Caltrain: What folder?

[bike_doc]

With gas now at over $4/gallon, I've decided to ditch my car and take the Caltrain into SF from the peninsula.

Since I've always relied on driving, I'm not familiar with Caltrain except hearing stories of bicyclists being refused passage during rush hour. That's unacceptable for me (as for most others I'm sure) and hence I'm looking for a folding bicycle.

I have my eye on the "tikit 2 ride" and the Brompton. The tikit looks a lot more appealing as its built in the US with non-proprietary parts, so service would likely be easier! The Brompton advantage is that it folds into a very small package.

My questions are:

1) Is the folded tikit too big for the Caltrain during rush hour? If it is, then the decision is easy and it'll be the Brompton.

2) When riding the Caltrain with a folding bicycle, do you need to have it covered? What's the risk of oil stains with the tikit or Brompton?

3) How long does it take to get a tikit?

4) I'm 6' 1" and weigh 220 lbs. Am I too big for these folding bicycles? Can I get away with a medium tikit or will I need the large?

Thanks for all your help!

I haven't rode a bike for over 10 years (downhill mountain biking as a teen). Let's hope that you never forget how to ride a bike... although folding is a totally different story I'm sure!

[energyandair]

1) Can't advise
2a) Can't advise
2b) Oil risk depends largely on whether the chain ends up inside or outside the fold. Most folders are outsid. The Brompton and Birdy are inside and are fine. I'm not sure about the Tikit.
3) I believe Brompton is OK for your size and weight. Birdy is fine. I think that large Tikit would be needed but it may depend on leg length.
You need to test ride if at all possible. The Brompton has a very upright position and on all 3, the steering response is likely to feel quicker than most standard bikes.
David

[bokes]

bikedoc,

the luggage space on Caltrain is plenty large enough for a tikit or any 20" folder for that matter. But you ought to check it out for yourself. I've never seen this fill up, but I guess it's possible if a bunch of people are going to the airport. A Bromptie would be small enough to put at your feet anywhere. Ask a few conductors what they think, I've ridden Caltrain hundreds of times but I'm usually in the bike compartment. It's a wise choice to get a folder, I've seen the bike room get filled up quite often and cyclists get rejected entry. ouch.
You can buy a tikit at 4th/King station in SF at a folding bike shop called Warm Planet. I saw a tikit in there, very cool bike.

[Pine Cone]

Do a search on "Caltrain" and you can see what people are using. James Swift has posted many times about how he uses his Swift folder on Caltrain.

[folder fanatic]

With gas now at over $4/gallon, I've decided to ditch my car and take the Caltrain into SF from the peninsula.

Since I've always relied on driving, I'm not familiar with Caltrain except hearing stories of bicyclists being refused passage during rush hour. That's unacceptable for me (as for most others I'm sure) and hence I'm looking for a folding bicycle.

I have my eye on the "tikit 2 ride" and the Brompton. The tikit looks a lot more appealing as its built in the US with non-proprietary parts, so service would likely be easier! The Brompton advantage is that it folds into a very small package.

My questions are:

1) Is the folded tikit too big for the Caltrain during rush hour? If it is, then the decision is easy and it'll be the Brompton.

2) When riding the Caltrain with a folding bicycle, do you need to have it covered? What's the risk of oil stains with the tikit or Brompton?

3) How long does it take to get a tikit?

4) I'm 6' 1" and weigh 220 lbs. Am I too big for these folding bicycles? Can I get away with a medium tikit or will I need the large?

Thanks for all your help!

I haven't rode a bike for over 10 years (downhill mountain biking as a teen). Let's hope that you never forget how to ride a bike... although folding is a totally different story I'm sure!

It seems like you are tipping toward the tikit. While it is considered to be a very nice bike by our forum members, I tend to prefer the Brompton for a few reasons of my own.

I live in Southern California which has the Metrolink trains like your Caltrains. I always prefer the Brompton over my other 2 bikes since these trains become crowded very quickly and people are taken aboard over any bikes. If it is very compact (like my Brompton is), I am not limited to the bike section. I can squeeze anywhere I could sit-including single seat sections where even my bigger sized folders would not fit.

I have modified my Brompton with non-Brompton parts, including saddle, brake pads, and other components (see my Web sites below for more information on my customization).

