Folding Bikes - 16 inch vs. 20 inch folders

What has been your experience with 16 inch vs. 20 inch wheels?
which do you prefer?
which are easier to ride?
more fun to ride?
steers more easily?
any other differences?
thanks.

A lot depends on WHERE you want to ride. I like the 16" better in town but they aren't quite as good over bumps. There are of course several varities of 16" & 20" wheels and they have different characteristics because of size differences. The 16" wheels definitely accelerate more quickly.

The fun to ride factor is more dependent on the bike than the wheel size. Personally I like them both about equally. I have both and see a reason for both. I like the smaller folded size of the 16" as I can fit it easier into a suitcase and the back of a small car.

I am in the process of modifying my mini DT so that I can take it on extended tours. I'll be in Romania this winter for 6 months so I'll have plenty of time to test it out. My wife and I road across the Pyrenees this spring, and her 2005 DTVIII was a real workhorse. She modified her bike to have lower gears, but I think that the mini is geared already to climb some steep grades while pulling a loaded trailer.

Welcome back, turtlesland. I have not seen a post from you in a very long time. As for the questions:

What has been your experience with 16 inch vs. 20 inch wheels? -turtlesland

I have both-a Dahon Boardwalk (20") and a Brompton (16").

which do you prefer? -turtlesland

I use each bike for different, yet overlapping activities. I am leaning a bit toward the Brompton as it is far more the better made of the two folders.

which are easier to ride? -turtlesland

For the rider that is not used to the smaller wheels of these bikes, it will be the Boardwalk.

more fun to ride? -turtlesland

I prefer the Brompton now.

steers more easily? -turtlesland

The smaller the wheel, the quicker the response. But for the novice, the Boardwalk is more like a regular larger wheel bike.

any other differences? -turtlesland

The folded package of the Brompton is extremely compact-making it easy to bring it along with you everywhere you go. The bike is by far the lighter weight of the two at a stripped down 25 pounds. The Dahon at fully accessorized is 30 pounds. The Brompton folded package is more manuverable in crowded situations like restaurants, buses, trains, parties, taxis, even the wide range of private car's ability to tuck it in anywhere there is room be it trunk or passenger area. I had to upgrade the Brompton far less at purchase or soon after and the things that I added to it were inexpensive. The Dahon required a lot more upgrading and parts swapping-thus pushing up the price without adding any possible resale value to it. People seem to respond far more positive to the Brompton than the Dahon-even to the nonbiking crowd.

I hope this information helps you in some way.

Hi,
I am trying out a dahon 16 inch folder. I am new to folders so that may be part of it. But i am finding that when I start to pedal, its a bit wobbly but once I get going, it becomes more stable.
I haven't tried turns with it yet...not sure i can maneuver properly. any advice? thanks.
p.s. i prefer the 16 inch coz i have a tiny car and it can fit in the trunk.
thanks for any help.

For the rider that is not used to the smaller wheels of these bikes, it will be the Boardwalk.

thanks fanatic.
How long does it take the newbie to get used to the smaller wheels?

How long does it take the newbie to get used to the smaller wheels?

I would say 30 seconds for the High dexterity riders, 2 miles riding for the less gifted ones.

Rafael

Hi,
I am trying out a dahon 16 inch folder. I am new to folders so that may be part of it. But i am finding that when I start to pedal, its a bit wobbly but once I get going, it becomes more stable.
I haven't tried turns with it yet...not sure i can maneuver properly. any advice? thanks.
p.s. i prefer the 16 inch coz i have a tiny car and it can fit in the trunk.
thanks for any help. -turtlesland

That will take a bit of practice on your part. For me about a minute or so on a quiet street. The 16 inchers will fit practially anywhere.

thanks fanatic.
How long does it take the newbie to get used to the smaller wheels? -turtlesland

Don't be impatient or try to adopt someone else's riding style that does not work for you. Just take your time and if this bike is for you I am sure you will be whizzing along in no time.

turtlesland ---if you are looking at a Dahon with 16" tires you should definitely consider the Downtube Mini. I just got mine and found it to be a very high quality bike and even has the SA 8 speed internal hub.
It is a ball to ride and only takes just a minute to get used to the smaller wheels.

How long does it take the newbie to get used to the smaller wheels?

You have to watch out for potholes and other road defects constantly. This is hard at night. If you go from 26 to 16 you will be amazed at the crummy quality of roads you once thought of as smooth.

The issue is if you can tolerate smaller wheels. Going off a curb on a Strida is like being kicked in the ass (with the point of the foot BTW). I don't jump curbs on a Strida anymore. At higher speeds you get an airborn kind of feeling on each bump in the road.

I curious to learn about the longest ride someone took on a 16" wheeled bike around this forum...

...if you are looking at a Dahon with 16" tires you should definitely consider the Downtube Mini. I just got mine and found it to be a very high quality bike and even has the SA 8 speed internal hub.
It is a ball to ride and only takes just a minute to get used to the smaller wheels. -donkeyman

The Downtube Mini does have a Sturmey-Archer 8 speed hub, but it still is a aluminum frame and that negates it's potential to upgrade, replace, damaged or worn out accessories/components if and when the need does happen. I stick to a good to excellent quality steel frame which allows me to cold press (bend or expand the dropouts) it when needed. Aluminum cannot be reshaped safely no matter how the quality or the price is. I still like to choose what parts make to add to which bike.

On my Strida I once did 25mi from Avon NJ to Matawan NJ NJT station. Then took the NJT to Penn Sta Newark NJ (then rode around for a while), and then PATH to WTC sta NY. I then rode 5 mi home. Probably close to 35 mi in total. I never tried that again on a Strida.

