Folding Bike?

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tylerrr
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Post by tylerrr »

I'm considering getting a folding bike.
The reason is I've always lived in big cities the last 18 years and now I'm in Boston at least a few years....I may stay in big cities.
I ride the subway here, but the subway has restricted hours for normal bikes. With a folding bike, I can take it onboard any time.
Also, I believe it's easier to take a folding bike on a plane for long trips....Correct me if I'm wrong? I'd like to take a folding bike to other countries on trips.
I also heard there is a coupling device you can buy for steel frame bikes and actually convert a steel frame into a folding bike. But I don't want a bike that is heavy.
Which brands do you recommend? I don't mind spending a lot of money if it's a great product that will obviously last a long time.
What do you think?


My_Brain_Gets_Itchy
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Post by My_Brain_Gets_Itchy »

Hi tylerrr,
I came very close to buying one for the same reasons you mention above.
I was going to buy this:
Dahon Speed Uno

http://www.amazon.com/Dahon-Speed-Foldi ... +speed+uno
It's a single gear, which means less parts (lighter and easier to fold), but more work.
My take on the bike is that it's minimalist in feature and design, but it's quality, especially for the price.
It's one of the lower end Dahon's, they also make really high end ones.
The price on Amazon fluctuates to as low as $349.
I didn't want to spend more than $500.
There are also a bunch of cheap models out there, but you get what you pay for.


secretwealth
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Post by secretwealth »

I'm always nervous about putting money into a bike--they get stolen so often and easily, and almost never get recovered.


My_Brain_Gets_Itchy
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Post by My_Brain_Gets_Itchy »

@secretweath:
Me too. Every bike I had that was of value got stolen.
Right now I have a cheaper beater bike, it's heavy and pretty sucky, but I know no one will want to steal it :)
With a folding bike what's cool is that you don't lock it outside, you take it in with you.


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C40
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Post by C40 »

I've never had a bike stolen. It depends on where you live, where you leave the bike and for how long, and how well you lock it (a combination of a u lock and a cable/chain is much better than only one or two of a single type because it requires separate tools)
A folding or coupled bike can be much cheaper to fly with compared to normal bikes.
For someone who flies a lot and wants to ride long distances at destinations, coupled is probably better. (Because it will work better while riding)
For someone who needs to get on the subway often, (and if they don't allow a full size bike) you'd want a folding. Coupled bikes take longer to decouple, and they aren't meant to be carried by hand decoupled. (They're meant to be carried in a case).
Also if you're going to spend a lot of time riding it, a folding bike has some sacrifices that will be annoying or uncomfortable.
I dont think a coupled bike is going to be heavier than a folding bike. Might be lighter depending on which two you're comparing.


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Chris
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Post by Chris »

I have a Downtube 9 with front suspension. I chose it simply because it was the cheapest ($300) aluminum frame folder at the time (2008).
I like it. My goal was to have a bike I could chuck in my car trunk easily. It doesn't have some niceties (magnetic locking for example), but it's mostly made of standard parts. There are many manufacturers of higher-end folders, so you should be able to find one with the features you want.
Re theft: I think folders are less theft-prone than standard bikes, because you can easily lock both wheels with one lock. Also, because of their compactness, it's less necessary to leave them outside; I just bring mine into the office and stow it under a table.
On planes, yes, you can find travel luggage bags that will fit a folder. Chances are the manufacturer will have one for their models.


Dragline
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Post by Dragline »

You may want to look at these: http://www.citizenbike.com/
But whatever you get, make sure you get a bag to store and carry it in.


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Ego
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Post by Ego »

We have Bike Friday New World Tourists with suitcases that morph into trailers. We haven't done a tour with them yet but I use mine as my daily commuter. We got ours second-hand. A good place to find them at a reasonable price is over at the Bike Friday Forums on the Friday's For Sale Page.
They are not cheap but they hold their value well.

If you want to go without the trailer, they can haul gear like a regular touring bike.



thenagain
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Post by thenagain »

For a city bike, I would recommend the Brompton. These are steel framed well built bikes with a considered design. They are also made in my city (London) and are noted for their backwards compatibility and good value. I have had mine for years, and have saved a fortune, partly due to the exorbitant costs of public transport outside london, and the negated need for it within the city.
These bikes fold up to a very manageable size, ride very well, and with a little care shall last you many many years. I know that there is a store in New York that sells them, but there should be one in Boston too.
www.brompton.co.uk


jacob
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Post by jacob »

@tylerr -
I had a stripped down single-speed Dahon Boardwalk with a coaster brake. Now that I live in the city and face a similar problem, I regret selling it. Especially since I could easily get away with parking a folded bike at my desk whereas a normal bike might be crossing a line.
As for taking it on planes, it might be slightly easier if you don't know how to strip down a regular bike, but keep in mind that folding bikes do weigh about the same as a regular (steel) bike. Even when folded, it's still a substantial hunk of metal.
Downside: Weird (read $$$) components, especially the wheels. Also, small wheels mean you feel the road bumps more acutely. Doesn't handle as well as a regular bike.
An alternative solution might be to just buy cheap used mountain bikes for $30-40. If it gets stolen, get another one. Repeat as necessary.


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Ego
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Post by Ego »

Bromptons are really nice bikes. They fold and unfold very fast.
Here's a good video showing a race where contestants had to fold and unfold their bikes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDKsCvDhCqI


tylerrr
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Post by tylerrr »

thank you....so many great choices on this thread. It's gonna be hard to make a decision between some of these brands. Holding value is key...I might need to get a Brompton or the Friday.
The Citizen bikes are cool, but very cheap which tells me they may not be as high quality.


