Folding Bikes - Options for small women?

I have been looking around online for a small and lightweight folding bike. And, when I say small and lightweight, I really mean it! I am 5'4.5" and 115lbs. I just don't need a bike capable of supporting men over 200lbs. I don't care if the bike I ride breaks under such weight. I want something that is a joy and ease to carry. Specifically, I am looking for something I can bring on the train or a plane, so I can ride ~10 miles in a day when I travel. I'd also like to use it to get to work, which is 2 miles from home in Manhattan.

Does anybody have suggestions? I can't be the only person fitting this description...

Bike Friday has several options including the Tikit, Petite, and others.

Price range?

Does anybody have suggestions? I can't be the only person fitting this description...

You're not. Lynette Chiang (http://www.bikefriday.com/staff/lynettechiang) is Bike Friday's Customer Evangelist- I think you're about 6 inches taller than her.

They also make bikes for even smaller folks (http://www.bikefriday.com/specialneeds).

(FWIW: I'm the other end of the spectrum- 6-foot-4, 220 pounds. I think of myself as the large, economy size.)

The thing about Bike Fridays is that they don't really fold easily, do they? Except for the Tikit? I read that their fold is more for packing into suitcases than for every day commute. And given that, they're pretty expensive. Pricewise, I am flexible but for me to spend $1000 on a bike, it should really be perfect. All of the easily folding bikes I come across seem to be built for bigger people. Even the lightest models (which are always most expensive) are rated for 220lb riders. A bike built to carry half that has GOT to be lighter, no? And cheaper because it shouldn't take as much fine engineering to do its job well.

I'm thinking something with 16" wheels and proportionately sized. Ideally I'd like a bike with a Brompton fold or as small as that. If only Brompton made a bike for lighter people... Anybody ever seen anything like that? I read about the Dahon Sweet Pea, but with 14" wheels I'm not sure it would ride well...

You might look at the Kent. Nekohime rides one, PM her.

I have a feeling that most folding bikes will actually fit you OK. If you were 4' 10," it'd be a different story....

If you're planning to do fairly short distances when you travel, I recommend you go for a Brompton. You can get it onto a plane with almost no disassembly, it's got suspension, and is great for commuting. Check with your building to see if they will let you bring a folding bike into the building -- you don't want to leave a nice bike on the street in NYC if you can help it.

Bike Friday makes excellent bikes, and while the "quick fold" is just OK, it is made to pack efficiently into a suitcase. But the Brompton will still pack faster and easier. A BF may also be overkill for your uses.

Unfortunately there aren't many "ridiculously light" folders out there except for the really tiny ones, like the A-Bike -- and even that is 12 pounds. Most folders don't have a traditional diamond frame design, so they need heavier frames to compensate.

I suspect that the market for bikes designed for very small people isn't large enough to attract manufacturers and that's probably why you won't find many ultra-light designs. Also, since the manufacturers of bikes can't control who rides them once sold, there could easily be problems of bikes for lightweights collapsing when being ridden by other people. There might be unpleasant accidents and court writs.

The Brompton is extremely versatile in the range of people it will fit. LittleYip will easily 'fit' it. In fact at 5'4" she isn't that small for a lady. I have a friend who is 5'1" and she bought one the bikes IKEA gave their workers a couple of Christmases ago. There was a flood of them on ebay.co.uk at the time. It fits her well and she is easily strong enough to carry it a short distance, even though it weighs in at about 13KG. That was very cheap, but has an ungainly fold in comparison to the Brompton or its clones.

Most fit women could carry a Brompton. Women are adapted by nature to carrying armfulls of babies, shopping farming and gardening tools, and are pretty strong in my experience. (ducks for cover).

Most fit women could carry a Brompton. Women are adapted by nature to carrying armfulls of babies...

