Do any of you carry a folding bicycle or e-bike in the back seat?

[exM20K]

segway ninebot is pretty cheap now:

$379.99.  Still has the scary battery issue, but maybe segway is reputable enough to relieve those concerns...

Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 10.2 x 23.4 inches ; 28 pounds

Not sure if that will fit through the baggage door, but maybe if the knee riser comes off?

[kortopates]

On 12/17/2019 at 11:31 AM, PilotCoyote said:

Old Man + Electric Razor Scooter = inevitable comical painful event.

The Mi scooter, which is what the Bird rentals use are easy to ride. I bought a pair for our Mooney for getting around. Great range and speed. They're popular and always in demand resulting their price continuing to go up. I think I paid about $500 https://www.amazon.com/Xiaomi-Electric-Cruising-Distance-Ultra-Lightweight/dp/B07YXRJJ3T/ref=sr_1_12?dchild=1&keywords=mi+scooter&qid=1576719503&sr=8-12

[LOCOLJ]

I have been meaning to post here about traveling with bicycles.  I am an avid cyclist and take bicycles everywhere in my mooney.  I have have used http://www.sandsmachine.com/ couplers to convert bicycles into convenient travel  bikes.  This allows them to fit in a smaller suitcase for no added cost domestic airline travel and really fit quite nicely in a mooney even a tandem.   The wheels come off and fit in a bag or you can even put the bikes in a  hard sided suitcase and strap it into the back seat of a short body.   So if you have a nice bicycle already, these may be a solution for you. 

[carusoam]

Nice...!

The thoughts of a tandem bike being carried in a Mooney is really interesting...   

Best regards,

-a-

[mearchd]

Electric bikes is a new way for commuting. It is friendly to our live environment. I got one, which really helps me

[steingar]

I bought the cheapest aluminum frame bike off Amazon.  Fits in the luggage bay of the Mooney.

 

[ArtVandelay]

segway ninebot is pretty cheap now:
$379.99.  Still has the scary battery issue, but maybe segway is reputable enough to relieve those concerns...

And yet tugs which are less complicated to manufacture are 4-5 times more expensive.

[FlyingScot]

My wife and I love these (Brompton H6R) - and we have bags (lamaki:lab Transport Bags from Amazon) for both that make them easy to handle - up front cost is steep, but they are extremely well built, easy to load/fold get into the plane, compact & light enough to leave room for other cargo, and great to ride. Total weight for 2 with all accessories is <60lbs. No batteries, but great exercise. Has changed our thinking about day trips in the plane and opened a lot of options. 

 

[graham28105]

I'm a little late to the post, but maybe this will help. This is a Dahon Speed in the back of a '78J. Just a few suggestions:

1) This model is 26lbs. It's all that I would want to lift into the baggage area.

2) Dahon makes a pretty darn good bike for the money

3) There is a huge difference in ride quality/stabilitybetween 20" wheels and 16" wheels. I have a folder with 16" and it just sits now.

4) If I remember correctly, this didn't fit with the luggage rack on the back. You can still get it in, just not laying flat like this.

5) Remove the seat post when loading and unloading. Just makes it easier.

6) The Helix looks awesome, but it's only 1.5lbs lighter and over $3k

7) I strongly recommend getting one with gears over single speed

My wife and I have been using folding bikes in planes for 12+ years. 172, m20j, pa-28. They are so much fun to use. We just got back from a trip to Venice, FL. We were on our Dahons for three days.

Places on East coast that are fun to visit with folders:

1) Ocracoke, NC (W95)

2) First Flight, NC (FFA)

3) Williamsburg, VA (JGG)

4) Tangier Island (TGI)

5) Beaufort, NC (SUT)

6) Beaufort, SC (ARW)

7) Fernandina Beach, FL (FHB)

9) Cedar Key, FL (CDK)

10) Venice, FL (VNC)

11) Key West, FL (EYW)

I'm sure there are several more, but these all have towns that you can ride to easily from the airport.

[exM20K]

@graham28105 my AFM lists the baggage door as 20.5x17”. Will this bike fit through the baggage door of your J?

[graham28105]

1 hour ago, exM20K said:

@graham28105 my AFM lists the baggage door as 20.5x17”. Will this bike fit through the baggage door of your J?

Unfortunately, I'm no longer flying that J model so I have no way of knowing.

[graham28105]

2 hours ago, philip_g said:

I have too much crap in baggage to fit that bike. What about an electric scooter? I have thought one of those might be handy to get around

Depends on your mission once you land. Keep in mind that decent e-scooter will run about -$300-400. I have two from Go-trax. If you just need to go a mile or two, maybe, but if you're getting around all day, you'll need one that has better range. Range costs in two ways, money and weight. My scooters weigh as much as my folders, but they will only go about 12-14 miles before they need a charge.

