I’m looking for a lightweight travel bicycle. just wanted to check i haven’t missed anything.

I will be using the bike for exploring leightweight touring countryside/wilderness and will be flying around countries and thus dont want to pay oversize and overweight baggage charges. frame and wheels has to fit in 26″ wide suitcase, mtb wheels

options considerd:

airnimal rhino 1000 10kg
DAhon flo £1500 11kg
sling shot (frame) 1400 10kg frame sus
montague (frame)1000 10kg
ibis tranny 2000 9kg lightest
lapierre passport 1600 12kg
hortst link mtb 1200 10kg
carbon frame 900 9kg cheapest
carbon rear sus frame 1600 10kg frame sus
note: my builds would be super simple (no rear break and no front derailer carbon fork etc)

The options that im most seriously considering is below; because their weight, price and ability to pack, does anyone have experience with them?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260769985460

http://www.dhgate.com/hot-mountain-bike-carbon-frame-full-suspension/r-ff8080812d0dad01012d1108edbf30bf.html
thx

Well I have the first on your list Airnimal Rhino White – running 1×8 Alfine hub, which I love. Taken it to Swinley a few times. It’s not light – 10kg sounds optimistic, packing into the airnimal suitcase is not easy and there are no real 20″ MTB tyres (I now run Marathon plus which are fine for trekking). That said, it’s a lovely ride and can do modest luggage. If you live near SL3 you are welcome to try it.

How much off-roading will you really be doing? I ask because there are several other options for folding/packing:

Bike Friday New World Tourist – not cheap but you can tow the case
Birdy anything
S&S coupled retrofitted steel frame e.g., Genesis IOID – this would probably be my first choice to be honest if you are wedded to 26″ wheels.

I guess a lot depends on how many times you will be packing it. I like the S&S couplings but went Airnimal for rapid folding to throw in the car. It’s a good compromise.

I own an ibis tranny. lovely bike, strong too. mines an xl, not sure where your based but your welcome to have a go on it. Biketart have a large in from ibis to demo at te moment.

Have a google for S&S couplers, basically they allow you to split a regular frame. Haven’t heard much of them recently though.

Edit: Oops, started writing this ages ago, someone’s got it covered.

alot of the roads here are cley and gravel in the rains it turns to mud. thats the standard roads. when i find places i want to explore i just keep riding (until my legs/stomach tell me to stop) 🙂

yeap know about the s and s couplers however ill end up with a frame just as heavy as a folding specific frame but more expensive, however you congratulate yourself of sylish bike choice the ioid is v nice just i think i can do better for cheapper

i did a year or so ago see arnimal rhino street for around 800-900 but cant find them anymore. i would get something like that and add a cassette.

If you are happy with fully rigid (i.e. the street) and don’t mind small wheels, then Bike Friday are worth looking at (not cheap over here). I also think Airnimal will sell you a frame directly if you want to build one up.

I like mine, and it handles off road muddy stuff like towpaths and modest singletrack fine. I only have a single speed 29er to compare with, but it has honed my technical skills no end – still can’t ride down steps on it though.

It’s very niche (if that’s your thing) 8) . You could build up a Joey with larger wheels and careful tyre selection if you don’t mind rigid. That would be cheaper.

whats the big deal over bike friday – i had the (mis) fortune to work on one

woman was touring scotland on it – she said she spent a small fortune on it.

had a number of things id expect to be right on a bike costing that much.

biggest one being that her gears did not work due to wrong front mech and non ramped SS rings being used – allowing the chain to drop between the rings !

it didnt fold due to the cable bosses making the cables route a certain way – without having a spare loop of cable the size of india there was no way in hell this thing was folding !

thanks for the help

aploigies for the delay

djaustin, thnks for the info. i do think the 20″ wheels are practical, but its the ride quality off road thats the problem how does the rhino compare to a conventional mtb?

fyi i have another thread here; http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/733662-lightweight-travel-bicycle/page2