Folding Bikes - Brompton or Swift or PBW or Birdy or BF NWT?

So, after discovering this forum and catching up on a few years of posts, I have changed my tune. I think a 20" folder is the way forward for me.

So, again I ask for advice.... which one for daily commute (i.e. coming upstairs to the desk and out to happy hour and out to dinner/movie), occasional mixed mode commuting and occasional light to medium touring? I'm 6 ft 175lbs. Budget isn't really a question, as I believe in spending the money for something that fits, particularly since this will replace my subway/train riding to and from work most days. But figure 2500 or less....

SWIFT - The swift folder looks like a good NYC choice BUT it folds rather big (or seems to). Anyone have any experience bringing it in to restaraunts, movie theatres or bars? Is there a convenient bag that could be used to cover it? It definitely seems like the first choice for NYC riders and has some offroad/dirt path capabilities, which makes it a tempting choice - also, it's relatively cheap so money would be left over to trick it out.

BROMPTON - Folds really small. Has a bad rep for hills and bad terrain. Relatively expensive but elegant. Non standard parts is a bummer for customization, but tempting.

PBW - Don't see much on the board, but these seem interesting. The full suspension is good for NYC potholes per one review. Can't tell about fold size - Is it just me, or do companies who sell folding bikes and don't publish a picture of said bike folded make you suspicious? Anyone have any experience here?

Birdy - The top end bike is on the top end of my budget, but seems very well reviewed. Any recommendations whether this might be a good fit for me?

Bike Friday New World Tourist - This falls into the no pictures of the bike folded on the manufacturer site category but seems well thought for the uses I described. Not clear how big it is and whether it would make sense given my scenarios above.

Oh, and my commute is about 8-10 miles each way.

Thanks any and all who can give me guidance

Check out some of the nice rides from Dahon and Downtube and save some money or get a couple of folders. The Dahon Curve and MU SL seem to be popular as well as the Downtube Mini and IX.

Hi,

I consider myself pretty much of a newbie too so I'll just comment on the ones I have;.
PBW - I've just tried to get a price and he said they are not making folders at the moment but to check back at a later date

Birdy - I have two(24 spd, 9 spd) and added a bionix motor to the 9spd. I really like the ride but I am a lot smaller(5'5") than you. You should try it out, friends who are your size have said that they find it too springy. Not the smallest fold, but pretty good, they sell bags and also a knapsack for commuting. I ride 12km each way to work and it is a comfortable ride, but I don't have to get on any public transport and fold it.

Bike Friday New World Tourist -This feels and rides like a full size bike, the fold is not that practical for a commuter as the handlebars remove and you have to hold them. You can fold it and bag it but I would worry about the cables or something getting damaged if you had to do it a lot. I have tried the BF Tikit and it also has a great ride and is a very fast convenient folder, I am seriously thinking of trading my NWT in and getting one. (see 'you tube' for an example, just type in Tikit)

Downtube- great bike for the price. Some friends like it as much as the birdy. Slightly bigger fold and a little heavier than the birdy. with the money you save you can upgrade some of the components to customize it for you. thinking of getting the mini as it would be more convenient to travel with and my full size FS was a really fun bike to ride.

I have been looking at the Bromptons for a while and may take the plunge as I want a bike that is convenient to travel with (packs fast, light, hub gearing), the fold is the most compact and elegant and I have read that the newer models have a pretty good ride. I like that you can wheel it when it is folded (also the Tikit)instead of carrying it.


If I had to choose one bike for commuting now, I would probably go with a BF Tikit with hub gearing so I wouldn't have to worry about bent derailleurs...but that might change if i ever get to test a Brompton...

Good luck!

Actually, the multimode and bringing the bike into restaurants, theaters, and such generally excludes 20" folders from the list. There are shops with a wide variety of folders. From your description, it sounds like performance is somewhat of an issue. My recommendation is to take the time to test ride the Brompton, Birdy, and Bike Friday tikit. My guess is that the light/medium touring and longer rides will push you towards the tikit or Birdy.

Of course, you could get a lower-end Brompton/Merc and lower-end Bike Friday NWT such that the combination of bikes achieves what you want quite well for just about $2500.