No need to duck, a valid point, but actually the baby sits on the hip and isn't often carried with the arms alone, and babies are a little softer than aluminum or steel. So as light as a bike might get, many women of average stature will have trouble carrying it [video] (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDKsCvDhCqI) if the bike has to be held out away from the body, requiring upper-body strength. And it's for that reason that I come back to what might seem a counter-intuitive suggestion, a heavier bike but one that is designed to be rolled not carried, and with a handle for when it has to be lifted: the Mobiky Genius (http://www.mobikyusa.com/) has ads showing a woman rolling the folded bike (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=468928&highlight=mobiky&page=2#34)by its extended seat-tube (recognizing this strength issue). And the Strida (http://www.areaware.com/?p=17669&lng=en) or Strida Mini as well would be good to consider. Both Mobiky and Strida could be used for leisure rides too, terrain permitting.

Regards
T

I am a 5-3, 98 pound gal. I ride a Dahon Curve (16"wheels). I have no trouble folding it up, carrying it up or down the stairs of my apartment and getting it into the trunk of my car. I love the bike.

I actually have all but abandoned my beautiful Bianchi San Jose because the small wheel bikes are so much more comfortable for me to ride.

what about the mini downtube?

any1 here ever pack a mini downtube in a luggage case for air travel? what standard suitcase will fit it? does it requires any disassembly? if not, this would be an ideal bike for littleyip.

The thing about Bike Fridays is that they don't really fold easily, do they? Except for the Tikit? I read that their fold is more for packing into suitcases than for every day commute. And given that, they're pretty expensive. Pricewise, I am flexible but for me to spend $1000 on a bike, it should really be perfect. All of the easily folding bikes I come across seem to be built for bigger people. Even the lightest models (which are always most expensive) are rated for 220lb riders. A bike built to carry half that has GOT to be lighter, no? And cheaper because it shouldn't take as much fine engineering to do its job well.

I'm thinking something with 16" wheels and proportionately sized. Ideally I'd like a bike with a Brompton fold or as small as that. If only Brompton made a bike for lighter people... Anybody ever seen anything like that? I read about the Dahon Sweet Pea, but with 14" wheels I'm not sure it would ride well...

Economies of scale prevent mass produced bikes for really light people. And I suspect that thinner tubes would be harder to work with and therefore more, not less, expensive. More generally, since most of the bike's weight is from the components, you would save less than you think by purposely targeting light people. It sounds to me that a compact size is important which leads me to believe that 16" (or under) bikes are probably a better fit for you.

Let's forget about price for a moment.

Do you actually need to carry the bike or can a bike that rolls well while folded satisfy your needs? Because if you need a Bromopton sized fold your options are minimal. If we forget about price, you could get a Brompton (S Model) with the titanium options and either a simple two (derailer) or three (internal hub) speed drivetrain that should handle most short rides less than 10 miles. From memory, it would be a little more than 20 pounds but if you installed the roller wheels -- I would pass on the Brompton option and just get some quality roller blade wheels/ball bearings -- you could roll the bike while folded quite well. And when it comes to carrying stuff, I think that the Brompton excels at the task since its bags/rack are integrated with the fold.

If the 1500-2000 USD for a titanium Brompton is too much, then see whether rolling a standard chromoly Brompton mitigates its weight. That would bring the price much closer to your target range. Although, if my memory is correct, the addition of the front bag with some other options like fenders would take you a few hundred past $1 K.

If rolling a bike works well for you and you are willing to accept a somewhat bigger folding package, you might want to check out the Bike Friday tikit. I test rode one at a local dealer and I thought that it rode considerably better than my old Brompton (or Merc). Then again, I am particularly sensitive to ergonomics and the standard set up on the Brompton didn't give me enough leg extension nor reach. I thought it rolled well and the rolling wheel would be considerably bigger on the tikit relative to the Brompton and consequently better across different terrains. If you went with a Model-T with some nice options (racks and stealth bag) it would take you to approximately the same price as the chromoly Brompton with nice options. If you ever decided to invest more money in the bike, you could shed a few pounds by upgrading components.

