Folding Bikes - Should I buy the bike bag with my new citizen bike?

I'm going to be purchasing this weekend a new tokyo citizen with the comfort seat, but I'm really trying to see if getting the bag (since they offer it at a discounted price) is actually worth it. Do you guys see yourselves using a bag to store your bike in?

I was thinking maybe if I needed to go in a store or something cause not too sure if I would actually lock it up outside..

as for taking it on the train or bus, since I live in nyc , bikes are allowed so no problems there. Advice?

Impossible to answer really. I have a Downtube bag I kept for my Dahon. It's a pain putting the bike in the bag because the bag flops about , and I imagine people fighting with bags twice a day on train platforms and so on must get quite annoyed.

The bag I have only has a shoulder strap - no handle, and it's annoying as the strap slips around when lifting the bike. The citizen bags have handles at least and might be easier to lug around. The bikes aren't light, of course, you won't want to carry it very far.

BUT - if I don't use the bike for a week or so it's convenient to keep the bike in the bag as it lives inside my house. And, if you don't get one now, you'll always wonder if you should have bought one with the bike. They do keep the dust off.

If you go into a store, you might be able to put the bike in a trolley. If you lock it up outside, bits like the seat post and the quick releases tend to disappear, at least in London. :(

yea that's what I'm afraid of.. lol missing bike pieces! Thats why I dont want to lock it up hehe.. Hmm. I think I will buy it. I like the idea of keeping the dust off my bike at home as I have wall to wall carpeting and well.. dust is not my homes best friend :) Thanks for your help!~

You're welcome. I'm glad I have mine, just for keeping the bike in, when it's parked in the apartment. Keeps the cat off it.

yea that's what I'm afraid of.. lol missing bike pieces! Thats why I dont want to lock it up hehe.. Hmm. I think I will buy it. I like the idea of keeping the dust off my bike at home as I have wall to wall carpeting and well.. dust is not my homes best friend :) Thanks for your help!~

Good choice! I wound up buying a bag for my folding bikes. Enjoy your Tokyo!

get the bag. The building i work in don't allow bikes regardless of how small it is. BUt stuffing it into the bag...they know its a bike in there but they can't do anything about it.

Nuts to the bag. I've had my Downtube Mini for three years, and so far haven't needed abag once. And yes, I have one; I used to carry it around on the bike. I take the bike into grocery stores pretty often; on the train (LIRR, NJTransit, subway) all the time. No one has ever told me to bag the bike.

I work in a high rise building that doesn't allow bikes. I used my bag ONE time and it was such as hassle to fold, stuff, unstuff, unfold, that I now just use the service elevator instead. Much easier.

I would buy the bag. You don't have to use it all the time. If you store it inside the house (highly recommended), you will keep the bike and your surroundings far more cleaner than without it. My own bikes are stored inside the house and inside their own bags. That is how I keep them looking new.