Folding Bike

ThunbergsAreGo

Hi, Looking to get a folding bike for bringing to and from work on the train. Does anyone have any experience with one and any reccomendations?

Looking to spend 500 or so

Thanks!

tomasrojo

I've had a Brompton three-speed for about six years. It's a great bike; it folds really quickly, the resulting package is very stable and small, it handles well on the road, though steering is a bit twitchy, and it's a reasonably quick bike.

The only problem is that it would exceed your budget. Not sure what it would cost today, but mine cost over €800 six years ago from Cycleways in Dublin.

Dahon do some good folding bikes, for a range of prices, and that seems to me your best bet. Bromptons do seem to have a better reputation overall.

C.O.Y.B.I.B

naughtb4 wrote: »

Hi, Looking to get a folding bike for bringing to and from work on the train. Does anyone have any experience with one and any reccomendations?

Looking to spend 500 or so

Thanks!

Hi, I've a Dahon D24 nearly 3 years from Cycle Superstore. Have found it great. It's a full size foldup. I drive to within 5-6 km of city centre and then pop it out of the boot. Fits into standard saloon boot. Not sure what the rule is with trains and large foldup.

Cost about 600, but used BTW scheme.

ThunbergsAreGo

Can I ask where you got it with bike to work?

Arciphel

Sorry for hijacking thread but also interested in this. I'm trying to choose between the Giant Halfway and the Carrera Transit at the moment, does anyone have one of these bikes?

Cycle Superstore: Philip

naughtb4 wrote: »

Can I ask where you got it with bike to work?

If you have any questions about btw feel free to ask, for 2016 we will be stocking the Giant Halfway City Bike and you can use your btw on that.

ThunbergsAreGo

Phillip, do ye have any folding bikes in stock at the moment?

tomasrojo

Incidentally, the UK's Folding Society review most models, I think:
http://foldsoc.co.uk/

(See "Test reports" section. "Choosing a folder" might be worth reading too.)

Cycle Superstore: Philip

naughtb4 wrote: »

Phillip, do ye have any folding bikes in stock at the moment?

Hi naughtb4, this is Giants offering for 2016: http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=89997

We are completely sold out of the 2015 model and this model is due in to us on week 52, so that means end of December.

cdaly_

C.O.Y.B.I.B wrote: »

Hi, I've a Dahon D24 nearly 3 years from Cycle Superstore. Have found it great. It's a full size foldup. I drive to within 5-6 km of city centre and then pop it out of the boot. Fits into standard saloon boot. Not sure what the rule is with trains and large foldup.

Large foldup on the trains is fine. You may be asked to demonstrate that it is a folder though.

Thargor

Whatever happened to that folding bike design where a nomal looking hybrid bike used to collapse down into the footprint of the 700 cc wheels with a really slick motion and you could tow it along behind you like airport luggage? I remember it was all over the internet on every gadget site years ago then just disappeared.

C.O.Y.B.I.B

naughtb4 wrote: »

Can I ask where you got it with bike to work?

Got it in CycleSuperstore about 3 years ago.

smacl

Thargor wrote: »

Whatever happened to that folding bike design where a nomal looking hybrid bike used to collapse down into the footprint of the 700 cc wheels with a really slick motion and you could tow it along behind you like airport luggage? I remember it was all over the internet on every gadget site years ago then just disappeared.

Only 700c fold up I've seen is the Montague range, don't think it is that slick or compact folded but would still be high on my list of folding bikes.

Arciphel

Cycle Superstore: Philip wrote: »

Hi naughtb4, this is Giants offering for 2016: http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=89997

We are completely sold out of the 2015 model and this model is due in to us on week 52, so that means end of December.

What did the people who bought the 2015 model make if it Philip, were they happy with it?

beauf

naughtb4 wrote: »

Hi, Looking to get a folding bike for bringing to and from work on the train. Does anyone have any experience with one and any reccomendations?

Looking to spend 500 or so

Thanks!

A lot will depend how small it needs to be.
How heavy when folded.
How far will you be carrying it.
Will there be hills.
How fast you want to go.
How fast it folds.
Budget.
The weight limit.

Thargor

smacl wrote: »

Only 700c fold up I've seen is the Montague range, don't think it is that slick or compact folded but would still be high on my list of folding bikes.

Maybe I was thinking of something like this instead:

http://www.adverts.ie/electric-folding-bikes/dahon-jack-full-size-folding-bike/9104977

It had a very satisfying twirling motion between folded and deployed though not the wrestling matches you see going on outside train stations in the morning.

tomasrojo

The Airnimal range gets good reviews, and has almost full-size wheels. I've never used one, and they're not cheap.

ThunbergsAreGo

beauf wrote: »

A lot will depend how small it needs to be.
How heavy when folded.
How far will you be carrying it.
Will there be hills.
How fast you want to go.
How fast it folds.
Budget.
The weight limit.

Portability is probablym the biggest thing for me, will be using on the train so a small size is great. Cycle is pretty easy going and only 1.5k

tomasrojo

I'd say a cheaper Dahon with small wheels would be your best bet. Just try out the fold before buying, because if you're doing it every day an awkward fold will start to get very annoying.

beauf

A full sized bike will be too big if the train is anyway busy. You want something light, no gears, small wheels. I think the Dahon fold quicker than the Brompton. Not much in it. Though the Brompton is a lot more compact, and are twice the price. For that kind of journey I would get something like a Speed Uno. You can get it with fenders and a extra brake. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2yzNK2dOp0 . If you are going to be on the train a long time, and want something more compact I'd get the Brompton. Might need it more compact at home, or at work either. My folding bike has gears and I rarely need them on the commute. But they are useful if going longer distance, or if you are on the road and need to keep up with traffic. I wouldn't bother with them on my next bike though.