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Ego
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Post by Ego »

One of the reasons we bought Bike Friday's is to avoid the airline excess baggage fees. We did an Asian bike tour in 2006-7. Our full-sized bikes (in boxes) flew free as one of the two permitted piece of luggage for each of us. That was before the airlines started charging high baggage fees.
Today US Airways charges $200 per flight for a bike. As with most airline, folding bikes that fit in a case smaller than 62 linear inches are not considered bikes but are charged as regular pieces of luggage.


thenagain
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Post by thenagain »

@Ego nice video, have you heard of the Brompton World Championship, an annual event (Europe, Japan?, and America) where contestants race on the Brompton wearing shirt and jacket (to keep the commuter ethos alive ;) )
@tylerr Bromptons are noted for holding their value, they are like the Apple Macs of the bike world, without the manufactured obsolesce or smugness ;) If I were to sell my bike right now (perish the thought) I could expect (quite reasonably) to sell it for 75% - 100+% of the original price, as the price of the bike itself (with some minor although backwards compatible upgrades) has risen by about £200 over about 3 years.
Another reassuring fact is that unlike many other seasonal attempts, by other manufacturers, the company are conservative and honest therefore their products are incrementally improved and each change is backwards compatible. If you come across a rare example of the bike being on sale, it will most certainly not be for 50% like some other brands, as the product is genuine, sustainable, and sold at a reasonable price for the quality.
Anyway must stop, I sound like I'm on commission but I am just a fan of the brand and glad that to fly the flag for one of the final few genuine British bicycle brands.


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Ego
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Post by Ego »

I had never heard of the Brompton World Championship. Just watched the video. Hilarious!
To echo what you said about Brompton, these bikes (Brompton, Bike Friday, Birdy and Dahon) represent the type of product many of us here have been yearning for in kitchen gadgets, furniture and other miscellaneous items. Fixable. Long lasting. Holds value. Lacking in the despicable style-obsolescence and planned- obsolescence.
These companies see their customers like Henry Ford saw his when he sold the Model T. Sell them something they will have for life. They sell spare parts and are glad to make repairs and guarantee failures. It takes a small niche market to make money doing things like this.


grendel
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Post by grendel »

My partner and I both have Dahon Speed D7s, and we like them a lot and have had them for years. (And they can handle the Yepp Mini front bike seat for kids!) I think they handle and ride well, despite Jacob's criticism of a different Dahon above.
They can't hold full-sized panniers, which is probably the biggest reason that we wouldn't own these bikes except for the regulations in DC against bringing a full-sized bike on the metro during "rush hour" -- which lasts 6 hours/day.
Once someone hit my back wheel and bent it, and getting a new one was about 50% more than a normal wheel (they paid for it, but just FYI). I think maintenance is more expensive with most folding bikes... not astronomically so, but more.
I don't know the max, but I can vouch these bikes work well for 10+ miles daily for years. Maybe a 1-speed would work well for a couple miles or flat, but we're glad to have something with gears and that's relatively rugged.
They're $550 on Amazon and ThorUSA right now, although we bought ours locally. Good luck!


thenagain
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Post by thenagain »

On the Brompton front, here is an interesting articles you might appreciate

http://www.leonneal.com/blog/portfolio/ ... e-company/

Path less pedaled - ERE style cycle touring blog: http://pathlesspedaled.com/2011/09/zen- ... n-touring/

NYCE bike shop, has lots of reviews plus well-designed config program: http://www.nycewheels.com/brompton-folding-bike.html


Dahons are very nice bikes too, I remember using a Vitesse for about a day and it got me around the city quite comfortably, the rear rack was very useful.
Recently there has been some issues concerning Dahon and Tern: Dahon started as a family business of sorts however following from a nasty divorce, the mother and son started Tern which are pretty much identical to Dahon bikes. There was a lawsuit filled, and I am not sure of the outcome (just a google search away) but from various forums it seems that Tern are making progress now, so it might be better to switch to them. Although that will require a bit of research on your part.


prieten
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Post by prieten »

Bromptons are the very best folding bikes in terms of folded size, weight and ridability. They are soooooo expensive though. I wouldn't try taking a Brompton on an airplane without a hard case, any folding bike is too delicate to survive unprotected a "determined" baggage handler. Then the problem is what do you do with the hard case? I thought a cool hard case for the Brompton should have a buckle on the outside that attaches to the block on the Brompton stem. Maybe a carry-on rucksack with your clothes would fit into it. Another consideration is the weight limit on international flights. Some only let you bring 20 kilos. A Bromptom weighs 11 kilos, so that leaves 9 kilos for your other stuff.


learning
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Re: Folding Bike?

Post by learning »

The citizen bikes look very affordable, especially the steel-framed 20"-wheeled "Miami" with the rear rack. Has anybody tried these? Are there any pitfalls, like proprietary parts that are expensive, difficult to find, or will be discontinued?

Dragline
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Re: Folding Bike?

Post by Dragline »

I have one. Its very sturdy. Also quite heavy for its size. But I've gotten a lot of good use out of it and I'm happy with it. These bikes aren't fast, but they are great in crowded areas, including sidewalks, malls (outdoors) and grassy areas. Also at outdoor events where the streets are blocked off and there are lots of pedestrians. I keep it at work mostly and throw it in the trunk when I have to go on a car trip.

Honestly, I really like the fact that its cheap (and in my case, it was a gift). I won't be heartbroken if something happens to it. But I don't think I would take it on an airplane or use it for long rides.

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