I actually have several bike bags. One was purchased from a bike shop made by Dahon. Some are from the dollar stores (duffle bags. large laundry bags and the like) that are used when I store the bikes overnight or longer in the closet or similar enclosed space or at work (I don't want to soil or contaminate my clothes and other stored things with dirt and road debris). And some I have made myself! (see my Flickr Web site for a Free Pattern and Ideas at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/world-of-folding-bicycles/sets/72157601331380862/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/world-of-folding-bicycles/sets/72157601331380862/))
Another reason to always carry a bag or slipcover with you. You might encounter a hostile security guard or conductor that is "bike prejudiced." What he/she does not know will not translate into you getting kicked off the train or station!

So whatever you choose, don't let yourself get limited just by whether or not the bike has non-proprietary parts or not. My Dahons and my Brompton have mostly non-proprietary parts. The only parts that are non-proprietary are the latches and levers that allow the bike to be folded or unfolded. And my Dahon Boardwalk's stem is a non-proprietary parts since it is now rather obsolete (a problem with the Dahon brand-even it is more affordable).

[bike_doc]

Thanks for all the responses! I'm going to have to check these out in person.

[sahadev]

I commuted for the last three years on Caltrain from Mtn View to Redwood City. Mtn View is a busy station and a lot of folks get on the train there in the morning headed north. In that time there was only one instance when I could not get on the train(at the time I had a MTB). Folding bikes that were folded were allowed on even if the racks were full. None of them were covered, and they all were kept in the bike car.

I found that which train you take makes a big difference. The newer "Baby Bullet" trains hold half the number of bikes compared to the older cars. That was the train I could not get on. That train left MV at @7 am, always crowded, even more so now. So I switched my departure to the train just before this one - problem solved.

But now, because of rising gas prices, ridership on Caltrain is up almost ten percent. Amazing! The trains are still "empty" by European and Asian standards, but there are definitely more bikes being used. This will only become more pronounced as the weather gets warmer.

Using a folding bike on Caltrain will become the smartest thing to do. Already I see more and more of them on the road and on the train.

[Northwestrider]

Check out Cal Trains web page http://www.caltrain.com/ under general information they have a bike info section. It seems 32 inches is the key to riding on any of it's cars. I think I'd put my bike in some type of bag as well.

[Dahon.Steve]

I think you need to visit the train station during the morning rush hour. No one can predict how many passengers will be on the train as it arrives in your station. You must also look at places where you can put your bike other than the obvious because you're really going to want to sit down. As one person stated, if you can fit the Brompton between your legs in the single seats section, this is a huge plus!

[dorkypants]

I used to commute from Sunnyvale to Palo Alto on Caltrain with my Brompton. Once folded and covered with its included nylon soft cover, it qualified as a piece of "carryon luggage", allowing me to sit with it in any car of the train.

Can't comment on the Tikit, other than it folds even faster than a Brompton!

The US distributor for Brompton, Channel Wasson, is in Palo Alto. He might be able to let you try one out to see if it suits you. See http://www.foldabikes.com/

[sciencemonster]

Only two or three trains fill up each day - usually the expresses right at the most popular commute time, and the ones that stop at Mountain View and Palo Alto. I take the 5:24 from PA Northbound a couple times a week. I see the 5:04 and 5:14 go by - very rarely do I see people booted off, and I never have a problem on the 5:24. It's mostly the 5:04 - it expresses to SF with just a couple stops. EVERYONE who lives in the city wants that train becasue it's so fast.

Stay off the Baby Bullets, and stick to the locals and partial locals/partial expresses and yer in like Flint.

[james_swift]

Do a search on "Caltrain" and you can see what people are using. James Swift has posted many times about how he uses his Swift folder on Caltrain.

Having "lived" the CalTrain life for 2 years, I think I've seen almost every folding bike brand stuffed somewhere on board every train.

Bear in mind that there are essentially 2 types of trains: the train with the older cars configured for 32 bikes, and the train with the newer cars configured for 16 bikes. Both trains typically have the bike car at the south end of the train on the southbound tracks, and the north end of the train on northbound tracks.

Occasionally on Wed or Thu during peak commute in the northbound direction, there will be 2 bike cars, with a second bike car 2 cars up from the engine (at the back). If a train pulls-up and the conductor yells "2!!!", then you'll know there's a second car at the back (with more space and a better selection of seating). This sometimes also happens on the Southbound trains in the morning, which seems to coincide more with the amount of Stanford bike commuters than anything else.

