Folding Bikes - New (to me) Bike Friday Report

Well, I just need to share...

I found a fantastic deal on a 2 year old Bike Friday Pocket Rocket. It's my first folding bike, and since I'm going to use it more for travel than commuting, it's just what I wanted. I've only had it on two rides for a total of just 60 or so miles. My initial impression it that it's a nice road bike that happens to fold.

I can feel that the wheels are a little smaller. By this I mean on fast downhills there is not as much gyroscope. It's nothing bad..it's just that you can feel the bike is "quick." I think I'll need to be a bit more careful around railroad crossings and ruts in the road. I'm surprised how comfortable a ride it is. Some reviews had me wonder if the ride would be harsh, but I put on some Schwalbe Stevillos, and they seem quick and compliant enough. I am in the habit of wiping my tires after riding through glass or crud, but on this bike the wheels are too far away, so I'll forget about that on this bike! Yeah, I know the value of wiping is an ongoing debate, but old habits die hard. Oh, and it's funky at stop signs without a top tube to lean on your leg. The fenders are awesome; one allen wrench each and full coverage.

I put a new Brooks Professional on it, and I spent a bit of the ride tinkering with the saddle position and tilt. I guess that's really the point I wanted to make about the bike. I mean here I am riding a folder for the first time, and the biggest thing different from my full-sized bikes was I needed to break in a new saddle. I will tinker around with the components a bit, but I can tell that I'm going to really enjoy it.

And yes, like some others, I woudn't be surprised if a full-sized bike or two goes on e-bay. Thanks for all the information I picked up here before the purchase.

Well, Welcome to the world of folders-or rather compact cycling.

You have discovered, as I and others here have, the hidden little secrets of these type of small wheeled, compact cycles that still amaze me even after my second purchase (a Brompton) of one. Don't be too quick to dispose of your old bike. It still has a place in the cycling world-even as a back-up to your "new love." I kept my trusty old Phillips 26" wheel for that reason as well as nostolgic ones.

Hi Folks,

I just purchased a DownTube (yet to arrive). I have no other bike but am looking forward to getting into this ...mostly for fun. For me, the decision to purchase a folding bike centered around lack of storage space, the flexibility to have a bike available at all times (I'm going to keep it in my car trunk which I ride to work with) and the safety of being able to drive to a bike path and avoid traffic. While researching my choice of bikes I called local bike shops to see what brands they carried and recommended....none carried folding bikes. I went to a local park where there were many people riding bikes...not a one was a folding bike. So what gives? I don't understand why these things arn't more popular? I haven't ridden one yet but I am I missing something ... will I be dissappointed? Do folding bikes not compare favorably to the larger 26" models?

Thanks in advance.

Hi Folks,

I just purchased a DownTube (yet to arrive). I have no other bike but am looking forward to getting into this ...mostly for fun. For me, the decision to purchase a folding bike centered around lack of storage space, the flexibility to have a bike available at all times (I'm going to keep it in my car trunk which I ride to work with) and the safety of being able to drive to a bike path and avoid traffic. While researching my choice of bikes I called local bike shops to see what brands they carried and recommended....none carried folding bikes. I went to a local park where there were many people riding bikes...not a one was a folding bike. So what gives? I don't understand why these things arn't more popular? I haven't ridden one yet but I am I missing something ... will I be dissappointed? Do folding bikes not compare favorably to the larger 26" models?

Thanks in advance.

Hi Donald! First off, you probably won't be disappointed in the Downtube FS.. I have two of them (one I got for my girlfriend) along with a variety of other well known folders. She prefers the stability and comfort of the FS over some of my other bikes. I use my FS daily for errands in and around my shop on rough rodes and dirt paths.. It probably will give you more of the sense of a 26" wheeled bike than most.

As to your question, I think the 'affordable folder' industry is relatively new (at least in the US). Over the last few years, folder technology has seen positive strides from the ill handling bikes of the past. Dahon continues to strive to make a better folder yearly... the difference in ride quality and handling of my 05 Jetstream XP over my 02 Helios P8 is remarkable. A quality folder is really a niche market, hence, not seen much in mainstream bike shops. Just this last year has seen the introduction of the splendid Xootr/Swift (sold mainly over the internet at under $700).. if that bike were in your local PerformanceBike shop in numbers, it would catch fire as people discovered how good small wheeled bikes can be coupled with the increasing needs for city transportation, rising fuel costs, health benefits and pure fun! The foldable bikes continue to be refined to meet the needs of the average person and the bike enthusiast... Bike shops will catch up as demand increases.

I think Bruce has hit the nail on the head here. The affordable folder market just didn't exist in the US. Thanks to Dahon it has blossomed a lot. Most people aren't going to cut loose with 700-900USD to "try" a folder that even an entry level Brompton or Bike Friday will set you back. At under $700 you can buy a Swift which is an absolutely awesome bike for the money. Or you end up customizing one like I did and have considerably more in but I would have NEVER done that until I had some experience with folders first.

I would have considered the base Xootr/Swift as it was reasonably priced and rode great. As for the Downtubes (DT) if they were in stores in my area they would fly off the shelves. I took one to a person who rides bikes but is not a real enthusiast. For this person who just views bikes as a form of transportation and not a hobby like many of us he absolutely loved the DT. It rode well, was pretty fast and the suspension soaked up bumps quite nicely for him. He said he would have rather had this than his normal "street" bike (diamond frame 24 spd Trek) as he didn't need all the gears on the Trek and he could take this bike with him anywhere.

For me that is the beauty of almost any of the folders except than most BFs and Moultons. Most break down quickly (ie actually fold and not disassemble) so I ALWAYS have on in all of my vehicles. Since I always have a bike with me I ride a lot more than I would. As a result I have lost weight and feel great. My biggest problem was after I bought my first Dahon I couldn't seem to stop. I wanted more and then my kids wanted them too. So over the past year I ended up buying 8 folders. Thanfully they fold so they don't take up a lot of space!

