Taking fold-up bikes - yay or nay?

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by Canibul

I, too, hesitate at the small wheels. I also have had mixed results with the two folding Montague bikes, I cannot see why anyone would like them. They remind me of what we called 'slughumpers' back when I was riding centuries on weekends. you know, the cheapo $99 bikes Kmart carried. A short adjustable Crescent wrench was the tool kit for them. Montague has a lot in common with those, but at six times the price.

several people have mentioned the low end West Marine bikes, but I am not able to find any such animal on this site. West Marine What West Marine brand folding bike are y'all referring to? The AMC?

Also notice they all seem to have front suspension forks these days. I know I don't want sliding front forks on a bike.

We've had our Montagues for about 5 years & they've been great. They're full size folding mountain bikes that have alloy frames so they're pretty light and they fold very easily. I haven't had to replace anything except the grips, seats & tires which we just wore out. They're our only bikes & we ride several times a week so they've gotten a lot of use.

[valhalla360]

Do you bike a lot now?
- If yes, then it's probably well worth it.
- If no, don't expect to suddenly start biking.


We sold ours about a month into our travels as they took up valuable space and we weren't using them.

[S/V Alchemy]

You may find this of use. In it, I argue that given you can buy a crappy bike nearly anywhere on Earth, it's far simpler just to carry an aluminum rack and pannier system, plus selected tools and spares. Buy the bike for $10, use it for the three weeks you are in Rum Lagoon, then take off your racks, etc. and sell it to a local for $10, freshly decrudded, greased and with new brake pads. All of which fit in a ditty bag.

The world encompassed: Two wheels good: To bring or borrow a boat bike

[SeaSon]

W have a trawler so space isn't an issue. Just brought or bikes from home. They are getting a bit of rust on the chain, and on small pieces and parts, but they sure make cruising around town a joy. Glad we brought them and we'll just replace them if or when needed, buy that should be years from now.
Ditto on using CRC.

[Kashmir cat]

Yes and no. It really depends where you are going. We carried folding bikes while cruising the Caribbean. We used the bikes a fair amount in the Bahamas and T and C where the vehicle traffic was light and the roads were relatively flat. We rarely used them further down island where the roads were steep and the drivers were crazy. If I were to carry bikes again, I'd get cheap mountain bikes and plan on replacing them every so often. I don't think they would rust any faster than our expensive folding bikes did.

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by Kashmir cat

I don't think they would rust any faster than our expensive folding bikes did.

Actually they would. Quality bikes use aluminum for many parts while cheap bikes use steel stampings. Also, the cheap bikes are more prone to frame or fork failure. And quality bikes use SS cables in lined tubing for brakes/shifts while cheap ones use (thinly) plated steel cable in unlined (i.e. metal internal surface) tubing. There really is a huge difference once you study it.

Greg

[petervoges]

I can not imagine to be without a bike while cruising. Try out a Strida. It is odd shaped and although folding still bulky because of the handlebar. It has a belt drive. It did not need any maintenance in over 10 years.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Canibul

several people have mentioned the low end West Marine bikes, but I am not able to find any such animal on this site. West Marine What West Marine brand folding bike are y'all referring to? The AMC?

Also notice they all seem to have front suspension forks these days. I know I don't want sliding front forks on a bike.

The early WM models were the Port Runner (the more expensive model) and the Jetty Express. The former had only a seat-post mounted rear rack, i.e., with no support at the rear wheel hub. The latter had a real rack, so that's the one we got.

Since then, a later iteration -- I think of the Jetty Express -- was recalled for something or other.

Then after that, WM brought out new models, Port Runner 2, and Back Bay (yes, AMC). In correspondence with WM last Sept, I was told many of the hardware pieces on the current models are indeed stainless steel. (Actually, I was inquiring about the possibility of retro-fitting Back Bay parts onto our Jetty Express. Nope, can't do.) Their bikes are built to a price point, that's the way the come from the factory, what you get is what you get... so influencing WM's purchasing specification would be a longer term process.

The Back Bay I see listed now has only a seat-post mounted rack, IMO entirely insufficient for anything useful. Possibly replaceable with a real rack, if the post attachment can be attached to the fixed portion of the frame (not to the seat post itself). I wouldn't leap into a bike with a derailleur anyway, for boat purposes, but that's maybe just me.

The front suspension on my Downtube model has been useful in rough city streets, going over curbs and so forth, especially given that the small 20" wheels don't absorb that much shock. OTOH, wife's Jetty Express, without front suspension has been adequate for her, too. Then again, I'm slightly more aggressive on rough roads and streets than she is...

-Chris

[jheldatksuedu]

My first folding bike was home built, in fact almost all of them have been. Here I modified a decent road bike by cutting it in half and making it reassemble easily. I had to sacrifice another bike to get the inside tubing pieces that fit well and slide together. A quick release seat tube clamp and a through bolt on the top tube and 2 bolts with a wing nut on one on the bottom tube. I moved a rear shifter control to just in front of the seat so it stays with the back half, the front shifter was removed and I reach down and move the chain by hand if needed. The rear brake cable easily disconnects, and then with quick release hubs you have four rather equal sized pieces that easily store and assemble to a decent road bike.

[Scout 30]

Here's one that looks neat. Has a shaft drive & they specifically target boat owners with this product.

[skipgundlach]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

Here's one that looks neat. Has a shaft drive & they specifically target boat owners with this product.

That would be the classic blank look? ☺

[svmonju]

BC - Nay
US West and East coast - Yay
Mexico - Nay
Central America - Nay
Western Carrib - Nay

[a64pilot]

A lot of statements about folding bikes and small wheeled bikes being inferior.
For the Dahon's etc. like mine, I'd agree with those statements, but if you are a real cyclist or used to be, look at a Bike Friday, I have ridden one or two of them that are almost as good as my Lightspeed Ultimate with full Campy Record groupset.
The Bike Fridays are nothing at all like a Dahon, and are priced accordingly.

The fat tire "beach bikes" are absolutely horrible machines if you have ever been a Roadie, heavy and slow as the devil.

I think it comes to two logical choices,
1 Buy a high quality bike, and spend the time and money required to maintain it.
2 Buy a cheap essentially throw away, possibly second hand bike and give it away or throw it away when you leave.
If your having to ferry the bikes back and forth in a dinghy every time you go ashore, the more the cheap throw away makes sense, secure it best you can and leave it ashore, un-likely it will be stolen as it's not worth much, but if it is, your not out much?
I see using a bike a lot like the Koreans and Vietnamese did, that is to carry lots of weight while you walk beside the thing with it carrying the load. Two Jerry cans full of water strapped to a bike would be a lot easier I think than one in each hand?

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by skipgundlach

That would be the classic blank look? ☺

My bad.

Dynamic folding bike, chainless folding bike, shaft drive folding bike

[Canibul]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

We've had our Montagues for about 5 years & they've been great. They're full size folding mountain bikes that have alloy frames so they're pretty light and they fold very easily. I haven't had to replace anything except the grips, seats & tires which we just wore out. They're our only bikes & we ride several times a week so they've gotten a lot of use.

how tall are you?