Originally Posted by MillCreek
We have considerable hills in the Seattle area. My 2007 Dahon Mu Xl, with a Nexus premium 8 speed hub, handles them quite well. It has a great lower gear range. The downside is that the higher gear range could be higher. This limits my top speed on the flats.
Thanks for the advice everyone! I'm in Everett, Washington, pretty close. I will check out Swift and and the MU XL. I guess my primary reason for wanting a folder is that I don't want my bike stolen! I've test ridden only regular size bikes thus far and really liked the Specialized Dolce Elite. Great bike, loved it, but would have to lock it up outside.
As I am knew to bike commuting, I'll keep an eye on the forums, great tips!