Originally Posted by
Rowan
The problem for us with the Bike Friday is that it doesn't fold for instant convenience, and from what I gather reading blogs and even BF's own site, reassembly and disassembly of a BF would take me as much time as an diamond frame bike would. Recent issues with cracking and breakages of the steerer tube on one of their models also is a worry.
It is FAR easier and faster to pack a Bike Friday NWT into its suitcase and reassemble it than a diamond frame bike. And one important note is that the Bike Friday will be securely packed into a suitcase which is under the current airline maximum dimensions which avoids a hefty surcharge. Also, the NWT model does fold instantly, but it remains fairly unwieldy to carry compared to a Brompton or the Bike Friday Tikit model. I have been able to fold my NWT and take it on trains which don't allow regular bikes. The same with a few buses which didn't have space for a regular bike.
The steering tube issue is a red herring. It affected only the Tikit model, and only a few bikes at that. BF quickly moved to alert owners and fix the problem.
Most importantly, the Bike Friday NWT is
DESIGNED to be a touring bike and performs like a touring bike. The other folders simply do not. If I were getting a bike I wanted to ride mainly in urban areas and easily take on public transport, I would get a Brompton or a Bike Friday Tikit. But for any real touring, there simply isn't anything out there that performs like Bike Friday's models.