Folding Bikes - Top 5 folding bike manufacturers? (Need help)

I'm working on a project where I list the top 5 manufacturers of a specific type of bikes.

This time I'm looking for the top 5 folding bike manufacturers.

The list should be based on image of the company and the quality of the bike. Price categories doesn't really matter.

Every bit of help is much appreciated, thanks in advance.

dahon, brompton, birdy, moulton, bike friday. Anyone offended by list not trying to start issues, just trying to help the guy.

Not trying to turn this into a fight or something. Just name the top 5 in your opinion.

And thanks for your input greenbrompton. Much appreciated.

Brands are not manufacturers.

Pacific Cycles (Birdy, CarryMe, REACH, IF...) and Dahon are 2 good ones.

Brands are not manufacturers.

Pacific Cycles (Birdy, CarryMe, REACH, IF...) and Dahon are 2 good ones.My bad, I meant brands.

And being picky Moulton doesn't really fold.

dahon, brompton, birdy, moulton, bike friday. Anyone offended by list not trying to start issues, just trying to help the guy.

Not a bad list, moultons beeing seperable bikes so very close cousins.
Birdy (=Riese & Müller)

Dahon, brompton, birdy, bike friday, and pacific cycles would be on the list. Moultons are lovely, but strictly speaking not folding bikes.

The list should be based on image of the company and the quality of the bike. Price categories doesn't really matter.

Bike Friday, Brompton, Birdy, DownTube, Strida

Dahon is the No 1 manufacturer, but do theyhave a recognisable company image as such ?

I would say there is an easily recognizable top 4: Dahon, Bike Friday, Brompton, Birdy. After that there are a lot of companies/brands that could squeeze into the 5th spot depending on what's available near you: Pacific, Downtube, Strida, Xootr, Mobicky, Montague, Airnimal, Mezzo/Ori, KHS... and I suppose the list could go on.

--sam

manufacturers? Do you mean brand or manufacturer? For example Ming is probably #1. I doubt there is a Ming brand bike. Bike Friday and Brompton seem to make their frames.

Just FYI Bike Friday is also known as Green Gear Cycling.

manufacturers? Do you mean brand or manufacturer? For example Ming is probably #1. I doubt there is a Ming brand bike. Bike Friday and Brompton seem to make their frames.

Brands.

See post #5 :innocent:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=7334092&postcount=5

brands, manufacturers, trademarks? that's confusing to me. Perhaps mulleady or someone can help?
For example Pacific cycles manufactures the Birdy which was engineered and is build for Riese & Müller who sell nonfolders also. Pacific cycles also manufactures under their own name the Carry Me. So what OP want to hear? Dahon is the biggest(?) most known company for Folders on the market but they lack to have "that" recognisable folding bike or perhaps even as Diode 100 said that recognisable company image.

What does "top" mean? How does price category not matter? Perhaps its easier to say, which are the "names" that are best liked in this forum and hence recommended most often. For a long list also see website from user chop or bromptonauten:
http://www.long-john.com/pagefoldlinks.htm
http://www.bromptonauten.de/konkurrenz1.html

Airnimal
not often named but sure good, a bit exotic
http://www.airnimal.eu

Bike Friday
many models, some fold some are seperable, most popular models here: Tikit, New World Tourist, Pocket Rocket (Pro)
http://www.bikefriday.com

Birdy see also Pacific Cycles
http://www.r-m.de

Brompton
http://www.brompton.co.uk

Dahon
many models, some fold some not, most popular folding models here: boardwalk, curve, mu-series, speed-series
http://www.dahon.com

Downtube
http://www.downtube.com

GoBike
I think will be getting more important
http://www.gobikeonline.com

Pacific Cycleswith CarryMe, Reach, IF fold
http://www.pacific-cycles.com

Strida
http://www.strida.com

Xootr
folder Swift
http://www.xootr.com

and not to forget the much loved Raleigh Twenty :D

GoBike
I think will be getting more important
http://www.gobikeonline.com


It looks interesting but it sure seems to be coming along slowly.

It looks interesting but it sure seems to be coming along slowly.

Yeah... it's kind of hard to find. A little heavy too, but it sure looks good.

--sam