US Folding Bike Meets

[Chop!]

If anyone went to the Chicago April Folds ride, how was it? Any photos?
Trophy Bikes in Philadelphia (http://www.trophybikes.com) have a few meets coming up including a Brompton workshop and a Folding bike weekend. Here's a link to the 2003 Round*Up line up :-
http://www.bikefriday.com/images/news/WEBS%20folders%20at%20station.mov

[bookishboy]

I was thinking that an "upcoming folding events" thread would make a great sticky.

Since this is an international forum, I'd love to hear about different events, like the Moulton annual picnic etc.

Someone else posted the NYC Foldsup fair this month (May 20th):
http://www.times-up.org/foldsup.php

It looks like East Coast folks are in for a treat, two folding events within a few weeks. I'm in Jersey, and hope to make it to the NYC one. Don't know if I'll be able to attend the Philly one.

[Chop!]

Sounds like a good plan, anyway I've added the Manhattan meet to my Events list

[Jym Dyer]

Folds Up! Folding Bike Ride and Festival
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Sponsored by TIME'S UP!
http://www.times-up.org/foldsup.php

The Ride
WHAT: A leisurely 10-mile ride through Manhattan and Brooklyn showcasing folding bicycles. All types of bikes are welcome, as long as their riders are folding-curious! This leisurely tour will take in sights in Manhattan and Brooklyn while enjoying the benefits and promoting the use of folding bikes. We'll roll together through greenways, across bridges, and along city streets, trading tips and tales of folding successes.

WHERE: Start location: West 23rd Street on the Hudson River Greenway, Manhattan. End location: Stuyvesant Cove Park, East 23rd Street at the East River, Manhattan.

WHEN: 2 p.m., Saturday, May 20, 2006
Optional meeting at 1:00 at Bethesda Terrace, Central Park, to cheer on the small-wheeled bike race and ride to Folds Up.

The Festival
WHAT: Think you can't fit a(nother) bike into your apartment? Think again! Learn about all different makes and models of folding bikes, including New York's own Swift Folder as well as classic folders, electric folders, porta-trike folding tricycles, and more.

Test ride all kinds of makes and models, and enjoy refreshments (courtesy of Swift Folder). We'll have demonstrations of folding bikes and space for test rides.

WHERE: Stuyvesant Cove Park (East 23rd Street at the East River)

WHEN: 4 p.m., after the bike ride, Saturday, May 20, 2005

BOTH RIDE AND FESTIVAL ARE FREE TO ALL!

[mcget@aol.com]

Greetings... just an update on the Philadelphia folder bike fest...
confirmed brands available for test ride:
Brompton S2-XL (ti!), P6R-XDL, others...
Swift steel and new XOOTR SWIFT,
Bike Friday Pocket Rocket Pro, New World Tourist, Pocket Tourist.
Strida 2005 models, others.
Moulton, classic F, SPACEFRAME.
Birdy Blue. Giatext Stretching, new models.
Dahon Mu, Hammerhead, Speed Pro, Hon Solo Limited Edition--and many others.
Mobiky Genius. Airnimal.
Others TBA!

Speakers (sat am!):
Peter Reich (inventor, Swift Folder)
Bob Thomas (Phila. Architect, bike path designer and world folder traveler)
Jeff Potter (author-entrepreneur, of OutYourBackDoor.com), to discuss his upcoming folder bike book.
and others TBA.

THIS FEST IS FREE TO ALL FOLDER RIDERS AND FANS... but email us and let us know you're coming.
(mcget@aol.com)

all events start/finish near Trophy Bikes 3131 Walnut St. Philadelphia PA
215.222.2020 for more info check our website www.trophybikes.com
thanks for reading
--Michael McGettigan/trophy bikes/the ROUND UP USA June 9-10-11, Philadelphia

[mcget@aol.com]

FLASH! --now added to ROUND UP FOLDER FEST-- Pacific Cycles Michael Lin will be on hand with the first US models of: the ALL-NEW Pacific Cycles bikes-- The Reach, the ultra-compact Carry-me, one monocoque Birdy and one Kahenshiki Koma there.
all in Philadelphia at the ROUND UP June 9-10-11.
cheers
McG

[Chop!]

I noticed that at one of these meets there is a folder called a Think, who makes it? I can't find any details yet so not able to add it to my list.

[Jym Dyer]

Folds Up! Folding Bike Ride and Festival
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Sponsored by TIME'S UP!
http://www.times-up.org/foldsup.php

The Ride
WHAT: A leisurely 10-mile ride through Manhattan and Brooklyn showcasing folding bicycles. All types of bikes are welcome, as long as their riders are folding-curious! This leisurely tour will take in sights in Manhattan and Brooklyn while enjoying the benefits and promoting the use of folding bikes. We'll roll together through greenways, across bridges, and along city streets, trading tips and tales of folding successes.

WHERE: Start location: West 23rd Street on the Hudson River Greenway, Manhattan. End location: Stuyvesant Cove Park, East 23rd Street at the East River, Manhattan.

WHEN: 2 p.m., Saturday, May 20, 2006
Optional meeting at 1:00 at Bethesda Terrace, Central Park, to cheer on the small-wheeled bike race and ride to Folds Up.

The Festival
WHAT: Think you can't fit a(nother) bike into your apartment? Think again! Learn about all different makes and models of folding bikes, including New York's own Swift Folder as well as classic folders, electric folders, porta-trike folding tricycles, and more.

Test ride all kinds of makes and models, and enjoy refreshments (courtesy of Swift Folder). We'll have demonstrations of folding bikes and space for test rides.

