I bought a Vincita Sightseer 3.5 a month ago in the Netherlands. Flew from there to Morocco, then on to Florida. Best overall experience ever! So how did I attach the Sightseer to my Brompton? Folded as shown in your video, strapped to the rear rack. My Brompton Borough roll top bag on the front. In-flight carry-on stuff in the Borough. Sightseer attached with the included compression strap, then snugged for riding with the Brompton rack's elastic straps. Morocco airport check-in lines were extremely long and slow, so I pulled up the Brompton seat a little bit to use as a waiting chair. Children in line thought that was hilarious! On arrival, all my checked luggage (clothes, tech, etc.) stayed in the Sightseer's saddlebag folded inside the Sightseer's 10" hard base. With the Borough in front and the Sightseer + saddlebag-inside on the rear, I found the Brompton riding even nicer than without them. Balanced front and rear, smoothing out the road (thanks Brompton for the suspension block), and a secure feeling all around. I don't race, I ride and look around (safety + enjoyment). I choose Brompton not for speed, but for How slow can I go and feel safe and stable? Riding in downtown Amsterdam and Casablanca, slower is often better. My flight to Miami arrived very late and public transportation was closed for the night so I app-called a ride-share from the empty bus station. The driver couldn't get close to me so I wheeled the Sightseer to him. He simply lifted it into his car like normal luggage, no idea that there was a bike inside. BTW, I got the idea to look up the Vincita Sightseer from YOUR video, so I owe you two a big hug.
Happy to hear about your successful journey. While bulkier (and more expensive) than the classic Dimpa solution, the added protection and ease of transport (on and off the bike) provided by the Sightseer make it a compelling option when deciding how to fly with your Brompton.
@@2Bikes4Adventure Nothing more annoying than having to search for Brompton parts when you go to strange places. You've got some experience with that! 🙂
I been using the Carradice Bag made for the Brompton with no extra padding for the past 5 years and it works perfectly. It's black and inconspicuous so no questions asked by airlines :)
Excellent clearly explained video as always. Your channel has helped me enormously in understanding how to get the best from my Brompton. Whenever I'm out and people are curious on Brompton cycling, I just refer them to view your channel for EVERYTHING they might need to know. Thank you. 🙂
I like to travel light with my Brompton, so I use a dimpa bag for the Bromy lined with coroplast and padded with some clothing. This leaves my backpack small enough, including with removed saddle and clamps together with remaining gear as carry on. I never assume I can take the Bromy as carry on, so I wheel it close to checkout, put it openly through the scanner, pack it on other side, then hand it to loader guy on the jetway so as not to pay fee for baggage. I fold the coroplast sections(or cardboard) accordion style and strap it to outside of backpack. When at destination I simply unpack dimpa, put clothes and dimpa in backpack with coroplast strapped to backpack and off I go.
Good day to you! I am a senior rider on HONDA motorcycle from Japan. I am enjoying camping ,touring and upload video. Your cycling video is so nice! Awesome! Full supported ! Have a nice day my friend!
As always, clear, specific and intelligent Brompton/biking videos. When I travel with my Brompton I use the B & W hardcase-which I first purchased about 10-years ago. It is heavy and a bit of a hassle for sure, but I feel it is worth it in terms of relaxation and stress reduction-no worrying about the condition or handling of my Brompton.
Hi Stephen. We must confess, there is always a little bit of stress when unpacking the Dimpa at the airport. A damaged Brompton at the beginning of a trip could seriously compromise a long awaited vacation. Nothing beats a B&W hardcase for peace of mind.
I recently travelled with my Brompton inside the cardboard box. Since I cycled to the train station and had to change trains twice I had to be able to carry the bike, the box and the T-Bag in one go. I found out that appropriately sized bungee cords wrapped around the box allow the box to be carried like a backpack. Now I can carry the Brompton in one hand, the T-Bag in the other, carry the cardboard box on my back like a backpack and change trains "in one go".
I have the Vincitta Sightseer 2.0. The only difference with this latest version is how the wheels are removed. This new version looks easier. Glad they are improving their product. I have taken my Brompton to NYC and the Poconos using this carrier and I am really impressed.
We were very pleased with our Sightseer as well. The wheels were much appreciated when we had to go take long corridors between terminals. They are easy to install and remove.