I take my Swift all over: office (it fits through the rotating doors!), shops, etc. All I ever get is complements on how cool it looks / fast it folds.

Regarding Birdy - I see these in many places for just over the $1k mark, so you should be able to easily get one for your $2.5k budget. It's a beautifully designed bike for sure, but the folding was a bit more complex than I wanted and I didn't really need front suspension.

I test rode the Birdy 8 speed, Tikit, Dahon Curve & Speed before finally going for the Swift. Personally I think it rides better than the rest, but certainly does not fold as small. All folders are a compromise, so it all depends on where you want to lose out. I was prepared to lose out on "folded size" to get "best ride" and the ability to upgrade components easily.

If you post back your location you may get a member to meet up with you and try out.

Jonathan

You should consider the Bike Friday Tikit in addition to the NWT. With good tires (Greenspeed Scorcher) the ride of the Tikit is nearly as good as the NWT. It has a more compact and quicker fold and a built in bike cover which is nice. I replaced my NWT with a Tikit and don't regret it at all.

The Swift Folder has a tall fold. I never tried bringing it into stores, but I don't think it would be that successful. I think the Swift Folder is a better "fits in the trunk of a car" type folder than a "it fits under my table in a resturant".

alex

It'll just about fit under the table in a restaurant OK if you take off the handlebars via the quick release clip. Which ever way you cut it, it doesn't fold as small as a Brompton or Tikit. I find that leaving it in the bag check-in works ok. I think its more important to match the dress code of the place you are visiting, rather than whether you have a tiny or mid-sized folder.

So, after discovering this forum and catching up on a few years of posts, I have changed my tune. I think a 20" folder is the way forward for me.

So, again I ask for advice.... which one for daily commute (i.e. coming upstairs to the desk and out to happy hour and out to dinner/movie), occasional mixed mode commuting and occasional light to medium touring?

You're not going to be happy trying to lug a 20" folder around a bar, restaurant, or movie theater on a regular basis. However, that doesn't necessarily discount 20" folders for you. You see, although a 20" folder might be too much trouble to always take with you, it is still far more flexible than a nonfolder and far more rideable than a smaller bike. If you get a 20" folder I would suggest that you keep it by your side only when necessary/convenient to do so.

For example, if you're at a bar or restaurant and you could fold the bike and lock it outside in a place where you can see it through the window. Since you can bring the parts closer together on a folding bike you can probably get by with a smaller lock and, as a bonus, when the bike is folded some thieves might not be able to tell if the bike is broken or not. Or if the neighborhood seems sketchy you can give the folded bike to the bag/coat check as jwlunt suggested or perhaps lock it inside the bathroom (for example, during a night at a bar where you could easily monitor the bathroom door without feeling tied down). At a movie theater you might compromise with yourself by locking the bike outside when it's crowded and taking it with you when it isn't crowded.

The point is that you probably really only need to be able to fold the bike and actually carry it by your side as a last resort (a last resort you would not have with a nonfolder, mind you) and for that a 20" folder should be plenty sufficient. I know I lock my 20" Downtube outside at most destinations (folded in half with a cable snugly through both wheels and the frame). I do, however, fold it (partially) to put it in my closet every night and I, of course, also fold it for the occasional train/car ride. Although I realize that by locking it outside I'm still risking theft, I feel that by targeting the riskiest situations (by keeping the bike by my side when I don't have a security guard to protect it outside for long periods of time) and riding a modestly priced bike, I'm mitigating my overall risk. Perhaps the Swift could serve a similar purpose for you.

So is a Downtube better than a Birdy for my purposes? So many choices.

The big downside for me is that I don't think there are dealers for either of these in New York City. Anyone have insight?

I am a newbie myself and my decision was for the ETRO 349 (=16"+) brompton because I found it best for me to:..." daily commute (i.e. coming upstairs to the desk and out to happy hour and out to dinner/movie), occasional mixed mode commuting and occasional light to medium touring" But the birdy is a good alrounder, this dealer is named at the birdy webside.

New York:

2nd Ave Bicycles Plus
1690 2nd Avenue
New York, NY 10128
212.722.2201
2nd Ave Bicycles Plus online



So is a Downtube better than a Birdy for my purposes? So many choices.

