It’s Riding Season and These Bikes Are Great to Travel With

Photo Illustration: Scouted/The Daily Beast/Vendors
Photo Illustration: Scouted/The Daily Beast/Vendors

Biking is one of the best ways to enjoy any destination, so whether you’re planning to reach your next vacation by plane, train, or automobile, consider bringing your bicycle with you. Travel-friendly bikes tend to be light, easy to break down, and rugged enough that they can sustain getting banged up a bit during transit. In order to keep your bike safe – both at home and on the road – consider these bike locks and safety devices, too. If you’re looking for new wheels to travel with, you’re in luck. Here’s our top picks for travel-friendly rides.

Best Road: Alchemy Atlas

Best Gravel: Niner RLT 9 Steel

Best Mountain: Trek Fuel EX

Best E-Bike: Specialized Turbo Vado SL

Best Kids: Woom


Best Road: Alchemy Atlas

The lightweight and durable Atlas road bike by Alchemy is perfect for travel because it’s easy to put in a car, on a train, or even on an airplane (with a sturdy bike bag, that is). Its custom paint finish will stand up to abuse and keep looking good no matter what it encounters. Since the bike is semi-custom, you can build it to suit your particular needs, such as having wireless shifting and/or quick-release wheels.

Buy Best Road: Alchemy Atlas at Alchemy Bikes, $null

Best Gravel: Niner RLT 9 Steel

Don’t let the name fool you – gravel bikes are not just for gravel. Gravel bikes are basically extra-rugged road bikes that allow for wider tires that can handle paved streets and rough roads alike. The RLT 9 Steel by Niner uses higher-quality steel than most bikes and comes with a carbon fiber fork, which allows the bike to be both light and strong, making it perfect for travel. The bike also has mounting bolts directly on the frame and accessory, frame-mounted bags available (separately!) for a clean and secure cargo-carrying capability.

Buy Best Gravel: Niner RLT 9 Steel at Backcountry, $null

Best Mountain: Trek Fuel EX

This is Trek’s most popular trail bike for a reason. The Fuel EX is a versatile, full-suspension mountain bike that can handle whatever terrain you throw at it, from rugged descents to rolling terrain. Though the bike’s toughness should be able to handle whatever travel challenges thrown its way, should you need to get any replacement parts, Trek’s large dealer network means you should be able to find parts or service wherever you are.

Buy Best Mountain: Trek Fuel EX at Trek Bikes, $null

Best E-Bike: Specialized Turbo Vado SL

E-bikes are notorious for being heavy and clunky – not exactly what you want to haul around on a trip. Enter the Turbo Vado SL, which, at only 33lbs, is one of the lightest e-bikes on the market. This light, versatile bike can easily fit on most bike racks, making it perfect for road trips, and its 120-mile range (160 if you buy the optional range extender) may even allow you to skip bringing your car altogether!

Buy Best E-Bike: Specialized Turbo Vado SL at Specialized, $null

Best Kids: Woom

Let’s be honest, most kids’ bikes are heavy and made with low-quality (dare I say “junky”?) parts. Woom bikes are the exception; they’re basically adult-quality bikes made for kids. If your kiddo loves to ride and you want to invest in a high-quality bike that is light enough to pack up and bring on vacation, then you need a Woom.

Buy Best Kids: Woom at Woom Bikes, $null

Scouted selects products independently and prices reflect what was available at the time of publish. Don’t forget to check out our coupon site to find activewear deals from Nike, adidas, and more. If you buy something from our posts, we may earn a small commission.

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