Love your videos! I bought my Brompton last year after watching a couple youtubers including yours and got so much joy out of it ever since! : ) Anyway, I bought a Vincita bag not long after that and have since gone on two month's long cycling trips. Each time I used the Vincita to actually carry most of my luggage on the rack in the back horizontally by using the rack's bungee cords to secure the bag. I snooped the bungee cords around the handles of the bag twice to make sure it doesn't slide off on sharp turns etc. It worked perfectly in my case. Yes, the two ends of the bag stick out just a little, but probably not by much compared to bulging panniers on bigger bikes? Anyway, no issues so far. Another point I wanted to share about the bag, it seemed to hold up pretty well in steady rain: I rode all day in Korea in the rain and the inside was still 95% dry when I get to hotel. BUT, the bag's large surface is all fabric and it holds water, so after soaking in the rain a couple hours, I found the weight had increased SUBSTANTIALLY because of all the water it's holding. So when I was in Taiwan and ran into a whole day of rain, I politely asked at a 7 Eleven for their large bin bag and cover the Vincita with it. It worked well!
We experienced a few days of rain in Taiwan as well while touring there, we can understand why your Sightseer could become wet! Probably takes a while to dry as well. Hope our paths cross someday.
Got my Brompton and the B&W Hard Case 2 years ago in Switzerland. Have flown on Emirates to both countries in the EU and also to the US from Bombay, my hometown, and it has been the best, most safest decision. Have toyed with the idea of taking it has hand luggage but think it’s not worth the risk if any airline has an issue. Also flown within the US on Southwest with no issues. Sticking to this method as I feel it’s the safest and best way to protect the Brompton.
We agree the B&W hard case is the most secure way to fly with your Brompton, however, we should not underestimate airlines’ capacity to surprise us ( facebook.com/groups/4083717745005783/permalink/6966502983393897/ )
Wow, Vincita really upgraded their Brompton bag! I have an old version of the Sightseer (can't recall the name). It doesn't have a way to attach the front rack piece and its wheels velcro on instead of clicking into holsters. It's a still a great bag and I've used it to take my Brompton between the US and Europe (when I'm back home for a longer stay and want to have a bike with me).
@Ankataa, also some of the older models had a large bicycle logo on them. We think the new “anonymous” look is less likely to incurs bicycle surcharge during check-in.
A bit in a rush and I watch between things on the go so I'm going to thank you in advance before I even watch the video so i don't forget for the algorithm! You are, I'm sure, amazing as always here!
I flew to Puerto Vallarta with my Brompton inside the Chubby, a trailer specifically designed for this bike. Then rode all the way to town with trailer in tow and carry on safely inside. . the Chubby trailer made by Radical Design is not cheap at over $600 dls
I tend to fly only Delta and use the B&W case. I tried flying with Brompton Travel Bag but airport luggage handlers were fairly rough on the bag and ruined the zippers (bike was fine). When I fly internationally with the B&W, I do a roundtrip from the same city. I find a hotel for the first and last night I'm in the country. For me, the key is to find a hotel that lets me store my B&W case there while I go explore the country. Most are pretty good about doing this for free. I always make sure to bring them back a thank you gift. Then I can go explore with my Brompton and 1-bag without bringing everything. I would like to get the footprint down to a smaller size because the B&W case is so ginormous. I've been looking at the Trigo Semi Hard Folding Case as an alternative. I would be interested if anyone else has used this on international flights and their experience with this.
@DasEmily B&W Hardcase certainly offers the best protection but, yes, it is quite awkward to tote around (and store). Trigo (and Vincita) offers a more compact solution that gives the option to cycle to/from the airport. We would probably not want to do a multi-week tour with either of these attached to the bike however. We haven’t had the chance to test the Trigo, but we were very pleased with the Vincita.
I flew with the vincita bag last month and it came though intact, mine was the older version which had metal/rubber wheels that were attached via velcro. I'm considering replacing them with the newer detachable wheels.
My wife and I used the 2015 Vincita Sightseer bags on our 2017 trip to Europe. The bags prevented any damage to the bikes and we were able to strap the case to our rear rack sideways. The setup worked well, with our clothes in the folded down bag on the rear rack and other stuff in our front-mounted Brompton bags. The issue we had with the 2015 version was "rollability". The bags had only a pair of wheels and less-than-robust plastic bracing at the bottom which cracked on one of the bags and made it clumsy to roll around. We're planning another Brompton trip to Europe (from Canada) and I was interested to see how far along the travel bags have come. The new Vincita bags look like they have been substantially improved. I'd be interested in hearing from folks on how the newer Vincita bags work on the back rack during a tour and how they attach the bag to the rack (e.g. vertical, etc.). Thanks for your videos!
