Originally Posted by
feijai
I think fold-in-half-horizontally bikes (Dahon, Downtube, zillions of chinese bikes, etc.)
generally don't roll well enough for reasonable use, despite what
various YouTube
videos would have you believe. Rolling these bikes requires unreasonable hacks for which the bikes aren't designed. I find that the hacked-up rolling positions aren't comfortable for real use, and (the killer) you can't roll backwards without tilting on one wheel and often accidentally disengaging the magnet. And in the least irritating approach (seatmast up), you can't put the bike down to rest. It's just the nature of the folding design on these bikes.
I think having a telescoping/rotatable handlebar like a Downtube helps a lot for rolling fold-in-half type bikes because it allows you to rotate/orient the handlebars to fine tune the steering of the rolled/folded bike (to toe in the wheel so the magnet doesn't disengage when pushing forward, etc...it's simpler than it sounds). Rolling with the seat is like trying to ride a bike by the stem instead of the handlebars and not rotating/orienting the handlebars is like trying to ride a bike with the handlebars off center.
Also IMO rolling backwards is completely unnecessary for this type of bike because it's so easy to pivot in place. In fact, I think pivoting in place is easier with this rolling design than any other because the rolling-wheels don't have to turn (as with the Brompton or Carry-me) and the bike can remain balanced without arm strength (unlike the tikit or Strida).
Plus the rear rack actually remains usable (unlike the Brompton or Tikit or Carry-me which all turn their rear racks 90 or even 180 degrees or the Strida which can't be set down without also tipping its rack over) and I get many compliments when I use mine for grocery shopping ("great idea", "I bet you don't have to deal with traffic", etc). Sure many of the other bikes have alternative methods (front racks, panniers, etc), but they can't beat the simplicity and cost efficiency of a milk crate on the rear rack.
The main disadvantage of the fold-in-half design for rolling is, IMO, that it only rolls in the partially folded position. While the Brompton shares this weakness, the tikit, Carryme, and Strida do not. But even this isn't all bad because it's a necessary tradeoff between having a longer fold vs a squarer fold and a squarer fold has it's advantages for packing a bike in a trunk or suitcase. Besides supermarket isles have plenty of room.
Not saying the fold-in-half design is ideal for rolling, but I think it's a good example of the fact that marketing has such a grip on our society that things advertised as being designed for a purpose are seldom actually designed to be a superior solution for that purpose. More often than not manufacturers/suppliers simply look at what they can produce and then simply claim optimization/design after the fact, with the result that often the worst tools for the job are the ones which are advertised for that job.
Originally Posted by
folderster
I'm a regular BART/folder user too. Rolling has been discussed here many times but it doesn't seem to be a key feature for most. Unless you have a physical condition that forces you to need to roll or have really offbeat commute hours, I don't know that rolling is all that great an asset. I spent a lot of time learning to roll my Dahons but almost never have a really need.
Stations are often so overcrowded that carrying the bike is a lot more comfortable for me. It takes up less room on the platform and is easier to navigate crowds carrying it. You are allowed to take your folder on escalators and elevators, so there's really not a huge amount of carrying required (although I can use the workout and prefer to haul it up the stairs). Just make sure you have found the most comfortable way to carry your bike.
Like a rolling suitcase, while I guess it's true that I don't really
need to roll it, I would never ever choose not to roll a folding bike if I can help it, especially not on an escalator where I might not be able to put down or pick up the bike quickly enough if my arms tire.
And I think crowded stations are the most useful place to roll a bike because it's much easier to maneuver your bike in the available space independently from your body than to try cumbersomely maneuvering your torso effectively expanded by 12 inches and 30 pounds. I agree, however, that rolling doesn't help much on a crowded train where there isn't much maneuvering or moving at all (just file in and sit tight). Although I could see how you might feel differently if your bike is much lighter.