Best recommendations on folding bikes

[mattinri]

I’m a bicycling enthusiast, so it serves double duty ( transportation and recreation/ fitness). I bought a single speed road bike (Specialized Langster), converted it to a belt drive and had a sail maker make up a bike bag and wheel bags. With both wheels removed the bike in the bag is only a little bigger than my wife’s folding bike, much lighter, no chain grease, and has the performance and parts availability of a full size bike.

[Jef & Marin, Netherlands]

We have the Dahon Curve 16" with internal 3 speed gear since 10 years. Light. Very stable handling even at downhill speeds. On brakes and so there are some steel parts that rust. Should have been stainless steel. The rear carrier racks on our version are steel, and started to rust. We had stainless steel imitation racks made in Thailand. Dahon might supply a stainless steel version as well.
We are light, below 70 kg. They are a bit flimsy, I am not sure they could handle heavier people.
We have gone through many many front wheel spokes after a few years. I guess due to braking or fatigue. It might be that the diameter of the front hub is too small.

There is a bicycle tire pump inside the seat tube. Fantastic.

[Captain Claudia]

I love my Brompton!

[GILow]

One more vote for the strida but it’s real advantage lies in how well it folds up and how easy it is to handle and store. I could not find anything that came close to it on those criteria.

It is NOT a very nice bike to ride , very twitchy and no gears. Good for short runs only and no great load capacity.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by Jef & Marin, Netherlands

We have the Dahon Curve 16" with internal 3 speed gear since 10 years. Light. Very stable handling even at downhill speeds. On brakes and so there are some steel parts that rust. Should have been stainless steel. The rear carrier racks on our version are steel, and started to rust. We had stainless steel imitation racks made in Thailand. Dahon might supply a stainless steel version as well.
We are light, below 70 kg. They are a bit flimsy, I am not sure they could handle heavier people.
We have gone through many many front wheel spokes after a few years. I guess due to braking or fatigue. It might be that the diameter of the front hub is too small.

There is a bicycle tire pump inside the seat tube. Fantastic.

mine is the cruise and carry model 20" rims 3 speed internal hub and SS frame and rack as far as I know they were only made from 1992 and 1993
if you can find it buy it .

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by skyrise

If you watch the YT vlogs, Ruby Rose have issues with their Bromptons and wouldn't recomend them..

Could you be more specific please? As is clear from this thread there are many of us with Bromptons that are quite satisfied. Of course all solutions are compromises, so what exactly do they think is disqualifying? That would be more helpful for those pondering buying a folder...

Greg

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by Jef & Marin, Netherlands

We have gone through many many front wheel spokes after a few years. I guess due to braking or fatigue. It might be that the diameter of the front hub is too small.

The spokes of a bicycle wheel absorb a lot of shock and load cycling. The smaller wheels with much shorter spokes multiply the problem. With a new wheel it is important to check and adjust the spokes until the spokes are bedded in, and afterwards only occasionally. If not, some spokes will become looser, putting a larger load on the other spokes and leading to failure. Also, they will fatigue earlier than longer spokes so once they start breaking you should replace them all.

Smaller wheels also make more revolutions per mile, so the tires wear faster. For most this is probably not a problem but for those who are putting in thousands of miles tire replacement is a reality. I use and recommend Schwalbe Marathons for their puncture resistance. Also, for the many of you who feel you are having to add air too frequently: buy butyl rubber inner tubes - they are far less porous so hold the pressure for much longer.

Greg

[Axel Rappe]

Originally Posted by plumqik

Looking for opinions on those with folding bikes. Needs to be lightweight, easy to single handedly load in tender, basket for provisions, fun to ride. Any thoughts?

Hi

Not sure about the weight, but an e-bike called mate-x looks interesting.

[skyrise]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

Could you be more specific please? As is clear from this thread there are many of us with Bromptons that are quite satisfied. Of course all solutions are compromises, so what exactly do they think is disqualifying? That would be more helpful for those pondering buying a folder...

Greg

It was down to the rusting and pitting and something about being on a boat invalidates the frame warrenty or some such... Will see if I can find it

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by skyrise

It was down to the rusting and pitting and something about being on a boat invalidates the frame warrenty or some such... Will see if I can find it

Of course corrosion is an issue with any steel frame bike, but aluminum isn't immune either. I found that the stock paint, on my Trek touring bike (carried aboard from Portland to Ireland) and on my Brompton (8 years in the Med then back across to the Caribbean and NE US) was adequate to protect given minimal care. The interior of the frame is another matter; I recommend spraying a rust inhibitor on the inside. As for invalidating the warranty, I can't imagine what frame failure would occur due to corrosion in anything less than decades. I suppose if kept on deck and exposed to salt spray, with no fresh water cleaning, it would become a rusty mess but a frame failure would still take a long time, and as far as I am concerned that would be abuse anyway.

What will happen is that plated steel parts, usually fasteners on the components, will start corroding quickly in a salty environment. Again, spraying a rust inhibitor on them initially will help a lot. If the brake and shift cables start rusting then get rid of them and buy stainless steel cables, common on decent bikes. The chain shouldn't be a problem because you regularly lube it, right? And clean it at least once a season with a kerosene bath (before lubing). Still nickel-plated chain is readily available. Stainless sounds great but be aware that one manufacturer offers SS chains that are only SS in the inner links. Another has SS in a few sizes, but not for my 8-speed setup. Seriously, just clean and lube the chain regularly and it won't be a problem. And it will pedal and shift easier...

Greg

[SofiaB]

Suggest riding the bike you are thinking about. Most we tried were kids bikes that folded. Black and blue knees until we tested a Brompton. Full size ride, very small when folded. Going on 4 years no issues. Last ride was 26 miles with new boat rugs on the return. Great bikes.

[Capt. Ray]

Agreed Brompton is head and shoulders better than any other folding bike in every way and I've had a few different types, most definitely don't last a year on a boat.

[mickejo]

Had two different folding bikes and now bought a third model. First had 16" wheels, with gears: to small wheels to do some serious peddling with. Second had 20" wheels with no gears: More then 12 miles turnaround was a pain with those. Third bought but not yet tested has 24" inch wheels and 6 gears. All with aluminum frames and all can be fitted through fwd hatch.

Bought the last ones (24") from Amazon for $260 a piece.

Br
Micke