The big downside for me is that I don't think there are dealers for either of these in New York City. Anyone have insight?

For your purposes, a Brompton or a tikit is probably the best bet. Both of these bikes have 16" wheels, which are much better choices for bikes where folding is a priority.

I have a NWT and it is a fantastic bike - great for touring or riding on centuries, even - but not for folding up and carrying up a flight of stairs every day, and not for carrying discretely into restaurants. (You *can* do all of these things with a NWT, but it's not the most elegant solution).

By contrast, Bromptons and Tikits fold quickly and are smaller packages than bikes with 20" wheels, with the B's fold being smaller and tighter than the tikits. If I were doing MM commuting everyday, I would probably opt for the B, since it's really compact. For your purposes, though, the T. might be a better choice, since you do have a wider choice of gearing.

If you're considering a NWT, think about the BF Pocket Llama. I use mine for occasional mixed mode commuting and it rides almost as well as a full sized bike; it's also a big bonus to travel with. When I'm on the train home I fold and bag it on the train to carry it through Union Station (necessary for rush hour), then ride home. You can drop some money on a real nice BF and still get a modestly priced 16" Dahon or Merc or something.

I commute about 9 miles on nice days along the west side greenway here in manhattan. I've been using a BF tikit, and it's pretty fast, quite comfortable, fast if you take an agressive posture, and you can showercap it (the flexible cover that is an option for the tikit) and take it into a class A building.

There is a fun set of documentary clips of the tikit touring manhattan starting here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW5ALx_XjyM

-Peter

So, after discovering this forum and catching up on a few years of posts, I have changed my tune. I think a 20" folder is the way forward for me..... which one for daily commute (i.e. coming upstairs to the desk and out to happy hour and out to dinner/movie), occasional mixed mode commuting and occasional light to medium touring? I'm 6 ft 175lbs. Budget isn't really a question, as I believe in spending the money for something that fits, particularly since this will replace my subway/train riding to and from work most days. But figure 2500 or less....BROMPTON - Folds really small. Has a bad rep for hills and bad terrain. Relatively expensive but elegant. Non standard parts is a bummer for customization, but tempting....Oh, and my commute is about 8-10 miles each way......Thanks any and all who can give me guidance

I can only comment on the Brompton since I do not have any direct contact with the other listed bikes. I own 2 Dahons and 1 Brompton at present. The Dahons are 20" and 16" respectively. My Brompton is the most flexible and the prefered choice for a night out as well as commuting a good distance (10 or so hilly miles) over the 16 inch Piccolo. My model is the simple basic three speed minus all the bells and whistles that the higher end ones have. But it is still just as compact and can go anywhere with me with ease. I am rather small (under 6 feet), so a larger bulkier package will be far more noticeable than beside a taller person. And if I lend it to my far taller friends-providing that I have the Telescopic Seatpost on the bike-I know that my bike will fit him/her with it's M handlebars. And those handbars will allow me to carry larger packages on the front of the bike with it's Quick Release luggage system.

I cannot recommend more strongly to test ride any folding bike(s) that you can from a good dealer before you make your final selection and buy it. I did the last 2 purchases (Brompton and Dahon Piccolo) and I am so happy with these bikes. The Brompton was customized in the way I like it-with Brompton parts as well as non Brompton parts (the saddle and the more traditional metal shifter). Here is a very recent photo of it with all the additions I have done with it. And do visit my Web sites for more information on folding bikes (see below):

Thanks everyone - I'm going to check out a brompton and a tikit today.

All that said, I am really leaning towards a Birdy based on everything I read and discussions with dealers.

The ones I talked to say a brompton or a swift or a tikit would be good for my purposes, but two acknowledged that the Birdy is a great bike and a good mix of large bike feel with a somewhat compact fold.

My biggest concern is not being able to try one... the guy I spoke to seemed very reasonable and said that if it really didn't work for me, he would help me get it sold as a demo bike. Tough decision... maybe the rides today will help.

I thought that there was a Birdy dealer in NYC ...

Hmmmm, I thought that this (http://nycewheels.com/folding-bike.html) was the shop. Guess they stopped carrying them.

Perhaps you should send a message to PM24 ... he has a Birdy in NYC.

whoops ... that is PM124