Originally Posted by
Sangetsu
My Birdy was stolen several months ago, and I decided to replace it with a Brompton. The Brompton is quite a nice bike, and very good for short commutes and sidewalk riding. The ride is smooth enough, and it folds quickly and easily.
in comparison, the Birdy was a bit lighter, (I had the older straight-frame version), has a larger, more comfortable cockpit, and much more easily upgradeable than the Brompton. I was easily able to fit XTR V-brakes, levers, and a 10 speed shifter, derailleur, and cog. The best thing about the Birdy is that I was able to set up the seat, bar, etc. to the same dimensions as my 56cm road bike.
The Brompton is a great grocery-getter, and is good enough for my regular work commute, but the Birdy was quick enough, and large enough to be a potential replacement for my fullsize roadbike. If you are planning longer, faster rides, the Birdy is a great choice. The front and rear suspension tames rough pavements quite nicely. For all around fun, the Brompton is a great bike.
i live in Japan, and the Birdy is something of a cult bike here. You can probably buy one through Rakuten, which is a Japanese internet retailer which sells pretty much anything. Rakuten now provides English support, and shipping from Japan is generally cheaper and faster than from most other places.
Good luck, and I hope you enjoy whichever bike you choose.
Hey Sangetsu! Thanks for the reply and the advice. Actually I already got me the ORi M10 LiteWeight. I think I pondered exactly what you mentioned; except Birdy is not available where I live (Mexico), and ordering it from abroad would've been quite the expense... I didn't know about Rakuten. By the way I just searched for the Birdy in that site, but couldn't find it. How do you search for it?) From what you say, I'm thinking the ORi M10 LW is somewhat an excellent blend, as it got a nice and quick folding (not as nice as the Bromton, of course), but it rides much smoother. It definitely feels lighter (and it has 10 speeds).
I am however thinking on getting a Brommie by the end of this year (I still love the looks of it.) I'd get it with a rack, as I'd use it for grocery shopping and commuting every now and then (I don't want to add a rack to the ORi, I like it light.)
If you don't mind me asking... where in Japan do you live? One of my bucket list items is biking Japan... wondering if you've done some touring over there?