traderik

I'm SERIOUSLY consider ing buying a BF and would like to know if anyone has had any "bad" experiences with the Bike. Pages and Pages of glowing accounts are out there. I think the company is great but want to cover all bases before I put down my hard earned cash. Thanks in advance.

wpflem

Not that I've heard.

Dave Hickey

I've spent the last 2 months riding nothing but my Pocket Tourist and just put in an order for a Pocket Rocket so I'm probably the wrong person to ask. If you want the bike for traveling, you won't be disappointed. I bought mine to use as a travel bike and fully expected to give up ride quality vs my stadard road bikes. I've found this isn't the case. The bike handles and rides great. The BF folks are great to work with. I ended up going back and ording a custom one piece stem for my Pocket Tourist and service after the sale is just as good.

The only negative I can think of is I went through my share of flats when I first started. Almost all the flats were caused by me using too wide of tubes. It was impossible to get the tire seated on the rim near the valve hole with the wider tubes. I solved the problem by ordering 20 x 1 1/8 tubes. Most local bike shops don't carry 406 or 451 tires/tubes in narrow widths. I suggest you order backups so you are not left without spares.

jharte

I also have been looking at the BF New World Tourist. I've been looking at them for a couple of months (and reading LOTS about them). I haven't read anything negative yet.

I'm looking around my area for someone who has one so I can test ride it. So far I have only read good things.

I have, however, read various reviews of other folders (pros/cons).

So far, only good reviews on the Bike Friday. They seem to be a little pricey, but no one has complained in the reviews I've read. I figure it must be worth it.

af895

Any comments from owners about using the BF as a communter bike? (eg: speed and ease of folding to take on a bus or train)

spambait11

Overall my BF is a pretty nice ride. But since you asked for cons, here are some of mine:

- Because the handlebar stem is long, hard pulling (i.e. riding up a steep hill) will make the post creak annoyingly. Sometimes I wonder if my headset bearings wear faster on this bike, or if one day I will fatigue the stem and have it snap or crack on me; things you think about because of the creak.

- Quick release levers to lock the seatpost and especially the stem have become loose. I don't know if they become stressed when I ride, or have fatigued the metal but I find that I have to make sure the levers are pretty tight otherwise my stem twists and my seatpost moves back and forth.

- It's fold is cumbersome and not compact: handlebar and stem just flop around unless you velcro them to the folded frame, etc. Front wheel flops around too as there is no lock to hold it in place.

- The chainstays which lock into the seatpost are prone to get bent when the rear wheel is folded: this is its lamest design IMO. Check out a BF when folded: notice how the chainstays are the first to hit the ground when the bike is folded. Most other folded bikes avoid this problem by making the wheels hit the ground first, NOT any FRAME part.

- Location of the fold: makes a regular model, unlike an Air model, cumbersome to fold if you want a fixed gear. Also, there doesn't seem to be a well-thought out chain retentioner system such that when you fold a BF, your chain is pretty much guaranteed to fall off every time.

But they are some of the most beautiful looking folders, IMO. In my case, I've turned a Pocket Nomad into a single speed for commuting.

oboeguy

There is one major problem with Bike Fridays: THE PRICE. Seriously, I've heard nothing but good about them here and on th road so to speak, but decided that they were too pricey for me (so I got a Dahon).

CaptainSpalding

I looked hard at Bike Friday before I bought my Jetstream. It is this issue of the handlebars just hanging loose that was the sticking point for me. I mentioned this in another thread, and another poster gave an answer for it that I didn't understand:

Quote:

Originally Posted by koffee brown

The handlebar doesn't need to fold. For the quick fold option, it simply is not necessary to do anything with the handlebars other than turn it around. The manner in which it folds makes it irrelevant whether the handlebars should fold or not.

Can anyone clarify how that answers for the issue of the dangling bars?


I was unaware of this, but it would also be a deal breaker for me. Along with the handlebar issue, it confirms to me that the Bike Friday is optomized for packing, but not folding in the sense that a multi-mode commuter would need/desire.


I've heard of other people turning bikes into single speeds too. What is the benefit of that?

— Spalding

oboeguy

*cough* Poser points *cough*.

Seriously... weight? Low-maintainence? Wanting to improve pedal stroke? There are lots reasons, I imagine.

spambait11

What she means is to NOT remove the handlebar stem at all. It's as if you folded your Dahon in half, but did not fold down the handlebars: doable for a car (depending on the car), but a pain for a commute train.


I agree.


Oboeguy's got most of it for me: less maintenance; simple drive train; lighter weight. Folding bikes, in their folded state, are more prone to being banged around and become heavy as they are carried about. Chainrings can also get damaged as the bikes are laid on the floor.

