Folder shoot out in Cycling Plus magazine
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 25
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Folder shoot out in Cycling Plus magazine
There is an interesting article in Cycling Plus October magazine comparing several folders. Anyone have the article to share?
#2
Senior Member
As far as I can tell, Cycling Plus does not have a web presence at all. The same company owns bikeradar.com and cyclingnews.com.
The only way to read the article would be to get the magazine... and the only way to share it online would require scanning or transcribing. I didn't see a PDF subscription option.
--sam
The only way to read the article would be to get the magazine... and the only way to share it online would require scanning or transcribing. I didn't see a PDF subscription option.
--sam
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 7,143
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 261 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 11 Times
in
10 Posts
Since Cycling Plus is U.K. based, the Brompton usually comes out way ahead or wins outright. I wish Cycling Plus would make a U.S. based version of their magazine. I stopped subscribing to Bicycling awhile back.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Cheshire, North West England, UK
Posts: 575
Bikes: Brompton S2L-X, Bridgestone Moulton, 1963 & 1966 Moultons, Scott Mountain bike
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
I can give you the scores:
Birdy City = 7
Brompton S6L-X = 9
Dahon Vitesse P18 = 8
Dawes Ace = 8
Mezzo D10 = 7
Swissbike TX = 7
BF Tikit = 8
So, yes Brompton wins
Birdy City = 7
Brompton S6L-X = 9
Dahon Vitesse P18 = 8
Dawes Ace = 8
Mezzo D10 = 7
Swissbike TX = 7
BF Tikit = 8
So, yes Brompton wins
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Oklahoma, U.S.A.
Posts: 807
Bikes: Brompton H6L-X, Dahon Curve D3
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 56 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
That seems like a pretty hefty premium for the Brompton and, to me, raises the question of how a lower-priced Brompton model would have scored. Was "price" a factor in the scoring?
Last edited by HGR3inOK; 09-22-09 at 09:29 AM.
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 912
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 19 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Seriously. A BF Tikit tied with a Vitesse and a Dawes Ace, and a Birdy lower than them? Honestly? It had to have been based partly on cost. This demands further explanation.
#8
Senior Member
Those numbers don't mean much without the actual review which likely explains the scoring system. All of them appear to be pretty close just based on the numbers... which appears odd, but is completely without context.
Thanks, PDR for posting that. I'll see if Cycling Plus is available at my local Barnes & Noble or Borders.
--sam
Thanks, PDR for posting that. I'll see if Cycling Plus is available at my local Barnes & Noble or Borders.
--sam
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 69
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
There is no point in a general shootout. Everyone has a different priority: folded size or weight or ride quality or proprietary/non-proprietary components etc.
For me Birdy and Brompton are clear winners maybe Birdy getting the trophy but only just. For me. For you it will be a different one, so do away with magazine articles.
For me Birdy and Brompton are clear winners maybe Birdy getting the trophy but only just. For me. For you it will be a different one, so do away with magazine articles.
#10
I Fold
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 269
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
There is no point in a general shootout. Everyone has a different priority: folded size or weight or ride quality or proprietary/non-proprietary components etc.
For me Birdy and Brompton are clear winners maybe Birdy getting the trophy but only just. For me. For you it will be a different one, so do away with magazine articles.
For me Birdy and Brompton are clear winners maybe Birdy getting the trophy but only just. For me. For you it will be a different one, so do away with magazine articles.
#11
Senior Member
#13
Senior Member
Well I haven't read the article but I imagine the Brompton's very compact fold impressed the reviewer(s) enough to place it at the top. After all, that's what folders are supposed to be known for.
Edward Wong III
Qile Duo 5 Speed 20" Folder
Edward Wong III
Qile Duo 5 Speed 20" Folder
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: London
Posts: 1,040
Bikes: 2011 Jetstream P11 Alfine; 3sp Presto-Lite; Occasional Access to 6sp Brompton
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 97 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Everyone who has an interest in folding bikes has more likely than not a bias, it comes from having an interest. At least articles in a magazine like this, which hopefully will be on newsagents & bike shop shelves up and down the land, will spread the folding word, come on chaps, that cant be such a bad thing can it ?
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: NW England/Aveiro
Posts: 638
Bikes: Joey Sport; Mezzo D9;Curve D3; Surly LHT self build cargoesque
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 15 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
I agree with Diode, not least because they do have most of the agreed top makers in their list. Compare, for example, with the Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/...s-1778803.html
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: London
Posts: 1,040
Bikes: 2011 Jetstream P11 Alfine; 3sp Presto-Lite; Occasional Access to 6sp Brompton
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 97 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
They have got write ups on four of the bikes (Brompton, Mezzo, Bike Friday & Birdy) on line at Bike Radar here :-
https://www.bikeradar.com/gear/catego...tikit-09-35207
https://www.bikeradar.com/gear/catego...tikit-09-35207
#18
Part-time epistemologist
If shootout means giving scores and a winner, then I concur. Comparisons, however, are worthwhile. But often the people conducting the test fail miserably at making something useful.