Hi Patrick, So far, we have used the Sightseer when we want to cycle to/from the airport and can leave it as stored luggage at the arrival/departure hotel. It behaved perfectly and we were impressed with the removable wheels. No problems to report. We haven’t tried attaching it to the rear rack for long (multi-weeks) tour when arrival and departure airports are different. We think a vertical setup would indeed be better in such situation.
In March, I'm flying Delta NYC>Roma, AirDolomiti Milan>Munich, and Neos Milan>NYC. The game plan for now is just the dimpa bag, possibly a spare, and without padding. I may use a trash bag inside just to visually hide its bikeyness. Protection-wise, the Path Less Pedaled video was really reassuring. It looks like even with the cool features like a front carrier block, the Sightseer bag is still fairly bulky as a thing to carry around. I'm trying to travel somewhat minimalist. Hope it all works out!
Will you have the chance to cycle in the Dolomites? (We did it with our Birdys, hilly but very nice). Indeed, not sure we would do a multi-week tour with a Vincita SIghtseer attached to the bike, but it certainly excels when it comes to the logistics of air travel.
@@LuisSerna25 Delta was fine! At the check in counter, use the "Mobility Device" terminology when they ask what it is, and state that it has wheels and folds, but doesn't have any batteries at all. Each time they had me take it to irregular luggage dropoff, but it always comes down the regular belt for pickup. I also flew Delta NYC>PIT
@@walthaim thanks, flying next week out of Atlanta and not sure if I should even try to take it as a carry on inside a bag or just check in the bag for convenience with some clothes to give some protection on it. I have a direct fly so it’s not as bad. Thanks
@@LuisSerna25 I have only checked it. I haven't had the confidence to try the #BromptonOnBoard strategy yet, as even if it does technically fit in overhead, it's still larger than the policy allowable carry on sizes. An airtag is a very good thing to have. I would also make sure the clothes bag is secure to the bike and within itself. I wouldn't have anything loose. On the fourth flight of my travels, the Dimpa bag began to fall apart. (But was solid through the first three flights).
Good old brompton box! I do wish there was a bag that can transform into panniers, or folds to a borough bag (or all 3). Then you just bring the one bag and can use it for all your needs.
Would be nice indeed if the air travel bag would transform into front (and/or rear) luggage. Could be challenging to design, but we think there is a market for such a product. For example, the Vincita garment bag (included with the Sightseer) could be redesigned to convert into a rear (or front) bag.
@@KokoroKompass I think such a sophisticated piece of design... ...if successfully engineered... ... would rival the brilliance of the Brompton itself!
I have flown with the B&W hard case on Air Canada and there was no up-charge. Haven't tried it since they instituted the automated baggage size procedure. I am pretty sure I won't be as lucky since it slightly oversized. For bus travel, Dimpa bags work. I am liking the Vincita bag that was in the video. If I get dinged on the B&W then I will look into getting the Vincita.
@thomasblak5315, We were flying Air Canada as well when we tested the Sightseer (the 2nd Brompton was packed in a Dimpa). The check-in agent asked what was in the Dimpa (didn’t ask what was in the Sightseer). The Sightseer was checked-in while we were requested to leave the Dimpa at the oversize counter (no charge however). We are very pleased with the Sightseer.
Thank you for another excellent video. Have you ever posted a video on cycling the Erie Canal trail in NY? I seem to recall one, but I’m not able to locate the video.
Indeed, we cycled from Niagara/Buffalo to Albany and Plattsburgh to Montreal. We briefly mentioned it in this video ( ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-UgB1DdDUHuo.html ). The unpaved portions were no problem for the Brompton. It was a little bit trickier during heavy rain, but the Marathon tires provided enough traction. We would strongly recommend the Erie Canal portion. Very nice and easy ride with some interesting urban areas along the way. It was the 2nd time we did it (the first time was with our Birdys). Most of the trail north of Albany is on road shoulders.
We're flying for the first time with our Bromptons and only taking a personal item backpack because we will be cycling throughout our trip. Will try to take them as carry on but, since that might be a longshot, I've seen a guy take a small inflatable sleeping pad to put around the bike inside the Dimpa bag to check it.
