Anyone ride folding bikes?

[veggieburger]

I have been giving some thought to unloading one of my steel bikes in order to get a half-decent folding bike. However, I'm not really sure what to look at, especially since I tip the scales @ 200lbs.

Any experience with folding bikes? Do you have to pay over $1k to get something durable?

[93legendti]

I have 2 Bike fridays and a Slingshot folder. Bike Friday has some basic models. I think the weight limit on a stock model is 220 lbs.

[Kirk007]

I had a Bike Friday Pocket Rocket but ended up selling it. It was durable, definitely over $1000 (but I believe you can get models at around that price point), and performed well for me, up to a point.

Really depends on what you want the bike for and on you. I wanted a travel bike to cart all over the West, and while the Pocket Rocket functioned well in the travel aspect I didn't like the small wheels and seat mast frame concept - but I've a touch over 6' 3" and around 210. That's a lot of mass suspended up there. It was great on flats and rollers but once taken up and down some steep canyons in Colorado I sold it and got an S&S coupled big bike.

If you want a bike for casual riding while traveling then I think the BF are great. They make a relatively new model called the tikit that folds even more simply and quickly than the regular Bike Friday and it looks ideal for casual travel riding

[veggieburger]

Those Bike Fridays look really nice and get great reviews, but a little rich for my current economic status. Some of the Dahons *look* nice, but I'm a little suspicious...

[93legendti]

Those Bike Fridays look really nice and get great reviews, but a little rich for my current economic status. Some of the Dahons *look* nice, but I'm a little suspicious...

Did you see the stock bikes?
http://community.bikefriday.com/2009

[avalonracing]

Do you mean carbon bikes? :rolleyes:

[veggieburger]

Actually, the stock bikes aren't too bad at all! Thanks for that! I'll keep my eye on the 'bay for something used.

[93legendti]

Actually, the stock bikes aren't too bad at all! Thanks for that! I'll keep my eye on the 'bay for something used.
You're welcome. That PP is what I was thinking...it's hard to know what "a little rich for me" means to other people, so I hesitated posting. Anyway, they hold their value pretty well. Their was a BF Nomad for $699 listed on eBay a few days ago.

[Ken Robb]

bfriday sells a lot of pre-owned bikes with the same warranty as a new one. Check their site for inventory. Im 6'1 200lbs. and my New World Tourist rides great, even with a pretty big/heavy Carradice swinging from the loops on my Brooks saddle. 3 speed internal hub w/7 speed rear =21 speeds and a wider range than oy regular triples. The front ring has a guard so long pants stay clean too.

[dave thompson]

bfriday sells a lot of pre-owned bikes with the same warranty as a new one. Check their site for inventory. Im 6'1 200lbs. and my New World Tourist rides great, even with a pretty big/heavy Carradice swinging from the loops on my Brooks saddle. 3 speed internal hub w/7 speed rear =21 speeds and a wider range than oy regular triples. The front ring has a guard so long pants stay clean too.
Is this yours Ken?

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/3056/tinysworthresize.jpg

[jroden]

i have a Dahon speed 7 that I bought so I could train when traveling on business w/o paying a bag surcharge. I rode some 3-4 hour rides last summer on it and found it quite nice. You can get the setup OK in an upright sort of way and with clipless pedals I was able to ride at a decent pace. It's a $350 bike and the quality of the components reflect that, but for my occasional use it's a blast.

[palincss]

I have been giving some thought to unloading one of my steel bikes in order to get a half-decent folding bike. However, I'm not really sure what to look at, especially since I tip the scales @ 200lbs.


First thing, identify what you want the folder for. If it's to be a travel bike, and the main objective is beat the outrageous airline charges for oversize bike boxes, the two obvious choices are the Friday and a full sized bike with S&S Couplers.

If you live in an apartment building and want something to ride around the city, fit easily in a closet for storage and readily fit in an elevator, consider something like a Swift Folder (born and bred in Brooklyn) or a Dahon.

If you're interested in bimodal transportation -- i.e., ride to the train, fold up the bike, ride the train to the city, unfold the bike and ride from the train station to work -- the Brompton is the leader of the pack.

Friday is now also making genuine folders (as opposed to take-apart travel bikes) which are well regarded, and Dahon is all about folding bikes - I think that's all they make, and they make them in about every flavor & style you can think of.

Some useful web sites:
http://www.transalt.org/resources/foldingbikes
http://www.atob.org.uk/Buyers%27_Guide.html
http://www.foldsoc.co.uk/

[Ken Robb]

Is this yours Ken?
http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/3056/tinysworthresize.jpg

Nope. The stem is way too long for me. I can't ride that stretched out. Ken

[FierteTi52]

Airnimal 24" wheeled folders have my interest. They are really nice however require an S&S case for travel.
http://www.calhouncycle.com/productcart/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=97

[93legendti]

I like those as well-the stack height of those spacers concern me...
Here's a good deal:
http://community.bikefriday.com/node/11634

[JohnHemlock]

I was in your boat - big guy who wanted a portable bike. I rode the Pocket Rocket and some other BF models. I agree with a previous poster - just fine for casual city rides but I wanted to take something to the TdF and just couldn't see riding the Columbiere on 20 inch tires and that geo.

