Originally Posted by
silverwolf
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.
I actually owned an A-Bike at time for about three months. I sold it because I just could not develope confidence riding the A-Bike in New York City streets with so many potholes. It felt dangerous and impossible to ride at night.
Something no one mentioned here but the A-Bike does not freewheel very well and slows down without you hitting the brakes. I did not like this since it uses up alot of energy, much more than a Brompton going the same distance.
The only thing I like about the A-Bike was its weight. I could carry that bike anywhere for long distances with no problem. It could fit between my legs on a bus or train. No problem.
I think a much better solution woult the a Xooter kick scooter. Slightly heavier but much more efficient, slightly faster and safer.