Recommendation

[bheerwagen]

Looking on ebay for a folding bike. OR I could take my lemond, steel frame and have it made into a folding bike. What is the typical weight for a good folder? What are some good brands.
I am a road cyclist by trade, 5'3" tall. I travel quite a bit and want a bike that rides like a racer and is easy to tote along. Totally uneducated about the folding genre though. Ebay has Hummer, VIII..., Bike Friday, etc.
Thank you for any suggestions.

[folder fanatic]

Looking on ebay for a folding bike. OR I could take my lemond, steel frame and have it made into a folding bike. What is the typical weight for a good folder? What are some good brands.
I am a road cyclist by trade, 5'3" tall. I travel quite a bit and want a bike that rides like a racer and is easy to tote along. Totally uneducated about the folding genre though. Ebay has Hummer, VIII..., Bike Friday, etc. -bheerwagen

Since you are not too familiar with folders, I recommend you check out a good bike shop that might have a couple of folders in stock if you are lucky to get a more accurate idea what you want in a folder by test riding one or more. Then proceed with one of your ideas or better yet, start reading up on specs and reviews of each bike maker's models. Then order through a good bike shop (which will support you through the entire process of breaking it in by answering questions and with a tune up after a month of use), proceed on Ebay or your present bike's conversion. Or better yet, buy a folder that can travel well with you by a combination of folding and separating the frame (upper end Dahons and Bike Fridays are popular choices).

I too faced the same choices a couple of years ago with my first folder. I simply modified the bike (a basic 20" Dahon single speed) into the bike that I wanted by adding the components and accessories I liked. I since added a Brompton to my collection. I still have my vintage English bike from 40 years ago untouched and unconverted since my folders were made and intended to go with me wherever I go. With the exception of my vintage bike, I no longer purchase used since I am too cautious about where the bike comes from due to the increasing amount of theft of folders.

Please post about what you intend to do and what you finally select as your first folder.

[Trocadile]

One of the first things you'll have to decide is if you want 20" or 26" (or 700c) wheels. This will depend in part on how small you need the bike to fold. Since you want something that rides like a racer, I think it's safe to assume that smaller than 20" is probably out. I'd say look at the xootr.com, dahon.com, and bikefriday.com websites and look at their road/performance oriented bikes (xootr has only one bike). When you find something you like, check the old threads here to see what people say about it. But, you won't often find high performance folders on ebay.

[brakemeister]

wanna bet you gonna go with a 20 incher and after getting used to it never touch the road bike again ?

Thor

[NSJ]

wanna bet you gonna go with a 20 incher and after getting used to it never touch the road bike again ?

Thor
I'd like to know why you would say this, i.e., what it is about the folder ride experience that for you never wants to touch a conventional road bike again..
I've already got 3 roadsters, of various qualities and prices. I like my Felt 16 lb Scandium bike the best because I can go the fastest on it.

I've ordered a Bike Friday and it should arrive by mid May. I'm sure the ride's gonna be excellent, but I don't imagine that I'd stop riding my Felt, particularly for training. There's no way the Bike Friday would go as fast as the Felt..I'm using the Bike Friday as a Folder and travel bike, by the way.

[DaFriMon]

Looking on ebay for a folding bike. OR I could take my lemond, steel frame and have it made into a folding bike.

I guess you mean a separable bike with couplers? Certainly something to consider if you want to pack it on airplanes. Not the best choice if you want it to fold fairly quickly to put in the back of your car.

What is the typical weight for a good folder? What are some good brands.
I am a road cyclist by trade, 5'3" tall. I travel quite a bit and want a bike that rides like a racer and is easy to tote along. Totally uneducated about the folding genre though. Ebay has Hummer, VIII..., Bike Friday, etc.
Thank you for any suggestions.

Plenty of good brands: Swift, Dahon, Brompton, Birdy . . . An advantage of Bike Friday, if you don't mind paying a bit more, would be the custom fit, and custom build (if you buy it new from the company). Most other brands are "one size fits most". May not be best for the smaller or taller rider who wants a good fit. You can order a customized Swift, but they have only one frame size. Definitely, for a high performance road bike, I'd look at BF and Swift first.

[spambait11]

I'd like to know why you would say this, i.e., what it is about the folder ride experience that for you never wants to touch a conventional road bike again..
It's the case for some, but not for others.


I've ordered a Bike Friday and it should arrive by mid May. I'm sure the ride's gonna be excellent..
The most important thing is that you ordered one.

After you've ridden it a while, you may still be faster on your Felt, but tend to ride the BF more. It's just what oftentimes happens.