Freeman Transport

By now you should have already heard of Freeman Transport, the Montana-based (whoa – not Portland?) bike artisans building collapsible bikes for travel. The idea of flying to another continent and pedaling my way across the countryside has always intrigued me, and a collapsible bike would be just the ticket. Friends Benjamin Ferencz and Nathaniel Freeman founded the company in 2006. Their first models, simply named No.1 and No. 2 are track bikes with hand-built frames, a carbon or steel fork, and come packaged in a beautiful Billykirk leather and waxed-canvas bag.

Recently, airlines have made the dimensional limits for checked luggage stiffer and many cyclist are finding that bringing the factory box to the airport will no longer cut it. The way the Freeman bikes collapse means a hassle-free flight. They use a threaded lug, and bikes using this design have actually been proven to be stronger than traditional ones without the lug. Though they are trying to keep things simple, the options aren’t scarce. Finishing options (any color paint or powdercoat) plus a roster of industry leaders (Paul, Phil Wood, Campagnolo, Deda) means you can truly have a custom, high-quality bike when you travel. Though announced months ago, they’ve only recently become available — about the same time their new website launched. Keep your eye on the site, especially the news section, for a awesome collaboration in the works.