Originally Posted by
rebelette
I need a folding bike for easy transport in the car. This will happen pretty frequently, so shorter breakdown times are better. I'm assuming most of these bikes are easily carried?
Easily? Well that depends. My wife can carry her Pocket Crusoe short distances; but would definitely need to put it in a bag to carry it in a train, up steps, and so on. Can she put it in and take it out of the trunk? No problem.
The fold with a drop bar is a little clunky. But if you are carrying it short distances, it does the job well. One minute tops for putting it in the trunk of a car.
Originally Posted by
rebelette
Components are important. Most of all, an excellent ride is important. At the moment I'm leaning heavily towards a Bike Friday (mostly because of my size). I'm just a little worried that it might be overpriced.
Well ... I usually tell people to add $500 to a similarly spec'ed full size bike to get the price of a Bike Friday. For instance, to get a Surly Crosscheck or Soma Double Cross with 105 (triple) components at a local bike shop will run you approximately $1400-1500. To get a similarly spec'ed New World Tourist will run you about $2000.
If you want regular road bike components--derailer drivetrain with STI shifters--then I doubt that you can find a much better deal than the Bike Friday. That is, the price of the Airnimal will be in the same ball park. The Road Reach has a Tiagra/Capreo combination of components with a double crank is something like $1500 (this is just from memory, so others should confirm or correct). I think that the Bike Friday with those components is something like $1700-1800. But there are other differences between the two products. Two quickies: The Reach has a suspension and the Bike Friday has a custom sized steel frame.
Note that you can get 5% off the Bike Friday by being a member of Adventure Cyclist or League of American Bicyclists. You can also split the referral fee--$50?--with someone. Preferably, you would do this with someone local that lets you try their bike.
Is it overpriced? It certainly is not cheap. But it is comparable to similar high-end folding bikes. It will be more expensive than a similar full-size bike.