Originally Posted by
DeadOne
I was looking at both the Dahon Cadenza and the Dahon Jack for getting around Los Angeles. I use the Metro service and am curious if anyone else here has brought a folding bike on any of the buses mainly the Orange line. Also I am a taller guy at 6'3" so I was curious if these bikes where large enough for me to ride comfortably.
Thanks
Originally Posted by
nekohime
I've brought my Kent Ultralite folder onto the Orange line a couple of times, and I take it every day on the Red line and other buses. It fits just fine. I don't think the full-size folders will do very well on the bus though. The buses get pretty full, and the driver will probably make you unfold and put it on the rack anyway.
I would agree with Nekohime. The full-size folders might seem to be nice and compact, but they are not. They only can fold in half, the handlebars and stem cannot rotate and flip down along side the bike like the 20 and 16 inch wheel size compact models can. Plus the large wheel of the 26 or 27 inch wheels don't allow the tucking it folded package into a odd nook or cranny like the smaller models do. I have 3 folders ranging from the 16 inch wheel size to the 20 inch size. And I do take them on crowded buses/trains in the Los Angeles area (including Metro). While all three have been taken aboard these more crowded vehicles at one time or another, the 16 inch ones win hands down as I do not care to use the front racks and don't like to be forced to take another train/bus due to crowding inside of the cabin as well as the always full front racks. If you are concerned about your height, don't dwell on it too much. The smaller wheeled folders are far more adjustable and allow for a wider range of sizes and shapes than the bigger bikes. Just be sure to test-ride various folders to see what is the best fit for you.
And do remember to always cover your bike to prevent being thrown off the bus/train by a "bike prejudiced" person of authority.
Please let us know what you decided. For more information on folding bikes see: