Folding Bikes - Where to buy in London?

Hi all!

I've browsed your forums many times but never actually posted so here's my first.

I commute to work in London and have realised that the only way I'll be able to continue cycling all the way to work (without waking up at 6am) is to buy a folder. My current bike is a Pinnacle Borealis 3 and I love it to bits. I thought I could buy a folder as a backup but my attention was drawn to a large array of very interesting bikes i.e. Xootr or Airnimal that don't seem to be available at your regular Evans shop.

My question is thus, I found a website foldingbikes.co.uk which has a large amount of folding bikes and is very nice, but is there anywhere like that in London? Where maybe I could directly compare a Brompton with a Xootr and a Mezzo and see which one I like most?

Thanks!!!

I’m not sure about the Xtoor, but you should be able to look at both Bromptons and Mezzos at any branch of CycleSurgery.

try bikefix.co.uk
Cheers,
Oli

foldingbikes.co.uk seems to be the only listed UK supplier for the Xootr.

From my own knowledge, both On Your Bike and Evans' branch on Tooley Street SE1 have both the Mezzo and Bromptons, as do Pearsons in Sutton.

Action Bikes and Condor also sell both.

BTW, if you want to try one out for a day, Velorution in Great Titchfield Street will hire you a Brompton for £15. I did this to see how it fit into my commute before placing an order last week.

I discovered that Action Bikes in SW1 will do the same, but they'll refund you the hire fee if you buy one, according to the London Cycling Campaign.

http://www.lcc.org.uk/documents/bike%20hire%20shops%20london(1).pdf

condor cycles? If not, Im pretty sure Avon valley cyclery in Bath has just about every worthy folder on the market. Well worth the train ride to Bath, and the shop is actually IN the train station! They will happily let you test ride all the folders and advise you on which to buy.

condor cycles? If not, Im pretty sure Avon valley cyclery in Bath has just about every worthy folder on the market. Well worth the train ride to Bath, and the shop is actually IN the train station! They will happily let you test ride all the folders and advise you on which to buy.

I went to Condor a few weeks back, they are revamping their showroooms and had next to nothing on show, best to ring them first.

Velorution is good for folders, also the shop in Lambs Conduit St (cant remember name), their is also a shop on Harrow Rd which has on display most of the more interesting Dahons. I've never seen a Xooter in a London bike shop.

thanks for the comments, guys.

i am trying to spend less than £900 on a folder so the xootr appeals to me. i would love to have something both unique and good to ride. my only concern with the xootr is that it doesn't fold to that small a size. but i guess i can make that decision when i see one in person. will consider the shop in bath too.

flying out to new york in a few weeks time, half thinking of buying one there and smuggling it back in my suitcase or something :p

Thanks again.

thanks for the comments, guys.
flying out to new york in a few weeks time, half thinking of buying one there and smuggling it back in my suitcase or something :p

Thanks again.

If you're going to NYC, get a steel Swift, that would be unique in London !

or maybe i'll find a carbon one out there :thumb:

sorry, I dont think there is such a thing as a carbon fibre swift. I think Peter made a special titanium one for somebody once, for like 8 thousand bucks or something...

sorry, I dont think there is such a thing as a carbon fibre swift. I think Peter made a special titanium one for somebody once, for like 8 thousand bucks or something...
wow titanium must have been awesome. but point taken on the carbons. it would probably be more than i would want to spend on it anyway, looking for a price sub GBP1000. but thanks again for all the previous comments.

also the shop in Lambs Conduit St (cant remember name).

That's BikeFix, fab service from what I remember.

flying out to new york in a few weeks time, half thinking of buying one there and smuggling it back in my suitcase or something :p


That would be a great idea. Lots of choices there. And, no worries about transporting back. I brought a Moulton back from UK to US without any problems. Just strip off all the stickers and price tags and what not, put the instruction manuals in your regular luggage.

Happy shopping!