Which chinese folding bike should I buy?
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 10
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Which chinese folding bike should I buy?
Hi. Will be in china in two weeks and want to buy a good folding bike to take it home. I did some research about local brands (I want quality and not the very cheap stuff). Found the Rhine Birdy, Rhine 2013, Anemos Zippy. Also some FNHON bikes.
Which one will be suitable for me if I need to mount a rack, mudguards and a dynamo hub? Should be solid enough to carry my 90kg + luggage for multi day trips. Also want to use it at forest tracks and dirt roads.
I asked the manufacturer of the Anemos Zippy, but they said there is no fitting rack and they have problems with the folding mechanic if they add mudguards to the bike.
I guess the birdy will be the right bike for me, what you think about it?
Which one will be suitable for me if I need to mount a rack, mudguards and a dynamo hub? Should be solid enough to carry my 90kg + luggage for multi day trips. Also want to use it at forest tracks and dirt roads.
I asked the manufacturer of the Anemos Zippy, but they said there is no fitting rack and they have problems with the folding mechanic if they add mudguards to the bike.
I guess the birdy will be the right bike for me, what you think about it?
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Arizona
Posts: 806
Bikes: Brompton and Dahon Curve D3
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 23 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Hi. Will be in china in two weeks and want to buy a good folding bike to take it home. I did some research about local brands (I want quality and not the very cheap stuff). Found the Rhine Birdy, Rhine 2013, Anemos Zippy. Also some FNHON bikes.
Which one will be suitable for me if I need to mount a rack, mudguards and a dynamo hub? Should be solid enough to carry my 90kg + luggage for multi day trips. Also want to use it at forest tracks and dirt roads.
I asked the manufacturer of the Anemos Zippy, but they said there is no fitting rack and they have problems with the folding mechanic if they add mudguards to the bike.
I guess the birdy will be the right bike for me, what you think about it?
Which one will be suitable for me if I need to mount a rack, mudguards and a dynamo hub? Should be solid enough to carry my 90kg + luggage for multi day trips. Also want to use it at forest tracks and dirt roads.
I asked the manufacturer of the Anemos Zippy, but they said there is no fitting rack and they have problems with the folding mechanic if they add mudguards to the bike.
I guess the birdy will be the right bike for me, what you think about it?
#4
Palmer
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 8,624
Bikes: Mike Melton custom, Alex Moulton AM, Dahon Curl
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1667 Post(s)
Liked 1,819 Times
in
1,058 Posts
Should be solid enough to carry my 90kg + luggage for multi day trips.
Found the Rhine Birdy...
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,984
Bikes: Brompton, Dahon Vitesse D5
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 55 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
The Anemos bike has made an appearance on these forums under a different name. It looks interesting and pretty cool, but as far as I could tell the folding size wasn't so impressive despite the folding-under rear triangle.
I'd go for the Rhine, I think the old style Birdies look nicer than the newer hydroformed ones.
I'd go for the Rhine, I think the old style Birdies look nicer than the newer hydroformed ones.
#6
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 10
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Well, inculding the bike it could be 120kg.
#7
The Recumbent Quant
I only have one tip for you as I'm not an expert like so many here are. One of the things a mechanic told me when I was having problems with an Adventurer FB I had purchased awhile back was the 6-speed derailleur system. He mentioned that the 6-speed derailleur systems were the cheaper ones and are used primarily on the low priced bikes. He recommended at least the ones that work with the 7 or more speed sprockets. Anyway, that's what I was told. If I'm wrong with this, I hope others will correct or rectify this. As I mentioned, this is what I was told.
Here's how Sheldon Brown explains it.
#8
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 10
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
WHich bike do you mean? None of the bikes I posted above have less then 8 speeds. Rhine Birdy 8, Rhine 2013 16, Anemos 8.
#10
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Olney Illinois USA
Posts: 1,021
Bikes: to many
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 213 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Its easy to "save " 50 or even hundred bucks and than make a bike for a person who weighs 100 lbs ....
You however want to load that puppy up with 240 lbs which is the ueber-top limit for a well made and no expense spared foldie .....
this might not work out as nice as you think it does
just sayin
#11
The Recumbent Quant
I was responding to (as I thought was obvious since I bothered to quote it) the response from Still Pedaling. I wasn't commenting on any of the specific bikes that you had listed.
