folding bike for touring
 

Has anyone who has made the switch to a folding bike for long-
distance, self-contained touring had a positive experience?
My criteria a (a) folds quickly and easily (b) low and
variable gearing (c) supports panniers - I carry all of my
stuff, including camping gear (d) riding experience (as close
as possible to a regular, non-folding bike, re touring.

=v= Bike Friday fits your parameters, all the way. It was
originally designed for touring and has just gotten better and
better over the years. Their customer service is very helpful
at customizing the bike to your needs, and are experienced with
touring riders. I bought one 12 years ago (not even a touring
model) and have used it exclusively for tours on weekends and
vacations ever since.

=v= The lighter weight and frame design of a Bike Friday makes
it feel more like a regular bike than others IMHO. A 20-inch
wheel does feel different, the tradeoff being that you don't
feel the forward rolling momentum as much, but you accelerate
quicker and it's more maneuverable. For me the 16-inch wheels
on a Brompton (or Bike Friday's tikit) feel *too* small, but
I have friends who are totally happy with them.
_Jym_