In my experience, bikes that are good at carrying things are far more useful than the alternatives. For folding bikes, that means can you fold the bike with the racks on and can I leave a bag on the bike while folded. Since these two bikes roll well while folded. My wife who is 5'4" and proudly 115 after having a baby thinks that a well-rolling folding bike for commuting is much more important than a light bike.

Decent cheaper options are the Downtube Mini and Dahon Curve.

You can fit a small rack that mounts on the braze-ons on the Mini's front fork. It is large enough to hold more than a pretty large seat wedge and can remain on the bike while folded. The Mini rolls well if you have a fold where the handlebar is in the interior of the fold.

I have never ridden a Curve. But enough people have written about it such that it will be worthwhile to test ride one since there are so many Dahon dealers. From what I gather, the Curve is probably better at carrying stuff than the Mini. Moreover, I would be surprised if it rolled while folded worse than the Mini. There was a thread that compared the two as a consequence of two forum members meeting in NYC (Caah and RHM, I recall).

Either of these two options would keep you well under $1000 -- unless you decided to go for the 8-speed Curve.

what about the mini downtube?

any1 here ever pack a mini downtube in a luggage case for air travel? what standard suitcase will fit it? does it requires any disassembly? if not, this would be an ideal bike for littleyip.

A few people did this. Jur details it in one post.

A few people did this. Jur details it in one post.

yes i saw the jur's post about packing his mini. but he had to disassemble and reassemble it again. it would not be ideal for your less than average mechanical person. so does any know any1 suitcase out there where you can just fold your bike up w/o any disassembly and it would be good to go for air travel? or maybe it just a dream, and you definitely need disassembly for packing your folding bike in a suitcase?

Vincent, aren't you the same guy who recently didn't know what a gear was?

Vincent, aren't you the same guy who recently didn't know what a gear was?

please elaborate...what do you mean i didn't know what a gear was? are u trying to stir some beef?

anyway...i found a suitcase by downtube:

http://www.downtube.com/Folding_Bike_Suitcase.html

does this look like no disassembly require to u fellas?

please elaborate...what do you mean i didn't know what a gear was? are u trying to stir some beef?

No, no. Don't mind me. Do carry on.

...I'm thinking something with 16" wheels and proportionately sized. Ideally I'd like a bike with a Brompton fold or as small as that. If only Brompton made a bike for lighter people... Anybody ever seen anything like that? I read about the Dahon Sweet Pea, but with 14" wheels I'm not sure it would ride well...

The Flamingo Brompton clone is for people up to 80 kg. But that does not mean the bike is lighter. Like others already said, I too think, you wont find a less priced but lighter bike that is so because it is extra for light people since all the bikes seem to have to cover the weight range of all average customer for business reasons and also technical. Weight derives only to a small percentage from the frame. To get the bike light factories would have to go for different and lighter tires, tubes, cables, saddle,...that would mean proprietary parts all over - expensive. Also child bikes are often as heavy as adult bikes. For example a puky meant for a 3 year child with 12" wheels will be about 19 lbs.

Dont hesitate to try small wheels. A lot of that is perception. I like my 18lbs Carryme with single speed and 8" wheels which is as stock too small for me (5'10'' upgraded it with longer seatpost, buttbuddy :D and will put a highriser-stem but for you it should fit very well. With Schlumpf Drive = 2 Spd version, I see it very capable to ride 10 miles as long as terrain is flat. That bike folds small, can be handluggage at some airlines and is easy in your budget.

Invisiblehand proposed the S-Model if going for a brommi, I do not agree: In the S-Model you have the bar about 6 cm more forward, a stretched position! The reach is larger on the S-Model (Invisible, which model did you try, which model had too short reach for you?). Better stay with the M-typ-steering-stem and swap the riser bar if too high for any moderate riser on the market. Also swap the seatpost for a model with off-sett to the front to narrow the reach further.

yes i saw the jur's post about packing his mini. but he had to disassemble and reassemble it again. it would not be ideal for your less than average mechanical person. so does any know any1 suitcase out there where you can just fold your bike up w/o any disassembly and it would be good to go for air travel? or maybe it just a dream, and you definitely need disassembly for packing your folding bike in a suitcase?