Some basic rules to follow on Caltrain so you don't look like an idiot (as I have many times):

1.) On the modern cars configured for 16 bikes, DO NOT RACK YOUR FOLDER. If you do, and a non-folding biker gets bumped, you will look like an idiot. Be considerate and fold your bike and stow it in one of the 4 luggage racks at the opposite ends of each bike rack. Caution: beware of the folding bike "nazi" conductor lady! She will not tolerate folding bikes in the luggage racks, and may even ask you to take your bike with you to your seat, which will be impossible on peak commutes. You might need to stand with your bike folded between your legs or some stupid thing like that.

2.) Get a bike tag from the ticket office.
- A yellow plastic tag with space to write your on/off destinations. If you plan to rack your bike un-folded on the cars configured for 32 bikes (which I do majority of the time since there is no luggage rack on these trains to stash your folder), you will need a tag. Why? See number 3 below.

3.) Rack your bike in the appropriate "pile".
- It's an unwritten rule that bikes be racked in piles according to their destinations. This is where the yellow bike tags come into play. Rack your bike in the wrong pile, and you may end up causing great inconvenience to another rider who will have to struggle to unrack your bike and move it aside just so he can get to his bike in the pile, then re-rack your bike (if he's nice enough to) all within the minute or so before the train doors close. Wanna know what's worse? Racking your bike without a tag, and having 4 other bikes "dog pile" on top of yours destined for a further train stop. Try moving those 4 bikes on a packed train all within the minute before the doors close on your stop. Failing to follow this important rule will make you look like an idiot for sure.

4.) The Apple guy is your friend.
- This is the bald guy with a well-ridden white Dahon Jack. He will distribute yellow bike tags to those who need them, as well as loan you his sharpie pen for writing your destinations on said tags. He will also call-out people who do not tag their bikes in an effort to thwart the dreaded "dog piling" I've described in number 3 above. This guy can also be seen around SF doing street parties with his Mac and portable DJ speakers.

Those are the basic rules to a successful transition to Caltrain life. I've learned these the hard way so that you don't have to. Other riders I'm sure will chime-in with their top-10 lists.

Good luck.

[bike_doc]

Swift!

Wow, that's some awesome advice about commuting on the Caltrain. I'm about to embark on my first trip in a week! Hopefully it goes smoothly.

I rode the Brompton with Channell and loved the fact that it folded so small! The tikit is also a sweet ride, but just didn't fold down as small as I would like. I'm torn between the two. Size vs Ride.

Decisions, decisions...

[invisiblehand]

Swift!

Wow, that's some awesome advice about commuting on the Caltrain. I'm about to embark on my first trip in a week! Hopefully it goes smoothly.

I rode the Brompton with Channell and loved the fact that it folded so small! The tikit is also a sweet ride, but just didn't fold down as small as I would like. I'm torn between the two. Size vs Ride.

Decisions, decisions...

What gearing do you need?

[bike_doc]

What gearing do you need?

I don't know :) Everyone's going to be different, but I intend to ride in SF Bay Area, so a wide range.

I am defering on my purchase of a Brompton and now looking at the Swift, the Tikit, and the Mu SL. Being 6' 1" tall and 220 lbs, I feel like I should ride a 20" (Mu SL).

[mulleady]

Since I commute in London on some very packed trains and have used a 20" folder I can assure you the Brompton is the winner all the way. I've just ordered one.

Don't write off the Downtube Mini from www.downtube.com for sheer value for money and versatility. Very well regarded on these forums. Great review on:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=218634&highlight=review+downtube+mini

[invisiblehand]

I don't know :) Everyone's going to be different, but I intend to ride in SF Bay Area, so a wide range.

I am defering on my purchase of a Brompton and now looking at the Swift, the Tikit, and the Mu SL. Being 6' 1" tall and 220 lbs, I feel like I should ride a 20" (Mu SL).

Unless you go with a modified Brompton -- Schlumpf drive or dual chainring or find a way to get an 8 speed hub in the dropouts -- my guess is that you will be unable to get the wide range you want with the bike. I am guessing that you want something like a 300%+ range.

[mulleady]

Based on what IH is saying and I overlooked the fact you are in SF bay area with all its hills, then the Downtube Mini is a real contender with its 8 speed Sturmey Archer hub.