I hadn't thought about this before tbh. I had doubts that I would be able to bring my bike as carry on because of how inconvenient it could be. So I would rather let it be carried in something like that vincita bag
My wife has an electric Brompton which negates us taking it on a flight. While she can ride without battery assist, it would severely limit our options. I’m too scared to take mine on any flight, it’s been nearly 25 years since I last checked a bag. I normally have to do Olympic events at hubs to catch a connecting flight on all my business trips. And all my business trips are 18 hour work day events, so there would be no time to ride. We are going to be Fulltime RVing in three months, our Bromptons will factor into just about every stop on our journeys though (by truck).
@gsansoucie, Flying with a Brompton (2 in our case) always come with a certain element of risk. A damaged (or lost) Brompton could seriously impact our vacation plan. We mitigate risk by favouring non-stop flights as well as using trains, buses and boats when possible. Only 3 more months to go and you will be free!
I have used a 28" softcase by removing the seat and seat post, but the bag only survived two flights. I had no luck finding a Samsonite 29" Epsilon and they have no current similar product. I purchased the Brompton Travel case, securing the velcro top opening with Gorilla glue to prevent tampering; and lined both sides with corrugated cardboard. It has survived one flight so far, but was judged, without measurement, to be oversized; only a slight inconvenience as Ialways book with two bag allowance. No airline I have travelled on would allow the bike as carry-on based on the overall linear dimensions. I believe it's a fool's errand to believe that carry-on is possible anymore, and based on observation of intercepted luggage being sent to the hold from the boarding ramp.
While travelling with the Dimpa, we were often asked to bring them to the oversize counter (but was never charged extra). Interesting enough, during our last trip (AirCanada), the same happened to our Dimpa but not to our Vincita Sightseer, maybe because it looks more like a soft suitcase and not a “square” box like the Dimpa? In both cases, they asked what was inside.
@@2Bikes4Adventure I was asked what was inside and I told them "housewares'. The Xray caught me on that, but to agents reaction, I just said: "I keep it in the house". I wish that the Vincita bag was available two years ago, because the soft case I did use wasn't questioned. The more it looks like a suitcase, the easier it will be.
Carradice of UK do make a very useful brompton bag in tough codura, which rolls up when not in use and attaches to the seat and downtube via velcro loops. It has a shoulder strap. Its possible this may be of use for carry on, or if padding is used, for hold baggage. Carradice are a long time cycle bags maker and are very helpful if you phone and explain your needs.
@petercallaghan4718 The first Brompton bag we owned was the original C-Bag from Carradice (before it was manufactured by RadicalDesign). You may recognize it in some of our videos (it has the old triangular Brompton logo in front). It gave us many years of reliable service until it was eventually ready for retirement. We hope to have the opportunity soon to revisit Carradice’s renowned bags and rekindle our first love.
Fantastic insight. Quick question...In your experience, do airlines charge the price of a "bike" when it is checked with simple straps, since it is a bicycle, or since it's the same size, the cost is the same a standard luggage ?
With the tendency for Airlines to charge extra for everything, it would be a gamble to fly with a “strapped” Brompton, claiming it’s within luggage allowance and bike fees should not apply. Ultimately, the check-in agents will have the final word (good or bad). Do not be surprised if the rule is different on the return flight.
We have 2 Bromptons that we had converted to Electric. Trying our best to find a light weight bag or suitcase to fit them into so that we can travel with them. The company we choose for the conversion, Grin Technology is promising 98 Wh batteries that pop together like legos so that you can take the batteries on the plane with you in your carry on luggage. Needless to say the bromptons are a bit heaver than most with the added electric drive motors. The challenge is to keep them under 50 lbs. Vicinta sightseer seems to be our ticket. We are wondering, where does the front carrier frame stow when the Brompton is folded and zipped inside the Vicinta sightseer? Do you put this frame inside the bag with the bike or keep it attached to the bottom of the bag?
That LiGo battery is a great idea! In our case, we share the S-type frame (40cm x 26cm) between the front bag (Vincita Birch) and the Sightseer. So, when flying, the frame is on the Birch (which acts as our carry-on bag). When cycling to/from the airport, we re-locate the frame to the Sightseer. We would NOT recommend leaving the frame at the bottom of the bag during flight. There is enough room to store it inside the Sightseer. Good luck in your upcoming electrifying adventures.
I have been eyeing the Vincita Sightseer for a while now, and your video has sold me on it. Were you charged duties and taxes when ordering from Canada?
