You're looking for basically a lightweight packable mountain bike. Surprising that no one has mentioned what I would have imagined was the obvious choice.

2nd post mentioned the Bike Friday.

Right. But Bike Friday makes dozens of bikes. Only one is relevant.

cut back to 1 wheel and it can be even lighter.. Florian Schlumpf, in Switzerland
makes a 2 speed unicycle hub .. and a complete Uni.

Dang! I contacted Montague about purchasing just the frame and they don't do that. Too bad. I'd have been all over that. Now I either need to find a used one to strip down or look for another kind of frame.

heres an update on thinking (i think it might help others to)

make Price Weight

rob engish frame 1320£ ?£ (but i bet its light e.g. 1.5kg)

montague 299£ 2.7kg

slingshot fold tech 280£ 2.7kg

slingshot ripper 500£ 2.3kg

ibis tranny 1300£/1400$ 1.3kg

breakaway 3500$ 1.6kg

ravello cheap option 500£ 1.46
(carbon ebay frame)

full bike only

montague biframe 80-130£ 14kg
(what i currently have)

dahon flo 2000£/2800$ 10.3kg

lapierre passport ? 12kg

seperable modification

ravello 500$ .160kg

S and S 400£ .3kg

packable full suspension mountain bike

turner 5 spot

cc helious travel

swanee litespeed

i will start a thread here "full suspension frames that fit in a suitcase"

CLownbike, Im gambia so 18" tyres are about not avaible, i have found the occasional 24" fyi to others replacements for airnimal might be possible.

feijai, as mentioned i prefer the ride of 26" over 20

fietsbob, i like your creative thinking however i cant ride a unicycle, i would learn but ive heard they are slow :(

reverborama here are some uk suppliers for the frame your after

http://www.foldingbikes.biz/html/montague_x5_tora.html if i were you id consider the montague biframe and the slingshot frame avaiable here , or buy any 7005 bike frame you like and speak to ravello about having them make it seperable

Joey special http://www.calhouncycle.com/productc...idproduct=2430

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...8#post12644948

packable mtb frame thread FYI

If you're only going to be flying a couple of times a year, want 26" wheels, and are going to be mountain biking, I think the best thing to do is to just buy the full-sized mountain bike you want (or take the one you already own) and pay extra to check it on the plane if necessary - that will be much cheaper than most of the options you are considering and you'll have exactly the bike you want.

Packing for transit of almost any bike to fit in 62 linear inches is a major pain:

Here's what it takes to get the 20" Airnimal Rhino into a case:

http://www.donaldingram.com/ForumIma...imalinCase.jpg
http://www.donaldingram.com/ForumIma...imalinBits.jpg

TSA will then try to take it out, rip your case apart and then not wrap things up or be able to get it all in just right so they wont be able to close the case tightly when they are done.

The Brompton is a lot better for them as it just lifts out as one item.

As a next project, that Ibis Tranny frame sure does look nice - just for in car transport though.

I did once get my full 26" MTB to NZ free - by having one bag with a stripped frame and the wheels and bits in another - to be honest that was not any more work than packing the Rhino.

thanks island hopper,

i do really like the rhinos design but Im 6' 2 and like a comfortable more upright position for touring. thus i dont think the airnimal is for me.

and yes it is akward taking the bike apart but much more annoying travelling with a none folding bicycle, the charges being at the top of my list. anyway i have lots of time and enjoy build bikes/dismantleing :) (bike geek i know)

http://www.curtlo.com/frame_pages/travel-bike.html

anotherone for the list

29er build :)

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=583354

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=672760

I remembered the link to the twin downtube bike I referred to earlier in thread .Thought it had 26 " but only 20" wheels

Possibly called a "gaap" in asian form, or a " landfreeR20" (possibly a joke suggestion?)

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...width-opinions.....

http://translate.google.com/translat...sl=zh-CN&tl=en

http://translate.google.com/translat...sl=zh-CN&tl=en


A bike forum user called "ZEPI" bought one on ebay

Just based on old conversations, I recall that a lot of these Asian bikes had weight limits that exclude a decent proportion of Americans/Europeans.

I still think you should look closer at the Friday. I honestly don't even know I'm riding tiny wheels until I look down at them by mistake. I rode an imperial century on one, I've packed it up in hotel rooms, and unpacked it ready to roll. Great bikes.

Boudicca I remember around two years ago going for a ride on a mtb 26" wheels after riding a brompton and a 20" folder and within a five minutes i was AMAZED how much better i.e. stable, faster, better at rolling over stuff it was relavtive to the other bikes.

granted i havent speciffically riden the llama but i have other 20" folders off road and it just wasent as fun.

the research seems to confirm its not suitable for my type of riding i.e. off road not just bad roads

http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/in.../t-376213.html

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?p=2767607

My point is that the Friday (I have a Pocket Rocket) does not feel as though you are riding small wheels. The llama is their MTB option, but there are others that work for rough roads rather than off road -- I'd look at the NWT if you've got the budget for it. I've taken mine over some pretty big potholes, and mine is supposed to be a road bike.

You could always try a test ride somewhere.

here's a guy that packed his bike and other travel stuff into two airline approved suitcases - the montague merits some consideration:

http://wheelsdown.wordpress.com/2008...etting-packed/

http://wheelsdown.files.wordpress.co...g-bike-006.jpg

http://wheelsdown.files.wordpress.co...g-bike-008.jpg

If you really need the bike light, you could upgrade the components...

Len Rubin has dropped the All titanium Brompton replica, apparently..
and has added their offering to the cargo trailer marketplace instead.
http://www.portlandbicycletrailercom...pany/Home.html
lower capitalization hurdles to leap over.

:thumb:ranch you legend i remember that just couldnt find it i will look and get back. dont like the idea of two cases tho. thx :thumb:

fietsbob sorry i dont understand is he making some sort of travel bike?

You're welcome. I remember seeing that montague some time ago when i was looking for something similar to what you are looking for - a folding travel bike.

To complete the kit, I would have a rectangular travel bag custom made, from tough nylon or some other material, then i'd line it with cardboard. at the other end of the flight, after putting the bike together, i can just throw away the cardboard lining and keep the custom bag rolled up and lashed to the frame or something. I'd also design the bag to open completely so that it would double it's function as a ground tarp or a sleeping pad.

I have something like this, but for a normal 26" mountain bike - a large cordura nylon bike bag that i can use as a sleeping pad. a bit cumbersome though because it is such a large bag.

:roflmao2: the legend continues! :lol: that is great thinking.

my set up would be similar to this: http://www.google.gm/imgres?imgurl=h...w=1346&bih=537

fold the bike when in transit, use it for storage (food:love:) when riding in the wilderness i strap tent and sleeping bag onto bike with 4/6 liters of water. i would make the bag myself ouf of alloy angle at exact 26*26*10 size and triangulate structure for strenght and add wheels.

ps importing a bike bad idea :(

http://www.dutycalculator.com/new-im...etails/306721/

only so far as having gotten some prototypes made ,
one was stolen from his back yard .. APB went out to Bike community.
.. last summer's drama .
it was recovered. thief, some homeless tweaker , who didn't get far..
not ambitious enough to leave town.

not much of market for 10,000$ folding bikes..

my set up would be similar to this: http://www.google.gm/imgres?imgurl=h...w=1346&bih=537

cool, like a DIY bob trailer. have you seen wandertec's cello bike case? a smaller version that fits a folding mtb would be perfect.


http://www.velovision.com/storyimages/2005/cello1.jpg

http://www.velovision.com/storyimages/2005/cello2.jpg

http://www.velovision.com/storyimages/2005/cello3.jpg