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Jolly Roger · 08-05-2015, 11:47

I'm looking for a decent folding bike, preferably one made for boating.

**a64pilot** · 08-05-2015, 12:05

I'm not selling this is just for info, I have two Dahon's one Boardwalk and one Mariner.
Near as I can tell the only thing Marine about the Mariner is the name, decent little bike, but don't get fooled by the name, at least in a Dahon, the Boardwalk is every bit as good as a Mariner. Supposed to be more stainless on a Mariner, but I have seen no difference in corrosion, they both will rust very quickly if you don't keep them cleaned off and Corrosion-X or similar on them.

I believe there are several boat / bike threads if your curious as to models etc.

KnuckleDragger · 08-05-2015, 12:45

Been very happy with my Dahon Mariner. The "marine" part is because the frame is aluminum rather that steel.

sanibel sailor · 08-05-2015, 13:50

They make or used to make a stainless version with a stainless frame and parts.
Looks like the only regular steel part is the chain.

AmericanVagrant · 08-05-2015, 17:45

I was recently in the same position as you. I decided I wanted a bike that could serve every purpose I asked of it no matter where I was in the world, so I chose the Montague Paratrooper Pro. It's a hardtail folding mountain bike with full size 26" tires, front suspension w/ lockouts, 27 speeds, disk brakes, etc. They retail for around $950 but I purchased mine used for $600.

It's a great bike, I've already put it through the paces on a local mountain bike trail and it worked impressively well, even better than my trustee old Schwinn full suspension bike (from before their acquisition/reduction in quality). The frame is incredibly rigid (much more so than the Schwinn).

Anyway, just something else to put on your radar. It has an aluminum frame, alloy wheels, stainless spokes, decent hardware (though anyone looking to hit the races would want to upgrade most of it first) and weighs in at a manageable 29 lbs stock.

Paratrooper Pro Military Folding Bike | Montague Bikes

Though I may sound like a salesman, I'm not at all affiliated with the company (just extremely pleased with the bike).

SailRedemption · 08-05-2015, 18:30

There was another thread about this some time ago..

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...d.php?t=140033

But when my girlfriend and I get bikes were looking at Montague bikes. I believe we have the space for the "larger" folding bikes on the boat.

- Ronnie...on the geaux

contrail · 08-05-2015, 21:01

About five months ago I got something new to me, and electric bike. It's a folder, with 20 inch wheels, much like a Dahon but more solidly built. An electric bike turns out to be incredibly useful...quite common in Europe, I understand. If I want the exercise, I just pedal it like a regular bike. It has seven speeds. If I want to get somewhere without sweating, it will go about 25 miles on one charge, at a speed of 18 MPH, sort of like an electric moped. Best is to combine both foot power and the motor in a mode called power assist, where you choose the level of assist (mine has 5) and then it matches the effort you put in. In this mode I can go a good 40 miles on one charge, at 15 to 18 MPH and can go up pretty good hills, over bridges, and into the wind with ease. Don't raise much sweat, either. The battery is Lithium and the whole thing, including the battery, weighs 42 pounds. It's really useful, and fun, too. Folds much like a Dahon and is about the same size.

Jolly Roger · 09-05-2015, 06:11

That's an interesting concept Contrail. Do you have any information please? Do the makers have a website?
JR.

lancelot9898 · 09-05-2015, 06:51

Well I wish you lived closer because I have a full size folding Dahon with the 26 inch tires that I want to sell. It's been a number of years since Dahon stopped production of that bike, but the bike has held up well. It has a rear derailer with 6 or 7 speeds and I used it for several weeks when we first moved away from the sea to the mountains here is NC. I even took it to a mountain bike park and used it on the elementary trails even though it has no suspension front or rear. I used it also with the bike club on road rides here in the mountains with most all having expensive road bikes(3K plus) and was able to keep up. With the large mountain bike tires and with me repacking the wheel bearings it did better on the downhills however maybe my weight was a factor also. I did buy a new hybrid bike and now use it on the rides with the group and it really does do better with its 27 gears than the Dahon.(37 mph peak speed downhill on the hybrid via GPS) While I can post pictures and tell how well it performs, I would want someone to try it out before purchase because it is old. The boat is still on the Chesapeake and one of these days, I'll take the bike back to the boat and sell it there.

contrail · 09-05-2015, 07:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

That's an interesting concept Contrail. Do you have any information please? Do the makers have a website?
JR.

It turns out these things are not at all uncommon and are made by various companies, large and small. There are conversion kits for normal bikes. Apparently, they are very popular in Europe and a number of really big cities.

Mine was made by a company called A2B. Their website is wearea2b. The bike I got is the Kuo+.

West Marine carries a bike made by Prodeco, which I also considered. There exists an electric bike magazine, and an online site called electric bike reviews, IIRC. With a little reading and research, you can quickly come up to speed.