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,706
Bikes: Trek 730 (quad), 720 & 830, Bike Friday NWT, Brompton M36R & M6R, Dahon HAT060 & HT060, ...
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 840 Post(s)
Liked 336 Times
in
251 Posts
I would second that. The quality controls are lowered (sometimes down to nonexistent) for the Chinese market and components and fabrication are of lower level. Chinese themselves are so fed up with the quality of domestic products that they seek foreign products just to be on the safe side.
#13
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 38
Bikes: ORi M10 LiteWeight
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Well, I'm not familiar with those and I'm fairly new to folding bikes, but after an extensive research and a few road tests I got me an Ori M10 LiteWeight. I believe is manufactured in Taiwan. I rode-tested a Brompton, a couple Dahons, a Tern and a Curve.
The fold is great (only the folding of the Brompton was better); the ride is amazing (better than all the ones I tested). It didn't even feel like a 16". And it weights about 10.4 kg. All parts are industry standard, or so the seller told me. In my humble opinion, a bike to consider if you can get it over there.
The fold is great (only the folding of the Brompton was better); the ride is amazing (better than all the ones I tested). It didn't even feel like a 16". And it weights about 10.4 kg. All parts are industry standard, or so the seller told me. In my humble opinion, a bike to consider if you can get it over there.
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 2,497
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 573 Post(s)
Liked 118 Times
in
99 Posts
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 418
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Well, I'm not familiar with those and I'm fairly new to folding bikes, but after an extensive research and a few road tests I got me an Ori M10 LiteWeight. I believe is manufactured in Taiwan. I rode-tested a Brompton, a couple Dahons, a Tern and a Curve.
The fold is great (only the folding of the Brompton was better); the ride is amazing (better than all the ones I tested). It didn't even feel like a 16". And it weights about 10.4 kg. All parts are industry standard, or so the seller told me. In my humble opinion, a bike to consider if you can get it over there.
The fold is great (only the folding of the Brompton was better); the ride is amazing (better than all the ones I tested). It didn't even feel like a 16". And it weights about 10.4 kg. All parts are industry standard, or so the seller told me. In my humble opinion, a bike to consider if you can get it over there.
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 218
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Ori is a legit brand. Not unlike Strida, it was originally designed in UK but later acquired/evolved by a Taiwanese manufacturer. It's fairly popular in Asia, and there are dealers in China:
https://www.oribikes.com/ori/dealer/cn.html
https://www.oribikes.com/ori/dealer/cn.html
#17
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 38
Bikes: ORi M10 LiteWeight
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Beautiful bike. Where did you order it from? How much does it cost?
Different pedals. Comes with all-black ones.
Last edited by SixRaven; 02-20-14 at 08:57 PM. Reason: Grammar!
#19
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 10
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
The Ori is to expensive. Can only take things for $600 tax free, otherwise I have to pay about 25% tax after arriving in my country.
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Santa Cruz, CA, US
Posts: 250
Bikes: 3 folders, 2 recumbents (1 is electric), 1 recumbent trike, 1 touring, 1 mountain, 1 road bike -- So many bicycles, so little time.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
I purchased a great 20" folding bike, the UCC Transformer 2.0, from a student who returned to the US after 4 months studying Chinese medicine in China. It wasn't expensive in China she said, relative to prices in the US for anything similar. Here's the website: https://www.uccbicycle.cn/en_products.asp. It isn't sold in the US as far as I have found with many searches. If you can find this bike while you are there, try it. I don't think you'll be disappointed. UCC as a company (according to what I read in an interview of one founder) realized they couldn't compete at the bottom end of the market against established mass producers like Giant and Dahon, so they went for higher-quality bikes as their niche.
I added a Nashbar front rack and a rear rack that has adjustable height. By adjusting the rack to maximum height, I was able to use full-size panniers on the rear without heel interference. I can still fold the bike almost as compactly as without the racks. I bought 20" fenders which I haven't mounted yet but I'm sure they'll fit.
