Folding Bikes

[DotDun]

IMO, 20" wheels and the lightest weight possible. I have (2) "Mini" bikes, made by Dahon and sold as an accessory for Mini Coopers. They are the lightest I found at a reasonable price. When I had (1) Mini and another heavier folder, it was obvious when dinghying with bikes which one was best.

Do I use them? Not everywhere, but storage is no problem (in a forepeak), hence they are useful when needed.

[sailorboy1]

I'm at the dock, the boat in front of me as folding bikes, and the boat behind me has folding bikes. Seems if I had waited a day I would have known the answer.

[roverhi]

Originally Posted by Teknishn

Well, this is certainly a timely post as I was thinking about this earlier today.

Like Dockhead, I as well used to cycle competitively (criteriums and long distance) many years ago and appreciate a quality bike.

My boat is much smaller than most who have posted here (27-feet) and was wondering about bike storage onboard.

I absolutely do not want a folding bike for reasons already cited and the wheel diameter severely limits the range unless one is going for the Ironman record on small wheels.

The areas that I plan on mooring next year in the Chesapeake Bay are fairly remote with supplies being located 6-13 miles away from most landings or marinas so a bike is necessary. Also a bike with a rack or two.

I am looking at mid-range mountain bikes at the moment. Cheap enough to be disposable in a year when they corrode to pieces, yet solid enough for carrying loads of groceries, parts, etc.

My issue will be storage while sailing....Bike rack on the transom? Ha! Don't think so. Stowing down below? Possible, but difficult to secure in a small space and still allow access to the head and opening sole hatches. Still thinking this one through....

A BIKE FRIDAY will cover double digit miles without a problem, or at least without a problem if the rider can do it. Have their New World Tourist Model, 27 speed, with racks and panniers. Hauled practically everything to get the boat ready for the sail to Hawaii. Could carry multiple bags of groceries in the panniers. With the travel case converted to a trailer, hauled large items like Manson Supreme or a headsail. Bike folds quickly into a carry bag for transport in the dinghy. Takes about 15 minutes to break it down to fit in the suitcase so it can be shipped as a luggage on the airlines or stored in the fore peak when sailing. Bike frame is steel but has held up well with occasional freshwater rinses.

When I was commuting to the boat in Alameda, would fly into Oakland with the bike checked as luggage, unfold and assemble the bike and trailer/suitcase and ride the 10-15 miles to the boat. Saved enough in taxi fare and car rental to pay for the bike many times over. Regularly rode into Oakland like for the Boat Show and Alameda from end to end. Had three full sized bikes when I got the NWT but it is so comfortable and easy to ride have sold off the other bikes.

https://www.bikefriday.com/folding-bikes/

[RaymondR]

I am relocating across the continent and the cheapest way to do it was to buy a van to do it with. Biggest problem so far is where to fit the bike rack.


Rediscovered the joys of cycling when I went to live on my boat in 2000. Long walks on level paved walkways caused problems with my ankles so I bought a bike to use to maintain my exercise regime.


It was fantastic, a second childhood I could ride the wrong way down one way streets and get away with it and even became involved in a police chase and escaped on my bike, all the anarchistic tendencies I had been harbouring for years were at last able to be expressed.


That was sixteen years ago and I have not been without a bike ever since.


I tried folding bikes early on and gave them up after the first. Nice, pretty little gadgets but not for the serious freight hauling yachty, so standard non folding hung out the back on the solar panel mount. Looks a bit dorky but who the hell cares.


My latest full sized bike is a beauty, best I've had so far. The previous one died after three years when I missed a bit of the chain when I sprayed it with CRC and after a long passage of non use the non-flexible chain would not go through the Derailleur thingy and tore the aft one off.


I went looking for another bike with the Gates belt drive and geared hub and could not find one but found one with a shaft drive instead, best boat bike I've had, no chain to get oil on your clothes and no exposed working parts to go rusty.


If it came to a choice between the bike and the van going the van's going first.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Kelkara

I can't imagine living without a bicycle. For the last 15 years I haven't even bothered owning a car - I used it so little when I had one - preferring to ride a bike instead where possible ... so my opinion may be a little biassed.
..........................................

Strangely similar to our experience. We just completed a 15 year period of cruising without owning a car too. We've used our pair of folding bikes for shopping and recreation. They store easily for us between the berths in our aft cabin, so we don't have any corrosion problems related to salt spray or weather.

I've also, as Dockhead noted, been less pleased with some of the awkward handling of these bikes with all the catch points maneuvering them around rigging and lifelines. We've solved their tendency to swing apart with some well place strong bungy cords. I often lift the pair of them with my mizzen halyard to lower them through my aft cabin companionway from the dinghy or dock. I also keep a floor mat in my dinghy that I place against the side tube in order to lay the bikes to keep the dinghy safe from pokes and scrapes.

[lifgun]

After getting tired of bikes I use since 2 years this - very compact and always ready :-)
Called Ninebot ...[IMG]/Users/home/Desktop/Bildschirmfoto 2016-11-10 um 09.04.46.png[/IMG]

[lifgun]

2'nd try

[FSMike]

Originally Posted by Teknishn

-----My issue will be storage while sailing....Bike rack on the transom? Ha! Don't think so. Stowing down below? Possible, but difficult to secure in a small space and still allow access to the head and opening sole hatches. Still thinking this one through....

Used to be able to tell a cruising boat by the rusty bicycles tied to the shrouds lol.

[Hudson Force]

I met a cruiser on a smaller vessel that kept several cheap bikes locked to poles or trees at different ports on the US East Coast. 'a very different plan that seemed to work for him.

[iancoombe]

We don't have bikes but we have seen these in action and suffered envy.
https://youtu.be/K_leJulA1ck

[a64pilot]

If you can afford it a bike Friday is not like any other folding bike there is.
Any old Roadies out there will feel like they are riding a real road bike, not a flexible flier like my Dahon's.

[double u]

on 2 rtw 28" run-of-the-mill "city"bikes served us very well & contributed hugely to our enjoyment. stored in front-cabin with frontwheels & pedals removed & handlebar turned 90°.
getting them ashore with the dink could be a hassle at times... (particularly before we bought a motor for the dink...)
if there's gonna be a "next time" (I sure hope so!!!!) it'll be moutnainbikes!
forget folding bikes! forget "special-on-boardd-stainless-bikes": some components are gonna be plain steel anyway (chain!)

[Polux]

Originally Posted by lifgun

2'nd try

Thanks!. I saw those one time on a shop in Germany and I was looking for them without success. The only thing I would have seen that seemed perfect to have in a boat.

You have a very nice boat too

[thinwater]

I use a full size bike on a rack. Very fast. If they stay on a car, they aren't falling off a boat.

Rust? Keep it oiled. Cost? Even a thrift store beater is a better bike than any folder. It's simple physics.

I have lockers big enough to take a full-size bike with the wheels off, but this is easier.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

P.S. -- all the folding bikes I've ever used are extremely awkward to pick up and handle when folded. Whatever part you pick it up by, will allow the other parts to swing away. And the protruding bits and shape of the folded bike is also terrible.

Someone who invents a folding bike which makes a nice, stable, manageable package when it's folded, without all kinds of stuff sticking out of it to catch ropes and so forth, will be doing us all a big favor.

My Strida is around 10ibs., fold up in 10 seconds and out in 15. pedals fold up and belt driven. I store it in my small aft cabin from the coach roof. I have yet to have anyone notice it, it is so compact.