I have been very happy with my choice. Factors that I considered important were ruggedness, weight, reputation of the company, availability of parts and service, in addition to four operational features: first, I liked the power assist feature, where the bike adds power to your pedal power, at a pre-determined ratio which you set. My bike has five levels of power assist. Level one is hard to detect but helps get you off the mark more quickly. Level five makes it almost unnecessary to pedal. The alternative to this system is to pedal and simply apply the power accelerator (a knob on the handlebars) as needed/wanted. It doesn't sound like much of a difference, but it is and I am really glad my bike has the power assist mode. The second feature is an installed heavy duty rack. These can be installed as an aftermarket feature on many of the other bikes, but not all of them, and they do cost extra. Mine is an advantage, but not as big as I had thought. The third feature is a headlight and tail light that are powered by the main battery. I wanted to be able to ride at night, and I do. My lights are quite bright. You can add this as an aftermarket add-on to bikes that don't have it, but those lights are generally powered by their own flashlight batteries, which you then have to worry about. The lights on my bike have proved to be as useful as I had imagined. The fourth feature is mud-guards. Wanted them and am glad I have them! These can also be installed on other bikes, after-market, but all these after-market features do add up.

Things I would like to have had: A stand that is on both sides so that the bike is held straight upright, rather than slightly tilted, which would help when folded up. Mine rests upon a support, which is OK. Some actually are capable of being pulled like a piece of luggage, which I can see would be handy on trains, for example. I would have liked a more positive clip to keep the bike folded, rather than the magnetic device it has. A bigger chain guard would help general cleanliness as would gears inside the hub, rather than a derailleur. A belt drive, rather than a chain, is an interesting concept, but these come with their own disadvantages. Overall, I am very happy with my bike and haven't found a different one with all the features that I would have liked or preferred...these are compromises. And the quality and warranty of A2B are excellent.

There are folding electric bikes with larger tires, mountain bikes, full sized bikes, etc. etc, any of which might fit another person's requirements better, so it is worth looking around. Mine fits my own needs very well. This is an industry that will grow, since these bikes are so useful and environmentally friendly. I have saved a fortune on rental cars and cabs. So might many city dwellers. The biggest advantages of an electric bike over a regular one is that you can use only the motor, to drive in hot weather and arrive somewhere not all sweaty, in dress clothes, even, and sometimes I need to do that. You can also tackle hills and headwinds very easily, with power assist or the power throttle.

Previously, I had a regular Dahon folder, for many years, until it got stolen. A bag, for moving it around when folded, was very useful. A folding bike is something of a task to get in and out of a dinghy, or even a locker, depending upon size. A non motorized folder usually weighs somewhere in the 20-30 pound range. Adding a motor and battery make a significant difference. My bike, including the battery (4 lbs), which you can detach, weighs 41.5 lbs, all up. This is actually lighter than most or all of its competition, but it is not a trivial weight to move around.

My experience with the Dahon, and now my Kuo, is that there are more situations than you might think where it is just not worth the hassle to use it, so there may be long periods where you don't. Then, suddenly, the situation arises where it is the perfect solution, and you use it all the time and are very glad to have it. This has been the case with both bikes. Would't be without one of them, but I perfectly understand those who feel otherwise.

Interestingly, I have never had a corrosion problem with either one. But then I am pretty careful with my stuff, and don't leave my bike outside. I wipe off spray and when moving things by dinghy, use bags. The Kuo is made of aluminum but the Dahon was mild steel. I grew up in a culture where you valued your possessions, which were not considered to be "throw-aways" and you took care of them. I am almost anal when it comes to fighting salt-water, but the result is that I have lots of things that have lasted a long, long time in the marine environment, look good and work well. I cringe at the little care given to many things, by many people who are more influenced by our modern "throw-away" culture, and don't wonder why their stuff is always failing. Take good care of your things, and they will good care of you, particularly on a boat.

Cheers,
Tim

sailnow2011 · 09-05-2015, 11:48

I have one for sale, PM sent.

Jolly Roger · 09-05-2015, 12:41

I've now looked at some electric bikes in our local store and a used A2B Kuo sounds like just the job for me, since I can't pedal far in Florida heat.
I wonder what the risk of having one of these stolen is? Pretty high I would think.
I will be looking at how easy it is to fold and stow, so I might be able to take it into wherever I go for an extended time. Otherwise it might mean a length of 3/8" anchor chain and a whopping great padlock, to deter a thief.
Anyone out there with one of these they don't use?

contrail · 09-05-2015, 14:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

I've now looked at some electric bikes in our local store and a used A2B Kuo sounds like just the job for me, since I can't pedal far in Florida heat.
I wonder what the risk of having one of these stolen is? Pretty high I would think.
I will be looking at how easy it is to fold and stow, so I might be able to take it into wherever I go for an extended time. Otherwise it might mean a length of 3/8" anchor chain and a whopping great padlock, to deter a thief.
Anyone out there with one of these they don't use?

Be aware that there are some slightly different features on the Kuo+, as compared to the Kuo. I have the + model, and it is an upgrade. For what it is worth, I got mine at the Electrical Bike Store in Ft. Lauderdale, and their service was excellent. I have seen Kuo's on EBay, but not often used ones.

I worry about it being stolen, so have a thick cable and strong lock, which I use everywhere I go, if I can't actually take the bike inside. And, it doesn't stay out at night. So far, so good, but it certainly might look tempting!

Canibul · 09-05-2015, 15:44

I bought two of the Montague folding bikes two years ago while camping in Colorado. I didn't get the high end model, I went for the $630 X-50 Swiss Bike model.
I was extremely disappointed in the quality of the bike overall. These bikes remind me of something you could buy at K-Mart for $ 199. Components are real cheap. My wife gave up on hers because it was so uncomfortable to ride. There's something wrong with the geometry. I tried buying new stems, with different rises and extensions, and seat posts, and seats....these were a mistake. I sure wouldn't put them on a boat.