What an average mechanical person can do is unclear to me. But it is straightforward and some limited knowledge of the bike is useful for travel.

More generally, the answer will change according to suitcase. The two standard ones are the Samsonite Carlton and F'Light. The F'Light is marginally larger -- and technically 2" over the limit -- but apparently much easier to pack.


anyway...i found a suitcase by downtube:

http://www.downtube.com/Folding_Bike_Suitcase.html

does this look like no disassembly require to u fellas?

Did you want a hardcase? You might also want to ask about the dimensions before purchasing and check whether it is flight legal.

Dont hesitate to try small wheels. A lot of that is perception. I like my 18lbs Carryme with single speed and 8" wheels which is as stock too small for me (5'10'' upgraded it with longer seatpost, buttbuddy :D and will put a highriser-stem but for you it should fit very well. With Schlumpf Drive = 2 Spd version, I see it very capable to ride 10 miles as long as terrain is flat. That bike folds small, can be handluggage at some airlines and is easy in your budget.



Somnatash, be very careful with your new toy .. as you move your center of gravity up on a short wheelbase bike with 8" wheels, the tendency to topple over the front increases if the front wheel stops short for any reason (curb, driveway lip, road irregularity, etc.).. it happens when you least expect it and quickly.. been there done that... I shuddered when I saw one pictured with drops as so much more upperbody weight could be on the front wheel.. I think the single speed version is optimal as the dual speed with it's 80" high gear would get the bike going too fast for normal roughish street riding.. the bike has it's purpose, but care should be observed more so than with something like your 16" Brommie..

...
Did you want a hardcase? You might also want to ask about the dimensions before purchasing and check whether it is flight legal.

it's not a hardcase...look at the pix...it just hard at the bottom, but the bag look like a duffel bag. obviously this is not a carry-on bag and thus need to be check-in. so it should be no problem bringing on to a plane. i've seen some suitcase bigger than show on the pix and was able to check into the airline.

Invisiblehand proposed the S-Model if going for a brommi, I do not agree: In the S-Model you have the bar about 6 cm more forward, a stretched position! The reach is larger on the S-Model (Invisible, which model did you try, which model had too short reach for you?). Better stay with the M-typ-steering-stem and swap the riser bar if too high for any moderate riser on the market. Also swap the seatpost for a model with off-sett to the front to narrow the reach further.

That is a good point. I forgot that the bar reach varies across the models. I figured that the S would be optimal since it is lighter and the bar is lower than the M. Just goes to show that you should always make an effort to test ride a bike.

I had the traditional bar (now M-type). I test-rode the S and P type handlebars. The S was too low but I did think that the giant pretzel handlebar had its advantages. I also putzed with fore-aft adjustments of the saddle but never cared for the resulting weird relationship between the crank and saddle.

it's not a hardcase...look at the pix...it just hard at the bottom, but the bag look like a duffel bag. obviously this is not a carry-on bag and thus need to be check-in. so it should be no problem bringing on to a plane. i've seen some suitcase bigger than show on the pix and was able to check into the airline.

No kidding. The question is if you want to fly with a bike, don't you want a hardcase since you will have to check the bag?

No kidding. The question is if you want to fly with a bike, don't you want a hardcase since you will have to check the bag?

i have no idea...never travel with a folded bike on a plane before. on downtube website it said this bag is designed for air travel. if the downtube is not hard cover, then what's the point of downtube designing this bag the way it is for flight travel?

i have no idea...never travel with a folded bike on a plane before. on downtube website it said this bag is designed for air travel. then what's the point of downtube designing this bag the way it is?

Ask Yan.

The question is if you want to fly with a bike, don't you want a hardcase since you will have to check the bag?

I certainly would.

Ask Yan.

since yan visit this forum, maybe he could answer the question as to why he designed a soft travel bag for folding bike which you imply is not a good design cause it is not a hard case for flight travel.

Somnatash, be very careful with your new toy ..

