Originally Posted by Bacciagalupe
There is no single "best folding bike," because no single folder does everything perfectly.
The smaller folders are great for short rides and multi-mode commutes, but tend to lose out in terms of performance and ride quality.
The more solid of the 20" folders will, naturally, ride and perform pretty well but typically do not have fantastic folds.
And of course, different models have different geometries, components and intended purposes. So the "best bike" for a commuter will not necessarily be the "best bike" for someone who is touring, which in turn may not be the "best bike" for someone who rides 30 miles a week, which almost certainly will not be the "best bike" for someone who rides 150-200 miles a week....
So: if you want to know what is the best folding bike for you, I recommend you specify your intended use(s).
Here, here! Everyone's needs are different. For me, I needed a small folding performance bike, which left me with one option: the expensive Birdy. Ah, well, it was worth the price. (Just bought the cheapest model and upgraded it to XT for less than the XT models cost.)
The Mu Sl comes close enough to a being small folder, but has a frame hinge. What to do?