That's why fixed gears are ideal: with a single speed, you still need a brake (or brakes); with a fixed gear, you technically need not much more than leg control. For a BF, this means that I could remove the stem completely without it being attached and dangling from brake and derailleur cables, and carry it separately from the bike.

It's true that there is currently a poseur element to single-speeds/fixed gears, but fixed gears are actually pretty cool - it's neat being able to accelerate AND decelerate by just using your legs. They're great for commuting.

Dahon.Steve

Alright. I have to put down my 2 cents in even though I'm thinking of getting a Friday recumbent in the future.

Bike Friday for years tried to hide the way their folders looked during the folding process on their web site but now they place that information out in the open. It's not a very attractive fold and it's cumbersome compared to Dahon, Brompton or Birdy. It's not a bicycle made for multimode every day commuting where you'll need to break it down 2 or 3 times. In that case, you're better of buying a Dahon or Brompton if you intend to use the folder every day for work using a train. The Bike Friday is a travel bicycle where folding occurs once or twice during the entire trip. One person described the fold much better on a previous reply.

Other than the fold the company backs up their product like non other in the industry (If you live in the U.S.). Not even Dahon supports their product like the Bike Friday company. However, there are problems with all small wheel bicycles in general.

1. The overall harder ride ---- A small wheel will always be a rougher ride than a bike with 27 inch wheels. I suggest getting a Thudbuster or a Brooks Champion flyer because it's just that rough a ride. It's not a big issue if you have a good saddle or suspension seat post. Unfortunately, your hands still take a beating. It's not like you can run low pressure tires because a small wheel will lose performance fast.

2. Faster tire wear ---- A small wheel makes more contact per revolution with the surface than a larger wheel bicycle and thus will wear out the tire faster. My 20 inch tires on my Dahon were good for about a year and a half. Not a very long life.

3. Extra element of danger --- The smaller wheel is more susceptible to pot holes, ruts, man hole covers, waves and ruts than a larger wheel. It happens to all of us when we're riding as we cross an intersection, we tend to focus on the traffic and not the road itself. It's at this moment that a pothole can knock the bars off your hands. On a larger wheel, this type of obstruction can scare you as the wheel jumps by surprise. Fortunately, a larger wheel remains stable but not so for the smaller wheel. In fact, the only time I've flew over the handle bars was during a night time ride when the small wheel (16' inch) sunk into a wave. You just have to be careful when riding a folder and you'll be alright. A folding bike is about compromise for the added benefit of being able to break it down into a case for travel.

All these compromises are made because you're buying a folder for a reason. If you don't have a reason to buy a folder, then get a full size bicycle. Below are the most important reasons to get a folder.

1. Travel Frequently on airplanes, buses and trains
2. Own and airplane or boat and need a folder
3. Use bicycle to commute with bus or train
4. Little room in apartment for full size bicycle.

af895

One addition: if you're in an area where Bromptons aren't common but want a similar ride, look at KHS folding bikes. I'm told they ride like Bromptons (I own a KHS but haven't ridden a Brompton yet) but are about half the price.

If you're in North America, you've got two options: the 406 wheeled F20 or 18" wheeled Cappuccino.
KHS Japan seems to offer a wider range of folding bikes but, to date, I haven't had any luck contacting them.

hsps1

No negatives, just reiterate BF when they say a bike that folds rather than something that folds which is a bike. Bromptons etc rule for what they do, BF are sincerely trying to produce the best they can given the size of a suitcase. Certainly suits me, no pun etc.
Pocket Rocket owner

Dave Hickey

I agree. The BF motto is "Performance that packs". I think most BF owners use their bikes for travel rather than commuting.

Mr_Super_Socks

I have owned or currently own:
Dahon speed P8
Bike Friday NWT
Bike Friday Tandem Two'sDay
S&S coupled bianchi campione d'italia.

I just bought the new world tourist (used) and rode it to work today. it's definitely not ideal for folding and taking into my office - it's a somewhat involved process. On the other hand, it's possible, whereas my S&S coupled bike was strictly designed to pack in a box once in a while (and it took 30 mins at least.)

The Dahon is definitely tops for foldability, but the ride and stiffness (mostly in the stem and seatpost) is not on par with a full-size bike, though it's close and an overall great bike.

I sold the bianchi because though it was a great road bike that I could travel with, it was not a "travel bike" the way a BF is, plus it wasn't equipped for touring (lack of braze-ons, gearing, etc.).

I wouldn't buy a BF strictly for commuting, but it does so many things so very well, it's no wonder people like 'em a lot.

kesroberts

I used to have an BF Airglide with flat bars. It rode great unloaded - I rode it all over the place on and off road. As solid and comfortable as any bike I've had - until I toured with it. It was no good with a load - the frame was way too flexy. So I think the company overstated that model as a being a touring bike. That's about the only negative thing I can say about the bike.

