Folding Bicycle

[Cruiser Wannabe]

Do any of you cruisers have folding bikes on your boat? I'm thinking of getting one and am looking for some experienced advice.

[GibraltarSean]

Hi I'm thinking the same... I have a number of 'irons' but never used a folder yet .... I have a cracking tourer by 'Thorn' using a 13 speed gearbox drum in the rear wheel... after using this it's hard to go back to conventional gears. Anyway, the research I have done in folders takes me to the Brompton . Check out this link, I hope it takes you to a company in the UK that converts a Brommie with both a Rolhoff rear gear drum and an electric assist motor... expensive but interesting ...Sean.

http://www.kinetics-online.co.uk/fol...loff-brompton/

[GibraltarSean]

Tried to reply with a link but not allowed [emoji15]

I have thought about an electric Brompton with a Rolhoff 13 speed gear drum!

Because I can't seem to post the link have a look at kinetics-online via google . Just put Brompton Rolhoff Electric and kinetic online should appear in the browser... looks interesting [emoji3]

[ranger58sb]

There are many threads about bikes on board, so you might want to review those for pros and cons of various models mentioned. Some features discussed include wheel sizes, gears (or not), chains (or not), racks versus suspension systems, etc etc etc

FWIW, we have a couple on board. Both work OK, neither is wonderful. In both cases, the ancillary hardware (fasteners for brake controls, etc.) and especially the hardware that supports folding is what rusts first.

-Chris

[Bulty]

I have a Sun 3-speed and Tern 7-speed. Prefer the Sun due to unnecessary, imo, derailer. Bathe with lubricant twice a year and keep out of weather -no rust after 3 years. Both weigh about 30 lbs so easy to haul to/from dock. Paid about $300 so big $$$ bikes not necessary.

[Kenomac]

Buy a Brompton with a Burley Travoy folding trailer.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kV32HQqPYsM

[dgoanne]

I asked this same question more than a year ago and got some excellent replies from the community. There seem to be two trains of thought: buy a cheap bike that doesn't fold and does rust and can get stolen and not worry about the thing, or stick with your plan to have a really good bike aboard for whatever reason and cope.

After looking at the Brompton and a couple other ebikes, we ended up with a GoCycle. We don't boat full time, but do use our ebike almost FT just commuting around our home town. Folds up enough to fit on a sailboat or into a van and is a GREAT way to really see the local area being visited.

Good luck!

[GibraltarSean]

Yep, awsome little Brommie video there!

And the Gocycle I have seen a couple of these commuting between Gibraltar and Spain, they look quite cool and yep I agree they are excellent to smashing around the local area on, that's why I'm. Onside ring something with an electric assist on also... some days you may have just tasks to get on with , brining home a load of shopping supplies etc.... sounds good. I like the post about cheap cheerful , throw away able versus a quality piece and maintain it... I reckon I'll check the latter though... as it would frustrate me personally when cranks start slipping and cheap bits sieze up... been there too...

[Scott Berg]

Another Bromton fan... mine is 17 years old, one major refit; very good ride for a folder; internal gears great for locker storage/etc. Not cheap but worth it

[Dockhead]

There's plenty of good information in the archives -- have a rummage around there.

Also there is no one right answer, because the right boat bike depends on how you ride, and how much storage space you have. The small wheel ones (16" like the Brompton) with few gears are easier to store but not as rideable for long distances or rougher roads.

Kenomac is a really serious cyclist and I'm still kind of surprised he would be satisfied with the Brompton, but there you go. I'm not as serious a rider as he is, but I do like to stretch my legs a bit from time to time, so I prefer a 20" bike with plenty of gears, and with a suspension. By the time you get to 20" and you have front and rear suspension, then a folding bike rides quite a lot like a normal road bike and knocking out 50 or even 100 miles at a time is not a big deal. The big difference to a normal road bike is only in fast downhill runs, where the smaller wheels give a lot less stability, so you don't feel comfortable at the speeds you might ride your normal road bike downhill. However, the suspension makes up for the loss of resilience from smaller wheels; actually and then some, which is a nice bonus.

So my choice is a Dahon Jetstream EX with three speed front derailleur and nine speed cassette hub gear, and fully articulating suspension. It is definitely bulkier and harder to store than the smaller Brompton, though, and you don't need a 20" bike to run around the harbor, pick up groceries, etc.


I think of my bike as my land tender, and I find it really useful, especially in more remote places. I also have a lot of fun roaming around new places on it. But the downside is that it is hard to store, even on a 54' boat (!), and hard to maintain against the relentless onslaught of rust on board.

A trailer would make it even far more useful -- I'm looking at one like Ken's. Even if Uber has helped provision-hauling immensely.

[Kenomac]

It's no problem switching between a Brompton and the velodrome track bike.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8OnApCF_FDE

[rwidman]

L keep researching bicycles for the boat but every time I do, I come to the conclusion that walking is good exercise and that I can pay for a lot of cab rides for what buying and maintaining two bicycles would cost.


I have a small boat and storage would be a major problem for me.

[Cotemar]

Electric stand up scooters are lighter, smaller and faster than bikes. No Sweat.

24 miles at 18 mph on a charge.

24 lbs.

Oh, and did I say Awesome Fun
.
.

[rwidman]

If you hit a pothole at speed in one of those small wheeled scooters, you're going ass over teakettle!

[salticrak]

Folding bikes always make me think of professors for some unknown reason.