hi everyone i'm new to cycling and i need a bike to start, but after days of searching and reading i'm going nowhere, so im asking for your help!

why Im going for a folding bike instead of a road/hybrid bike:

1. i live in seoul, korea where there are very little bike lanes outside of parks, and i'll be sticking mostly to sidewalks where i'll be needing to weave through a lot of people. i know REAL cyclists ride on roads, but roads here are 6,7 lanes wide, many drivers dont follow traffic signals, etc., and ....

number 2. most of my riding will be just around the area or short trips, not for commuting.

3. as bike-UNfriendly seoul is, its transportation system is awesome and having a folding bik e will let me take it on to the subway free of charge for trips anywhere.


as much as I want a road bike, I just see very little practical use for it, and riding my friend's folding bike has shown me a folding bike is more than enough for me.


now that i've settled on a folding bike, i'm having difficulty choosing hte right model for me. i've been looking into dahons, as other brands seem to have less presence in korea (and hence less parts and etc.).

here's what i need:
1. i'm 5'11 and 180 pounds so i'm a pretty big guy, i'll need a sturdy frame and 20 inch wheels.

2. 95% of my riding will be around the city, or short trips outside(i'm looking at around 1-4 hours of riding) . seoul is relatively flat.

4% of my riding will be, as i mentioend above, in places far away after travelling by car or train.

the remaining 1% is what i hope to be long trips, ranging around several days to weeks. this includes attaching paniers to the back and/or front. outside the city the terrain becomes much more hilly , nothing undoable, but I'll be needing a bike that can go fast and help me ride up hills.


to summarize, at the very least i need a strong and sturdy bike that can travel long distances. i know there are some "speed" models but these seem beyond my budget, and i've looked at the speed d7. what do you guys think? i could possibly go a few hundred dollars over the speed d7, but only if you guys tell me its worth spending.