The vagabond PhD philosophy is anchored on values of necessity, portability, and practicality. One item that is necessary is a bike. In my humble opinion, cycling is the best way to experience both unfamiliar and familiar locations. While biking, you move quicker than you would while walking but you are free to stop wherever and whenever you want. Cycling is also a great way to orient yourself and discover hidden gems that are often missed when exploring by car or bus. Furthermore cycling is cost-effective, and has a myriad of associated health benefits.
As a vagabond PhD student though, cycling does present a few difficulties. For one, if your studies takes you to different continents traveling with your bike can get expensive. Most airlines charge extra to carry bicycles (could be up to 100 euros with Air France for example). Also, if you end up traveling or studying in south-east Asia or Europe, storing your bike in tiny apartments or rooms can get tricky. Lastly, if you end up spending time in bike friendly cities in North America, you could be a victim of bike theft when leaving your bike locked outside (or even inside bike garages) for prolonged periods of time.
Enter the marvellous invention of the folding bike. Folding bikes are easy to travel with (some of them can even be considered hand luggage but I have yet to try this), and easy to store even in the tinniest of apartments or rooms. They can be taken with you into cafés, libraries, bookstores, trains, and checked in at the coat check in night clubs (I have experimented with a wide range of venues in the past two weeks). They perform just as well as full size bikes, and are a great conversation starter with interested strangers.
I used to own a 27inch wicked road/hybrid bike, but I made the switch to a folding bike (Brompton) and I can say that the practicality and functionality make up for the slight loss in performance. I have ridden my new folding bike about 52 km a day for two weeks and it has held up more than admirably.
Of course, it is important to mention that while very practical, a folding bike is by no means completely necessary. For instance, you can buy a second-hand bike in whichever city your are in and sell it once you leave. This solution maybe easier (and less expensive) than bringing a folding bike with you. The folding bike is just one of the ways (and possibly the most practical way) to enjoy cycling wherever your study adventures may take you.
Of course, it is important to mention that while very practical, a folding bike is by no means completely necessary. For instance, you can buy a second-hand bike in whichever city your are in and sell it once you leave. This solution maybe easier (and less expensive) than bringing a folding bike with you. The folding bike is just one of the ways (and possibly the most practical way) to enjoy cycling wherever your study adventures may take you.
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