35 miles on a Strida would be like about 100 on a Brompton. I've never heard of anyone riding that far before on a Strida. Maybe it is a world record? :-)

The Downtube Mini does have a Sturmey-Archer 8 speed hub, but it still is a aluminum frame and that negates it's potential to upgrade, replace, damaged or worn out accessories/components if and when the need does happen. I stick to a good to excellent quality steel frame which allows me to cold press (bend or expand the dropouts) it when needed. Aluminum cannot be reshaped safely no matter how the quality or the price is. I still like to choose what parts make to add to which bike.

Really? Exactly what potential upgrade wouldn't be possible because the DT Mini's frame is an aluminum alloy?.. and what damaged or worn out accessories/components could not be replaced because of the frame material... why would you ever need to 'reshape' the frame on the Mini.. anxiously awaiting your answer, and please don't use the words 'steel' or 'carbon fibre' or 'titanium' in your reply as a comparison material .... I'm only interested in your view concerning the aluminum alloy frame as used on the Downtube Mini and the negative points that you brought up.

Thanks,
Bruce

It is not the first time I hear people not favorable to Aluminum based on the fact that it cannot be reshaped or fixed. On the other hand, what percentage of bike users reshape their frames or brake it ( I am not expecting someone to use a DT-Mini for off road competition...)

I guess if one wanted to spread the rear axle width, change the brakes, add braze-ons for more bottle holders or a rack, you might run into problems with the aluminum frame. Although there are many functional alternatives to the restrictions I mention.

I am a personal fan of steel frames-->my main ride is steel. But I do have an aluminum hybrid as a commuter and beater bike. My wife has a Merc. In a global sense, I do not think that steel is better material.

I curious to learn about the longest ride someone took on a 16" wheeled bike around this forum...

I did the 2003 1200 km Paris-Brest-Paris on my 349 wheeled 1965 Moulton Stowaway (2-speed hub). There is bound to be someone who has toured miles further on an old Moulton or Brompton though.

I did the 2003 1200 km Paris-Brest-Paris on my 349 wheeled 1965 Moulton Stowaway (2-speed hub). There is bound to be someone who has toured miles further on an old Moulton or Brompton though.
You are my new hero!!! Did you finish in the time limit?

WOW! that's impressive right there. I am new to folders, but to me that seems pretty darn far.

Probably close to 35 mi in total. I never tried that again on a Strida.
I've only done about 26 miles on a Strida (out of london when I missed last train). ditto on a brompton x2 !...... when will I learn to get the last train !! - That would be all i'd prepared to do on either of these, .... .... just too used to using full sized bikes for distance ..... horses for courses etc.

A Major problem I find with all small wheels (even 20") is pot holes etc. AFTER dark.

Probably the wrong forum to say it but ..... What is the point if you dont need to fold up/transport etc, in taking a small wheeled bike ? When, especially off road, rough tracks etc. large wheels are better !

Flame suit on ;-)

You are my new hero!!! Did you finish in the time limit?

Don't be too impressed, about 3000 people completed it that year. I finished in under 83 hours, wanting a more relaxed ride than in 1999. About two hours behind me was Alpo the Finn on his scooter (no gears, no pedals, no seat). :p

Really? Exactly what potential upgrade wouldn't be possible because the DT Mini's frame is an aluminum alloy?.. and what damaged or worn out accessories/components could not be replaced because of the frame material... why would you ever need to 'reshape' the frame on the Mini.. anxiously awaiting your answer, and please don't use the words 'steel' or 'carbon fibre' or 'titanium' in your reply as a comparison material .... I'm only interested in your view concerning the aluminum alloy frame as used on the Downtube Mini and the negative points that you brought up. -BruceMetras

Ok I will not use any metal names here. Back in 2003 when I was selecting my first folder, I wanted a 3 speed from Dahon. None was available here in the US for my price range (3-4 hundred dollars). Downtube did not exist then or maybe I was not aware of the company. So what did I do? Settle for something to dump on someone else later because I did not do my homework or cop out that I suppose to be a stupid girl and don't know anything about bikes? (I am not stupid but I still don't know everything). So I decided to modify a folder closest to the overseas models available here that will satisfy my needs and desires as I always urge others to do instead of just "settling on" something that would not do for me. I selected my Boardwalk due to this article I saw in Sheldon Brown's web site:

www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html)

Here is the part that helped me decide to modify the Boardwalk instead of just settling on a Vitesse:

While drivetrains have improved, frames have not, and in many ways, they've changed for the worse! Older frames designed for touring or recreational riding are often considerably more comfortable and pleasant to ride than many modern frames that have been optimized to appeal to racers. Older frames have room for wider tires, and for fenders, making them more practical for those who are not just fair-weather cyclists.

Then again, you may have an older bike that you've just become sentimentally attached to...it's not hard to bond to a bike that has carried you for thousands of happy miles.

If you have a beloved older bike, but are not enjoying its antiquated shifting system, it isn't unreasonable to upgrade it with a new rear wheel, derailers and shifters. There's one fly in the ointment, however...will the new wheel fit into the old frame? Often, the answer is "no," because newer hubs are wider, with longer axles, than the older ones.

I still have the bike. I may give it away or sell it tomarrow, I may have it for the rest of my life. But whatever I decide to do with it, it won't be because it is made of a material that won't allow me to modify or change damaged parts when I need to because I was trying to save a few bucks or I was trying to be a part of a mindset of a certain bike group. I have to live with the bike and the consenquences of that major decision. Not other people.