:mad: Daddy, but I am a old grown lady seeking for some adventure :lol:

No, honestly - THX for your care. You are, off course right, like I had to already experience :D
on my first testride still at the tradeshow, I hit a hidden low but very sharp and steep kerb of a booth - autsch - the beast kicked out at the back and the front QR of bar bit into my knee while I tried not to dismount above the forepart. And that was rather slow riding. Plus, since weight goes more to the back as well when using a longer seatpost the bike rears up and wants to topple over the back when riding uphill. I see it as "unicycle light" - btw: those unicycles are also ridden with Schlumpf.

But the OP is small enough to not need those silly mods with the Carryme

so did a search online for the samsonite oyster f'lite:
http://www.luggagepoint.com/lpProductDetail.asp?productid=174

Dimensions•31" H x " 12 W x 21" L


The downtube mini dimensions are when folded: 10" x 20" x 29"

so with that above suitcase and the mini...u can fit the mini into this suitcase snuggly w/o any disassembly and should be ready to go. and it is hard-case like some of you wanted. best of both world.

since yan visit this forum, maybe he could answer the question as to why he designed a soft travel bag for folding bike which you imply is not a good design cause it is not a hard case for flight travel.

There are people who fly with soft cases. But my choice -- for what I think are obvious reasons -- is to fly with a hard case.

Yan doesn't visit much anymore ... or better written, he doesn't post much anymore. If you are interested in his input, you will get a response more quickly by contacting him directly.

lol...yan just post a thread about the interbike 2008..what u talking about he doesn't post or visit much?

anyway...i think i found the answer to the suitcase:

http://www.downtube.com/Folding_Bike_Forum/read.php?2,410

if its good enough for yan to take his downtube fs on it...then it should be good enough for me...i guess.

lol...yan just post a thread about the interbike 2008..what u talking about he doesn't post or visit much?

anyway...i think i found the answer to the suitcase:

http://www.downtube.com/Folding_Bike_Forum/read.php?2,410

if its good enough for yan to take his downtube fs on it...then it should be good enough for me...i guess.

Well ... if you consider that you/I have observed Yan's posts for about three months/years, that should address your question.

Regardless, good luck with the suitcase. :)

I have been looking around online for a small and lightweight folding bike. And, when I say small and lightweight, I really mean it! I am 5'4.5" and 115lbs. ...

Just a quick note to say that 5'4.5" (164cm) is smack the average stature and size for Nothern American women. Check this: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhanes/growthcharts/set2/chart%2008.pdf
By the way, the same size of Ryan Villopoto, therefore maybe a dirt bike might also work.

No need to duck, a valid point, but actually the baby sits on the hip and isn't often carried with the arms alone, and babies are a little softer than aluminum or steel. So as light as a bike might get, many women of average stature will have trouble carrying it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDKsCvDhCqI) if the bike has to be held out away from the body, requiring upper-body strength. And it's for that reason that I come back to what might seem a counter-intuitive suggestion, a heavier bike but one that is designed to be rolled not carried, and with a handle for when it has to be lifted: the Mobiky Genius (http://www.mobikyusa.com/) has ads showing a woman rolling the folded bike (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=468928&highlight=mobiky&page=2#34)by its extended seat-tube (recognizing this strength issue). And the Strida (http://www.areaware.com/?p=17669&lng=en) or Strida Mini as well would be good to consider. Both Mobiky and Strida could be used for leisure rides too, terrain permitting.

Regards
T

These are valid points indeed, although the Brompton, especially bagged is not too unpleasant to carry for a while. The mobiky looks perfectly adapted for rolling, but I can't speak about its rideability and ease of ownership in other ways. The Dahon Curve d3 seems cheap and very rideable and looks like it could be rolled along - but I am only going from this picture. You can pick these up in the UK for £250.