WHERE: Stuyvesant Cove Park (East 23rd Street at the East River)

WHEN: 4 p.m., after the bike ride, Saturday, May 20, 2005

BOTH RIDE AND FESTIVAL ARE FREE TO ALL!

One more NYC folding event this Saturday:

Small-Wheeled Bike Race

WHAT: Spin your little wheels! Free entry, prizes offered. 20-inch
wheels max. Spectators encouraged. After the race, a group
will ride down the greenway to the start of the Folds Up! ride.

WHERE: Bethesda Terrace, Central Park: 72nd Street Transverse
overlooking the fountain

WHEN: Saturday, May 20, 1 p.m.

[bookishboy]

Went to the Foldsup ride, and the meet-up afterwards. It was a really nice time! Everyone was friendly and interested in each others' rides, the weather was great, the ride was enjoyable.... We got to see a good part of Southern Manhattan, dipped briefly into Brooklyn, came back and hung out for a bit at a park area along the East River. I'd estimate between 30-40 people on the ride, and somewhat more than that at the end meetup.

I got to meet the owner of BFold, who took the prize for either wierdest or "most delightfully petite" cycle with his Mobiky (David Lam I think?), one of the owners of Trophy Bikes (Michael McGettigan?), and got to see Peter Reich demonstrate the Swift folder. I also got to meet Yan from Downtube, and he was nice enough to ride with me and shoot the breeze for a stretch on the bike ride (Heh, +1 for customer relations!). I think I was the only "legit" downtube rider there... Yan was of course riding one and brought several friends also to show off the FS 2006 model, but since they were there to promote the brand, I'm not sure if I'd count them as everyday users.

As far as representation goes, I wasn't doing an actual bike head-count, but in descending order, the brands seemed to be:

-Brompton (8-10)
-Swift (7-9, including Swift and Xootr)
-Dahon (7-9)
-Bike Friday
-Downtube (At least 4-5, though only two were ridden in the ride)
-Raleigh 20's (counted at least two, both of them pretty much all-vintage)
-Mobiky (1 ridden by Mr. BFold)
-"Long-somethingorother" (1, it was a LWB recumbent, and the rear wheel would apparently tuck underneath. Can't remember the thing's name)
-One other bike whose name I can't remember. I think it was one of Yan's friends, and when I asked about it, he said the name and said something about as-seen-on-TV. I haven't seen it on TV myself, but it looked pretty useable.

There may have been more Dahons than I noticed; I think that the Bromptons and Swifts may have grabbed my attention more, because I was interested in them and because I was surprised to see so many of them in one place.

Disappointingly, there was no sign of any Moultons (owners too afraid to take them out on the streets of Manhattan?), Stridas or "Think" bikes, which had all been listed as featured bikes on the event's web page. Since folding bicycles seem to have a small-but-enthusiastic community, it could just be that the only owners of those models were home sick or had to tend to other things that day.

Everyone was really nice about switching up bikes, and I got to try out several Swifts, two Bike Fridays, the Mobiky, the FS Downtube and a Brompton. Considering what I'd be able to afford, I was especially impressed with the Swifts and Brompton, but the price on the Bromptons seem to be a bit on the high side, and possibly in the silly-expensive range for what they offer. The super-tiny size of them was pretty drool-worthy, though. The Mobiky seemed to be a bit more expensive than what I'd be willing to spend, for what it offered, but did seem pretty cleverly designed, and might make a great bike for multi-mode commuting, where the bike portion wasn't too far. It seemed like the type of bike you'd pick if you wanted to ride it from the train to your office, while wearing your suit-and-jacket work clothes.

Overall, a great day. I'd do it again in a second, and I give thanks to Times-Up for organizing the event. I'll try to post a few pics later in the day.

[there__]

I was also at the NY event and had a great time! I was riding a Dahon Jack. Did you have the sliver downtube? I was most impressed with the swift, and am seriously considering picking one up, 4th folding bike...I swear it's an addiction! :)

[bookishboy]

Hey There.... Yep, that was me on the silver DT. I'm not especially familiar with the different Dahon models, so I just looked up the Jack.... Were you riding with a girlfriend who was wearing an "America for Sale" tshirt and a helmet with wacky red plastic things strapped to it?

[there__]

Well, yes *and* no. Yes that was me riding with the woman with the For Sale: America t-shirt and crazy stuff attached to her helmet. No she wasn't my girlfriend...old enough to be my mother. :)

If you ever want to go on a bike ride let me know. I try to ride around central park once a day.

[bookishboy]

I may very well take you up on that, during the Summer coming up! I'm looking around at maybe getting a second folder for the girlfriend this Summer, as long as it'll get used. We both are trying to get more physically active, and she seems to be in favor of bicycling as a 'together' activity and a way of losing some unneeded weight. She's also planning on moving to NYC sometime this next year (and I'm not a city type person) so it might be a nice way to segue into the NYC environment. We'd be catching the train up from Central NJ anytime we came up.

I'm going to start putting pics up, do you want me to include one of you and your ride buddy? I have a fairly nice one with the two of you on the Brooklyn Bridge. You two just happened to be behind me when the group stopped and I was trying to snap some shots of the ride.

Cheers

[JonathanG]

I was at the NY Folds-Up! also (I was on the blue Xootr Swift with black fenders) and it was really great. Everyone was very open with their bikes and I learned a lot. While I'm very happy with my Xootr Swift, it would have been nice to see other ideas for folders in action before I made my decision. By the way, all the bikes seemed to handle the 10 mile leisurely ride very well. For anyone who can make it -- I can't-- I highly recommend going to the Philadelphia Round-Up.
Jonathan