__________________
A narrative on bicycle driving.
A narrative on bicycle driving.
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 69
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
invisiblehand, you are right. I also like comparisons especially from honest people who does not have special heavy inclinations (such as preferring sportier stretched out riding position too much to avoid upright posture like hell).
In fact if some website for folders could deploy a folder finder where every folder's many properties will be rated individually from a scale of say 1 to 5 and the user has the ability to add a weighting point to each of the properties to find out what scores the best.
Anyway this would be fun but the real choice is either done by physical try out, if possible or by a mixture of reason and feelings
In fact if some website for folders could deploy a folder finder where every folder's many properties will be rated individually from a scale of say 1 to 5 and the user has the ability to add a weighting point to each of the properties to find out what scores the best.
Anyway this would be fun but the real choice is either done by physical try out, if possible or by a mixture of reason and feelings
#20
Palmer
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 8,627
Bikes: Mike Melton custom, Alex Moulton AM, Dahon Curl
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1668 Post(s)
Liked 1,821 Times
in
1,059 Posts
Well, finally got a chance to read this. British bike magazines take a while to show up on mid-western American news stands - but it's amazing they show up at all. The world is smaller these days.
Anyway, it was fun to see so many folders get some ink, but also agree the "comparison" aspect made little sense.
The article seemed to take the approach of multiple users, but like most bikes I think these will primarily be used by a single rider and "first-timer intuitive fold without instructions" isn't nearly as important as they made it out to be. I've always thought the tikit's fold not requiring a change of seat post setting was a small but nice advantage, but Cycling Plus was non-plussed by that and criticized the tikit (twice!) for having an allen bolt instead of a quick release on the seat post.
I was reminded again about what a nice bike the Birdy sounds like. I've only seen one once; if I ever see another I intend to check it out more thoroughly.
Hey, you live where you live and there's not a lot one can do about it, but I was interested in the price comparisons. Here in the USA Brompton prices are almost identical to UK prices, but we seem to pay only about 2/3rds as much for all the other models.
Best,
tcs
Anyway, it was fun to see so many folders get some ink, but also agree the "comparison" aspect made little sense.
The article seemed to take the approach of multiple users, but like most bikes I think these will primarily be used by a single rider and "first-timer intuitive fold without instructions" isn't nearly as important as they made it out to be. I've always thought the tikit's fold not requiring a change of seat post setting was a small but nice advantage, but Cycling Plus was non-plussed by that and criticized the tikit (twice!) for having an allen bolt instead of a quick release on the seat post.
I was reminded again about what a nice bike the Birdy sounds like. I've only seen one once; if I ever see another I intend to check it out more thoroughly.
Hey, you live where you live and there's not a lot one can do about it, but I was interested in the price comparisons. Here in the USA Brompton prices are almost identical to UK prices, but we seem to pay only about 2/3rds as much for all the other models.
Best,
tcs
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 7,143
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 261 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 11 Times
in
10 Posts
I read the article too at Barns & Noble since the magazine cost $10.00 USD! Holy Cow!
If you disregard the scoring, the article gives alot of information about the bikes. This data can be used to actually buy the bike. In fact, if you disregard the scoring, you'll find they actually praised the Tikit more than the Brompton but they couldn't score it higher which is fine.
The reason they did not like the Birdy was the complex fold but didn't think it would be a problem over time. To the educated reader, if you didn't have the funds for a Brompton, Dawes and Dahon were the clear way to go. The high score on these bikes in comparison to the costly Brompton said much about their quality and value.
If you disregard the scoring, the article gives alot of information about the bikes. This data can be used to actually buy the bike. In fact, if you disregard the scoring, you'll find they actually praised the Tikit more than the Brompton but they couldn't score it higher which is fine.
The reason they did not like the Birdy was the complex fold but didn't think it would be a problem over time. To the educated reader, if you didn't have the funds for a Brompton, Dawes and Dahon were the clear way to go. The high score on these bikes in comparison to the costly Brompton said much about their quality and value.
#22
New usename ThorUSA
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Southern Illinois USA
Posts: 2,469
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I love them all
lets have a group hug and another cola with rum
thor
lets have a group hug and another cola with rum
thor