bargainguy

Today, I was having some work done on my car and decided to take my Bike Friday Tikit along so I could go biking and shopping while I waited. I'm a restless sort, don't like sitting in waiting rooms if I can get some exercise and keep moving.

It had been awhile since I had taken the Tikit into stores and businesses. Without exception, I was approached about the bike everywhere I went.

I wheeled the Tikit into a grocery store to get some lunch from the deli counter, and the counter person asked what I was wheeling along. I said, it's a folding bike, would you like to see how it unfolds? Fifteen seconds later, unfolded and ready to ride (I have the hyperfold option when you "unlock" the frame by pushing the seat mast forward; there is another version with a knob to unlock, that would take longer). "How much does that cost?" "Can you take it anywhere?" "Where do you get one?"

At a thrift store, I didn't get approached inside the store, but once outside, two guys were marveling about how fast I had the bike unfolded and ready to go.

And the kicker - I was pulling up to a Play It Again sports resale store when someone approached me from a distance and yelled, "Bike Friday, very nice!" Turns out this fellow was a former Dahon dealer from Lake Forest, IL (suburb of Chicago), and he spent the next 15 min. telling me a bunch of stuff. How he coaxed his Dahon distributor to sell him frames only (apparently that had to go through some Dahon execs first but they eventually OK'd it) and how he built up several Dahons this way - starting with a frame and adding whatever parts he wanted. He also told me about his Raleigh Twenty he did extensive mods to, and how he exchanged ideas about rebuilding it with Sheldon Brown when he happened to meet him in Vegas one year. When I asked him if he was still in business, he said no, he left bikes behind a few years ago to pursue other interests. This guy had some interesting ideas!

I'm not sure I'd get as much interest in this folding bike when commuting, because everyone tends to be in a hurry and there might not be time to talk before the next train, subway or bus arrives. But in a relaxed retail atmosphere, everyone wanted to know more. I suppose if I ever get lonely (doubtful), I could just go shopping with my Tikit and make a bunch of new friends.

On a side note, I'm starting to prefer the Tikit over my Brompton M3L for this kind of activity. Don't get me wrong, the Brommie fold is super-compact and I'm impressed with the quality engineering. But compared to the Tikit - which I have set up with drop bars and brifters - it's like night and day. Gearing is much wider, riding position is much more comfortable, and it's lighter to boot. Pix attached of the folded and unfolded Tikit for reference.

tcs

When I ride transit with my folder someone will invariably ask, 'How much did it cost?' That is, after all, the fundamental question if someone is intrigued enough to consider acquiring a folder themselves.

It's also a bit like being asked by a fellow transit rider, 'How much money do you have on you?'

blakcloud

It just comes with the territory when I ride my Brompton that I will be asked all about the bike. I prefer not to have these conversations as I just want to get where I am going.

The two most asked questions are, how much does it weigh and how much does it cost? I actually like when the ask the question of price first because that usually stops the conversation in its tracks from shock after I tell them.

These questions are just not unique to folding bikes. When I use my Burley Travoy trailer the same thing happens.

Winfried

"20 stops at the gas/petrol station." (with a 50 liter tank and gas @ €1,50/liter)

fietsbob

I got a 2nd hand Season (IGH) Tikit, this month.. I feel the road texture more than with my M3L.






....

bargainguy

Is that because of the elastomer suspension block on the Brommie, fietsbob? I don't miss the elastomer when I'm riding my Tikit, but that could just be personal preference. I don't feel beat up on the Tikit, but my local roads might not be in the same shape as yours so perhaps not a direct comparison.

fietsbob

I think so, I'm 200#.. with the regular elastomer not the firm one.

Tikit is then feeling the surface just like a road bike with 100psi tires,

beat up ? may be a bit of an an exaggeration, for effect. maybe you like your fit on the bike better..<guess>

I got the hyper fold cable version, to keep it from folding too eagerly , I Use a toe strap around the handle,
(on the seat mast bottom) and around the tube , part of the rear assembly , that runs parallel to it .

so then, it then is pretty much like a normal bike, I can pick it up by the seat mast without initiating the fold.

linberl

I wish they still made the tikit....I've got my eyes open for a small frame used one and I'm very patient. It's the only 16" bike that appeals to me. There's a woman in our local Strollers & Rollers that has one and I'm hoping she will decide to let it go.

bargainguy

You're right, the Tikit fits me much better than the Brommie, so perhaps I'm not paying as much attention to road surfaces. I'll break the Brommie out for a few rides and see if I can discern the difference.

bargainguy

I hear you. I picked up my Tikit used three years ago after finding it on CL and drove ~800 mi. each way, from Wisconsin to Kansas, for it.

Owner was an 80 year old lady who bought it new and no longer used it. We met at her daughter's real estate office in a strip mall to complete the deal. And the funny thing was, after I paid for it and was folding it to put it in my vehicle, someone quite far down the street started shouting at me..."Hey! You with the bike!" with increasing volume as he approached. I thought to myself, nothing good will come from this interaction, so I nonchalantly put the folded bike in my car and drove off just before he got there. My guess was that he was very interested in taking it for a test ride and not coming back.