[Prior owner]

On 12/11/2019 at 8:17 AM, Steve B said:

http://citizenbike.com

I got the “Tokyo”. It’s good for last mile. I have taken it on trips where it was my only transport for 10 days and it’s great for up to about 10 miles for me. You could obviously go further but it’s not a full size bike. (I didn’t get the electric boost option - saving weight - but with that I would think it would be comfortable to ride 20+ miles no problem). Get the travel bag and you’re set to load it in the plane. It fits through the baggage door of an ovation. It’s fairly inexpensive so mine just lives in the hangar.

I found it to be a very nice quality set up for the price. (And I’m a bike guy who has tricked out racing bikes in the garage.)




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I bought a pair of the Citizen Tokyo bikes for the Mooney, a little more than two years ago after starting this thread- they are a little bit heavy, they are a great deal, they are well made, and they will fit on the rear seat and in the baggage compartment of our ‘64.

6 speeds is nice to have, provided you are on mostly flat ground. Occasional mild inclines are fine,  but the bikes won’t climb hills at all- the geometry makes it impossible to climb hills with them. Not a huge problem- we just don’t take them where we know we’ll get stuck pushing them. We didn’t get the electric option, so I don’t know whether that would have solved the problem.  All in all, we were happy with our purchase.

[Jcmtl]

With the backseat out, you can probably fit 2 bikes, upright with only the front wheels off.  I am planning on doing this in the spring.  In fact, if you rarely bring more than 1 passenger, there is much more space to carry stuff without the back seat. 

[aviatoreb]

On 1/16/2022 at 11:59 AM, graham28105 said:

I'm a little late to the post, but maybe this will help. This is a Dahon Speed in the back of a '78J. Just a few suggestions:

1) This model is 26lbs. It's all that I would want to lift into the baggage area.

2) Dahon makes a pretty darn good bike for the money

3) There is a huge difference in ride quality/stabilitybetween 20" wheels and 16" wheels. I have a folder with 16" and it just sits now.

4) If I remember correctly, this didn't fit with the luggage rack on the back. You can still get it in, just not laying flat like this.

5) Remove the seat post when loading and unloading. Just makes it easier.

6) The Helix looks awesome, but it's only 1.5lbs lighter and over $3k

7) I strongly recommend getting one with gears over single speed

My wife and I have been using folding bikes in planes for 12+ years. 172, m20j, pa-28. They are so much fun to use. We just got back from a trip to Venice, FL. We were on our Dahons for three days.

Places on East coast that are fun to visit with folders:

1) Ocracoke, NC (W95)

2) First Flight, NC (FFA)

3) Williamsburg, VA (JGG)

4) Tangier Island (TGI)

5) Beaufort, NC (SUT)

6) Beaufort, SC (ARW)

7) Fernandina Beach, FL (FHB)

9) Cedar Key, FL (CDK)

10) Venice, FL (VNC)

11) Key West, FL (EYW)

I'm sure there are several more, but these all have towns that you can ride to easily from the airport.

I read in Science News this week an article about Tangier Island - it says that it is sinking and it is just a matter of time before it is gone, and they are considering options on whether there is money to try and save it (sand bag or something like Holland?) - if that is even possible - but it is noted that it is just cheaper to abandon ship and move the whole village of people to someplace else.  :-(

Its been on my bucket list - and I had better get there quick!

[aviatoreb]

Xootr scooters are good too - for 1 mile or so - we brought them to first flight/kitty hawk - when it is particularly flat they are perfect. And really utterly trivial to put in and out of the baggage.  And incredibly easy to use and surprisingly fun.

https://www.amazon.com/XOOTR-Teen-Adult-Kick-Scooter/dp/B07N1TKTVY/ref=asc_df_B07N1TKTVY/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=242024224022&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12808214582039731077&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9005349&hvtargid=pla-636041488448&psc=1

I think a very important thing re these bikes is not just will they fit and not just can you ride them, but how easy it is to get in and out of the rear of your plane.  And for quick in and out or else in my experience I end up not wanting to bring them since 10-15 mins struggling to get them into the back is only worth it if you are going for some serious trip and some serious riding.

For short trips like a lunch quick turn and go back I would tend not to bring anything but a very easy fold that actually fits through the baggage door.  I consider that there are exactly two brands of bike that can do that trick - Brompton and Bike Friday.  period.  