The bike has a front derailleur with 2 chainrings and an 8-speed rear derailleur, giving it 16 gear combinations. The components are good quality, not bottom end stuff. It has a folding scheme similar to Dahon (maybe licensed from Dahon). The frame is aluminum, strong and not too flexing while riding. It feels good. I recently went on a bike trip by bus, train, and car, to Lake Tahoe (California) with my daughter who took her 700c road bike. Here's my bike and duffle bag sitting at the Amtrak train station in Davis, CA:
We road along a class 1 bike path around part of the lake. I had absolutely no trouble keeping up with her. She was impressed at that because she figured small wheels means slow. I told her the key is the gearing. This bike climbs hills well and has good speed on level ground. I happened to have an extra 26" wheel with 8-speed cassette from a bike that was converted to electric hub-motor rear wheel, so I had this extra cassette. It had a larger low gear #1 than what came with the UCC bike, so I had the shop swap it onto my UCC, giving the bike an even better hill climbing gear. I mounted a cyclocomputer on the main tube using zip-ties. It works great, rides great. Having some extra weight on the front wheel when I load front panniers actually improves the ride, making the steering less twitchy and avoiding wheelies when accelerating up steep hills or going over speed bumps.
I added a Nashbar front rack and a rear rack that has adjustable height. By adjusting the rack to maximum height, I was able to use full-size panniers on the rear without heel interference. I can still fold the bike almost as compactly as without the racks. I bought 20" fenders which I haven't mounted yet but I'm sure they'll fit.
The bike has a front derailleur with 2 chainrings and an 8-speed rear derailleur, giving it 16 gear combinations. The components are good quality, not bottom end stuff. It has a folding scheme similar to Dahon (maybe licensed from Dahon). The frame is aluminum, strong and not too flexing while riding. It feels good. I recently went on a bike trip by bus, train, and car, to Lake Tahoe (California) with my daughter who took her 700c road bike. Here's my bike and duffle bag sitting at the Amtrak train station in Davis, CA:
We road along a class 1 bike path around part of the lake. I had absolutely no trouble keeping up with her. She was impressed at that because she figured small wheels means slow. I told her the key is the gearing. This bike climbs hills well and has good speed on level ground. I happened to have an extra 26" wheel with 8-speed cassette from a bike that was converted to electric hub-motor rear wheel, so I had this extra cassette. It had a larger low gear #1 than what came with the UCC bike, so I had the shop swap it onto my UCC, giving the bike an even better hill climbing gear. I mounted a cyclocomputer on the main tube using zip-ties. It works great, rides great. Having some extra weight on the front wheel when I load front panniers actually improves the ride, making the steering less twitchy and avoiding wheelies when accelerating up steep hills or going over speed bumps.
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Santa Cruz, CA, US
Posts: 250
Bikes: 3 folders, 2 recumbents (1 is electric), 1 recumbent trike, 1 touring, 1 mountain, 1 road bike -- So many bicycles, so little time.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Ori is a legit brand. Not unlike Strida, it was originally designed in UK but later acquired/evolved by a Taiwanese manufacturer. It's fairly popular in Asia, and there are dealers in China:
https://www.oribikes.com/ori/dealer/cn.html
https://www.oribikes.com/ori/dealer/cn.html
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Santa Cruz, CA, US
Posts: 250
Bikes: 3 folders, 2 recumbents (1 is electric), 1 recumbent trike, 1 touring, 1 mountain, 1 road bike -- So many bicycles, so little time.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
More photos of the UCC Transformer 2.0: https://www.xici.net/d111440301.htm
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: York UK
Posts: 3,027
Bikes: 2X dualdrive Mezzo folder,plus others
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 107 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
I vote ori or rhine if you want support when you return.
My thinking is that Birdie stuff fits rhyne? Mezzo and ori pretty interchangeable.
However I have not tried any of the bikes other than a mezzo and your real life experience should educate us all on these bikes? Good luck on purchase, hope you find a bargin or an exclusive great bike.
Rule out the ori if you don't want A fast but firm ride, suitable for mainly road use. A suspension seatpost helps.
My thinking is that Birdie stuff fits rhyne? Mezzo and ori pretty interchangeable.
However I have not tried any of the bikes other than a mezzo and your real life experience should educate us all on these bikes? Good luck on purchase, hope you find a bargin or an exclusive great bike.
Rule out the ori if you don't want A fast but firm ride, suitable for mainly road use. A suspension seatpost helps.
Last edited by bhkyte; 02-21-14 at 12:51 PM.
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Santa Cruz, CA, US
Posts: 250
Bikes: 3 folders, 2 recumbents (1 is electric), 1 recumbent trike, 1 touring, 1 mountain, 1 road bike -- So many bicycles, so little time.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
When you're back from China, please let us know what bike you brought back and your opinion of it.
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 2,497
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 573 Post(s)
Liked 118 Times
in
99 Posts
Thanks.