Originally Posted by
Winfried
Availability from local bike shops is an important parameter too with those unusual bikes.
Even in a city like Paris, the Birdy is only available from a single store (Les vélos parisiens in the 6th), and the Change/Airnimal aren't sold here.
You could also check bikes from Tern (available from Cyclable stores), as they might have solved their hinge issue by now; The Verge P10 has disk brakes, and a luggage block is available to stick a Brompton bag in the front.
Considering the Brompton is available in big cities and it rides well enough for touring — I'm not the only one using it as a touring bike —, I would suggest heading for Les vélos parisiens where you can try the Brompton and the Birdy. You'll find the Birdy rides better with its more rigid frame, but 1) folds bigger and 2) is more expensive (~2,500€ rear rack included). I also had a Birdy, but found the Brompton more practical because I know I'll never get stuck when taking it on a train/bus or hotel.
Thanks so much for the local tips Winfried! (I wanted to reply earlier, but I can only post 5 times every 24 hours…) I am indeed a bit leery of the fact that while the Change and Airnimal can be shipped here, they would be quite a pain to ship back if needed. I will reach out to Les vélos parisiens!
Did you find that the Birdy's folded size was impractical for bringing onto public transport or into hotels? I've been mainly concerned about riding comfort over small fold, since I figured my husband would mainly be either storing the bike in our apartment or rolling it into a store; but I hadn't thought that the Birdy would actually be bulky enough to affect your travel plans.
Also, if anyone reading this is familiar with the Tern BYB, I'd be very curious to hear your thoughts!