Big Adventure. Small Wheels.
For the past few months, we’ve been hatching a plan for our next trip. Hitting the road again was never a question of ‘if’ – but ‘when’ and ‘how’. You may have noticed that we’ve been hinting about our next adventure, about changing a few details of the ‘how’ of our traveling. As the details have started to come together, we’ve gotten more and more excited about what this next journey will be. And now that we’re here at NAHBS, it’s finally time to let you all in on the big secret…
Look up at the changed header for the blog and you’ll see the name of our next trip… “Big Adventure. Small Wheels.” What do we mean by ‘small wheels’? Meet our new touring bikes…
We’ll be putting our trusty Surly Long Haul Truckers in storage to travel on Bromptons. Why? Riding around on a Brompton is simply a fun experience, and being able to fold them into a really tiny package is just cool.
Our plan is to pair the cycling with train travel. We think more people should get out on bikes, but we also think the train is overlooked as a contemporary means of travel. Since the two go together so well, we’re going to focus our whole next trip on the joys of bike and train travel. As much as we love our Surlys, they feel sluggish compared to the Bromptons, and they’re just not as simple to take on multi-modal travel.
So, meet Brompton… The Brompton is a folding bike with 16-inch wheels. It has the smallest and neatest fold you can get in a folding bike. The design has been around since 1988, which means that it’s a mature product that performs like a ‘real’ bicycle.
You may be wondering about the tiny wheels. Will we really be able to tour on these bikes and ride them up and over the mountains? Yes, we think so. The Bromptons are geared in such a way that we have almost the same range of gears as we had on the Surlys, they’re just broken down into a smaller number of gears (six). Because they’re geared so well, the small size of the wheels doesn’t affect the handling the way you might initially think, and we don’t have to pedal harder or spin faster in order to keep up with a larger-wheeled bike.
What about the carrying capacity? The Bromptons are decidedly smaller than the Surlys and are not intended for hauling around as much of a load as the Surly. But that doesn’t mean they can’t carry gear. Brompton makes a great front touring bag that’s approximately the size of a pannier and a half. We’ll be using these bags, as well as a second bag on the rear racks (likely a backpacking-style backpack). We will have to pack lighter and carry fewer items with us, but we see this is a blessing. Even though we were continually lightening our load on our last trip, we still had 70 or so pounds of gear by the end. That’s just too much stuff and too much weight! As soon as we figure out our reduced selection of gear, we’ll share that here.
Like before, we’re trying to not overly plan our route. We’ll be starting from Portland this spring and heading East, across the northern part of the US and into Canada. For both of us, one of the greatest parts of the last trip was meeting people along the way and interacting with all of our wonderful readers. So we hope that you’ll all come along on this journey as well! If you have suggestions for places we should check out, please let us know.
As we’ve been riding around on the Bromptons, we’ve started to notice something… we’re smiling a lot! These bikes are zippy and playful and fun to ride, not to mention rather head-turning. We’re having so much fun already – and we can’t wait to take them out on the open road!
We’re currently raising funds for train tickets and video equipment to really make the experience come alive for our readers. If you want to contribute, go here!
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Great. Bromptons are the best. A fun ride with the an awesome ease of movement.
I just finished an extended test of an M3L with blog posts to match. Supplied by NYCeWheels, I found it to be the best folding bike on the market.
I love the front hub generators on your bikes.
These will be a great way for you two to travel. Have fun.
Awesome! I like the idea of folding bikes and trains. Have a great trip, I’ll be following along.
I have a customer who did Paris Brest Paris on his Brompton. Enjoy. Are those halogen Lumotecs? The new Busch & Muller Lyt is LED, much brighter and not prone to blowing either at around the same price. Are you going to the Brompton US champs in Philly next month?
http://www.brompton.co.uk/busc/2011/
Sounds very interesting.
I have been riding a Brompton for 3 years and I am contemplaiting touring with it. The multi-modal travel options are very appealing.
I will follow your experiences with great interest.
Good luck on the tour!
And you guys just keep continuing to inspire!
That is awesome! I will be interested to see how the handlebars fare, as it looks like they only have one hand position.
Did you all end up with 70 pounds of gear each, or total?
Can’t wait to follow this….
[…] They are the new modes of traveling paths less pedaled. […]
Brilliant! You are going to have so much fun!
What fun! Looking forward to following your newest adventures.
Great plan! I did London to Istanbul on a Brompton towing a trailer (www.smallwheelsbigworld.com). The plan was to go around the world, but for various reasons I decided to end the trip in Istanbul – that decision had nothing to do with the bike though!
