Originally Posted by
DoubleDiamonDog
This is an interesting thread and has some colorful prose. The Mezzo look like an interesting bike and I would love to see one in the flesh and try one out. Unfortunately here in the US it seems that their distribution has been limited and perhaps they may no longer be available, except possibly left over stock.
I see many comparisons to Brompton, so I have a question. I have been reading here that the Mezzo is a fast bike. It seems to me that a Brompton would be faster since the Mezzo seems under geared. If speed is important a Brompton 6 speed would have a much higher top speed, based on the available gearing on a Mezzo.
Actually, on a folding bike with 16" wheels maybe speed wouldn't be so important anyway. Does anyone have input on comfort? It seems like a steel bike with longer wheel base and suspension would be more comfortable than a short aluminum bike w/o suspension.
FWIW, I don't own a folder but an intrigued with getting a couple for my wife and me for european travel and travel in the US to cities with good mass transit. For my purposes, should I really look more into the Mezzo? From what I have read it seems that it doesn't fold as small, weighs as much, costs nearly as much, is slower, seemingly less comfortable and the luggage transport options are not as good.
I can understand that for other people with other applications it might be a good alternative, but maybe not for me?
The whole design brief on the Mezzo was to create a compact, easy folding small bike that feels and rides like a big bike. And I would say they have definitely achieved that. When I first rode my Mezzo I was really surprised..I expected a small 16" wheel bike to be a radically different experience after riding full size road bikes.. particularly with the steering which is often reported to be "twitchy" on small wheel bikes. The Mezzo feels higher from the ground and the steering handles like a full size bike...you think you're on a full size bike almost..and the lighter weight and more responsive steering makes for a much more enjoyable ride..the bike feels a lot nipper and more agile..riding on pavements is easier and turning is quicker thanks to the smaller wheels...the steering is flung forward so is not "twitchy" like other bikes..it feels more like a regular MTB or road bike for steering..
I think the big benefit of the Mezzo is the non-folding mainframe, it's a very solid rigid bike and there's no wasted energy, all your effort goes directly to the back wheel and you just move along very smoothly. This is what sets the Mezzo apart from the Brompton and other bikes with a frame fold. On the Mezzo there's no shakes, creaks or anything. Yet you have all the flexibility of a Brompton and a very compact folding bike still, with hardly any compromise on the ride.