point somehow. I've seen people comment on touring with Bromptons across Asia, taking on buses and trains, storing in their hotel room and riding great distances through amazing countryside etc. It sounded like the perfect way to tour to me. I guess they weren't the fastest bikes or the strongest but the convenience seemed amazing and a full sized rigid bike with the much greater inconvenience seemed like the compromise.

Also if you want a bike they whole family can use and quickly adapted to rider height etc then a normal rigid bike is the compromise or you want a bike that can be easily stored or transported then the normal bike etc is the compromise.

I guess there are compromises everywhere when you think about it but a folding bike may be the least compromised for many uses.

I remember reading about a teacher whose bikes were constantly stolen at School until he finally settled on the cheapest nastiest low end bike he could get his hands on, made it look as horrible as possible and upgraded a few key parts just to keep it reliable. At the time of writing which was a few years ago it had not been stolen so he got to ride everyday without issue which benefited his health and wealth plus he enjoyed riding. The right bike for him was actually the wrong bike for most people.

As I've said,I have toured with the Brompton, for most of the reasons you say. However, I've also taken my road/touring bike and from the riding speed, comfort and loading point of view it wins hands down. That includes covering some of the same terrain in Oz, especially close to the great divide whear a large gear range is a virtual must.

I can sympathise with the teacher, by the way. My superb Trek was stolen in Holland, even though I'd used several chains and had only popped into a shop for 5 minutes to get some water. I replaced with a bright purple and silver cheapo Peugeot for exactly the same reason as the teacher, and, 15 years later, the bike, never locked in its entire life, is still with me. Don't use it much now, but will dig it out this summer as it is great on unmade roads and forest tracks.

The issue is that "your Brompton" does not equal "any folding bike", not even "any Brompton". You just started a thread about after many years you decided to make your Brompton fit your body by buying a longer seat post and different bars. So obviously you have been touring with a bike that did not fit you - no wonder that other bikes have been more comfortable. Has nothing to do with the Brompton being a folding bike or folding bikes in general. Regarding the gears: It is possible to fit different gear setups like Shimano Alfine or a Rohloff hub even to a Brompton aftermarket and many folders offer these already as stock options. So again the issue is the consequence of a semioptimal single decision of your's and has neither any connection to the Brompton or folders in general. And regarding the "is a virtual must": Heins Stücke has been touring with a Sachs 3-speed hub for the most parts of his decade-long bicycle travels. A pretty good proof that material is overrated - it may be more comfy but is by no ways a must. Regarding luggage: When traveling with a Brompton you have to limit luggage to a degree. But on the other hand: The t-bag takes more than 30 liters and a Backpack on the rear carrier takes 50 liters or more - should be sufficent for bicycle travels. And there are other folders on the market that just take the same panniers and bags to the same amount than any full sized bike. Thus again not an issue of the Brompton or folders in general but of your very own decision.

Extrapolating from your experience with a single bike that seems not have been used to it's possiblities as foundation to the claim "folders are no good for touring" is just not valid.

Take a deep breath, go outside, look at the stars and marvel at the skies. Then ask yourself if it really matters.

There was a man 2500 years ago who worked it out.

I'm curious. Is the brompton the only folding bike you have toured with? Or are there other folders you have toured with (which ones)?

The Birdy folder has some modest suspension front and rear. I like how it smooths out rough pavement.

19-113 gear-iches on tap
 

https://dl.dropbox.com/s/go1e0k1h44d...8451.JPG?raw=1
The bike may have other limitations, but gearing (19-113GI) is not one of them. And it is a folding bike.

Interesting and sad you had to ask this.

In fact I tried all the folding bikes in two bicycle shops, but they failed at the first hurdle, the fold. If they didn't fold to the same size as the Brompton, they weren't going to fit in the cupboard where they would be kept, and none did. In fact, some when folded weren't that much smaller than a few of the normal bikes in the shop, which led me to wonder what purpose they were meant to serve. I'd almost given up when one shop owner showed me a picture of a folder that looked like it filled the bill ...

Don't ask me what brands, by the way. Some were Dahons I think, others might have been produced locally.

How about this?

My guess is they were all bikes that had hinges in the main frame. You might reconsider if you ever got your hands on a Birdy or a BF...in terms of the ride. The REAL compromise is that you give up a bit of compactness to get a ride equivalent to a traditional bike, but the bike still folds and is easier to travel with than a non-folding bike. And, actually, the Birdy folds down quite compactly and still has a great ride with full suspension. You don't find them sitting in dealer stores, though. Maybe your expectations for the size of your cupboard are unrealistic, lol.

No, I found a bike.

LOL.

That's an image that looks like it has a story beyond it with that bull looking straight at the cyclist.

The limited storage capacity doesn't compare to a full size standard bicycle.

http://c8.alamy.com/comp/B89BJR/asia...ull-B89BJR.jpg

Oh, and these are folders:

http://airnimal.eu/wp-content/upload...airnimal03.jpg

https://www.bikefriday.com/folding-b...in-oz-crop.png

Obviously they have limited luggage capacity in comparison to the full size that Bonzo posted... ;)

Regarding the monocycle: It does not fold and has a big wheel - thus it is perfectly suited as a touring bike.

This is also a non-compromising folder,...I just haven't had the urge to tour.

https://www.bikeforums.net/picture.p...ctureid=528649

It is funny, I have used both a Nexus 8 and a Sturmey Archer X-RF8w and agree with you. I remember adjusting the Nexus 8
once over 4 or 5 years. The X-RF8, I've just put in my 2nd cable in 6 months. Now granted a cable is cheap and easy to install. The friction and noise of the X-RF8 still bothers me but both have reduced a bit since I've racked up over 5000 kms on it.

Apropos IGH...
 

i am in the midst of building my Bali Bambu 26er. The frame has horizontal dropouts so I got to thinking about lacing up a wheel with an IGH. Problem is i font know which IGH meets my requirements:
1. Not insanely heavy
2. Not insanely expensive
3. Range of at least a 11-36 cogset
4. Smooth shifting
5. Efficient, not draggy or friction prone
6. relatively Maintainance free
7. takes disk rotors
8. black color
does such a thing exist?

You must have seen my Shimano Nexus 8 (SG-8R30) vs Sturmey Archer 8 (x-rf8w) vs SRAM i-Motion 3 post last year
https://www.bikeforums.net/19384942-post6.html

The Nexus was my clear favorite and I think it meets all of your conditions above, except that model I had weighed 2 kg.

I have a Sturmey Archer S-RF5 (w) on my Crius. It isn't made anymore but you can still source them. I haven't put enough km's on it to recommend it or not. Quiet and low friction. Perhaps the shifting isn't the smoothest. There are newer models, but I don't have any experience with them.

Thanks...
 

My LBS has the Alfine 8 at 1,680 grams (claimed). I am thinking this laced up with Surly Rabbit Hole rims...