Y'know, despite the fact that these things aren't the best buys in the world I might buy one. I finished my standard folder project far under budget ($85 total on a $200 budget) and after calling some airlines, getting a real bike (even a folding one) on a plane is a real PITFA. They are really unhelpful on the phone, and even when I bummed a ride to Bush Internatioal airport here in Houston they were real pricks at the information desk, because I didn't have a ticket to fly yet.

From what I gather these things have all the faults I expected in the OP, but are apparently rideable for short distances. I've got three major questions concerning the six-inch or eight-inch a-bike design:

1- Do they fit in an average backpack? I'm not talking school backpack but camping or adventure pack. If they can fit while leaving a little room in the rearmost compartment for clothes it would work.

2- What's the approximate gear inches on them? For reference I run 58 on my off-road bike, and 64 on my folder. I need to be able to pedal at about 8-10 mph with a cadence of about 55-75.

3- It's gonna be a Chinese copy for certain, I'm not worried about frame cracking etc but the fold has to take up the same kind of space as the original a-bike does, due to space constraints mentioned above. It's a purchase solely for traveling with a pack and nothing else, and anything with pedals and wheels is faster and a bit smoother than walking.