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The Joy of Folding Bikes

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Re: The Joy of Folding Bikes

#111

Post by strangegecko »

tokioyoyo wrote: post #65

Have a foldable bike as well, but in Japan, generally you have to put the folded bike in a bag as well. So it’s always just a little bit of extra friction. Then again, taking the front wheel of my road bike takes an extra minute. Then i can put it on the train as well. That’s when I start questioning my decisions no matter whether I took the foldable one or non foldable one.

I'll add my anecdote here: I bought a Tern Verge and the accessory bike bag about 1.5 years ago because I imagined taking the bike on the train or public transport and because I lived in a small apartment. With the bag, you can take it like any other bag, but without, even if folded, you need to pay extra and place it in dedicated bike spots.

Now partially that's just my laziness and trajectory in life, but I haven't used the bag once (I'm not even sure how to use the bag, it's...complicated?). And the bike was folded only once, when I moved.

About a year later I bought a road bike because I wanted better climbing and longer distances and more comfort. Ultimately, for me the folding bike - while great fun in general, it's fast and agile - was kind of the wrong choice.

Re: The Joy of Folding Bikes

#112

Post by tokioyoyo »

strangegecko wrote: post #111
tokioyoyo wrote: post #65

Have a foldable bike as well, but in Japan, generally you have to put the folded bike in a bag as well. So it’s always just a little bit of extra friction. Then again, taking the front wheel of my road bike takes an extra minute. Then i can put it on the train as well. That’s when I start questioning my decisions no matter whether I took the foldable one or non foldable one.

I'll add my anecdote here: I bought a Tern Verge and the accessory bike bag about 1.5 years ago because I imagined taking the bike on the train or public transport and because I lived in a small apartment. With the bag, you can take it like any other bag, but without, even if folded, you need to pay extra and place it in dedicated bike spots. Now partially that's just my laziness and trajectory in life, but I haven't…

Yeah fair. My folding bike is actually an e-bike, and unfortunately not as light as my road bike. In larger stations of Japan it gets very annoying to carry it around in a bag.

Re: The Joy of Folding Bikes

#113

Post by fragmede »

cycomanic wrote: post #90
SeanLuke wrote: post #70

I own what could possibly be the coolest folding bike ever made: the Bike Friday Tikit Hyperfold. It has a folding mechanism with an extremely high nerd quotient. It has a reputation as the fastest bike to fold and unfold, requiring no latches, safeties, or adjustment at all. But more importantly, unlike many other exotic folders (ahem Brompton) it largely uses standard parts. You can fit it with whatever drivetrain,…

I still think the strida folding bikes are the ones with the highest nerd quotient. Never ridden one myself, but been tempted a couple of times. In particular the low weight compared to any other folding bike is appealing. Unfortunately they are difficult to find for test rides and they look quirky enough that I'd want to do a test ride before buying

Unicycles probably have a higher nerd quotient. No folding needed!

Re: The Joy of Folding Bikes

#114

Post by awjlogan »

_vhdk wrote: post #97
thih9 wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Decathlon btwin one second has been praised for its design and easy unfolding; it’s relatively cheap and still being produced. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XX2VSaXmAoo

I have consistently heard that the bikes by decathlon are very poor quality and fall apart easily. Is it a case of you get what you pay for?

N=2, but my Decathlon bikes have well over 50000 km between them with no issues, beyond the usual wear and tear. Value wise, they are fantastic. They are road bikes, however, not the folding specifically.

Re: The Joy of Folding Bikes

#115

Post by Symbiote »

clan wrote: post #103
tokioyoyo wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, this definitely wouldn't fly in any country where a lot of people bike and use transit. Tokyo metro would be hell if full sized bikes would be allowed.

Copenhagen has fairly decent public transportation and biking is quite common. Bikes are allowed basicly everywhere: https://dinoffentligetransport.dk/en/how-to-travel/bicycles-... Caveat: Bikes are not allowed in the Metro during rush hours 07:00-09:00 and 15:30-17:30. But it is allowed the rest of the time and has 24H service. You should also know that the greater Copenhagen area is covered by "S-Trains" which are…

Actually taking a bike on the Copenhagen metro is rare, in my experience, except very late at night when it's empty anyway.

It is almost as annoying to others as taking a bike on a bus.

Re: The Joy of Folding Bikes

#117

Post by burnt-resistor »

There was a Palo Alto-San Jose-Los Gatos homeless OG who went by "John", had a Southern accent, and a neckbeard who rode a red Dahon because it was easy for him to get on and off VTA buses and light rail. He was kooky but a nice guy.

Re: The Joy of Folding Bikes

#118

Post by mejutoco »

gloomyday wrote: post #89

I really wanted an e-scooter to help my shorter routes here in Germany, but the legislation is quite unfriendly to it now. I need insurance and can't carry it in public transport. Maybe a folding bike would be great.

Depending where in Germany you are (Berlin for examnon-foldable ple) you can carry a regular bike in public transport (ubahn, sbahn, not bus). It is very common.

Re: The Joy of Folding Bikes

#119

Post by mbivert »

_vhdk wrote: post #97
thih9 wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Decathlon btwin one second has been praised for its design and easy unfolding; it’s relatively cheap and still being produced. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XX2VSaXmAoo

I have consistently heard that the bikes by decathlon are very poor quality and fall apart easily. Is it a case of you get what you pay for?

Some data points: I bought a Decathlon folding bike (Fold 500; new, ~450€) a few months ago. Using it many times a week (probably more than it's intended).

No issues so far. Internet reviews (https://www.decathlon.fr/r/velo-pliant-fold-500/343354/undef...) are quite positive as well.

I've had other Decathlon bikes when I was a kid/teen, I don't recall any issue either.

Re: The Joy of Folding Bikes

#120

Post by mejutoco »

afavour wrote: post #23
YawningAngel wrote: post #17

I don't fault OP for this, but it's pretty frustrating to me as someone who's quite attached to his non-folding bike that the main benefit of folding bikes is that, unlike regular bikes, they aren't banned from pretty much all public transport

I understand the frustration but also bikes take up a lot of space. When someone brings one on the NYC subway at rush hour it’s definitely an inconvenience.

In Berlin you just have some areas in wagons designated as bike areas. They are still cramped but you can be there with your bike. Plus you pay extra for your ticket to bring the bike.
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