I can only see myself buying one more "normal" diamond frame bike and that is for severe trail riding. I have almost fully converted to folders (except for 1 DF race bike and my recumbent). Even my oldest son wants me to trade-in his very nice Trek so that he can have a folder like me and his siblings. Every chance he can score a ride on one of my nice folders he is over adjusting the saddle. That is one of the true beauties of these as well; they fit riders of all sizes so even my youngest child (7) can fit with a bit of reach on any of my bikes except for maybe 2 of them. If family comes to visit I just whip out folders for them to ride and a quick adjusment or too we are all on the road. I think the folder market is just now starting to grow in the US and I am very glad it is! It will help drive development.

and the safety of being able to drive to a bike path and avoid traffic.
Ok, don't take this the wrong way... I just hope you appreciate the irony of the fact that by driving to a "bike path" in order to escape traffic, you are creating more of the traffic that you seek to avoid!

For the same reason it annoys me when parents drive their children to school because "there is so much traffic around the school, it just isn't safe". Well, duh!

I'm not trolling, so please don't shoot me down in flames. I'm just trying to clarify the lack of logic in this thinking.

If you are new to cycling, then by all means use a bike trail to gain skills until you feel comfortable and safe on your bike.

Each individual's actions may seem insignificant, but remember that society is nothing more than the sum of all our actions; and hence if you wish to change something then you must be that change. (Ref: Ghandi). If you don't like traffic, then stop being traffic.

Ok, don't take this the wrong way... I just hope you appreciate the irony of the fact that by driving to a "bike path" in order to escape traffic, you are creating more of the traffic that you seek to avoid!

For the same reason it annoys me when parents drive their children to school because "there is so much traffic around the school, it just isn't safe". Well, duh!

I'm not trolling, so please don't shoot me down in flames. I'm just trying to clarify the lack of logic in this thinking.

If you are new to cycling, then by all means use a bike trail to gain skills until you feel comfortable and safe on your bike.

Each individual's actions may seem insignificant, but remember that society is nothing more than the sum of all our actions; and hence if you wish to change something then you must be that change. (Ref: Ghandi). If you don't like traffic, then stop being traffic.

I can understand the logic of "driving" to a bike path. If you saw my area you wouldn't want to ride on many of the streets. In some areas there is no way I'd rid a bike down the roads. So if I have to take my car to a commuter trail then so be it. They have parking there and I still reduce traffic on the roads and conserve energy. So sometimes I need to drive 2 miles to safely bike another 10. That still is a net reduction in energy usage. Not everyone is blessed to live in a great climate and have excellent bike paths and roads. Frost damage in my state destroys both roads and bike baths. I hit a hole so big today while riding in sub-freezing temps that I was luck I didn't seriously hurt myself. If it had been warmer I would have lost my entire wheel in the hole as it was it was frozen enough that I just sort of skate across it.

So perhaps you don't understand some of the logic in the original post I definitely can. I have to contend with sh!tty roads, no bike lanes, gravel on the roads and a host of other issues just to bike in some areas. So I'd rather drive to a safer area to start my journey than risk getting mowed down but some idiot who ISN'T even expecting to see a bicycle in some of those areas.

Good points all around.

As for being dissapointed in a DT,.. Not f -in likely! :) Dissapointed by the difference between a good folder and a "normal" bike, very unlikely too.

Lastly the lack of availability of folders in LBS, i predict that in the West the folder thing will explode within 2 to 5 years tops. By that i mean (almost) ouble the amount of units sold per year and double the amounts of stores that carry them. Here in the Netherlands that proces is already half way (sic.) or so.

After the Race Bike Boom and the MTB madness, folder may well be the 'next big thing' and i am going to be applauding and laughing all the way. One day i'll be able to say:

I told you so! ;)

So perhaps you don't understand some of the logic in the original post I definitely can. I have to contend with sh!tty roads, no bike lanes, gravel on the roads and a host of other issues just to bike in some areas. So I'd rather drive to a safer area to start my journey than risk getting mowed down but some idiot who ISN'T even expecting to see a bicycle in some of those areas.
I can empathize with you and the previous poster - under conditions like that I also would be scared. I am sorry to hear that much of the USA is like that, and it bugs me that drivers there cannot show respect for other road users.

However, I restate - it is not logical. If one dislikes a phenomena (traffic), then to continue with behaviour that perpetuates that problem (driving everywhere) is not logical. Like I said, I can see why it's scary and I would be frightened of morons in 2 tonne vehicles too. But that doesn't make it logical.

Just my $0.02

To clarify, no where in my post did I say I was riding a bike to reduce the traffic in the world. My reasons for riding are for pleasure and exercise. One major drawback to riding a bike is traffic, and the danger it poses. As such, a folder serves me well, allowing me to drive to a safe area to ride.

To clarify, no where in my post did I say I was riding a bike to reduce the traffic in the world. My reasons for riding are for pleasure and exercise. One major drawback to riding a bike is traffic, and the danger it poses. As such, a folder serves me well, allowing me to drive to a safe area to ride.
No, I think I understood your post correctly - I did not think you were cycling for any other purpose than pleasure. I believe you said you drove to bike trails to avoid traffic. I was merely pointing out that this is illogical. The purpose of cycling has no bearing on this argument.

:rolleyes: yawwwwwwwwwn

@Bikingbets: you're signature is very good. I offically recuse myself of this dscussion. I've already lost track of who's the idiot. It might be me ;)

Wow! All I said was "I like my new bike." ;)

as well you should. enjoy life is too short