There’s a lot of exploring to do when you’re out caravanning across the countryside; bush tracks, winding beach paths and scenic hill climbs. But sometimes these unexpected side treks can be too far to walk and inaccessible for vehicles. Bikes are the obvious solution, but traditional bikes take up a lot of room and space is a premium in any recreational vehicle (RV) or caravan set-up.

So, here’s the solution: a folding bike. There’s a wide-range of high-quality folding bikes out there which give all the benefits of a normal bike without any of the storage hassles.

Folding bikes have been popular with commuters in cities for a while, but travellers are discovering the freedom folding bikes give them. This is especially the case when it comes to exploring the great Australian outdoors. So, while they still only make up a small percentage of all bikes sold, folding bikes are becoming more and more popular with travellers and caravanners.

One of the keys to this popularity comes down to the way they take advantage of storage space in caravans. As you might know, caravans can have a surprising amount of storage space, but all that available area is in awkward places and shapes. These spaces aren’t big enough to accommodate a normal bike, but a folding bike can squeeze into all sorts of nooks and crannies. This means also avoiding tricky bike racks on tow bars which can often be an issue with caravans. 

What to buy?
The main two brands we tried ourselves were Dahon and XDS. These bikes typically start at $400 and increase in price for higher-end models. As you might expect, the more expensive options are a little lighter and have some better components. The mid-ranged Dahon we put on the scale weighed 14kg, so while you wouldn’t want to carry it around, it’s pretty reasonable to move and store somewhere. 

No matter the price tag though, it’s crucial you are comfortable on the bike (so you’ll actually use it!) and this means making sure it fits you. A sales assistant will no doubt be able to help you with this, along with recommending an appropriate bike seat.

When I tried out the folding bikes for myself, I found them more comfortable than my road bike. I could sit up much straighter on the folding bike instead of being hunched over, and it was really easy to cruise along on.

As for folding it up, all of the folding bikes we tried could be folded or unfolded in about 30 seconds. There’s a series of levers that help the bike retract, including on the pedals and handlebars, before the middle of the bike swings together forming almost a cube. They also come with a strap to make sure your newly folded cube stays a cube. It’s all quite an impressive feat of engineering.

Performance
Despite their fold, folding bikes hold up more or less as well as most normal bikes. There are no concerns with pressure on the fold, but there does tend to be extra wear and tear on the bar between the front wheel and the handlebars.

This is because this area is much longer than a non-folding bike (but also the key to it being foldable). Besides this longer pole, the other noticeable feature of a folding bike is that the wheels are much smaller. Wheels 20″ in diameter are a standard size and it’s not recommended to go much smaller than that, even though you can probably find some models that do.

Obviously, for the same price of a folding bike you can obtain a better quality non-folding bike. The normal bike will also be stronger and more efficient to ride, largely because of the greater diameter of its wheels. The smaller diameter of a folding bike’s wheels means they must also be thicker and this also contributes to less efficiency. 

E-bikes
An increasing number of electronic or motorised bikes (e-bikes) are also now being sold as folding options. These come with a motor that helps propel you forward either by making pedalling easier or via a throttle. Such bikes can manage about 50km on a single battery charge and can help propel you by as much as an extra 27km/h.

The bike I tried out automatically accelerated as soon as I started pedalling. It was a little disorientating at first but I quickly acquired the hang of it. I would say the motor was giving me about 50 per cent more power compared to the amount I was pedalling. Plus, I could use the throttle without pedalling at all, so it is almost like a little motorbike. A lot of fun.

E-bikes have proved very popular for touring around on, especially older travellers. Many of the newer e-bikes also come with integrated lights which run off the same battery as the motor and charging is as simple as plugging it in. 

The best way to get around
Between a vehicle and a folding bike, you can explore just about anywhere in the great Australian outdoors. A folding bike lets you avoid the hassle of having to pack up the whole caravan and you’ll hardly know it’s there when it’s stored away.

Plus, now you have the perfect excuse to get in some exercise while you’re on the road – just unfold the bike and take off.