Originally Posted by
makeinu
Can you describe more about your situation?:
-Am I correct to interpret 13 miles as 26 miles roundtrip, or do you mean you ride 6.5 miles each way? If it's 6.5 miles each way and the roads are good enough that you're happy on 16" wheels then I think the Carryme could be an excellent choice (provided it suits your taste).
-When you say you got tired of dragging and bagging the 8H does that mean you need to fully fold and bag it to get into the office? Is your office accessible at night? Would you consider commuting to work primarily on your 8H and using the Carryme primarily for going out? Surely you should have some idea of your plans for the week and should be able to leave your Carryme in the most convenient place (work or home) by simply taking it for a long ride once per week, taking it on the subway, or taking it as luggage on your 8H? Not sure what your motivation is for biking instead of using the subway, but I personally use my Carryme multimodally.
1. Yes, it's 13 miles each way (Inwood to SoHo), 26 miles round-trip.
2. Yes, I need to fully fold and bag my bike to get it in my office; the building management does not allow bikes in the building, so this is necessary camouflage. Yes, my office is accessible at night, so I use it as my downtown parking garage. My current routine is to ride my Mini to work (I primarily use the 8H now just for long trips) and then walk or take the subway for small jaunts around town and evening events. Then, before I head uptown for the night, I pick up my Mini and head home.
It's a fine routine, but ideally I would like the option of using my bike to get everywhere, because it's great exercise and *fun.*
The solution you mentioned appeals to me of using the Mini for the lengthy trips downtown and uptown and keeping, say, the Carryme at the office for the little jaunts.
In terms of multimodal use, I often take the Mini on the subway; it's small enough to survive the rigors of rush hour and there are times when I don't have enough time or energy to ride. It's also much easier to bag and drag than the 8H.
In terms of size, I'm 5'8", 145 lbs.