can this Chinese folder be worth the $?
07-14-07, 01:02 PM
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can this Chinese folder be worth the $?
I ran across this Chinese made folder on ebay, while looking at some r/c vehicles. It's always sort of a gamble with Chinese stuff, in my own experience. Some is pretty good, some is utter junk. I've been interested in getting a folder for some time, but simply cannot afford a high quality bike like a Brompton any time soon. Here's the ebay url: https://cgi.ebay.com/HIGH-SPEED-16-Wh...QQcmdZViewItem
Does anyone know anything about these Aomeisi folder bikes? Also, I hope it's ok to post urls here. I'm new (as of today). If it isn't, I guess I'll be finding out very soon.
Does anyone know anything about these Aomeisi folder bikes? Also, I hope it's ok to post urls here. I'm new (as of today). If it isn't, I guess I'll be finding out very soon.
07-14-07, 03:50 PM
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Hi Slow-Moe, I wouldn't bother with it, even at its current bid of $0.01. I test rode one of those in Thailand. It's a giant chunk of easily bendable steel. Try Downtube on eBay instead. BTW, URLs are all good.
I have had good luck with Xidesheng Chinese fixies, which were $70 in Beijing. They were Dahon Piccalo imitation bikes and reasonably well constructed. A great deal for a 19lb bike!
I have had good luck with Xidesheng Chinese fixies, which were $70 in Beijing. They were Dahon Piccalo imitation bikes and reasonably well constructed. A great deal for a 19lb bike!
07-14-07, 04:52 PM
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I saw those on ebay too. There are two deal-killers with those bikes:
1) $50 in shipping; it doesn't cost them anywhere NEAR that much to ship them. That's probably an extra $30 profit for them.
2) The small-diameter seat posts mean that they don't extend far enough to let you get good leverage when pedaling. If you can't get good leg extension, the deal's off.
I almost bought my wife the Schwinn hide-a-way on amazon, but wasn't sure about the seat post diameter, so I ponied up the extra money and got her a Dahon Speed P7. We'd both had cheaper Chinese folders in the past, and that short, small diameter seat post was just poop.
Oh, both of ours also had rear suspension. I felt like it was absorbing about 30% of my pedaling energy, but it was a nice ride.
1) $50 in shipping; it doesn't cost them anywhere NEAR that much to ship them. That's probably an extra $30 profit for them.
2) The small-diameter seat posts mean that they don't extend far enough to let you get good leverage when pedaling. If you can't get good leg extension, the deal's off.
I almost bought my wife the Schwinn hide-a-way on amazon, but wasn't sure about the seat post diameter, so I ponied up the extra money and got her a Dahon Speed P7. We'd both had cheaper Chinese folders in the past, and that short, small diameter seat post was just poop.
Oh, both of ours also had rear suspension. I felt like it was absorbing about 30% of my pedaling energy, but it was a nice ride.
07-15-07, 07:32 AM
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Cheap folders aren't just poor for riding, they're also poor for folding.
Don't think that just because you plan on riding the bus for 15 miles and the bike for 2 miles, that you don't have as much of a need for a quality folder. On the contrary, cheap folders are heavy and large, which will make your 15 mile bus ride miserable.
How large are you Moe (weight, height, etc)? Some of these chinese folders are made to fit small people.
Don't think that just because you plan on riding the bus for 15 miles and the bike for 2 miles, that you don't have as much of a need for a quality folder. On the contrary, cheap folders are heavy and large, which will make your 15 mile bus ride miserable.
How large are you Moe (weight, height, etc)? Some of these chinese folders are made to fit small people.
07-20-07, 07:50 PM
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Thanks all for the informative input. Makeinu, I'm about 200 lbs @ 5'11". Yeah, I could stand to loose a few...optimal weight for me would be closer to 180 or even 175. And that was one of my concerns regarding the folder, whether or not I'd be able to get full leg extension when pedalling.
I've actually become more interested in the notion of getting a full sized bike and some anchor chain, and just leaving it in plain sight at the bus terminal.
I can't say enough for buying high quality goods, whether bicycles, back packs, or skis. Buy as good a quality as you can afford. I was just hoping this cheapo might have been an exception to that rule...should have known better!
I've actually become more interested in the notion of getting a full sized bike and some anchor chain, and just leaving it in plain sight at the bus terminal.
I can't say enough for buying high quality goods, whether bicycles, back packs, or skis. Buy as good a quality as you can afford. I was just hoping this cheapo might have been an exception to that rule...should have known better!
