A Pacific Cycles Reach has disk brakes so it can take any tire available in 451 size. It also has short-displacement passive suspension, similar to a Moulton. So, if suspension, as you suggest plays a role in speed, one can expect a Reach to be faster.
I am running a 42mm tire on my Dahon Dash now, and it has a traditional diamond-shape geometry, no proprietary anything, and I can probably go up to a 55cm tire. Again, you folks need to get out of your BF tunnel vision. What's with the sect-, cult-mentality?
Originally Posted by
invisiblehand
If a Bike Friday is "faster", bike fit would be the big component. I suppose something like tire width could be important too under the -- reasonable, IMO -- assumption that a high quality supple wide tire will be faster. So if the bikes you shared can only fit say 28 mm wide tires but you can fit a 40+ mm wide tire on a Pocket Crusoe built as a fast road bike, the reduced rolling resistance will make a difference.