My only advice is to be careful of the brakes overheating on the long downhills. Smaller wheels mean the rims heat up faster under braking.
I’ll be following your journey closely!
Hi,
I just received my special order Brompton from NYCewheels. I love it! They are so much fun. I chose all black with the Son Dynamo Hub. M6R, Telescopic Seat, C-Bag, Eazy Wheels, and even added a Garmin 705! Just amazing. My Trek 7.9FX is mounted on the indoor trainer, maybe a long time before it gets outside.
Enjoy
Bill
Kg4fxg@me.com
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by ThePathLessPedaled, thelonghaulproject. thelonghaulproject said: The @pathlesspedaled duo announced plans for their new trip & it involves very small, folding bikes! Cool, want one. http://bit.ly/ibdzWj […]
Very cool! From some of the things you guys have said I expected a European trip, but I think this will be better! Very interested to see how your travels unfold.
Wondering if you feel like you might be missing something while on the train vs. pedaling every inch?
Love this idea! Trains are such a great way to travel, especially combined with bikes. Good luck, can’t wait to hear about your non-planned plans!
How exciting! Trains + Bromptons seem the perfect combination. Can’t wait to follow you along.
Enjoy your trip! It will be great fun. Bromptons are a great way to tour without the hassles of a full size bike.
[…] Our friends Laura and Russ are announcing their next big adventure! […]
Super cool. I love the project’s logo. Who came up with that?
When you get up to the Seattle area we’ll get a little gang of folding bikes out for a ride.
Fantastic! I can’t wait to live vicariously through your Brompton adventures this coming year… 🙂
Alan@EcoVelo
Sweet! Brommies rock. Mine has been going strong since 2002. Be prepared to for lots of questions, with the inevitable first one, “how much does one cost.” Obvious answer: “much, much less than a car.” Have fun!
For any doubters or if you just can’t get enough, my “yes you can too tour on a Brompton!” post: http://clevercycles.com/2010/11/26/down-the-pacific-coast-by-brompton/ . You’re gonna love it, guys. Ergon GC3’s on menu?
If you make it to the east coast of Canada (Halifax, NS) get in contact with me!
The Atlantic Provinces are full of beautiful scenery.
Good Luck!
can’t wait to track with you guys when you take off in the spring. love the idea of touring on a folding bike.
we are headed west from ontario to vancouver via denver this spring as well, so maybe our paths will meet somewhere in the middle.
Congratulations and good luck on your new endeavour! (Oh and those new Brompton colours are mighty nice!)
Hey Russ,
Looking forward to a photo of the bromptons fully loaded, with rider to see how it all fits together 🙂
Wish you guys the best adventure!
Hey guys! Daruka here. You stayed at my place in Arcata. I just order a Brompton from Clever Cycles in Portland and hope to do some touring on it.
Do you go with the standard wide range gearing or the lower option? Have you considered adding a second chain ring? I’m interested to see what you choose for a second bag. I’m considering a Carradice Super C saddlebag or trying to attach a 2nd T bag as a Saddle Bag.
Did you look at Bike Fridays? If so curious how you made that choice for Bromptons.
Happy Travels!
Also which suspension did you choose. Regular or firm?
“… and we don’t have to pedal harder or spin faster in order to keep up with a larger-wheeled bike.”
Uhmm… are you certain that this statement isn’t simply wishful thinking? I mean, the laws of physics being what they are, would seem to argue against it.
[…] with Laura and Russ from the PathLessPedaled, after riding cross-country last year they now have a small wheels big adventure coming […]
Really enjoyed my time on a Brompton that I rented when I was in PDX for work (thanks Todd @ Clever!)
Touring – would seem to be a great fit! Combine some of the gear paring you learned on your last trek + the train… sounds fun and fast(er)!
Let me know if you head east. Missed you by a week on a trip to Boston last time. You can get to VT via Amtrak – but you also may consider ViaRail and heading into Montreal then into New England. Quebec has an extensive network of bike infrastructure, Montreal is a world class city, and we here in VT offer some great cycling in the Champlain Valley and the Green Mountains as you head south and maybe pick up another train…
Let me know if you get close to Calgary. This sounds like a fun trip/project/adventure.