Yes, a Dahon Curve might be a good option. I like the IGH version. Videos of a woman carrying a Brompton at this link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDKsCvDhCqI).
Regards
T

Hmm, the reason I need a light bike is that I would be lifting it. I live on the 4th floor of a walkup, so it'd be up and down 3 flights of stairs every day. And, yes 5'4" is average height but I am kind of scrawny so lugging a 25lb bike around could be tough. That's why I had been hoping for a lighter bike made for lighter people, but it doesn't sound like this exists or is likely to be built, from some of the posts.

One thing I read somewhere is that Dahon will be coming out with a Brompton fold type bike soon, and maybe I can hope that they might be able to make it lighter. Also, somebody posted about the A-Bike, which is closer in specs to waht I would hope for, but I'm not sure I'd be happy with how it rides. I'd have to test ride it. Thanks for all the replies and suggestions though!

I have also just read about the Alessandro Belli bike prototype, which sounds like it would be good for my purposes. http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-276090.html

Maybe there is hope for such a bike one day, as these new materials gain a foothold.

Curve SL or Curve D3 converted to a single speed. The gear hub on the Curve D3 weighs a kilo. You could lose 200 grams by changing the pedals and another 200 grams with a slim saddle, though comfort-wise a really minimal saddle probably wouldn't be great.

I found that the handlebar on my lower price range Dahon was pointlessly heavy - you can shave another 80 grams off there with a low-cost replacement, but hub gear aside you're not going to cut the total weight by more than about 4.5%

Hmm, the reason I need a light bike is that I would be lifting it. I live on the 4th floor of a walkup, so it'd be up and down 3 flights of stairs every day. And, yes 5'4" is average height but I am kind of scrawny so lugging a 25lb bike around could be tough. That's why I had been hoping for a lighter bike made for lighter people, but it doesn't sound like this exists or is likely to be built, from some of the posts.

The new Strida Mini (http://www.strida.us/model-mini.asp) weighs under 20 pounds (9kg). The shape of the bike when folded, and how well it maintains that shape, will determine what muscle groups are involved when carrying it. So the shape may be more important than a few pounds difference in weight. It will certainly take less effort (i.e. "feel easier") to carry a self-contained Strida Mini up three flights of stairs than to carry a Xootr Swift or the Bike Friday ridden by GalFromDownUnder in the Round*Up video, even if those bikes were pared down to weigh less than the Strida.

Regards
T

I don't want to restart the discussion of bags for air travel, but I do want to point out that carrying a folded bike in a bag is different from simply carrying a folded bike.

If you get a Dahon, for example, you can also buy their El Bolso bag, which is a soft shoulder bag. The bike goes in it, and you just walk up those stairs with your bag on your shoulder. I don't like the El Bolso for their 26" models, but for a 20" or 16" it's just fine. (And now that the tea is kicking in: You could put non-Dahons in it, too.)

I don't know whether a 30-pound shoulder bag would be too much for your 4th-floor walkup, but it's something to consider, anyway.

The problem is folders generally aren't made to be carried like a briefcase. Even my 19lb Swift is a chore carrying from one end of the station to the exit, perhaps 50m. I pretend it's very easy, keeping my mouth shut, pretending perfect balance, strolling nonchalantly with my bike but at the end my muscles are screaming blue murder. (The pedals don't fold so they poke me in the legs if I relax a bit.)

Somnatash, be very careful with your new toy .. as you move your center of gravity up on a short wheelbase bike with 8" wheels, the tendency to topple over the front increases if the front wheel stops short for any reason (curb, driveway lip, road irregularity, etc.).. it happens when you least expect it and quickly.. been there done that... I shuddered when I saw one pictured with drops as so much more upperbody weight could be on the front wheel.. I think the single speed version is optimal as the dual speed with it's 80" high gear would get the bike going too fast for normal roughish street riding.. the bike has it's purpose, but care should be observed more so than with something like your 16" Brommie..

Blah blah blah, did you give yourself a similar lecture when you learned to ride a bike as a child? The more you ride the more you get used to it and you learn how to control it. ;)

...although I'm inclined to agree with you about the high gear, but I'm not really convinced if its safe to ride any bike in a fast 80" gear in normal traffic.

