Folding Bike?

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tommytebco
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Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2012 4:48 pm

Re: Folding Bike?

Post by tommytebco »

Plus one on recommending an "Internal gear hub". They are almost foolproof and indestructible. And much cleaner when carrying in and out.
Plus one on gears, unless you are in the flatland, with no hills.

Pronoid
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Re: Folding Bike?

Post by Pronoid »

I sold my vehicle back in august and only use a folding bike as my commuter. I ride to work and to the gym everyday and it has worked great. I have the Dahon Vitesse D7Hg.

http://dahon.com/mainnav/folding-bikes/ ... 7hg-1.html

I work in a bad part of town so i needed something i could take up to my cubicle. Then when i ride to the gym i lock it up outside, which happens to be a richy part of town so no one would really steal it.

I looked at the Brompton's but they are considerable more pricey so the Dahon worked fine. The vitesse has the internal hub for the gears which is quite nice. I also upgraded the rack in the back and got this backpack for my laptop and gym clothes. Couldn't say enough good things about it:

http://www.arkel-od.com/us/all-categori ... g-bag.html

Hannibal
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Re: Folding Bike?

Post by Hannibal »

I didn't want to post a new thread just about this folding bike I'm looking at.

It's a Dahon Boardwalk folding bike. I found a used one for sale for $200.

Image

Here are some of the specs off amazon:
One-speed urban utility bike with frame that folds in less than 15 seconds
Folds to 12.1 by 30.4 by 25.4 inches; weighs 27.3 pounds
Magnetix latch system holds the bike together when folded
Adjustable stem adapts to riders of all sizes from under five feet to over six feet tall
Dahon Neos rear derailleur offers crisp, fast shifting and a low profile design
A little backstory, I haven't ridden a bike in at least ten years, nor have I ever had one as a serious mode of transportation. I don't know much, if anything, about bikes.

A physical description: I'm fairly athletic, 6 foot 1" @ 180 lbs with average strength levels (bodyweight bench and double bodyweight deadlift for reps).

Do you think a foldup bike like the Dahon Boardwalk would be too small for my frame? It will be used as a backup mode of transportation and for small errands like getting groceries or going to campus (maybe 3 miles tops). If my car dies, it will be my primary mode of transport.

What's the furthest distance you would comfortably attempt on a foldup bike with 20" wheels? I have no idea what's reasonable to expect for speed on such a tiny bicycle (12-15 mph?).

A handful of online reviews say that you shouldn't ever try to bike uphill with this model. For all the experienced bikers out there, is that truth or is that simply something to overcome by getting stronger at pedaling?

What drew me to a folder was that I can fold it up and put it in the trunk of my car (good insurance if the car breaks down), stow it under my desk or put it in the corner of my apartment. I'd rather not spend more than $350 on my first bike and the foldup factor makes it look like it's harder to steal. Most reviews say that this bike is hard to break and easy to maintain, as well.

That's a lot of questions but I'm very inexperienced when it comes to bikes. Thanks for any and all input.

jacob
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Re: Folding Bike?

Post by jacob »

@Hannibal -

I had one almost exactly like that (with the fenders and handbrake taken off) and I'm same size as you. Earlier version by the looks of it.

I wish I hadn't sold it too!

The boardwalk has a long wheel base so it's very directionally stable (look no hands!). You can also carry a surprising amount of luggage since it sits low. I used to carry a bag of hockey gear! It is hard to break and easy to fix. Old tech. However, the folded up package won't just fit under your desk unless it's a big desk (it takes up about as much space as a dining chair minus the back). Also it still weighs the same (about 400 pounds I think). The smaller wheels means you feel bumps on the road that you wouldn't feel with normal wheels, e.g. riding over speed trap cables.

It's geared to cruise at 12-15mph like most other single speeds regardless of wheel size. IOW, it'll go the same speed as any other single speed (or similar to Small-15 on a road bike double). As far as I can google it comes in two versions: 63 and 73 gear inches which means one revolution on the pedals moves the wheels that distance. E.g 70 rpm (typical for inexperienced rider) * 63 gear inches = 60*70*63*pi/63360 = 13.1 mph. An average rider can do overpasses and the occasional short 3-5% hill. Over time you'll get strong enough to ride San Francisco hills---people do that on fixies---but I wouldn't attempt Mt Diablo (5-7% for one hour straight) on that bike. One thing is that it's not very zippy. On a road bike you can outaccelerate cars which is nice when dealing with traffic lights. Not on this baby. This is a minor issue. Most commuter cyclists aren't that fast anyway.

henrik
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Location: EE

Re: Folding Bike?