Or xootr scooter in the scooter category.

Or Uber in the just swipe category.

[graham28105]

@aviatoreb I completely agree about the Xootr. Impossible to beat for a quick in and out. We've used those before as well when we don't need to go far.

[Htmlkid]

Check out Jupiter Bikes..... you can purchase them at Costco. They go up to 30 miles on a charge and 2 fit great in the back seat of my M20F

[carusoam]

Jupiter bikes at Costco….

https://www.costco.com/bicycles.html?brand=Jupiter+Bike&refine=||Brand_attr-Jupiter%2BBike&reloaded=true

-a-

[aviatoreb]

6 hours ago, graham28105 said:

@aviatoreb I completely agree about the Xootr. Impossible to beat for a quick in and out. We've used those before as well when we don't need to go far.

Yah - they are pretty neat.  For 1 or 2 miles its impossible to beat the utter ease of putting it trivially into the rear baggage door - unfold and off you go in 10 seconds.  For some places like 2 miles I could literally be there already inspecting the menu of my $100 hamburger by the time some difficult folding bikes would even be put together still sweating on the tarmac.

FYI - for those that don't know em - there's no motor but that's not the point for a short trip like 2 miles it takes almost no energy to kick and gliiiiiiiiide and you go faster than you would run but almost no energy.  And they are so easy to use that anyone can use it without needing to learn.  And there is a hand brake on it if you are nervous about going down moderate hills.

[JohnB]

I purchased two Jupiter X5 electric bikes ( http://www.jupiterbike.com ) which I am thrilled with. They BOTH fit neatly folded into my baggage compartment, almost if they were made to fit. Can use it as a regular bike, or hybrid or full electric (which is really helpful on hills), and has a 30 mile range (more if you use more pedal power). They do make a Jupiter X7, which is larger, but does NOT fit through the baggage door or even passenger door well. But the X5 is perfect for our Mooneys. Eternal thanks to Phil @mooneyflyer who first told me about these awesome bikes.

Edited January 23, 2022 by JohnB

[carusoam]

Nice pirep for Phil and the MooneyFlyer!

Thanks for sharing it…

Best regards,

-a-

[mooneyflyer]

8 hours ago, carusoam said:

Nice pirep for Phil and the MooneyFlyer!

Thanks for sharing it…

Best regards,

-a-

You can also buy the JupiterBike Discovery X5 "Refurbhished". We did and it looked new and operated like new. We've had them for almost 2 years now.

[exM20K]

16 hours ago, aviatoreb said:

Yah - they are pretty neat.  For 1 or 2 miles its impossible to beat the utter ease of putting it trivially into the rear baggage door - unfold and off you go in 10 seconds.  For some places like 2 miles I could literally be there already inspecting the menu of my $100 hamburger by the time some difficult folding bikes would even be put together still sweating on the tarmac.

FYI - for those that don't know em - there's no motor but that's not the point for a short trip like 2 miles it takes almost no energy to kick and gliiiiiiiiide and you go faster than you would run but almost no energy.  And they are so easy to use that anyone can use it without needing to learn.  And there is a hand brake on it if you are nervous about going down moderate hills.

I’ve had one for years and find it very handy for the plane and around various airports. 
 

the founder of the company, Karl Ulrich was a really interesting and accomplished guy.

https://www.fastcompany.com/40763/professor-ulrichs-excellent-adventure

He was an active GA pilot who built a product he “wanted to buy.”  Perhaps the airplane application was part of his inspiration.

Sadly, he and his companions perished in an MU2 crash near Eluthera a few years ago.

-dan

[aviatoreb]

1 hour ago, exM20K said:

I’ve had one for years and find it very handy for the plane and around various airports. 
 

the founder of the company, Karl Ulrich was a really interesting and accomplished guy.

https://www.fastcompany.com/40763/professor-ulrichs-excellent-adventure

He was an active GA pilot who built a product he “wanted to buy.”  Perhaps the airplane application was part of his inspiration.

Sadly, he and his companions perished in an MU2 crash near Eluthera a few years ago.

-dan

Well that is a sad ending.

I first saw one at USC about 15 years ago when I was there for a conference - I am a professor too - I saw a professor I knew who was a host using one - I was really impressed with it.  At the time my kids were little and had those little kid razer scooters which were just too small for grown up use.  And then here was Xootr - a man size scooter with a mast tall enough that you can stand straight up, and a board wide enough to put both feet side by side, and pretty big wheels.  I loved it and bought one as soon as I got home - initially just so I could scoot with my then little boys when they had their scooters.  but it became immediately apparent this thing is legit transportation.