BTW, do you still have your Carryme or did you sell it off? Haven't heard anything from you about it lately.


Hmm, the reason I need a light bike is that I would be lifting it. I live on the 4th floor of a walkup, so it'd be up and down 3 flights of stairs every day. And, yes 5'4" is average height but I am kind of scrawny so lugging a 25lb bike around could be tough. That's why I had been hoping for a lighter bike made for lighter people, but it doesn't sound like this exists or is likely to be built, from some of the posts.

There are plenty of choices mentioned here in terms of lighter folding bikes for lighter people:
-On the high end there are Bike Fridays which can be made with custom tubing (thinner and shorter). They offer anywhere from high performance packing bikes like the Pocket Rocket to small folding commuter bikes like the Tikit.
-On the smaller folding side there is the Pacific Carryme and the Strida Mini (or maybe even the Sinclair A-bike).
-On the cheap end there is the Kent Ultralight and similar products from China.

The world is basically your oyster. The only thing you don't have available targeting your proportion are mid range budget bikes with standard components like those offered by Downtube, but these bikes don't target any proportion except the exact average, so you're no worse off than most.

Don't be fooled by the weight "limits" listed for some of these bikes. Most folder manufacturers recommend their customers to avoid hard riding and assume a bare minimum life span for the frame, which I find unacceptable. You don't want a bike rated to collapse when lightly ridden by someone 50 pounds more than you because that means it will collapse when you hammer on it. Although I'm 125 pounds I'm glad my Carryme is rated to 190 because it means I can pull on the handlebars, jump curbs, and generally push it to the limit. In the long run this saves me weight because pulling on the handlebars allows me to make due with a single speed and knowing I can punish the bike by putting my strength and weight anywhere I see fit allows me to avoid heavy suspension and heavy larger wheels.

Also a few points of disagreement about comments made in this thread:
1. Smaller bikes require finer engineering. 1cm off on a smaller frame is a larger percentage difference than it is on a larger frame, so there's less room for error.
2. Economies of scale do not prevent bikes being made for really light people. The vast majority of cyclists are in Asia and tend to be smaller and lighter. The problem is that many of those bikes simply aren't imported to the west because westerners are generally more interested in toy race bikes that cost a lot of money.

Economies of scale do not prevent bikes being made for really light people. The vast majority of cyclists are in Asia and tend to be smaller and lighter. The problem is that many of those bikes simply aren't imported to the west because westerners are generally more interested in toy race bikes that cost a lot of money. [emphasis added]

I thought the reason would be the corollary to your own statement: the vast majority of cyclists in the West tend to be bigger and heavier than their counterparts in Asia. Why import into the US a bike whose max rider weight is ~175 pounds when the mean weight of adult males in the US was 190 pounds (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/ad/ad347.pdf) in 2002 and is probably even higher now?

Regards
T

Ok, I'm a fellow 5'4" 115lb girl chiming in... Best bet would definitely be a brommie. I'm not that scrawny, but I think it has the best fold and is the lightest to carry (if you get the one w/o racks and extra bells and whistles). I tested it on my previous foldie ride and I'm pretty darn sure I can carry it up flights of stairs unless I'm carrying other bulky objects with me, in which case, I think I'd need a rest every flight or so. It's not that bad, really. You're probably stronger than you think you are, plus luggung the bike up and down will make you even stronger! I know that's how I felt when I got my foldie. :)

Originally Posted by BruceMetras
Somnatash, be very careful with your new toy .. as you move your center of gravity up on a short wheelbase bike with 8" wheels, the tendency to topple over the front increases if the front wheel stops short for any reason (curb, driveway lip, road irregularity, etc.).. it happens when you least expect it and quickly.. been there done that... I shuddered when I saw one pictured with drops as so much more upperbody weight could be on the front wheel.. I think the single speed version is optimal as the dual speed with it's 80" high gear would get the bike going too fast for normal roughish street riding.. the bike has it's purpose, but care should be observed more so than with something like your 16" Brommie..


