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Folding bicycle small enough to fit in hand luggage

kwigglebike.com

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Re: Folding bicycle small enough to fit in hand luggage

#61

Post by someweirdperson »

user568439 wrote: post #38
laurieg wrote: post #24

I've spent a long time with folding bikes over the years. My advice: bite the bullet and buy a Brompton[1]. Yes, Bromptons are expensive. But they ride like a bicycle, have gears, a stiff enough frame, luggage racks etc. There's very little compromise. The fastest I've done on mine is 45 kph and I've ridden 70km in a day. I carry it on and off buses and trains multiple times a day without issue. In the past I had an…

It was a difficult decision for me to spend 1.300 EUR in a Brompton, but I don't regret it a little bit. I have to admit I didn't use any alternative as a long term foldable bicycle, but after 3 years with the Brompton I don't have a single complain. Great quality, minimum weight, nice riding, fast un/folding. Everything you would expect from a portable bike. Regarding the cost, I'm quite sure I could sell mine for m…

I like my Beixo with shaft drive. A bit on the heavy side, but can carry it close without getting dirty.

Re: Folding bicycle small enough to fit in hand luggage

#63

Post by 28304283409234 »

laurieg wrote: post #24

I've spent a long time with folding bikes over the years. My advice: bite the bullet and buy a Brompton[1]. Yes, Bromptons are expensive. But they ride like a bicycle, have gears, a stiff enough frame, luggage racks etc. There's very little compromise. The fastest I've done on mine is 45 kph and I've ridden 70km in a day. I carry it on and off buses and trains multiple times a day without issue. In the past I had an…

I got my brompton in 2006. Still bike it almost daily.

Re: Folding bicycle small enough to fit in hand luggage

#64

Post by samwillis »

throwaway81523 wrote: post #53
samwillis wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My understanding is that Brompton have a patent on their particular fold configuration and so no one can copy it. I’m very much of the opinion that that fold is the most compact while keeping your cycling position close to that of a normal bike. Every other compact folding bike is fighting for a design against that patent, and it can’t be done. This looks to me like one of those designs, if the designers had been abl…

That patent was from 1979 so it must be long expired.

Hmm, will have to dig into it and do some research as, if it is expired, why has no one copied the design?

Edit:

It seems to have been proven in court that they have copyright (rather than the old patent) of the design. A bit like the coke bottle design I suppose.

https://www.farrer.co.uk/news-and-insights/brompton-puts-the...

Re: Folding bicycle small enough to fit in hand luggage

#65

Post by grzes »

so i bought a folding bike from decathlon about 1.5yr ago and never been happier since. its following model:

https://www.decathlon.fr/p/velo-pliant-oxylane-120/_/R-p-120...

they actually went up in price since then. swapped stock tires because they were rubbish and also bought better seatpost from upper model. removed all the unneccessary stuff like ringer or mudguards and this thing flies. im getting average speed about 18km/h on my rides and done about 4000km so far without any problems. this is perfect city bike in my opinion. if this thing had disc brakes it would be even better.

Re: Folding bicycle small enough to fit in hand luggage

#66

Post by pizza234 »

laurieg wrote: post #24

I've spent a long time with folding bikes over the years. My advice: bite the bullet and buy a Brompton[1]. Yes, Bromptons are expensive. But they ride like a bicycle, have gears, a stiff enough frame, luggage racks etc. There's very little compromise. The fastest I've done on mine is 45 kph and I've ridden 70km in a day. I carry it on and off buses and trains multiple times a day without issue. In the past I had an…

> In the past I had an A-bike[2]

I've had an A-bike in the past as well, and while I like the idea in principle, it's essentially a scam, due to the extremely low-quality materials - some components in the transmission are made of plastic, and they're bound to break rather quickly (I think it took me just a few months, even with around 20 km/week).

Re: Folding bicycle small enough to fit in hand luggage

#67

Post by [deleted] »

laurieg wrote: post #24

I've spent a long time with folding bikes over the years. My advice: bite the bullet and buy a Brompton[1]. Yes, Bromptons are expensive. But they ride like a bicycle, have gears, a stiff enough frame, luggage racks etc. There's very little compromise. The fastest I've done on mine is 45 kph and I've ridden 70km in a day. I carry it on and off buses and trains multiple times a day without issue. In the past I had an…

[deleted]

Re: Folding bicycle small enough to fit in hand luggage

#68

Post by codeulike »

laurieg wrote: post #24

I've spent a long time with folding bikes over the years. My advice: bite the bullet and buy a Brompton[1]. Yes, Bromptons are expensive. But they ride like a bicycle, have gears, a stiff enough frame, luggage racks etc. There's very little compromise. The fastest I've done on mine is 45 kph and I've ridden 70km in a day. I carry it on and off buses and trains multiple times a day without issue. In the past I had an…

The A-Bike was a project by Clive Sinclair (ZX Spectrum etc) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-bike

Had one for a bit, very small wheels, was kindof fun but in London its just easier to have a normal bike and arrange your commute so that you use it, rather than carry a small bike around.

I also had a Strida, really nice design and a good balance between usefulness and foldyness

https://www.strida.com/

Re: Folding bicycle small enough to fit in hand luggage

#69

Post by pizza234 »

sparrc wrote: post #2

Seems like it's bordering on push-scooter levels of top speed and stability...what's the benefit of such a small bike compared to a scooter?

I had a push scooter, and they're very dangerous.

Wheels are small, board is short, and center of gravity is high. It just takes a small pothole covered with leaves (so, not even winter), and the driver will fly forward (I did).

E-scooters are heavier, with larger wheels and longer boards, so they may be less accident-prone, but I've never tried one.

Re: Folding bicycle small enough to fit in hand luggage

#70

Post by taneq »

avasylev wrote: post #12
ThinBold wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Scooter has an even smaller wheel and is more unstable during high speed. Also bike is more muscle-efficient.

Overall it's questionable on muscle efficiency. The main problem with scooters/skateboards is that beginners don't learn using second leg (it feels unnatural and takes practice). Thus getting tired with pushing with one leg. Another thing at this form factor you can get electric skateboard, muscles are concern.

Muscle usage between a bike and a scooter isn’t even close. The leg you’re pushing with isn’t the problem, it’s that you’re supporting your whole body weight on one bent leg while you’re pushing, and effectively doing a one legged half-squat every time you transition from coasting to pushing and back. Add in the additional rolling resistance from the tiny wheels and the lack of mechanical advantage from gearing and overall you have something that’s only modestly better than jogging except when you’re costing down hill.
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