Beachguy

have had a problem with front derailleur on a triple Ultegra not positioned to shift smoothly. It took my LBS 2 hours to fix after they talked to Service Dept at BF. The fix was "just bend it". A helluva fix. Could have been done at their shop.

James H Haury

Bike fridays are more involved to break down to fit into a suitcase than i care for .I love the way my bf metro rides but,I would not use it as a commuter bike.

Chuckie J.

My problem with Bike Friday is not with their product but my personal experiences with their sales consultants. I'm not new to bikes at all (I have five) but I had trouble getting answers to what I think are pertinent questions: what is the largest size tires I could put on a model, specific fit for my size (6'3"), drivetrain options and others.

Another issue is they didn't answer my e-mails with an e-mail; they would *call* me and, of course, I'd be at work. Then they'd call again in three or four days and surprise!-- I'm at work where ironically, I check my e-mail every 10 minutes. For some reason, they want you on the phone. It's like something out of Glengarry Glen Ross-- "close the deal!" and there's a set of steak knives for the second highest seller!

I really like their bikes, too. Yes, they're expensive but I feel like I could *trust* a Bike Friday. It sounds irrational but I do feel like they are deeply proud and committed to their bikes. I want one but I'm not currently in the market for another bike.

Chuckie

(On a side note, I have a Seven with S&S couplers, ridiculously expensive, but the difference with my experience with Seven was not only did they answer my questions they asked *ME* questions, many I couldn't even begin to answer. After a while I started to wonder if I knew how to ride a bike!)

v1nce

Hmm the only thing i could think of is the "folding" basically it ain't so hot. But apparantly (see other thread/post by Coffee) they are working on a new model which will fold very well (Brompton well i think). So personally i'd mail them and see if 'tis worth the wait/price...

Ski-Patroller

Not really answering your question, but if you want a transportable bike with virtually not cycling compremises, look at a Ritchey Breakaway.

They are even more of a pain to pack, but when they are on the road they look and feel like a conventional high end road bike. Also you can interchange parts (Wheels, tires, stems, Cranks etc)

Jym Dyer

=v= I don't think this characterization is correct; their folding was available in online movie form long before such things were commonplace on the web. The website has gone through a few convolutions over the years, but I don't think they were ever trying to hide anything.

I find nothing cumbersome about the fold of their regular bikes: release two safety catches with two hands, rock the bike, and you're basically there. Their V-framed bikes are harder to fold, though.


I have the same bike, and I agree it doesn't handle as well with loaded panniers, but I've toured quite a bit with it anyway with no ill effect!

v1nce

Browse around the forum. There was a link to another bike, very similiar to Bike Friday but suspension and better folding. I forget the name. Same price range though i think....?

Bacco

I just received a Pocket Crusoe from Bike Friday. It was custom built to my specifications. They were spot on with the geometry and componentry I wanted. FYI, I too found that they seem to only respond to phone calls versus emails in a prompt manner. Peter, at Bike Friday, was extremely pleasant, patient, and informative. It was first rate customer service as far as I was concerned.

The bike right out of the box (i.e, suitcase in my case) was not properly tuned up when I received it. The front derailleur was askew and the chain was rubbing, the brakes weren't properly toed and squealed loud enough to wake the dead, and the high and low limits stops on the rear derailleur were both set way too wide. Other than my time, it was no problem for me to properly adjust everything, but for someone who doesn't do their own wrenching ,they would be forced to make a trip to their LBS for these adjustments.

I will file another report after I get some significant miles on this bike, but my initial test rides are very encouraging. My "regular" bike is a Lemond Zurich. The Pocket Crusoe fits me the same, but seems quicker off the line and up hills. It also seems to turn in a tighter radius. The weight of the Crusoe was very close to that of the Zurich. On the Crusoe, more road chatter was felt from the front wheel. I am using 120 lb psi Conti race tires and I expect dropping the pressure to around 105 lbs should smooth things ot a bit. Of course, the Crusoe has a steel fork versus a carbon fork on the Zurich. Also, the Zurich's wheel are probably a lot more flexible than the Crusoe's.

Overall, I'm very excited about the Crusoe and look forward to many miles of fun with it. I think Bike Friday is a great company to do business with from my experience.

More to follow this weekend.

CHenry

I have a BF New World Tourist. It has worked as advertised and i recently took it on a trip fron D.C. to the West Coast. Packed up, it makes for a full and a bit heavy larger suitcase (30" Samsonite), but with a little practice, assembly can be orderly and relatively brief. Tools are required, so it isn't as brief a fold as Brompton, but anyone seriously considering their class of bike already knows that.

If you are looking at this price/equipment range, look also at PBW and Moulton/Pashley.