Blah blah blah, did you give yourself a similar lecture when you learned to ride a bike as a child? The more you ride the more you get used to it and you learn how to control it. ;)

The point is that she is a seasoned small wheeled rider and her first encounter with the CarryMe had her toppling over the front, happily with little damage done.. my encounters with any bike at an early age did not have me going over the bars on any kind of road condition, but my learner bikes were fat tired 24" .. now she has raised her center of gravity and is using it more.. that's a red flag .. mine was a cautionary note as this 8" wheeled bike is much more likely to come to an abrubt stop at a driveway lip or other road irregularity than her Brommie with subsequent, momentum induced consequences ..




...although I'm inclined to agree with you about the high gear, but I'm not really convinced if its safe to ride any bike in a fast 80" gear in normal traffic.

I wasn't talking about riding in normal traffic, but on rougher type road conditions... and it is much safer to ride a well built 26" wheeled bike at speed in an 80" gear than an 8" wheeled bike at the same speed on a rough road.. that was my point.. check out Uni-Cycles... the smallest available run 12" wheels and designed for kids in the 3 to 6 age group.. as they get older, the models go to 16" 18" and 20" .. freestyle uses 20".. then they continue to offer larger wheeled models to 29" and beyond to cope with commuting, touring and rougher terrain.. the vehicles are obviously different, but the principles of operation are similiar with respect to wheel size and negotiating road irregularities.




BTW, do you still have your Carryme or did you sell it off? Haven't heard anything from you about it lately.


It's the last bike I grab out of the ones available to me.. for the short runs, it is much more convenient to use my Xootr Scooter as it gets smaller, is lighter, goes fast enough, and is dead simple.. if I take the Ferry to the city, I use a full suspension Birdy, as SF streets are often bad and encountering cobblestone streets is common, and it folds good enough for the Ferry... I don't often recommend the CarryMe unless you have a specific need for the small size and are aware of its limitations.. it is a nicely built product, fills a gap, and is a big improvement over an A-Bike.

Hmm, the reason I need a light bike is that I would be lifting it. I live on the 4th floor of a walkup, so it'd be up and down 3 flights of stairs every day. And, yes 5'4" is average height but I am kind of scrawny so lugging a 25lb bike around could be tough. That's why I had been hoping for a lighter bike made for lighter people, but it doesn't sound like this exists or is likely to be built, from some of the posts.

4 story walk-up ... my wife just gave the big thumbs down on anything 25 lbs or more. Basically just about everything I wrote earlier other than the really expensive options.

2. Economies of scale do not prevent bikes being made for really light people. The vast majority of cyclists are in Asia and tend to be smaller and lighter. The problem is that many of those bikes simply aren't imported to the west because westerners are generally more interested in toy race bikes that cost a lot of money.

Except that you are omitting transporting the bike here. Economies of scale do prevent them from being sold here ... which from my perspective is effectively the same thing.

4 story walk-up ... my wife just gave the big thumbs down on anything 25 lbs or more. Basically just about everything I wrote earlier other than the really expensive options.

And my wife said it depends on the overall shape and ergonomics of the folded package -- that even something weighing under 20 pounds could be bothersome if it were unwieldy, especially if she were using the bike to commute and were carrying her bag up the stairs as well. Then my daughter told me to invent a combination padded-shoulder-strap/sack that would let the Strida be carried over the shoulder like a golf bag, if one didn't exist already ...

Regards
T

And my wife said it depends on the overall shape and ergonomics of the folded package -- that even something weighing under 20 pounds could be bothersome if it were unwieldy, especially if she were using the bike to commute and were carrying her bag up the stairs as well. Then my daughter told me to invent a combination padded-shoulder-strap/sack that would let the Strida be carried over the shoulder like a golf bag, if one didn't exist already ...

Undoubtably true that factors other than weight matter. But she didn't mention them since she was specifically referring to her experiences with the Merc.

Isn't there a Strida bag like the one you describe?