So I went with a much more expensive idea but no regrets.

[weisan]

veggie-pal, take a look at this review.
http://cs.gmu.edu/~sean/stuff/tikit/

[veggieburger]

veggie-pal, take a look at this review.
http://cs.gmu.edu/~sean/stuff/tikit/

Sweet! Thanks!

[Random]

I have two Air Fridays. I have traveled with them in places like Burma and Bhutan and also the TdF. The small wheels are different, but after tens of thousands of miles I have to say they are not better or worse. It always takes me a bit to re-accustom myself to the quick steering of 20 in. wheels, but after I do I love their spryness.

As for speed and pace, I rode with JV and a number of other hot shots on a Garmin TdF week in the Alps on a BF and i was not in the lead, but I was not in the rear either. The bike is as fast as you are :)

The company is the single best customer service business I have dealt with in the cycling industry.

[BengeBoy]

Here's another option I recently ran across - it's like a mini-velo bike with 20-inch wheels, but loaded with S&S couplers so it packs down really small. It's pretty expensive (frame only starts at $3,000; complete bikes start at $4,000), but the claimed advantage is that it's stiffer than a Bike Friday.

It's called the "Six Pack," by Rodriguez, the semi-custom builder in Seattle.


http://i50.tinypic.com/i3e68y.gif

Unfortunately I can never get a link to a specifical model work on their website, so go to their website and look for the promo for the "six pack" right on the home page or find the link for "travel bikes" on the left hand side.

www.rodcycle.com.

[weisan]

I have two Air Fridays. I have traveled with them in places like Burma and Bhutan and also the TdF. The small wheels are different, but after tens of thousands of miles I have to say they are not better or worse. It always takes me a bit to re-accustom myself to the quick steering of 20 in. wheels, but after I do I love their spryness.

As for speed and pace, I rode with JV and a number of other hot shots on a Garmin TdF week in the Alps on a BF and i was not in the lead, but I was not in the rear either. The bike is as fast as you are :)

The company is the single best customer service business I have dealt with in the cycling industry.

Random-pal,
I have been riding on Air Friday the last couple of rides mostly 2 hours and less than 30 miles. My regular road bike is an older LOOK carbon bike. The biggest difference I would say between the two it seems like the Friday has a harsher ride which is not completely unusual for tire of that size. Is there something you do to smooth out the ride, what pressure do you put into those tires? thanks!

[93legendti]

Weisan, I'm using Schwalbe Stelvio and Kojack tires on my Pocket Rocket Pro and Tikit, respectively- 85 psi in rear, 80 psi in front. Both of my bikes have ti masts, which help, but both ride smooooooth.

Your AF has a ti beam, so you should have soem plushness to your ride. If you bought your AF used, you might want to check with BF to see if it was built for a bigger person and uses a stiffer ti beam. Same with the wheels. 24 spokes (or less) are all you need, given your size.

[weisan]

legend-pal, thanks for your feedback.

My Air came with the standard issue IRC Roadlite EX which precedes the Schwalbes. I have them pumped up to about 100 psi. I need to play a bit more with the air pressure. I think the Ti beam is calibrated within my specs.

A curious question: I am in the process of upgrading my tikit with a Sachs 3X7 rear internal hub. Any notable difference between the tikit and the pocket, other than the 16" and 20" wheels?

[veggieburger]

Well suffice it to say, if any of you larger gentlemen has an additional folder that you'd like to move out of the closet, please let me know.

Thanks for all the info!

:banana:

[eddief]

same tubes as Pocket Rocket Pro, but 406 wheels and Vbrakes. About 21.5 pounds. fit is dialed as my favorite full size bike. a blast to ride and comfy as all get out. i have no problem getting on it no matter the ride situation...as long as we are speaking of pavement. extra set of fat knobs for off road should that be the case. solid, fast, fun, foldable. don't think the standard samsonite case is exactly within the 62 inches, but have not heard of people getting busted for that. and samsonite = $150. S&S = a lot more doh.

[Random]

I tend to ride 28cm tires at 85-90psi. I do have some 23cm race tires, and they handle like all get out, but they aren't as durable or comfortable as the 28cm. The ti beam takes all the bite out of the rear. The long stem and some plush tape takes care of the front. No doubt a pot hole or cow grate that might not sting on a big wheel bike could make itself felt on a BF. I have steel, carbon and ti big wheel bikes and the AF is likely my most comfortable. That is partly fit, partly beam and partly the steel frame, I think.

The small wheels wind up fast, so it climbs well. On the flats it allegedly becomes less aero in the 30 mph range. Not usually my problem :) My only wish is that it was lighter. My DA Air weighs in just over 20 lbs, and that is because I asked them to use some pretty light custom tubing. I weigh 160. The wheels are light, but the hinge area is heavy.

Riding this bike always makes me smile.

[Peter B]

I have several friends who've done Paris-Brest-Paris and the Great Southern 1200 on Bike Fridays. They'll go the distance if you can.