Originally Posted by
bestfoldingbike
i'm looking to get a bike primarily to get around nyc. I plan on taking it on the lirr during rush hour.
I was wondering if anyone can let me know their impressions of the various folding bikes and how they stand up in nyc.
I don't mind the weight of a bike as much as if it can fold so i can take it on subways, buses, etc.
I plan on riding them, but not really sure how a test ride can compare to everyday use. so any help would be welcomed.
i've read just about every post on here and the more i read, the more confused i am as to my decision.
I don't mind upgrading parts and putting some $$ into a bike, especially if i can improve the ride and comfort.
If you have a great setup, i'd love to know about it.
Thanks in advance, and i hope to be riding along side you all soon.
btw> I've had mongoose and other bmx bikes along with cannondale and giant road bikes, but i'm a newbie to folding bikes.
Although I personally didn't discover folders until after I moved from NYC, as a long time LIRR rider let me remind you that there are rush hour trains and there are rush hour trains. What I mean is, I'm sure you know that some rush hour trains seem to have just enough seats for everyone, while others don't even have enough room for you to lift your arms to read the newspaper.
If your rush hour train is the latter then the Carryme from Pacific Cycles is really your only choice. Anything else will leave you cursing if the train leaves you behind and crying if you manage to squeeze your bike on board. The same goes for taking NYC buses, but you don't really ride those do you (riding your bike would be far quicker)? Unfortunately, a bike like the Carryme will be a bit of a challenge on the potholed streets of NYC. However, it shouldn't be a problem if you're just using it to commute and not to meander to random destinations. Familiarity with the road goes a long way towards mitigating the effects of large potholes or other unsuitable terrain.
If your rush hour train is the former then you should be able to manage with something like a Dahon Curve, Brompton, Tikit, or Birdy. If you can afford it then the Birdy will offer the best compromise between cycling performance and folded size and will be the bike for you in this case. Otherwise the Curve will be the low cost alternative, while the Brompton will offer the smallest fold and the Tikit the quickest/most-convenient fold. While not necessarily the most comfortable, any of them should be suitable for riding around the city (and if you want to ride rush hour trains getting anything bigger won't really be an option).