Post by henrik »

jacob wrote:(about 400 pounds I think)
What the hell is this thing made of? At least it sounds like it's indestructible :)

Hannibal
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Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2015 7:35 pm

Re: Folding Bike?

Post by Hannibal »

jacob wrote:@Hannibal -

I had one almost exactly like that (with the fenders and handbrake taken off) and I'm same size as you. Earlier version by the looks of it.

I wish I hadn't sold it too!
. . .
Thanks for the very detailed reply. I went ahead and ordered it, currently waiting for it to be shipped. Like you said, it's not very fast, but it should be great for a noob like myself in that it's durable and easy to use/fix.

By the sounds of it, it should make a great backup mode of transportation (until I'm willing to take the plunge and go car free).

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Slevin
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Re: Folding Bike?

Post by Slevin »

@Ego,
How quickly can you go on the Bike Friday NWT's? I've been looking around at bikes and its looking more and more like I'm going to get a bike friday bicycle, but I also love to ride fast! I know I'm never going to get the speed of a 700c bike, but the Bromptons (which only go up to 6 gears) just felt very slow to me.

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Ego
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Re: Folding Bike?

Post by Ego »

It is geared like a regular road bike so it goes just about as fast. I changed the tires from thin road tires to Schwalbe touring tires so that sapped some of the zing.

tylerrr
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Location: Boston

Re: Folding Bike?

Post by tylerrr »

just letting everyone know I did get a Brompton a few months ago and love it. I keep it folded in the trunk of my Toyota 4 door Yaris. Whenever I need it, I just pop the trunk and go outside my apartment. :)

Hannibal
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Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2015 7:35 pm

Re: Folding Bike?

Post by Hannibal »

6 month update : The dahon S1 folding bike is working well. My only complaint is that the handle bar jiggles side to side and there seems to be no good way to tighten the otherwise cheaply built handlepost lock.

Although I thought I wanted a folding bike like the Dahon, I might just get the handlepost welded shut and then simply fold it in half when I need it to be more portable. Haven't decided yet. The Dahon is a blast to ride though.

One day I'd like to get a Bike Friday Tikit but that won't be for a good while yet.

tylerrr
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Location: Boston

Re: Folding Bike?

Post by tylerrr »

8 month update. Still loving my Brompton folder. I use it daily.

7Wannabe5
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Re: Folding Bike?

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

I am currently planning and budgeting for my mid-winter super-frugal snowbird escape. I can get myself and my minimal luggage/camping supplies to Georgia, South Carolina or Florida on MegaBus for approximately $6 to $16. The problem is transporting my bicycle and/or hauling trailer. I am considering throwing down for a folding bike, but I don't know if I will be able to find one that I will like. I have owned many second-hand bikes over the years, and my strong preference seems to be for hybrid-monster originally owned by very large man and then adjusted down a bit for me. My current bike is always the biggest one locked to any rack and will not meet standard luggage specification even if I disassemble it completely. IOW, I prefer comfort, ruggedness and flexibility over speed, but not the faux comfort of a single speed comfort bike. If I don't buy a folding bike, I will probably choose to buy whatever new used bike best meets my specifications for approximately $50 at whatever thrift center(s) is handy to my final bus stop. I love my new hauling trailer, because it has almost effortless and flawless operation fully loaded, and I can pretty easily disassemble it down to standard luggage size, so I will probably pay the extra $6 or $16 to buy a ticket for it. Any suggestions?

TimeTravel
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Re: Folding Bike?

Post by TimeTravel »

I own a Dahon Piccolo folding bike purchased many years ago.

Image

I use it primarily during the summer for some cardio work and short errands. One good use is folding and bringing along when I get my car repaired as the car repair shop is a few miles away. But instead of having to sit and wait, I just ride my bike home and wait until I get the car shop's call.

Watching on Youtube, I love watching and drool :lol: over how the Brompton's fold. But a Brompton is out of my price range and I ride with a side mirror and carry bag under the seat and think they might interfere with a clean fold/unfold.

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