In our experience, duty fees don’t seem to be applied consistently (anything from 0 to 20%). If duty is to be paid, some courier shipping services (looking at you UPS) “kindly offer” to perform customs clearance on your behalf. This service can substantially increase the bill you have to pay. If offered, decline and mention you will perform the clearance yourself (an easy process if you live near a relatively large city where Customs Canada has an office). You could easily save $50 or more on a $200 purchase. If you live close to the American border like we do, an option is to use a US retailer and ship to a Kinek Border office. They will keep your parcel for a month for about $US5. You will have to drive over the border to retrieve it. Depending on the length of your stay, you may not have to pay duty on your purchase.
@rfilmprod9629, although the length of the shoulder straps can be adjusted and, potentially, be short enough to be used as a “backpack”, a loaded Sightseer would be very awkward to carry in such a configuration. When empty/folded, the shoulder straps are not easily accessible, so this is a “no-go” as well.
No luggage/case capable of fitting a Brompton would qualify as carry-on. At best, you could use a bike cover, but ultimately, it will be left to the discretion of the airline boarding agent (and security) if they let you in the cabin with your bike (covered or not).
I’m surprised you didn’t consider the Radical Design Cyclone Chubby, which is both a transport case and a trailer when arrived ? Because of it’s size or price ?
The Chubby is indeed a valid option (somewhat similar to the popular BikeFriday trailer), but as mentioned in our setup video ( ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-FRx226rhofQ.html ), touring with a trailer would somewhat impede multimodal (train/bus) travel. Through the years, we favoured lightweight travel (minimum baggage/credit card touring). We feel pulling a trailer for a month would negate some of the advantages travelling with a folding bicycle provides.
We used both the Sightseer and the Birch while cycling to and from the airport. The garment bag (and the Dimpa packing for the 2nd bike) were stored in the Sightseer during that part of the trip. We toured without the Sightseer (leaving it at the hotel). While flying, the garment bag was partially filled with cardboard panels and some clothing. We relocated the clothing into the Birch while touring. On the flight back, we replaced the cardboard panels with some items purchased during the last few days of the tour.
It would be awkward to fold. An easier method would be to remove the Sightseer, fold the Brompton in shopping cart mode and put the Sightseer back on the front carrier block.
A minimum of 2 meters (6 feet 6 inches) is required. Slightly more is better. We purchased a 12 foot length at a Dollar Store and cut the extra section. You will also need some kind of strap or bungee to secure the top of the Sightseer to the back of the saddle or seatpost to prevent sideways movement.
With wheels removed, it’s roughly 12”x25”x25” for a total of 62”. Packing the bicycle with the saddle removed, you can further reduce the total height by about 2”.
so the brompton is over 15 cm for carry on on all airlines? Do you know if anyone had issues bringing it on as carry on? Worst case they make you pay to check it in so its atleast worth the shot I think
Most airlines follow the IATA recommendations (many have more stricts rules). You can increase your chance by removing the saddle (about 5 cm). You may still be denied access at 3 locations. 1) During check-in, 2) at security check and 3) at the Gate. If this happen, you will need a “Plan B” to protect your Brompton from the airline baggage handlers.
@funguy2627, our M6R, which is about 27cm (10.5”) wide, exceeds the Air Canada (and WestJet) 23cm (9”) width restriction, so it doesn’t fit in the luggage gauge at all (we tried) We were not able to find an IATA gauge (25cm). In all cases, the folded Brompton height would still exceed by 10 to 15 cm (depending whether the saddle is removed).
Hello! You use a Vincita branded strap to keep this wrapped up ( ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ZbLhMq1WQ5o.html ) my sightseer didn't seem to come with anything like this. So where did you get this strap from to keep it folded down?
@@2Bikes4Adventure Oh thats really peculiar. I will have to have a proper look about.... Mine was also the sightseer 3.5 which I purchased after watching your amazing video.
I might have missed it in previous uploads. It would be great if you guys could review the 2019 Brompton padded travelling bag -> ru-vid.comT4sFzrxH4jw. Thanks for another insightful and concise review 👍
We haven’t had the chance to test one, but we like the way it folds flat when not in use. Assuming one doesn’t use the rear rack when touring, it could probably be attached diagonally between the seat post and the rear rack (we would NOT want to use the shoulder strap for long trips). Seems an excellent solution for those cycling to/from the airport. We would probably add some additional inside padding though. Too bad the small wheels are not removable.
I hadn't thought about this before tbh. I had doubts that I would be able to bring my bike as carry on because of how inconvenient it could be. So I would rather let it be carried in something like that vincita bag
On our last few trip, there was no room in the overhead for our regular carry-on (Brompton C-Bag and a Vincita Birch), so forget about bringing 2 Bromptons.
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