What a great idea. I have a Brompton that I rode to work last summer in London, and I commute to work on it here in Atlanta. It’s a great bike; 6 gears great for the hills in Atlanta, and it folds up in under 30 seconds so I can stash it in the office. My wife Nancy has one too. I am a patent lawyer by trade and these bikes are beautiful engineering, designed by Andrew Ritchie who is a Cambridge engineering graduate. Cannot say enough good things about Bromptons or the great trip you have coming up. Have fun. Jim Ewing, Atlanta, GA
Just out of curiosity, why Brompton instead of bike friday Tikit? Is it just a difference in application (touring vs multi-mode commuting)?
I’m in the throes of deciding between a Brompton and a Bike Friday for touring. Like you guys, I’m also the owner of an LHT, but I fly a lot and I’m looking to simplify the packing/unpacking process. Given that you’re just a stone’s throw from the home of Bike Friday, I’m sure you considered them too. I’d really like to hear your thoughts on the pros/cons of each of these folders. Thanks!
Hi there Lyle,
We were looking for the smallest possible folding bike we could find that would hold together neatly. Also, the front touring bag on the Brompton is just brilliant and really centralizes and stabilizes the ride!
Russ
AWESOME! What a great idea. Can’t wait to read about your adventures and how the Brompton holds up on dirt roads. Happy Trails!
Have fun on your tour and consider a detour through Alberta. The Bow Valley is stunning (Banff and Canmore are in the valley) and you can cycle in less than one day from Canmore to Calgary.
Looking forward to reading about your adventure.
Sean
Excellent. Looking forward.
I’m about to ask the same question to Lyle. Apart from that, the next journey that I’ve been waiting for. Sure it will be great one.
I’ve got a Brompton – anyone want to trade for a standard bike?
I got it for a 10 km commute. Worked well. No need to worry about it getting stolen, easy to take the bus home if the weather was too bad.
But…
– small tires make any kind of off pavement travel rough and difficult
– short handlebars make it hard to steer on uneven surfaces
– all together its wobbly and hard to maneuver
Cute, but not very practical.
Not a bike I would take more than a few km down the road.
Welcome to Brompton. Great to meet Brompton users in America.
I rode my Brompton with a full camping load down Oregon and NoCal coasts this summer, including offroad sections in the Lost Coast. Best days of my life! Wrote it up in detail: http://clevercycles.com/2010/11/26/down-the-pacific-coast-by-brompton/ . Show ’em, guys!
Fantastic. My buddy and I are planning to have a bike travel in China. Brompton works well within 10km circle where feature attractions located. Take train to commute at longer distance and beyond.
Good luck your trip and enjoy!
I toured on my wee Dahon Vitesse and it was great. I did find that our (uk) weather meant the rear wheel rim wore really quickly. It was all over by about month four of regular riding. I love the portability and the fact theft becomes a problem of the past. The upright ride suited me, and I found it comfy.
I pulled a Carry Freedom, folding City trailer and loved the combination. The trailer sits between seats on trains and the courier style bag goes up on the rack.
I could get everything I needed in the courier bag for lighter trips, and when more things were needed, I simply strapped a second on top with a waterproof rucksack cover over the lot. Brilliant. I’ll send you some piccies of this if you like?
Hopefully you will come through the Great Lakes region, can’t beat Michigan in the summer.
The Brompton patent dates to 1977 and the bikes were introduced to American cyclists in Bicycling magazine in 1984.
Can’t wait to see how you guys gear up the Bromptons for the trip. Will be great if you can run thru the accessories used and how they fare during the trip. Ride safe and have fun!
Hi there – great to hear you all have bought Bromptons and will be touring on them! 🙂 I bought my Brompton last summer and have enjoyed it very much. 🙂 Look forward to hearing how it goes for you! I live in the Washington, DC area – and hopefully your travels will bring you to the Nation’s Capitol! 🙂 Charmaine
Hello, Best of luck to both of you, I look foward to following your travels, hopefully with lots of photos. Have a look at these photos of Heinz Stucke on a Brompton for some inspiration. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kooskroon/sets/72157625443273851/)I look foward to seeing your luggage lists as I imagine you will have to have a radical rethink and maybe go down the ultralight kit route.I am also curious as to why you chose the M handlebar setup as opposed to the dedicated P touring one. I have been a Brompton owner (M6R)since 2003 and am also a keen ultralight backpacker and kit geek!
Enjoy! I commute on a Bike Friday Tikit and love it. I also have a Pocket Crusoe for longer rides. The full-sized bike is covetous, lonely and spiteful. Folders are great bikes; always good conversation around them. I could fill volumes with the comments I get…
Please come to DC this trip! There’s good riding in these here parts.