Originally Posted by Dahon.Steve

I take the express bus each morning and for the first time witnessed someone actually carrying a cheap 20' inch folder inside the bus! I was surprised the driver allowed him in the first place but he actually did it!

What gets me is all the carrying and how cumbersome the whole situation looked. You see once boarding, he had to carry the bike with two hands and drop it in front of the driver who is getting ready to move the bus. The bike did not want to stay still and was tipping over while he rushed to put money in the fare box. Then while the bus was moving and jerking all over the place, he had to carry the bike with both hands and balance his way to the back of the bus. Do you see why you’ll never see anyone well dressed doing this? I wish I’d been in the back to see all the eyes roll as he approached. At the last stop, he exited the bus carrying that heavy bike down to catch the subway which would have been packed with passengers.

Does anyone see the problem? This is the reason I stopped carrying my folder because it became too heavy was quite cumbersome when using transit in the morning. This is the reason I see more Xooter kick scooters on public transit than folding bikes since it's a much smaller and lighter package.

I guess what I ment to say is that unless public transit becomes more friendly and actually makes space for folding bikes, you'll rarely see anyone with them. I suspect the young man will become exhausted of carrying his bike in about 6 months and you'll never see him doing that again

Originally Posted by extracrispy

yup. this is why I got a Brompton and I couldn't be more happier. My first folder was a sea foam green Dahon Speed D7. I loved it and I still have it and occasionally ride it. I commute by bicycle or bus (and often both) to campus and around the city. If I hop on the bus, 99% of the time, I would put the Dahon on the front bus rack even when it was pouring rain resulting in a soggy bicycle. Furthermore, when folded, it still took up a lot of space in my 600 sq ft apartment. Even though the Dahon can fold faster than a Brompton, it is cumbersome and somewhat unpractical in it's folded size which did not suit my needs.

This is where my Brompton changed my life. After several test rides and getting used to the smaller tires (meaning it is more responsive and nimble), my Brompton has become my American Express card-- I never leave home without it--and I keep it with me most of the time--I rarely leave it outside. The Brompton is designed to be folded where my Dahon seems to be a bike that is able to be folded. I personally think this is one of the most significant differences. The Brompton folds smaller and is easily carried by 1 hand (especially if you have the stock saddle with the hand grip underneath--one of my favorite features and I find the saddle pretty comfortable) like a large brief case.

Although my Brompton takes longer to fold, is it SIGNIFICANTLY easier to carry around both inside and outside. I take it into all business establishments and most bars and restaurants. And I always bring it on the bus with me--even during rush hour. In fact, I have been on buses where people had suitcases with them that were larger than my folded Brompton. If the bus looks really busy or my Brompton is wet/dirty, I just toss it into my big blue Ikea bag (which is actually way bigger than necessary, but for a $3 folding bike bag it is perfect) so it keeps its mess to itself.

I understand the problems with cumbersome objects on buses at busy times (I have seen it all--desktop computers with CRT monitors, , large musical equipment, full size car tire, even a stack of 8' long 2"x4"s) and no one even bats an eye with Brompton except for the occasional "Hey, is that a folding bike?" which stirs up great conversation for the bus ride.

I know I'm a big time Brompton fanboy, but when I saw this post, I had to respond--because NOT all folding bikes are a nuisance and this is why I spent 1k on it. Which is a lot. But when it comes down to it, I take my folder with me almost everywhere I go. It has definitely become a useful daily tool in my life, just as much as my smartphone (which I use less for calling, more for searching and researching stuff on the go).