Expensive bike snobs, heh?
No a $300 folding bicycle is not equal to a $700 one. If it is a mail order only one, it may be equal to a $500 bike store one however. If someone just needs a bike to bop around town on, spending $700+ is kind of silly. If they want to use it for sport, touring, or offroading, buying a $300 bike is kind of silly. The fact is when you buy a luxury item, any luxury item, half or more of the price is for the exclusivity of it Many people just do not have the money to buy luxury items, the fact that there are companies like Citizen and Origami selling decent folding bikes for reasonable prices allows folks who are not rich to enjoy the use of such things.
Personally, if you did not pay $15,000 for your folding bike, I do not think you cheapskates have any right to brag.
Sheeze...