The Giant halfway is a nice bike. But its a bit heavy and doesn't fold that small IMO. Very well made though. It wouldn't be my first choice for a hop on/off train journey. But to do do longer rides and handle a bit more abuse it would be great. Folding bikes have weight limits. They also can't take much abuse. So you can't hit potholes, kerbs, things like that. You have to be a bit protective of them. So consider your route. Also luas lines are a real hazard if you have skinny tyres.

Practise a fold in the shop. You'll get quicker at it with practise. Some in my opinion are bad folders though (not fast or compact). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubg5E0kA_dg the Carrera's are cheaper, but not that neat and actually heavy enough. This one folds a bit better. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZawWU2bAWLc Theres also bikes like the strida, which I like. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3-kfnKmDVc but they would only work on a quieter dart style train. There simply is nowhere to put this kind of folder on an intercity train. Its too tall to fit in the racks or behind a seat.

So it depends on your route and your train. Different bikes suite different journeys better than others.

ThunbergsAreGo

Thanks,

Looking like Brompton or Dahon from the comments here.

Really like the look of the brompton when researching, maybe it is a matter of paying more for something that will last

tomasrojo

I think the Brompton is a fantastic bike personally. Very versatile, very handy, fast fold, clean fold (the chain is surrounded by the frame and the wheels when folded) and I hit 42km/h on the flat one day according to road-side speed-warning meter, so not slow really, over small distances at least. But I have zero experience of any other folding bike.

beauf

The Brompton has great re-sale too. Also as the design hasn't changed in a long time. There no problem getting parts which can be an issue with other bikes. I think the fold is slower though, in my opinion. Sometimes you have to wait to order one as they are so popular.

ThunbergsAreGo

tomasrojo wrote: »

I think the Brompton is a fantastic bike personally. Very versatile, very handy, fast fold, clean fold (the chain is surrounded by the frame and the wheels when folded) and I hit 42km/h on the flat one day according to road-side speed-warning meter, so not slow really, over small distances at least. But I have zero experience of any other folding bike.

Which version do you have?

I assume I can get it with Bike to Work

beauf

Cycleways behind the Ilac carry them.

http://www.cycleways.com/store/go/contact-us/

Thargor

Nice:

http://www.adverts.ie/electric-folding-bikes/ferrari-scuderia-folding-bike/8508523

tomasrojo

naughtb4 wrote: »

Which version do you have?

I assume I can get it with Bike to Work

I got mine with Bike to Work at Cycleways on Parnell Street. There was a small wait of a few weeks.

I've a fairly basic three-speed with M handlebars.

I went for these extras: front-luggage mount with pannier (required by me for most trips), slightly longer seat post (probably a good idea if you're over 180cm or so), Brooks saddle (comfortable, but not essential). Didn't bother with rear rack (I have a trailer for bigger loads anyway) or built-in lights.

tomasrojo

I can't comment on the speed of the Brompton fold in comparison to other folders, but I think it takes me less than ten seconds to fold or unfold my Brompton, so it's not a terribly big issue. Price is the big issue really.

ThunbergsAreGo

Cheers good to hear from someone who has them. With the bike to work it takes me just under 500 as well

ectoraige

Just on the fullsize bikes, I've a Montague Paratrooper that I'm very happy with, but I generally just fold it to throw it in the boot of the car, or stick in a corner in the office. If I were intending to carry it on a train, I'd probably buy a different one as I reckon it would be too bulky. The paratrooper is at the heavy end of their range though. Just my two cents.

Cycle Superstore: Philip

Arciphel wrote: »

What did the people who bought the 2015 model make if it Philip, were they happy with it?

We send out feedback questionnaires after every sale and having looked over all purchases of the 2015 model, every review was positive.

Arciphel

Just bought Giant Halfway Urban 2015 model for €675 on bike to work scheme, hopefully I will be another happy user!

Thargor

http://www.zapals.com/sports-outdoors/cycling/urban-dynamic-folding-bicycle-with-aluminum-quality.html

Are those shopping cart wheels? What would the ride quality be like on something like this do you think?

beauf

I'd say a pebble would make you ballistic.

tomasrojo

Looks like the Sinclair A-bike:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-bike

Small-diameter wheels may not be able to traverse uneven terrain, so the slightest imperfection in the intended path may interrupt progress, even on paved surfaces.

The magazine A to B described the A-bike as a "fabulous folder, but almost unrideable"

By reputation, terrible on anything but very even surfaces.

Thargor

Interesting thanks, never heard of it for some reason, a version with larger wheels could be a winner.

tomasrojo

Thargor wrote: »

Interesting thanks, never heard of it for some reason, a version with larger wheels could be a winner.

There was an electric version with slightly larger wheels (8" rather than 6"), but I think it was just a Kickstarter project.

beauf

Most folding bikes are usually 16"~20" wheels. You need that kinda of wheel size and tyre with the typical poor surfaces and mix of kerbs, pavements, Luas tracks you end up crossing in the city. The difference between a 20"x1.5" or a 20"x2.0" is significant in soaking up the bumps.